This is why you wear gaiters
 

This is why I highly recommend wearing gaiters (snake protection) when hiking or exploring the Florida Everglades. Luckily this one was easy to see and up on the tram road.

flhiker's Channel - YouTube



Eastern Diamondback Rattler

Very cool the way the snake stayed coiled and its head remained fixed while the lower body moved the snake to the roadside brush where he likely made his "escape".

I lived on a dammed-up cypress swamp in Georgetown SC. (Great fishing hole - about 7 acres total. Fished there 4-5 days a week after work, surf-cast in the ocean on weekends. Ahhh. That was the life.)

Anyway, I grabbed a beer and my tackle and went down to the kudzu-covered earthen dam, and saw a "bald spot" to stand in while casting. Just as I was about to step into it, a 4" diameter cottonmouth (about 4' long) slithered away.

Had I made contact, I would probably not be typing this...

In addition to gaiters I would require exceedingly capacious under-garments... :shock:

I fear the Rattlesnake the most because their venom is so toxic. And does damage no matter how fast you get the anti venom. The cottonmouth are very arrogant and will stand their ground but the venom isn't quite a bad. either way I wouldn't want to get bit by either one. I know it's easy to forget to pay attention where you step specially when your excited to get to spot or when you spot that Ghost orchid and forget to survey the area before stepping or grabbing anything. I once reached down to pick up an interesting piece of driftwood and nearly was bitten by young moccasin, never saw him. boy did that wake me up the rest of the day.

South Carolina has the distinct "honor" of having every general type of poisonous snake that exists in the US - rattlers, copperheads, cottonmouths, even coral snakes. In the 4 years I lived there, I saw the first three, plus the occasional gator in weird places.

Cool video!

I agree with most of your points and I should have said I fear getting bit by a rattlesnake more then the cottonmouth. I walk in areas a lot of times where you can't see the ground ahead of you or see where your feet go. The Rattlesnake venom has neurotoxin's that the Cottonmouth doesn't. Neurotoxin's cause damage to tissue and more importantly your organs where as the cotton mouth venom works more slowly. So getting bit 2,3,4 or 5 miles in can be a real problem. The reason there are more dog and horse injury's are because there are more people around dogs and horse's same goes for car accidents and bee stings. Only a hand full of moron's like me go looking in places where these snakes inhabit.:rofl:

This is when I am thankful I am a city boi...The only time I will encounter these venomous snakes here in Manhattan is the pet shop...LOL

Hence the phrase "beating around the bush", yes? :biggrin:

Just a nitpicky point ... neurotoxins do not cause tissue damage. Cytotoxins (the type of toxins found in most members of the viper family) do.

From all that I have read, the bigger issue with diamondback vs cottonmouth venom is not the strength of the venom but rather the quantity. Cottonmouths, in a defensive bite, are more likely to give a "dry" bite (no venom released) or very little administered than a diamondback. Diamonds are able to pump out a greater quantity of venom.

Interestingly enough (at least to me), a couple studies I happened across indicated that a baby or juvenile rattler was more likely to strike and with a "wet" bite than an adult. To some extent, this is not surprising if one thinks about it. A smaller/younger snake would be less experienced (and thus more likely to overreact) as well as more likely to be attacked. I suspect (but have not seen any data), that as far as people go, that more people may be bitten by the juvies not only for the reason previously mentioned but also because the smaller snakes do not elicit the cautionary response from people that a large adult animal would.

Great info Paul.:) You have a better then 99% chance of survival if you can get the anti venom within 2 hrs. and it goes down from their.

Check this out

I Was Bitten: Rattlesnake Bite Recovery : Video : Discovery Channel

I still think it's best to be safe then sorry. Gaiters aren't that expensive.;)

I never had any phobias brought on by snakes. they are usually good to have around to keep small rodent populations down. Just need to know where they are at for sure if your out stompin in their world. I had more of a problem out in the Texas Big thicket with the Golden Orb Weaver spiders. You find one look around and you notice you are in a nest of at least a few hundred and then it gets freeky. These spiders are so big they eat birds. I HATE SpiDERS!!!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X1IWXuEbgX...ing+a+bird.jpg

This is why you wear gaiters
 

OHHH, gross! :yikes:
Beverly A.

I bought a pair of not just gaiters but chaps:
: Turtleskin Snake Chaps - Total Protection

I wear them when I am busting through heavy brush in New Mexico. I have seen the rattlers coiled up in the mesquite bushes a couple of feet above the ground. Out there I may be many hours walk to get to even cell phone reception and then more hours driving to get to the nearest paved road.

The closest I have come though (that I know of) to stepping on a rattler was in a suburban park 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles but there if I got bit I could be in a hospital in 1/2 hour.

I wear the turleskin gaiters. I lovem except if I have to slog through some water. They don't seem to want to stay up when wet. I also broke one of the drawstrings that cinch the tops up and had to send it back for repair. I was thinking about getting the pants. Are you happy with the chaps? and have you had any problems with them? Their products are a little expensive but lightweight.

Love the Turtleskin chaps.
 

I love the Turtleskin full chaps. First, trying to save money, I bought a pair of the gaiters but, just like snow gaiters, it is hard to get them to stay in place so I quickly bought a pair of the chaps. The chaps have loops that attach to your belt so they stay up as long as your pants stay up, they have zippers on the legs so that you can put them on while wearing boots. I have worn them for full days of strenuous hiking and they are very comfortable and they protect from thorns as well as snakes. If you buy from the Uplanders store that I gave a link to be sure to place your order by telephone to get the best price.

I think I know what I asking Santa for this year. LOL