By Pauline Tom
Folks right here in Mountain City are seeing many “red and yellow kill a fellow” snakes. After we posted on Facebook about a coral snake in our yard on the morning of July 2, Terry Erwin responded, “Gentleman walking last evening reported to us that a Coral snake went under our culvert in the front yard. They are out and moving!”
On NextDoor.com Mary Ellen Autry, on Pin Oak near the alternate city entrance, wrote: “David killed a coral snake in the leaves by the camper Wednesday. He almost stepped on the snake. We were thinking the leaves made good mulch so had not raked them. Needless to say, he raked up all the dry leaves he could.”
She answered in response to my query, “Who all in Mountain City has reports in past week of venomous snake sightings? I know of three near Live Oak and Maple. (One crossing road at intersection; one 4 houses down on Maple – going into culvert; and, one in our front yard.)”
Coral snakes are venomous, not poisonous.
If you bite it and you die, it’s poisonous. If it bites you and you die, it’s venomous.
Even as I’m typing on Monday morning, a tidbit came in from Laura Craig (Cedar at Pecan). A neighbor just “caught” a coral snake at her place.
RonTom, “The SafetyMon,” snares snakes. He answered in response to my query, “Will you, please, send tidbit about your snake snarer?”
I like to make my snake snare from an old bait casting fishing rod. Over the years, I have several fishing rods that had the tip broken off or the end eyelet broken. I cut the end off just past the last good eyelet and with enough length appropriate for the size of snake that I am comfortable handling. Using a fairly limp braided cord that is strong enough and thick enough, not to injure the snake once it is snared.
I securely tie one end of the cord just inside the last outer eyelet and loop it through the eyelet. Allowing enough slack to circle the head of the snake, I tie the other end of the cord securely near the handle of the rod.
You now have made a snake snare. I caution anyone using any type of snare to exercise extreme caution and to back off, if the situation escalates or you do not have confidence for yourself or the animal you may be snaring. The preservation of life, yours or the animal, is a strong instinct and should respected.
Laura wondered if her coral snake could be used to make anti-venom. Today the USA does not have current (in date) FDA approved anti-venom for coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) envenomations. Wyeth, the only manufacturer of coral snake anti-venom, stopped producing anti-venom in 2003.
Laura found out that animal control (512-805-2650), 5640 I-35 frontage road in San Marcos, will take a coral snake to the Snake Farm in New Braunfels.
Wow! Thanks, Laura, for tidbits. How interesting and informative.
What a black, yellow, and red Montage. Red? Read?
Please color Montage with tidbits. Ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: TIDBIT) or 512-268-5678. Thanks! Love, Pauline
