Soon as you said religious snake handlers *bear in mind I'm from WV and we have a famouse snake church* I bursted out in laughter i know i shouldnt but dear god that just struck me the right way
I might be moving to Eastern Kentucky, these snakes and spiders will sure be an adjustment coming from Western NY. I worry more about my wife and little kids as we are an outdoors family.
@Dreoilin Education is your friend- be sure to teach your kids to not touch snakes. If you are in the outdoors a lot having a healthy respect is the best attitude to have.
Snake-handling sounds like Darwinism in action. As long as the snakes don't get hurt and the handlers die sounds win-win to me. I live in Western Kentucky (Morganfield, Kentucky) right by the Higginson-Henry game preserve and have seen many cottonmouths and I have to agree with you, I have fished in eastern and central Kentucky and people will point out regular water snakes and call them water moccasins.
this information is very good to know! thank you so much. i'm going backpacking in the kentucky back woods this weekend.. hopefully i wont run into one of these buddies haha
I live in Eastern Kentucky and a few weeks ago I spotted a huge Timber Rattlesnake in the North Fork portion of the Licking River. I have fished Cave Run Lake hundreds of times and had never seen anything like this before. At the lake's highest peak this year, we were almost 31 feet above summer pool. I'm sure the high water has pushed a lot of animal out of their normal habitat. The snake was floating/swimming on the surface toward a small grassy flat. It was approx 4-5' and very fat.
Copperheads may not kill many people at all but Im tellin ya what they sure do hurt when they bite and it does some pretty nasty rotting of flesh and bone. Trust me I know from EXPERIENCE!
How common are these snakes seen in Kentucky? My grandpa ran a campground on the Ohio River where I believe the Mocasins would try to come up on shore and him having to shoot them. It sounds as if most of these are in the Paducah area where my family is from
@machoguy94 Snakes are by nature shy and retiring animals, they don't really enjoy being seen. That said, there are areas where water moccasins are fairly dense. The snakes your grandfather saw were not interested in the campers, they were probably just coming on shore to bask in the sun. You are correct that water moccasins are from that area of western KY.
I live in Barren Co. (S. Central KY) Kentucky and I can tell you right now there are cottonmouths and timber rattlers around this area. In fact there was a larger timber rattler killed not too long ago in the neighboring town of Edmonton. The cottonmouths are harder to find, though.
@Stringmaster75 Not sure where you got that timbers wouldn't be there. However, cottonmouths are not. Send an actual photo of one with proof where it was caught- usually what people think are cottonmouths are just water snakes. They look very similar, especially if you are not a snake person to begin with.
@paintballhero1911 Until we see documented evidence they don't exist there. We have been brought numerous water snakes by folks thinking they were cottonmouths. Because the snakes look somewhat similar people sometimes get confused. Next time you think you see one take a photo.
@ArchiveOfTruth You know, it might have been a hognose snake. They will move the head from side to side with the mouth open as part of their feigning death display. Unfortunately, it is pretty hard to say without seeing the snake.
that's surprising that the copperheads cause the most bites. people must really agitate them. it takes a lot to force a copperhead to bite. i've put my foot on one and he still refused to bite.
Partly that is due to them just being more common, so they and people have more interactions... But, you are right, most bites are due to people intentionally messing around with the snakes.
I'll throw my hat in the ring. I actually had one in a pond on the back of my farm. Well I went a step further. I was lucky enough to talk a game warden into walking back there with me. He spotted the animal and said ( and I'm ver batum here) "Yeah i have no idea why they say those arent in this area (central kentucky) I come up on them fairly often
We do the training for the wardens most have to send pictures to us to ID snakes. There are no cottonmouths native to central Kentucky. Take a picture and email it to us. If you have cottonmouths then it is a large range extension and your game warden should have reported it to the non game biologist.
Next time I'm mowing grass and I kill a cotton mouth that's come up into my yard from the creek , or run across one while fishing the river/lake, I'll be sure to show you a video or at least a picture of it.
Please do document it... until there is real documentation it doesn't exist. If you see them all the time, why haven't any of the scientists whose JOB it is to find/ document these things ever seen one? I'm not saying only recently, there has never been a cottonmouth or EDB seen in the area you are describing, even in the 1800s.
