Apparently, the increase bite cases have nothing to do with an increase in snake population. Mild winter and warm weather in April have increased the number of snake bites. A significant number of copperheads are spotted early in spring from the end of April to mid-May. During this season you won’t miss at least one case of a snake bite by a copper head. Young snakes move and find ambush sites during warm weather. Floods have also been attributed to movement of snakes among other animals. Development has led to encroachment of reptile habitats. Disruption of reptile patterns has led to human-animal conflict. As a result, the number of bites is on the rise.

Remorse and Poison
Bites are mainly dependent on the snake, person, and the encounter. Venomous snakes can have both or one of the poisons. We have the Neurotoxins which damage nerves, cause swallowing problems, disrupt heart functioning and make swallowing difficult. The other poison is Hemotoxins which damage tissues and blood vessels.Most snakes found in South Carolina are not venomous. Also, most of them have markings similar to venomous snakes especially water snakes. This is meant to keep away predators. At the same time, snake markings vary significantly among snakes even those of the same species.

Preventing Snake Bites
Normally, snakes don’t bite unless threatened. The best way to avoid snake bites is to be watchful when in the woods, grasslands, wood piles among other areas where snakes tend to hide. Always walk or stay in areas which you can see the ground more clearly. Caution should be exercise when walking in areas with poor ground visibility. It is always advisable to wear high boots and long pants when in tall grounds, the woods, in water and swamps. Touching snakes or playing with them is not a good idea unless you can identify it. People bitten by snakes are advised to seek medical attention once bitten by a snake.

Identification
Venomous snakes have slit eyes which are similar to cat eyes except for the coral snake. Their heads are triangular in shape with a depression between their eyes and nostrils. There are also ways of determining a snake bite. They are identified by two parallel puncture wounds. You may also exhibit redness, increased temperature and swelling at the bite site. Other indications are nausea, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, sweating, poor vision, numbness and tingling.