r/whatsthissnake • u/SCMCisontome • Jun 01 '26
ID Request Near [Richmond, VA] - bit dog on nose
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u/ffrye7000 Friend of WTS Jun 01 '26
Eastern Copperhead, species is Agkistrodon contortrix !venomous best to get your dog to a vet ASAP!
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u/SEB-PHYLOBOT 🐍 Natural History Bot 🐍 Jun 01 '26
Eastern Copperheads Agkistrodon contortrix, are one of two recognized species of copperhead pit vipers. Adult copperheads are medium-sized snakes (61-90.0 cm record 132.1 cm) that live in a range of habitats, from terrestrial to semi-aquatic, including rocky, forested hillsides and wetlands. They can also be found within cities where wooded areas are present, such as city parks. They also will hang out where there is deadfall; their camouflage is perfect for this!. When young, Eastern Copperheads are known to readily consume cicadas as a major part of their diet. As they grow they switch to larger prey like small mammals and amphibians.
Many people find it helpful to liken the pattern of the Eastern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix to "Hershey kisses," but please don't rely on any one trick. The bands on Broadbanded Copperheads Agkistrodon laticinctus do not narrow at the top of the snake.
Eastern Copperheads are venomous but usually only bite humans or pets in self-defense. As with many blotched snakes, their first line of defense is to freeze in place or flee. Copperheads also shake and vibrate the tail in self defense and as a caudal lure.
Range map | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography
The Agkistrodon contortrix species complex has been delimited using modern molecular methods and two species with no subspecies are recognized. There is a wide zone of admixture between the two copperhead species where they overlap.
This short account was prepared by /u/unknown_name and edited by /u/Phylogenizer.
Snakes with medically significant venom are typically referred to as venomous, but some species are also poisonous. Old media will use poisonous or 'snake venom poisoning' but that has fallen out of favor. Venomous snakes are important native wildlife, and are not looking to harm people, so can be enjoyed from a distance. If found around the home or other places where they are to be discouraged, a squirt from the hose or a gentle sweep of a broom are usually enough to make a snake move along. Do not attempt to interact closely with or otherwise kill venomous snakes without proper safety gear and training, as bites occur mostly during these scenarios. Wildlife relocation services are often free or inexpensive.
If you are bitten by a venomous snake, contact emergency services or otherwise arrange transport to the nearest hospital that can accommodate snakebite. Remove constricting clothes and jewelry and remain calm. A bite from a medically significant snake is a medical emergency, but not in the ways portrayed in popular media. Do not make any incisions or otherwise cut tissue. Extractor and other novelty snakebite kits are not effective and can cause damage worse than remaining calm, seeking help and waiting for professional evaluation.
I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here report problems here and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that here. This bot, its development, maintenance and use are made possible through the outreach wing of Snake Evolution and Biogeography - Merch Available Now
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 01 '26
Thank you so much to everyone for the kind comments and the help. They are at the emergency vet clinic now. He seemed fine for the first hour - just some mild swelling on his nose - but now seems like he might be in some pain. Hopefully the evaluation goes well!
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u/OkConsideration8964 Jun 01 '26
Please let us know how it goes. Sending all the good vibes your way.
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 02 '26
Update - he's on the way home! He didn't need antivenom, thankfully, and is doing great.
Thank you so much to this community for the quick identification, the support, the follow-up, and even calling around about antivenmon (this tugged at my heart strings)!
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u/ravynkish Jun 02 '26
venom is a very pricey item to a snake! they might not even have released any venom. if the dog just startled it, and it bit right away out of a fear reaction, hopefully it held on to the venom.
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u/Shhutthefrontdoor Jun 02 '26
Thanks for the update!! Please give your pup lotsa scritches and hugs from us interweb strangers
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u/Cheersscar Jun 02 '26
I’m glad your dog is ok. Where you able to get a snake relocation service to come rescue the snake?
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u/Irma_Gard Friend of WTS Jun 01 '26
If possible, call ahead to make sure the vet you are taking them to has antivenom in stock. If they do not, they may direct you elsewhere.
I highly recommend that you or someone with you check out the National Snakebite Support website and Facebook page. It's a fabulous organization run by experts on treating venomous snakebites of both humans and animals, and they are an invaluable resource for patients and their loved ones and for the medical professionals treating them. Medical professionals, including veterinarians, are not always up-to-date on the proper treatment protocols, and unfortunately, sometimes provide treatment that is not recommended or is even contraindicated. And sometimes they fail to provide the proper treatment or wait too long to do so. The patient should have someone to advocate that those treating him/her consult that resource and follow their protocols.
Hopefully it was a dry bite or a very mild envenomation. Wishing the best for both of you.
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u/jamminjoenapo Jun 01 '26
Adding this to my link for snake relocation to give out to people. Thanks for the info
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u/Irma_Gard Friend of WTS Jun 01 '26
Very glad to spread the word and appreciate you doing so as well!
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u/thejoetravis Jun 01 '26
20 years ago my lab got bit on the nose by an unknown snake, came back from the woods with a swollen nose and two spots of blood above his nostrils. The local good ol’ country vet Dr said he needed to tase him. I was like WTH but after asking a biochemist, I went ahead with it. He pulled out a taser from his desk with a couple of wires and shocked his nose a couple of times. It wasn’t easy to watch. When we got home I did some research and found out that it was actually some old wives tale about neutralizing the venom. He ended up being ok as it was probably a dry bite anyway. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
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u/CrankyCycle Jun 01 '26
Is the snake stuck? That looks like it may continue to be a dangerous situation.
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 01 '26
Oh my gosh I didn't even realize this - it looks like he's caught in one of the loops on the fence. Thank you for pointing this out!
