By any chance, do you realize that "copperhead" you killed was a
harmless northern water snake? I've learned to accept people's
behaviors when they kill a venomous snake ONLY if it poses a
threat living near their house. Although I don't agree with it, I
have nevertheless learned to accept it. Killing a venomous snake
is one thing. Killing a harmless snake is another thing. But,
killing a HARMLESS SNAKE and posting it on the internet FOR
EVERYONE TO SEE...quite disappointing.
Please note that I'm normally a generous person and do not get
ticked like this. But, this is an exception. Why don't you go BACK
TO YOUR NATIVE REDNECK TOWN of EUROPE, LEARN a thing or maybe EVEN
TWO, and perhaps BE SMART ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE A VENOMOUS SNAKE
FROM A HARMLESS ONE. Maybe even take a third-grade level zoology
course and learn that A SNAKE CAN STILL ****ing MOVE due to their
NERVES.
Tell you what, if you were MY grandmother, I'd jump off a cliff.
I'd suggest you think more carefully about what you did if you
want to make something worthy out of yourself before you die,
gramma.-Jonathan
My Response:
My goodness, Jonathan, such a reaction to my story! I'm sorry it
hit a nerve.
For your information... and maybe you'd better brush up on your
herpetology a bit... a copperhead IS a venomous snake, and this
one was threatening my dog, my cat and my pullets. Ordinarily we
do not kill anything. My late husband, who had been within only a
few feet of the snake's location while seated on a wheelchair, was
one who would come and rescue rattlesnakes from people's yards in
the Sonoran desert and take them in his truck and release them
SAFELY in the wild, where they were out of harm's way. We killed
only this one snake, and it was self defense, not out of any
irrational fear to kill a snake. For heaven's sake... how would
you feel if you were in a position where your loved ones were in
danger? We couldn't take the chance of having anyone bitten. The
man who lived in our house on that property had been bitten by a
copperhead three times and almost died in the hospital.
Yes, absolutely, I felt badly about killing this creature. And I
don't understand what you are talking about... European redneck
town??? I live in Colorado now. Get a grip, man. Reserve your
judgment of others and experience peace in your troubled life.
And... for your own sake, go to your library and check out a book
on reptiles and poisonous snakes.
AND THEN...
Ann... perhaps you should take a closer look at my first sentence.
See, the picture of the snake you posted was NOT a copperhead (Agkistrodon
contortrix), but it was a NORTHERN WATER SNAKE (Nerodia sipedon).
Yes, copperheads are venomous, but northern water snakes are NOT,
which is what you killed; just a harmless snake.
Now if you don't mind, let me suggest to YOU that you learn to
distinguish a venomous pit viper from a harmless water snake.
As for finding "peace" in my life... well, let's take a broad
viewpoint here... you killed a snake rather than capturing and
releasing it, and I simply expressed my opinion on that. Let's
take a nationwide vote here; who's the one who needs peace, you or
me?
Now if the snake you killed WERE to be a copperhead, I wouldn't
have spent two minutes of my life typing this. Even then, it would
be more peaceful to have captured and released it.
Also, I suggest that if you don't like venomous snakes, you should
either 1) move to an urban area or 2) learn that even VENOMOUS
SNAKES HAVE A PLACE IN THEIR ECOSYSTEM.
Sorry I had to react like this; you seem like a good-hearted
person, but you really should learn a thing or two about native
wildlife and their corresponding ecosystem...
northern
water snake
Jonathan
AND MY RESPONSE:
Thanks, Jonathan. It's possible you could be right. At the time my
late husband told me it was a copperhead and we did not take the
time to consult a book. One reason I took the picture was to
verify it... and MY snake book revealed it was a copperhead... so
did many of my neighbors. If I made a mistake, I'm sorry... let
God be the judge, not a human being. I was only trying to protect
my loved ones. Ordinarily I would not kill anything and I hope you
understand that. I am a new ager and believe that all life is
sacred. The fact that I've feared snakes all my life is something
I have not uncovered yet in my search for understanding. But I do
know they are valuable in the ecosystem and, naturally, I reacted
to YOUR reaction... so forgive me for being human and trying to
defend my position.
And thank you once again for responding to my story. I hope you
have a good day.
northern
copperhead
AND FINALLY...
Thanks Ann. It's just frustrating for me to see dead snakes shot
and beaten to death so often. Sometimes I wonder why all wildlife
can't be admired or otherwise, (in the case of a venomous snake)
be moved to a remote area. I guess it's just something the world
will have to deal with. Personally, I admire all snakes and none
have earned more of my respect than the venomous pit vipers
(rattlesnakes, copperheads/cottonmouths, etc). Not to mention,
they're VERY shy and try their best to avoid humans. Note that
they're much more afraid of us than we are of them!
The first two pictures are of a northern water snake and the last
two of a copperhead. The main way to distinguish them is the
copperhead has vertical pupils. Copperheads will also have a
definitive thinned neck immediately meeting a wide, rounded head.
Also note that many snakes (including the northern water snake)
will flatten their heads out, so "wide head = venomous" isn't the
best way to distinguish venomous snakes.
Thanks again and have a good one.
Jonathan