I've hunted and fished here in kentucky since I was 7 years old. Myself as well as many others have seen animals that even fish and wildlife say are not here. They denied black bears being in central kentucky for years despite many people reporting them including myself seeing a couple on 2 occasions, and still barely acknowledged it after somebody got lucky enough to get a pic of one in their backyard and a newspaper article along with it.
I think you may be a bit off on the locations of cotton mouths. I currently live in south central ky and have seen many of those since I was a kid living in south eastern ky and here where I live now. I have also seen several eastern diamondbacks killed here over the years in the area where I live now.
There is no documentation of either of those species in those locations. If you have pictures and specimens (Babies and adults) to confirm a change in range. Ourselves and Kentucky Fish & Wildlife would like to see them. Eastern Diamondbacks (Crotalus adamanteus) have never been found in Kentucky only different color morphs of Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus)
Awesome video. Thats a nice Streckeri in the video! The head scale count mention might have been a bit over the heads of the general public watching the video looking for basic identification, but otherwise all useful info for folks to pay attention to for general knowledge/safety in your state.
The video is very nice I only have 1 complaint and that is your comment about the only time a rattler has killed anyone in ky is because of religious snakehandlers. This is not true. I am a snakehandler and I have handled many many serpents and know of ppl that has died from snake bites that dont even believe in the scripture were we get snakehandleing from (mark 16:18).
Thanks for the comment. The information I said was from the state coroner's office's statistics on snakebite deaths in KY. We feel these are reliable statistics.
Amazing statistic. I guessed that with all the remote mountainous areas in Eastern KY that someone would simply not be able to get medical treatment in time to survive. I guess that is a testament to a) how good medical treatment for bites is in the US and b) the nature of venom being primarily hemotoxic. I certainly wouldn't want to deal with the tissue damage though!
I would agree 100% with your thoughts- we do have excellent care here in the US, even in the most remote areas you are still generally on a few hours away from medical treatment. Also, you are right about the venom- generally 6-8 hours is the timeframe from the actual bite to life-threatening symptoms, if they are going to occur at all.
They believe that they can be bitten and live because of their beliefs. I will not judge anyones beliefs but the fact is that in Kentucky all of our deaths have been church handlers that delayed or refused treatment.
i love snakes
MultiTristan2011 4 weeks ago
venomous snakes are cool love your videos
25thesnake 1 month ago
Soon as you said religious snake handlers *bear in mind I'm from WV and we have a famouse snake church* I bursted out in laughter i know i shouldnt but dear god that just struck me the right way
CynicallyObnoxious 2 months ago
I might be moving to Eastern Kentucky, these snakes and spiders will sure be an adjustment coming from Western NY. I worry more about my wife and little kids as we are an outdoors family.
Dreoilin 3 months ago
@Dreoilin Education is your friend- be sure to teach your kids to not touch snakes. If you are in the outdoors a lot having a healthy respect is the best attitude to have.
kyreptilezoo 2 months ago
Snake-handling sounds like Darwinism in action. As long as the snakes don't get hurt and the handlers die sounds win-win to me. I live in Western Kentucky (Morganfield, Kentucky) right by the Higginson-Henry game preserve and have seen many cottonmouths and I have to agree with you, I have fished in eastern and central Kentucky and people will point out regular water snakes and call them water moccasins.
mightyquinn42437 5 months ago
this information is very good to know! thank you so much. i'm going backpacking in the kentucky back woods this weekend.. hopefully i wont run into one of these buddies haha
dirtroadprincess 6 months ago
Central Kentucky How common are these snakes ?
THFURY 7 months ago
@THFURY Not very common in the bluegrass at all.
kyreptilezoo 2 months ago
I live in Eastern Kentucky and a few weeks ago I spotted a huge Timber Rattlesnake in the North Fork portion of the Licking River. I have fished Cave Run Lake hundreds of times and had never seen anything like this before. At the lake's highest peak this year, we were almost 31 feet above summer pool. I'm sure the high water has pushed a lot of animal out of their normal habitat. The snake was floating/swimming on the surface toward a small grassy flat. It was approx 4-5' and very fat.
ShowgunZ28 8 months ago
ive seen everyone of these snakes exspecially copper heads in the back woods except the small rattle snake and ive never been bit thank god
mopardog94 11 months ago
@mopardog94 As long as you don't bother the snakes they will not try to bite you.
kyreptilezoo 11 months ago
Copperheads may not kill many people at all but Im tellin ya what they sure do hurt when they bite and it does some pretty nasty rotting of flesh and bone. Trust me I know from EXPERIENCE!
