The Snakes..... 

Coral Snake	Copperhead Snake	CottonMouth Snake

There are many more snakes but these are the most common in the Virginia Area. Each of these snakes are venomous snakes and dangerous snakes to the untrained. We will go over a brief description of each and always remember if you are unsure if a snake is venomous, treat the snake as it is venomous.

Coral Snake - Coral snakes are easy to recognize with their distinctive coloration. They have alternating red, yellow and black bands starting with black - yellow - black - yellow - red - black - yellow - red. Usually they are shorter than 40 inches (1 meter) and have smaller mouths and fangs compared to e.g. the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead. This makes envenomations of humans more difficult. The venom from a Coral Snake will cause weakness and paralysis in severe cases. The paralysis often happens in the respiratory system. The coral snake has short fangs and hang on and "chew" poison in the victim.

Copperhead Snake - In eastern parts of the US the Copperhead Snake is the most commonly encountered venomous snakes. The snake, with by the way has the Latin name Agkistrodon contortrix, has dark colored bands of varying width across most of its body except for the tip of their tails, which may look almost greenish or yellowish. Copperheads can be found different kind of places, but they do prefer to live close to water. The venom is toxic and a bite is extremely painful, requires immediate medical treatment, but is very, very seldom fatal. When agitated, the snake will shake its tail to warn you. Don?t misunderstand, it?s not aggressive but it will bite if felt threatened. Keep away from it.

CottonMouth Snake - The Cottonmouth snake is a very common snake found in wetland areas, rivers, lakes. Therefore, it is also often found near such aquatic environments. Another name of the cottonmouth snake is the Water Moccasin. The name cottonmouth originates from the cotton like color in the snakes mouth. The Cottonmouth snake is black, brown or olive colored with lighter bands on its side that its basic dark color. The cottonmouth produces its venom in glands close to where the jaws join. In the case of a bite the muscles around the glands squeezes venom from the glands through channels to the fangs. The venom is able to destroy blood cells and reduces the normal coagulation and clotting abilities of the blood. This results in what is called hemorrhage in the parts of the prey's body penetrated by the poison.

Signs of a poisonous snakebites are but not limited to progressive pain at the bite area, swelling of the bite area and the victim may have nausea, vomiting, sweating and weakness.