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POISONOUS SNAKES OF TEXAS AND FIRST AID TREATMENT OF THEIR BITES
POISONOUS SNAKES OF TEXAS AND FIRST AID TREATMENT OF THEIR BITES
BULLETIN NO. 31 Originally published February 1950 Revised February 1952 Reprinted May 1960 Revised July 1963; May 1964 Reprinted Jan. 1967 Reprinted Jan. 1969 Reprinted August 1970 By JOHN E. WERLER Director, Houston Zoological Gardens Published by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas...
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
This Bulletin has been prepared in response to many requests from hunters, ranchers, telephone construction personnel, Boy Scouts and others who spend much time outdoors, for a concise and illustrated guide to the poisonous snakes of Texas. The information presented is merely an outline of the poisonous snakes found within the state and is not intended to replace the several excellent snake books now on the market. Sixteen species and subspecies of poisonous snakes, belonging to four general gro
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PRECAUTIONS AT HOME
PRECAUTIONS AT HOME
Statistics show that a large percentage of all bites takes place near the home and more than a few of these are inflicted upon small children playing in their yards. Therefore, let us consider first the possible presence of poisonous snakes around the home and some precautions that can be taken to keep them away. Each year Texas zoos receive calls from distressed home owners within city limits who have discovered rattlesnakes or copperheads under their houses or beneath trash piles on their prop
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PROTECTION IN THE FIELD
PROTECTION IN THE FIELD
In the field, where poisonous snakes are more common, they present a greater hazard to human life; consequently, campers, crop farmers and others who spend a great deal of time outdoors should necessarily take more care in avoiding snake bites. Because almost all snake bites are inflicted on the arms or legs of the victim, these limbs require special protection. The use of a little caution, when placing hands or feet where snakes may be partially or completely hidden from view, is the best prote
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RECOGNIZING THE POISONOUS KINDS
RECOGNIZING THE POISONOUS KINDS
Suppose, in spite of attention to the precautions and protective measures just outlined, someone is bitten by an unidentified snake. Certainly the victim would not wish to delay treatment if the snake were poisonous, because every minute wasted would make recovery more difficult. On the other hand, he would not care to undergo either the pain associated with snake bite treatment or the anxiety following a bite if a harmless snake were the cause of the accident. Yet time and again people have bee
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THE PIT VIPERS
THE PIT VIPERS
Our poisonous Texas snakes belong to two families—the Viperidae (subfamily Crotalinae —pit vipers) and the Elapidae (cobra-like snakes). The pit vipers, which include rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths, possess an opening on either side of the head, between the eye and the nostril. With these heat-sensitive pits, the snake can locate warm-blooded prey in the dark and make a direct hit upon a rat or mouse which it cannot see. Snakes belonging to this family are further characterized by th
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SOUTHERN COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix
SOUTHERN COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix
Description—Lighter in color than the other copperheads, this form has a body color of light brown or tan, often with a pinkish tinge. Hourglass-shaped crossbands of darker brown are very narrow along the middle of the back and are sometimes broken, forming two separate triangular markings, one on each side of the body. As on the northern copperhead, the bands are rounded at their bases. The belly is pale and indistinctly marked. Size—Adults average between 20 and 30 inches long, while some espe
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NORTHERN COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
NORTHERN COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
Description—This darker form has a pattern of reddish-brown or chestnut colored crossbands, which become narrower near the middle of the back and rounded at the bases. The darker color of these “dumbbell” shaped bands contrasts with the hazel-brown body color. The underside of the snake is dark and indistinctly mottled with gray or black. Its head is usually of a lighter tint than the body. Size—Adults usually are about two and a half feet long but record size individuals of more than 40 inches
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BROADBANDED COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus
BROADBANDED COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus
Description—The very broad, straight edged crossbands of this snake easily distinguish it from other copperheads. The similar Trans-Pecos copperhead differs by the presence of a light colored inverted U at the base of each crossband. The dark brown bands of this form are slightly narrower at the middle of the back than on the sides; their nearly straight edges gives the bands a squarish appearance. The dark crossbands contrast strongly with the lighter body color, while the belly is of almost th
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TRANS-PECOS COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster
TRANS-PECOS COPPERHEAD Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster
Description—This species resembles the broadbanded copperhead by its straight edged, squarish crossbands but differs from all other copperheads by having uniformly dark or strongly mottled belly. It also differs from the broadbanded form by the presence of a light colored inverted U at the base of each crossband. The pattern consists of about 13 chestnut-brown crossbands with narrow, dark borders. The color between the bands is light hazel brown, flecked with darker brown. Size—This is the small