Snakehunter0930 1 year ago
How common are these snakes seen in Kentucky? My grandpa ran a campground on the Ohio River where I believe the Mocasins would try to come up on shore and him having to shoot them. It sounds as if most of these are in the Paducah area where my family is from
machoguy94 1 year ago
@machoguy94 Snakes are by nature shy and retiring animals, they don't really enjoy being seen. That said, there are areas where water moccasins are fairly dense. The snakes your grandfather saw were not interested in the campers, they were probably just coming on shore to bask in the sun. You are correct that water moccasins are from that area of western KY.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
@machoguy94 why does EVERYONE have to shoot snakes?
Trickipedia 8 months ago
Well Done! :)
Aonexia 1 year ago
I live in Barren Co. (S. Central KY) Kentucky and I can tell you right now there are cottonmouths and timber rattlers around this area. In fact there was a larger timber rattler killed not too long ago in the neighboring town of Edmonton. The cottonmouths are harder to find, though.
Stringmaster75 1 year ago
@Stringmaster75 Not sure where you got that timbers wouldn't be there. However, cottonmouths are not. Send an actual photo of one with proof where it was caught- usually what people think are cottonmouths are just water snakes. They look very similar, especially if you are not a snake person to begin with.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
what do you know of venomous snakes in Ontario, Canada??? are there any??
NeoQuello 1 year ago
@NeoQuello Only massasauga(Sistrurus c. catenatus).
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
I have seen cotton mouth in easten KY. My wife grand father was bit by one in Prestonburg in his barn.
marshcustom 1 year ago
@marshcustom No cotton mouths in eastern Kentucky. Also cottonmouths would not live in a barn. Copperheads do live around barns.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
@kyreptilezoo actually marshcustom is right ive killed a few in the woods by a creek in madison county.about 3 or 4 cottonmouths.
paintballhero1911 8 months ago
@paintballhero1911 Until we see documented evidence they don't exist there. We have been brought numerous water snakes by folks thinking they were cottonmouths. Because the snakes look somewhat similar people sometimes get confused. Next time you think you see one take a photo.
kyreptilezoo 8 months ago
@3:20 ...god hates religious snake handlers
libertarianjury 1 year ago
My brother got bit by a copperhead in Princeton, Ky. It was funny.
lillyth4508 1 year ago
Comment removed
ArchiveOfTruth 1 year ago
will copperheads or the pigmy rattler open their mouths to threaten you? i saw something that looked like one doing it to me one time
ArchiveOfTruth 1 year ago
@ArchiveOfTruth Sometimes they may open the mouth.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
@kyreptilezoo this little snake was shaking his head with his mouth open at me
ArchiveOfTruth 1 year ago
@ArchiveOfTruth You know, it might have been a hognose snake. They will move the head from side to side with the mouth open as part of their feigning death display. Unfortunately, it is pretty hard to say without seeing the snake.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
@kyreptilezoo he didnt appear to be playing dead. but then, i played it smart and just got away from it. do they look like pygmy rattlers?
ArchiveOfTruth 1 year ago
@ArchiveOfTruth Yes they can look a little like a pygmy.
kyreptilezoo 1 year ago
Comment removed
ArchiveOfTruth 1 year ago
Who knows anymore they release animals for parks and they bleed off the hills, but interesting anyways
hilarychloebelf 2 years ago
that's surprising that the copperheads cause the most bites. people must really agitate them. it takes a lot to force a copperhead to bite. i've put my foot on one and he still refused to bite.
Tarzan07330 2 years ago
Partly that is due to them just being more common, so they and people have more interactions... But, you are right, most bites are due to people intentionally messing around with the snakes.
kyreptilezoo 2 years ago
yeah. that makes sense. but either way, they're gorgeous!
Tarzan07330 2 years ago
I'll throw my hat in the ring. I actually had one in a pond on the back of my farm. Well I went a step further. I was lucky enough to talk a game warden into walking back there with me. He spotted the animal and said ( and I'm ver batum here) "Yeah i have no idea why they say those arent in this area (central kentucky) I come up on them fairly often
willynelsonius 2 years ago
We do the training for the wardens most have to send pictures to us to ID snakes. There are no cottonmouths native to central Kentucky. Take a picture and email it to us. If you have cottonmouths then it is a large range extension and your game warden should have reported it to the non game biologist.
kyreptilezoo 2 years ago
Next time I'm mowing grass and I kill a cotton mouth that's come up into my yard from the creek , or run across one while fishing the river/lake, I'll be sure to show you a video or at least a picture of it.
