What To Do In Case Of A Copperhead Bite

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — With the recent increase in copperhead bites, like the one the sent an 8-year-old girl to the emergency room, many Mountain Brook residents are wondering how to identify the snake and treat its bites.

How to identify a copperhead:

1. Copperheads are pit vipers, which means they have very thick, stout bodies.

2. The snakes are typically brown or orange in color, and resemble a forest floor covered in dead leaves (which is why they can be so hard to spot).

3. They have thick, dark, irregular hourglass-shaped bands down the length of its body.

4. The head is heart-shaped and two tones, meaning the top of the head is usually lighter than the bottom.

5. While you never want to be close enough to the snake to see its pupils, copperheads have slit-shaped pupils.

What to do if you are bitten by a copperhead:

Whether or not you are bitten by a snake you know to be venomous, always treat a snake bite as though the snake were venomous. Watch for symptoms of a snake bite, which include:

1. Two puncture wounds

2. Swelling, redness and pain around the wounds

3. Vomiting and nausea

4. Blurred vision

5. Sweating and salivating

6. Numbness in the face or limbs

Copperhead bites can also cause a change in skin color, shock and low blood pressure.

Have someone call 911 immediately, and try not to move too much to slow the course of the venom. Be sure to note the approximate time of the bite, and don't waste time tracking down the snake. All treatment should be administered by a trained professional; don't attempt to cut into the bite, ice it, or attempt to suck the poison out by pump or mouth. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Birmingham Patch morning newsletter.)

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