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WESTERN COTTONMOUTH Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma
WESTERN COTTONMOUTH Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma
Description—This is the most variable poisonous snake in the state, both in color and in the presence or absence of markings. Adults are much less brilliantly marked than are the young or newborn snakes. Adults have a background of dark brown and are marked by from 10 to 15 dark, wide crossbands somewhat lighter in the center than at the edges. The bands, which have irregular edges, become a little wider along the sides. However, not all cottonmouths look like this. While some individuals have c
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WESTERN MASSASAUGA Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus
WESTERN MASSASAUGA Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus
Description—The general body color is brown or gray. About 39 dark brown, oval blotches extend along the middle of the back while two rows of smaller blotches are found along each side. These blotches are narrowly edged with a lighter color. Size—Adults average two feet in length; larger specimens are sometimes as long as three feet. Young—The young resemble the adults but are lighter in color. Average number in a litter is eight or nine and they measure eight or nine inches at birth. Distributi
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WESTERN PIGMY RATTLESNAKE Sistrurus miliarius streckeri
WESTERN PIGMY RATTLESNAKE Sistrurus miliarius streckeri
Description—The body color of this snake is from gray to grayish-brown. Its back is marked with about 35 small, dark spots which are wider than long. Another row of smaller spots is located along each side toward the belly. Size—Specimens average 18 inches long and large examples may reach a length of more than two feet. Young—The normal brood contains from eight to 10 but some may have as many as 18. Average length of the newborn is five or six inches. Distribution—All county records of this sn
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WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus atrox
WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus atrox
Description—Although individuals of this species show a great deal of variation in color, from a chalky white to a dull red, they can be identified immediately by the alternate black and white rings of about equal width on the tail. There is a pattern of brown diamond shaped markings along the middle of the back, which stands out against the lighter body color. Each diamond has a narrow light border. Size—Adults are generally from three and a half to four and a half feet long. Reliable reports i
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TIMBER RATTLESNAKE Crotalus horridus horridus
TIMBER RATTLESNAKE Crotalus horridus horridus
Description—This snake is much like the larger canebrake rattler but lacks the dark stripe from the eye to the back of the mouth, and generally is without the reddish-brown stripe down the middle of its back. Dark brown chevron shaped crossbands contrast with the general body color of yellowish tan. In some specimens black stippling occurs between the markings. Both black and light color phases of this snake are found in some parts of its range. It is unknown whether the dark specimens occur in
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CANEBRAKE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus horridus atricaudatus
CANEBRAKE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus horridus atricaudatus
Description—This is a large and heavily built snake with a brown or tan back marked by a series of wide, dark, chevron shaped crossbands. It may be distinguished from the similar timber rattlesnake by its larger size, its more vivid markings, and the presence of a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of its mouth. Generally, a narrow, reddish-brown stripe extends down the middle of the back. Its tail, as in some other rattlesnakes, is entirely black. Size—In Texas this snake reaches a length of
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BANDED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus lepidus lepidus
BANDED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus lepidus lepidus
Description—This snake is very similar to the mottled rock rattlesnake, with which it might be confused, but from which it differs by having a more mottled appearance between the crossbands and a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of the mouth. It has a pattern of about 18 or 20 widely spaced dark crossbands with irregular edges in contrast to its gray body color. Belly color varies from cream to pink. In the Chisos Mountains, where there is much reddish igneous rock, the normal color of this
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MOTTLED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus lepidus klauberi
MOTTLED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus lepidus klauberi
Description—This species and the banded rock rattlesnake look much alike. Both are small and slender, and marked with a series of widely-spaced dark crossbands along the length of the body and tail. The banded rock rattlesnake, however, has about 20 or 22 dark brown or black crossbands, which contrast strongly with its greenish-gray body color. It further differs from the banded rock rattlesnake in lacking a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of its mouth. Size—Adults average two feet in leng
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BLACKTAILED RATTLESNAKE Crotalus molossus molossus
BLACKTAILED RATTLESNAKE Crotalus molossus molossus
Description—There are about 32 dark rhomboid markings along the back. These light edged blotches are centered with one or two irregular light areas, while the outer edges form bars which extend down each side to the belly. Body color varies from gray to olive green, while the blotches are dark brown or black. The tail is uniformly black, as its name implies. Size—The blacktailed rattlesnake is one of our largest poisonous snakes. Texas specimens average three and a half feet but may grow somewha
