Just whole hell of alot of nope. It was 25 degrees at my house today. What the heck. I think the Clintons must have been transfusing Hillary with reptile blood... I feel for the copper head.

Yep. About a week or two ago it was low 30's and found a little rattler, about 10" long curled up under my hose bib. I kneeled down on a knee and took the cover off the bib, threaded the hose on and then noticed the little bastard... I removed his head promptly. Glad I didn't get lit up.

I thought you could pet them at that temp.?

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
I thought you could pet them at that temp.?

As with the ladies, it is best to give them a cuddle till they warm up to you.

Should've uh... un-alived it...

That's a cottonmouth, not a copperhead.

That area of Virginia is the northernmost range of the Eastern Cottonmouth. They suffer a high winter mortality. Here's why: In areas south of here, it essentially stays warm enough for most snakes to stay somewhat active all year long with only brief periods of hybernation, or none at all. North of here, it cold enough that snakes will go into true hybernation for half the year. But in Virginia, we have wacky winters. The Appomatox River population of Cottonmouths usually don't experience winters cold enough to go into hybernation for half the year, but still too cold to move around and feed. So many of them are awake, but not eating, which eats up their winter fat reserves at a faster rate than if their metabolisms were slowed way down in hybernation. That population of cottonmouth usually comes out of the winter emaciated. More die over the winter than in populations in even slightly warmer areas - like here in Newport News, about 70 miles away.

Wow, you are correct apparently. This guy is the same shade as the melanistic copper head i had on our property a couple of years ago. The banding is far more copperhead also. But the wildlife management teap that posted the photo says cottonmouth.

quote:

Originally posted by Jester814:
Should've uh... un-alived it...

^^^ THIS, ALWAYS THIS.

Un-alived it with prejudice I would say!

Can't you eat them raw, like sushi?

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
Wow, you are correct apparently. This guy is the same shade as the melanistic copper head i had on our property a couple of years ago. The banding is far more copperhead also. But the wildlife management teap that posted the photo says cottonmouth.

Sounds like a very technical question with the same answer either way.

It's in the teens now, but we've generally had a pretty mild winter. It was 67 yesterday at lunch time. I'm surprised we haven't been seeing snakes out on warm days.

That’s a cute and cuddly little guy you have there.

My brother and his best friend use to fish all over Lake Chesdin and they always said watch out for the snakes.

His best friend told my father that they fished 120+ days straight one year.