By: Ashley Sexton/Liftable It’s one of the most common snakes in North America and it comes equipped with a nasty bite. The North American copperhead is a pit viper that gets on well in almost any terrain.
Usually, these snakes are happy to eat rodents but can become defensive when faced with a human encounter. These snakes give no warning before they strike, putting them at the top of the list for bite numbers each year.
Agkistrodon contortrix ~ The CopperheadLike most North American viperids, these snakes prefer to avoid humans and,…
Posted by Stuart Dahne on Saturday, February 4, 2017
The snake that gets its name from the copper color of its skin has Hemotoxic venom that is mild, however, when they bite a small child, the situation becomes more serious. This was the case when a toddler was bitten at Rainbow’s Promise Daycare in Granbury, Texas.
Nataly Horn and Michael Cook were thrust into this terrifying situation when they found out their 2-year-old, Kiley, had been bitten by a copperhead while playing at daycare. Nataly who works at the daycare was teaching a class at the time her daughter was bitten.
Michael was more than distraught after he received a call informing him, “Your daughter was bitten by a snake. We’re going to the ER right now.” Little Kiley was being airlifted to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas; a hospital that sees 17-25 snake bites in children a year.
According to Herpetologist, Jeff Beane, “a copperhead bite often results in temporary tissue damage in the immediate area of the bite.” This was the case for Kiley’s bite as her first two fingers began to swell dramatically and turn black.
The staff worked quickly to keep Kiley comfortable as the venom did its worst. Fortunately, it is rare for a North American copperhead bite victim to need anti-venom.
The scary situation was soon over and Kiley was sent home with mom and dad to recover. The couple is happy to have their little girl back to being herself.
Nataly recalls the moment she found out her daughter had been bitten, “It was a scary moment. My heart stopped.” The family has a new found respect for the outdoors “We’re scared to even let her go outside right now,” she said.
As for Rainbow’s Promise, they are ramping up their snake security measures with mesh fencing and more snake patrols. Owner, Tama Loftland has never experienced a snake bite in her 18 years of business.
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