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MOJAVE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus
MOJAVE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus
Description—This moderately slender snake is very similar in color and markings to the western diamondback rattlesnake. Its body is olive green with a pattern of darker diamond shaped markings down the middle of the back. These blotches are well defined by a border of light scales. It differs from the western diamondback in having narrower black tail rings and wider white spaces between these rings. A narrow light line extends from the eye to above the angle of the mouth. Size—Average length is
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PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus viridis viridis
PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE Crotalus viridis viridis
Description—Color of the back is greenish or grayish. A series of dark, rounded blotches extends down the middle of the back. These markings, with narrow white borders, become wider and shorter near the tail to form bands. In front of the eye is a narrow light line which extends backward and downward to the mouth. Size—Rather slender in form, this snake reaches a maximum size of five and a half feet. Average length is three feet. Young—Broods average 12 but vary from four to 21. Distribution—Tex
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TEXAS CORAL SNAKE Micrurus fulvius tenere
TEXAS CORAL SNAKE Micrurus fulvius tenere
Left, coral snake; right, Mexican milk snake Description—Generally less than two and a half feet long, this is our most colorful venomous snake and, at the same time, the least dangerous in appearance. Its small, narrow head, slender body and brightly colored pattern can be dangerously misleading. Children, especially, are inclined to pick it up because they are attracted by its colors and convinced that such beauty must be harmless. The pattern consists of red, yellow and black rings which enci
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VENOMS
VENOMS
Generally speaking, snake venoms are divided into two broad categories, neurotoxic and hemorrhagic, depending on their destructive actions. Neurotoxic poison is characteristic of cobras and coral snakes and produces considerable pain but little or no swelling and discoloration at the bite. Death from this type of poison is the result of respiratory failure and is preceded by such symptoms as headache, muscular weakness, lethargy and facial paralysis with accompanying difficulty in speech. Hemorr
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DIAGNOSING THE BITE
DIAGNOSING THE BITE
To make certain that a poisonous snake has caused the bite, first examine the wound for teeth marks. In a perfect bite by a poisonous snake (excluding the coral snake), the pattern will reveal two distinctly larger holes where the fangs have entered the flesh. There also may be two rows of smaller teeth marks between these punctures. Furthermore, if the snake engages the lower jaw, two additional rows of small teeth impressions will be seen below the first group. Frequently the bite pattern is n
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SEVERITY OF THE BITE
SEVERITY OF THE BITE
Even after the bite has been diagnosed as venomous, it is not immediately possible to predict the course it will follow. The severity of each case of snake poisoning is determined by the speed with which symptoms progress. Although the bite of a large snake is generally more serious than one caused by a small snake, the seriousness of a bite cannot be gauged by snake size alone. Some variable factors that affect the severity of each case include:...
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FIRST AID TREATMENT
FIRST AID TREATMENT
It is important that every snake bite victim receive first aid treatment as soon as possible. The patient must not exert himself by running, because increased circulation brought on by such physical activity will speed up absorption of the poison. For the same reason, the use of whiskey or other stimulants should be avoided. The victim’s state of mind is important; he must promptly be convinced that his chances for recovery are good—and, indeed, they are. He should not be terrified by the though
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Statement on Hospital Care Following Bites by Venomous Snakes December 14, 1960
Statement on Hospital Care Following Bites by Venomous Snakes December 14, 1960
The routine admission history and physical examination should provide and record, if possible, the identity and length of the snake, the time of the bite, and the details of all first aid measures employed, including the time lapse for each and the mode of transportation to the hospital. The record should state whether a tourniquet, incision and suction, or the ligature-cryotherapy technique has or has not been used. Inquiry should be made concerning previous bites, allergic manifestations in ge
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Boys, Floyd and Hobart M. Smith. Poisonous Amphibians and Reptiles. Charles C. Thomas Co., Springfield, 1959. Brown, Bryce C. An Annotated Check List of the Reptiles and Amphibians of Texas. Baylor University Press, Waco, 1950. Buckley, Eleanor and Nandor Porges (Editors). Venoms. Publication No. 44, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D. C., 1956. Conant, Roger. A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1958
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FILMS
FILMS
A 16 mm. motion picture film in color, entitled, “Poisonous Snakes,” is available from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Reagan State Office Building, Austin, Texas. It deals with snake bite prevention, poisonous snake identification and first aid treatment....
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