Cruiserlck 2 years ago
Please do document it... until there is real documentation it doesn't exist. If you see them all the time, why haven't any of the scientists whose JOB it is to find/ document these things ever seen one? I'm not saying only recently, there has never been a cottonmouth or EDB seen in the area you are describing, even in the 1800s.
kyreptilezoo 2 years ago
I've hunted and fished here in kentucky since I was 7 years old. Myself as well as many others have seen animals that even fish and wildlife say are not here. They denied black bears being in central kentucky for years despite many people reporting them including myself seeing a couple on 2 occasions, and still barely acknowledged it after somebody got lucky enough to get a pic of one in their backyard and a newspaper article along with it.
Cruiserlck 2 years ago
I think you may be a bit off on the locations of cotton mouths. I currently live in south central ky and have seen many of those since I was a kid living in south eastern ky and here where I live now. I have also seen several eastern diamondbacks killed here over the years in the area where I live now.
Cruiserlck 2 years ago
There is no documentation of either of those species in those locations. If you have pictures and specimens (Babies and adults) to confirm a change in range. Ourselves and Kentucky Fish & Wildlife would like to see them. Eastern Diamondbacks (Crotalus adamanteus) have never been found in Kentucky only different color morphs of Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus)
kyreptilezoo 2 years ago
Absolutely gorgeous w. pigmy rattlesnake! wow, and i've never seen a horridus with a black tail like that.
edgirallenjoe29 2 years ago
"Hershey's Kisses" 0:42 Ill remember that!
Instrumentuploader 2 years ago
awsome vid
chickennugget950 2 years ago
We have some of them in Florida.
Probally not the exact ones.
codeytherogue 3 years ago
You are right you have several venomous snakes in Florida. They are different then the ones found in Kentucky. Thanks for the comment.
kyreptilezoo 3 years ago
Awesome video. Thats a nice Streckeri in the video! The head scale count mention might have been a bit over the heads of the general public watching the video looking for basic identification, but otherwise all useful info for folks to pay attention to for general knowledge/safety in your state.
turdburper 3 years ago
Man those are some amazing snakes, I would really like to find a timber before it gets cold, awesome video Jim.
Fultonreptiles 3 years ago
awesome stuff, i can't wait for the next herp weekend at natural brige with yall.
HardCoreWildMan12 3 years ago
the pigmi rattlesnake doesnt even look like a rattlesnake, thats crazy,
xxxfreekxshowxxx 3 years ago
Interesting video.
no3lgrzegorz 3 years ago
The video is very nice I only have 1 complaint and that is your comment about the only time a rattler has killed anyone in ky is because of religious snakehandlers. This is not true. I am a snakehandler and I have handled many many serpents and know of ppl that has died from snake bites that dont even believe in the scripture were we get snakehandleing from (mark 16:18).
Snakehunter0930 3 years ago
Thanks for the comment. The information I said was from the state coroner's office's statistics on snakebite deaths in KY. We feel these are reliable statistics.
kyreptilezoo 3 years ago
Amazing statistic. I guessed that with all the remote mountainous areas in Eastern KY that someone would simply not be able to get medical treatment in time to survive. I guess that is a testament to a) how good medical treatment for bites is in the US and b) the nature of venom being primarily hemotoxic. I certainly wouldn't want to deal with the tissue damage though!
idn 3 years ago
I would agree 100% with your thoughts- we do have excellent care here in the US, even in the most remote areas you are still generally on a few hours away from medical treatment. Also, you are right about the venom- generally 6-8 hours is the timeframe from the actual bite to life-threatening symptoms, if they are going to occur at all.
kyreptilezoo 3 years ago
Well done
captinxrdxtegu 3 years ago
Great Vid again,
When you say Religous Snake Handlers... do you mean the people that free handle and put them around their neck and inside their mouth?
VenomousDec123 3 years ago
They believe that they can be bitten and live because of their beliefs. I will not judge anyones beliefs but the fact is that in Kentucky all of our deaths have been church handlers that delayed or refused treatment.
kyreptilezoo 3 years ago
jelous
crocodilehunter150 3 years ago
VERY nice and educational video! Nice..... Love your channel
garyorner 3 years ago
awsome video yall
SCherper 3 years ago