Five snake bites prompt warning in Beach

Posted to: News Virginia Beach
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By Aaron Applegate
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 2, 2009

VIRGINIA BEACH

Sometimes the obvious bears repeating, even when the subject is poisonous reptiles.

Five people in the Beach this summer have suffered snake bites requiring a trip to the hospital, officials said. The locations vary - Blackwater, Sandbridge, the amphitheater, Kempsville and First Landing State Park - but the cause is almost always the same: snake fascination.

"People want to be like Steve Irwin and pick up the snake," said Bruce Nedelka, emergency medical services division chief, referring to the late TV personality called "The Crocodile Hunter."

On Tuesday, the city released its "Snake Bite Prevention Safety Tips."

Tip No. 1, "If you see a snake, walk away from it."

"You would think it would be obvious," Animal Control Officer Wayne Gilbert said, "but sometimes people see something that's a little strange, and they want to go up and touch it."

Gilbert said he's noticed two kinds of people when called to remove a snake from a kitchen or under a house. The first group completely avoids the slithery things.

"The others are so engrossed that they're with me the whole time," he said.

"They ask me if they can hold the snake tongs. They want to touch the snake to see what it feels like."

Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com

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Yikes!

Submitted by Akira1 on Wed, 09/02/2009 at 5:55 pm.

what kind of snakes? Specifically, where were they? I need more info on this one

does anyone know what

Submitted by buffaloeluvr on Wed, 09/02/2009 at 10:42 am.

does anyone know what happened at the ampitheather?

Way to overload us with

Submitted by mp on Wed, 09/02/2009 at 12:02 am.

Way to overload us with details, Pilot.

This article amounts to little more than: "Something happened. The end."

Five Snake bites

Submitted by rchilders757 on Tue, 09/01/2009 at 11:15 pm.

I'd say http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/reptiles/snakes/snakes_of_virginia.htm will answer almost question about the three poisonous snakes found in Virginia.
I grew up only a stones throw from what is now called Northside Park, in Norfolk. Before the park was created from the 'City Nursery' it was an area surrounded by several types and sizes of trees, ditches and marshlands. To the left of the current entrance road there were dense thickets over the entire area. You can still get scared to 'death' by a Water Moccasin, Copperheads and HUGE simple, non-poisonous Black Snakes. At the back end of the City Tree Farm area was an open waste material and food garbage dumping area literally crawling with Rats. The snakes rarely had to wait long for food to come to their hiding places in the adjacent woods. It was a habitat that greatly improved a snakes chances of survival.
While many neighborhood teens and adults did wander in and around the area I only heard of one or two bites over a 30 year period. Most had the sense to understand what a snake could do and we avoided them.

Snakes

Submitted by Warner Athey on Tue, 09/01/2009 at 5:58 pm.

I have a Ranch in Blackwater. I don't worry too much about the snakes. They bite you 2 or 3 times, but once they find out that you are not scared of them, they pretty much leave you alone.

My 4 year old son stepped

Submitted by michelleleigh on Tue, 09/01/2009 at 5:45 pm.

My 4 year old son stepped right over a baby copperhead last month. We live off of Shore Drive by one of the lakes. The little thing was just curled up on the sidewalk and luckily my son noticed the snake and informed his older brother whom was about to plant his foot right atop the creature. With all the rain, there have been quite a few more snakes this year.

A Relief for you and your family!

Submitted by Archie on Tue, 09/01/2009 at 6:25 pm.

Seems your sons are smarter than the 5 people who were bit!

Where else are they?

Submitted by StraightForward on Tue, 09/01/2009 at 5:43 pm.

Are these common in the suburbs in other parts of Virginia Beach? Could someone list them? I am assuming there aren't many in my area simply due to the massive amount of toads I'm seeing this season. If there were lots of snakes around here, they'd probably be less conspicuous at the very least...

They are everywhere

Submitted by VaMarine22 on Wed, 09/02/2009 at 9:18 am.

While Snakes may not be prevelant, I cannot think of one single area of Va Bch or Hampton Roads for that matter that I would venture to say "Snakes are never there." We are surrounded by water albeit mostly salt water, the intercoastal waterways, great dismal swamp, and other cool moist places. Which are a great breeding ground for the snakes and the prey of the snakes. Do not try and say not in my backyard because the 1st time you do, will be the day you run into on.

Most common poisionous Snakes in Hampton Roads are the Copperhead, Cottonmouth Moccasin, Water Moccasin.