This is part two of a two-part story about venomous snakes in Bastrop County.

Everybody has an opinion of snakes, particularly the venomous kind. After several reported bites this year, one fatal, there is no denying the fact that the Bastrop County area has reptiles that everyone should be watchful for.

According to Bill Brooks, a self-taught herpetologist with more than 40 years of experience in catching, keeping and educating the public about reptiles, Bastrop County is home to four pit vipers and a species of coral snake,

“The Texas coral snake, broad-banded copperhead, western cottonmouth, western diamond-backed rattlesnake in the prairies and oak motes and the timber rattlesnake in our pine forest are what people would encounter in the area,” Brooks said.

A timber rattlesnake is suspected in the death of 35-year-old George Yancey during an encounter along Old Potato Road near Paige in May.

Non-venomous snakes outnumber venomous snakes almost six to one in Bastrop County, according to Brooks.

Texas Parks and Wildlife state herpetologist Andy Gluesenkamp said the spring and summer are when people encounter snakes because people are outdoors.

“It’s an annual occurrence,” Gluesenkamp said. “Last year we saw a lot of snakes because of the drought conditions – they were moving, looking for moisture and food. There is more quality habitat available this year.”

Brooks said this year had been a time of plenty for Central Texas.

“Because of the rains, we have more birds, rodents, fish and frogs,” Brooks said. “This means more snakes.”

Encounter

Joan Russell is an avid nature lover. She writes a gardening column for The Bastrop Advertiser and is vice president for the Pines and Prairies Land Trust. Joan and her husband Horace have lived in the country north of Bastrop for almost 40 years. She is no stranger to the animals that live around her.

Russell’s ornamental gardens surround a lovely home that sits under tall pines and oak trees and is in the endangered Houston toad habit area. The garden also provides all the necessary elements for a variety of snakes, both venomous and non-venomous, including a steady supply of food, water and shelter.

On the morning of July 3, 2001, Russell was bitten by a copperhead snake in the garden at the front of her home.

“I was picking up the paper and as I was walking by the garden I saw a weed. I reached to pull it out and felt a little prick – like a rose thorn,” Russell said. “I pushed back the plant and there was a little copperhead. He had gotten me with one little fang.”

Gluesenkamp said snakes can be hard to spot.

“Most snakes rely on avoiding detection – camouflage and sitting very still,” he said. “They will avoid areas of activity but their first defense is usually to freeze.”

A common misconception about snakes is that they will charge a person entering their territory, but reptiles are more interested in getting to their hiding place.

“It was just a scratch – a little scratch. I felt stupid, I know we have snakes,” Russell said. “If you get bit by one, then this is the one to get bit by. It’s not as bad as the others.”

Russell said her hand began to swell but that she felt all right. Then the pain got worse.

“I knew that snakes do not always envenomate and that young snakes are more dangerous – they have not learned to adjust the amount of venom they inject,” Russell said. “I drove myself to Smithville Regional Hospital. They have a lot of experience with snake bites.”

She received doses of antibiotics to prevent infection but no antivenin.

“My hand began to swell like a rubber glove that had been filled with water and it started making its way up my arm,” Russell said. “The swelling never made it to my elbow. They wanted me to stay the night. The next morning I felt fine and the swelling had gone down. There is no scar.”

Successful treatment of a venomous snakebite depends on several factors, including the species of snake, where on the body the victim was bitten and how much venom was injected. The overall health of the victim and the duration of time before treatment was administered can also be factors.

Victims should seek medical aid as soon as possible with a minimum amount of physical exertion. Victims should immobilize the bitten limb and remove any rings or bracelets.

Both Lakeside Hospital in Bastrop and Smithville Regional Hospital in Smithville carry supplies of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab, commonly know as CroFab, an antivenin made from the blood of sheep. Untreated, snake venom can cause severe pain and tissue damage. Treatment with CroFab is recommended within six hours of the snakebite.

Russell was not treated with antivenin. Doctors use a blood test to determine the level of venom a person may have received, but they are also cognizant that treatment with CroFab is very expensive, running about $2,000 per dose. Recently a 5-year-old was treated for a copperhead snakebite at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin where she reportedly received four doses of antivenin and recovered completely.

Brenda Sanders, director of quality at Lakeside Hospital in Bastrop, said the facility had treated several persons for snakebites this year.

“We carry quite a bit of antivenin actually,” Sanders said. “Because the risk of snakebite in the area is high, we do keep a stock of CroFab available.”

