Venomous Snakes Do Not Make Good Bedfellows, Man Discovers

An 18-year-old Wimauma man found out the hard way Saturday night that it’s important to choose sleeping partners with care.

It seems the man was in bed when a water moccasin he kept in a pillowcase managed to slither out. Realizing the critter had escaped, Austin Hatfield grabbed it and held it close to his chest, officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated.

The snake, however, didn’t want a hug. It seemed to prefer a kiss.

The creature lashed out and struck Hatfield on the lip, FWC reported. That “kiss” sent the man to the hospital courtesy of the snake’s venom.

Emergency responders were called out to the home around 11:45 p.m. and took Hatfield to Tampa General Hospital where he remained Wednesday morning, said FWC spokesman Gary Morse.

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Morse said Hatfield was aware the snake he captured a few nights before was a water moccasin, also known as a cottonmouth, and was venomous.

“He had it in a pillowcase on his bed,” Morse said. “He knew what it was.”

Florida law requires anyone who keeps poisonous snakes to have proper permitting to prevent incidents like this one, Morse said.

“The law requires a permit and requires facilities to be inspected,” he said. The law also requires permit holders to have plans in place to cover emergencies, such as when a snake happens to escape.

“That’s obviously to protect both the public and the snake,” Morse said.

It’s unclear if Hatfield will face charges for keeping a water moccasin without a permit. He is expected to recover from the strike.

As warmer weather sinks in, Florida’s cold-blooded animals are becoming more active. Morse said that includes a variety of snakes, including poisonous water moccasins. These snakes can be identified by their broad head and dark stripe that runs through their eyes. They also have a deep facial pit between the eye and nostril.

According to FWC’s website, cottonmouths are dark colored and heavy bodied in adulthood. Juvenile cottonmouths, however, are a brown to tan color with darker, reddish brown bands on their backs.

Morse encourages residents to learn more about the snakes that share the Sunshine State with them. FWC has dedicated an entire section of its website to offering information and advice for “Living with Snakes.”

Photos of an adult cottonmouth (1) and juvenile cottonmouth (2) courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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