Keri Pierson, RN and emergency department manager at Smithville Regional Hospital said the emergency room has a lot of experience with snakebites.

“We have seen quite a few bites, mainly pit vipers,” Pierson said. “If you suspect that you have been bitten, head straight to the emergency room. We don’t need the snake. Don’t spend time looking for it or killing it.”

Pierson said the patient’s description and recollection of the snake and what happened, coupled with the wound itself would tell the story.

“We take all of these into consideration and look at the big picture,” Pierson said. “If needed or indicated we begin anti-envemomation. Bites can be dry bites and leave fang marks and bruising so we observe patients for at least six hours. Envenomation can show up hours after a bite – it may take that long for symptoms to occur.”

Pierson added that there is no antivenin for the Texas Coral Snake, which has particularly toxic venom.

“If we see a copperhead, we kill it,” Russell said. “I would like for them to leave so I didn’t have to kill them, but they won’t go. People need to be warned.”

Mans Best Friend

Russell isn’t the only family member to get snake bit. Her rat terrier Sadie has been bitten five times, with the latest episode just a few weeks ago. The feisty Sadie seems determined to protect her homestead.

“All our dogs have been bitten,” Russell said. “The vet uses vitamin K and antibacterial medicines to reduce the swelling and pain. It costs about $140.”

Gluesenkamp said different breeds and individual dogs may have an affinity for finding snakes.

“I wouldn’t say a pet can deter snakes but some dogs do a good job of locating them for you,” Gluesenkamp said. “Free-ranging or indoor/outdoor cats can be an ecological menace and do more harm than good.”

Smithville veterinarian Helen Weushuhn of Riverside Veterinary Hospital said treating snakebites in dogs in common.

“When it’s hot and snakes are moving we can see a dozen dogs a month for snakebite issues,” Weushuhn said.

Weushuhn said that like humans, the location of the bite, the kind of snake involved and the amount of venom are factors when treating snakebite. The size of the dog or cat is also an issue.

“We treat with antihistamines, antibiotics and provide supportive care,” Weushuhn said. “If needed we can administer steroids, although that’s turned out to be somewhat controversial.”

Weushuhn said rattlesnake vaccines are available for dogs that stimulate the dog’s own immunity system to help prevent severe reactions from snakebites.

Snakebite Prevention

Gretchen Gardener, county environmental enforcement officer, is on a mission to protect you and if you don’t do what she asks, you might get fined.

“I have seen many more snakes in the field this year,” Gardener said. “And many residents I’ve talked to have commented on the snakes they have encountered this year.”

Gardener has been cracking down on areas in the county that might harbor snakes, especially in subdivisions, a scenario she describes as a recipe for disaster.

“I recently worked a case near Elgin where the property owner said he killed three coral snakes and another in Pine Valley Loop near Smithville where the property owner encountered copperheads,” Gardener said. “What these cases had in common was piled up debris, tall grass and weeds.”

Gluesenkamp says Gardner’s mission is a good way to reduce snakes in populated areas.

“To reduce the frequency of unwanted encounter with snakes, homeowners should provide good yard hygiene,” Gluesenkamp said. “Don’t keep firewood next to the house. Remove brush piles, dilapidated buildings and keep the areas around housing mowed.”

Gardener is enforcing Texas Health and Safety Code 343, for Public Nuisance.

“When I see high grass, weeds and debris on a property I will leave a ‘friendly reminder’ on the door asking them to abate the property,” Gardener said. “If a property is not in compliance in a week or two, I open a case and give them 30 days to comply. If they don’t, I issue a citation for Public Nuisance, which means a $225 fine.”

Gardener said she has found problem areas at Lake Bastrop Acres and Lake Thunderbird in Smithville, but it’s definitely not limited to sub-divisions.

Gardener realizes with the amount of rainfall that it can be hard to keep up with quickly growing grass, but says it’s in your best interest to do so.

“I’ve found problems with both occupied and vacant properties with houses or structures on them – each with tall grass and weeds,” Gardener said.

Both Brooks and Gluesenkamp explained that most snakes are non-venomous and pose no threat to humans and are very beneficial to a healthy ecosystem.

“All animals need food, water and shelter. Take away any of these and you will have less snakes,” Brooks said. “Keep the place picked up and the vegetation trimmed. Keep the place open and hawks can see the snakes. They eat them.”

Brooks added that dogs and cats would often warn an owner if snakes were in the area. He also cautions homeowners about birdfeeders.

“You may want to feed the birds some distance from the house,” Brooks said. “Birdseed attracts rodents, which attract snakes.”