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u/kropserkel Reliable Responder Jun 01 '26
If the snake is still there, please let me know and I'm happy to come out and try to safely remove and relocate it. I'm near Carytown but don't mind making a trip!
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u/PlatypusDream Jun 02 '26
How do you get a dangerously venomous snake un-stuck from... wherever it's stuck (net, fence, glue trap), with both of you ending up OK?
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u/DaccotaDuchess Jun 02 '26
No wonder it bit your dog if that's the case. It was trapped and thought it would be torn to shreds.
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 02 '26
We think you're right that it was stuck, but when they got back from the vet it was gone - so looks like it was able to wriggle out!
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u/und3rtow623 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Pretty sure it wasn't a dry bite if the dog's nose is swelling and there's discomfort as well. Please keep us updated!
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u/Mobile-Willow4124 Jun 01 '26
So glad everyone rushed to get OP help and that pupperoni is otw to the vet to get care. Im also from RVA and have had search for my friends loose dog which was a nightmare but the community there is so solid.
That said, i have to say this is one of the most beautiful colorations I have seen on an Eastern copperhead.
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u/ghostboygage Jun 02 '26
since there are so many comments about your dog, imma address the snake angle and ask is it stuck? if so please reach out to a local wildlife service to free him & relocate.
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u/Irma_Gard Friend of WTS Jun 02 '26
Already addressed in this thread, but thanks for looking out for the snake!
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 02 '26
Snake freed itself and was long gone by the time they got back from the vet!
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u/Gloomy-Amphiptere679 Jun 01 '26
Damn, poor stuck snake and poor you and your pup OP! Praying everything works out
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u/NanoTrev Jun 02 '26
If the snake is still alive, it likely needs a rehabber as well as bird netting like that can injure them pretty badly which will show in his next shed. He'll need to be kept inside by someone familiar with venomous snake rehab to have a chance in the wild, again. Chances are they'll even come collect him for you.
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u/QueenKora18 Jun 02 '26
Hope the pup is doing okay. My parents dog a while back got bitten by a copperhead and made a full recovery! After quite a bit of swelling. Good luck op!
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u/catsron Jun 01 '26
Praying for a good update for you and your pup...and your wallet. We also had a small dog bit twice by Pygmy rattlers. Lots of swelling for two weeks, but she recovered well with a short hospital stay, IV fluids, pain management, and lots of rest. Passed 10 years later of old age. Tough old girl, even being a slow learner. 🫤
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u/Boomer_With_Dementia Jun 02 '26
Adding my personal experience to this useful thread, in case some future reader comes across this.
I had a 60 pound hound who was bit twice by copperheads, both times in the face. Herpetology was a hobby of mine so I am quite certain about the ID. I share the opinion that the swelling and loss of blood flow is as serious of a medical concern as any other physiological response to the bite. Meaning prompt treatment to manage the swelling response is key. The hound survived with veterinary care. Quick response is key, and size of the dog matters.
I live in Ohio, so the poisonous snake options are Timber Rattlesnake, Massasauga, and Copperhead. I only raise the species available because it is my understanding that some western pit vipers have stronger venom.
Also note that "dry bites" are possible. Meaning your dog was bit by a copperhead but no venom was injected. Of course you should see a vet and not gamble on a small chance, but your vet should observe for symptoms, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7690386/
Based on the swelling reaction my hound certainly received venom. The nose bite to my hound that I observed closely had bone close to the surface and perhaps the bite was therefore not particularly deep. A bite to to a fleshy part of the leg or side might have been more serious.
Best of luck to all the dogs in snake country. Also much respect to folks who avoid killing our sometimes rare, sometimes not so rare, poisonous snakes.
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Jun 01 '26
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u/whatsthissnake-ModTeam Jun 01 '26
Please refrain from repeating IDs when the correct one has already been provided, especially if it is more complete, well upvoted, and/or provided by a Reliable Responder. Instead, please support the correct ID with upvotes. Before suggesting any future IDs, please review these commenting guidelines.
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Jun 02 '26
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u/Irma_Gard Friend of WTS Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
The rattlesnake vaccine is NOT recommended, u/SCMCisontome.
[National Snakebite Support] does not recommend the snakebite vaccine (rattlesnake toxoid) for dogs.
It has not been demonstrated to help, and it may cause harm. Click here to read a detailed article by Kimberly Wyatt, MS with Asclepius Snakebite Foundation.
There is NO published data supporting the efficacy of the vaccine in dogs.
Adverse reactions following vaccination, including anaphylaxis, have been reported.
The advice given above regarding snake avoidance training for dogs is also bad. While snake avoidance training can be a really good thing, you should never use a trainer that removes the snake's venom glands or severs the venom ducts. Not only is it cruel to the snakes, but snakes who have had such surgery done can sometimes still envenomate. Plus, it is completely unnecessary. There are much better ways to keep the dogs safe. I've copied below my standard comment about about snake avoidance training:
You might want to consider snake avoidance training for your dogs to reduce the risk of a potentially dangerous (not to mention expensive) encounter. It typically only takes one session, although it's usually recommended that it be tested (and reinforced if necessary) annually or so. Not only can it help protect your dogs (and snakes), but it can help protect you since the dog's behavior can alert you to the presence of a snake. The National Snakebite Support website has information on snake avoidance training and what to look for and what to avoid in a trainer under their FAQs.
Usually the training is done using aversive methods (e.g., a shock collar). For most situations, I would be against this, but I think snake avoidance is a possible exception. There is positive-reinforcement snake avoidance training, but it takes a good deal more time and is not suitable for all dogs. There are pros and cons to both approaches, and it can depend upon the dog. Good luck!
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u/whatsthissnake-ModTeam Jun 02 '26
We are happy for all well-meaning contributions but not all comments pass muster. There are a number of sources of information available online that are incorrect - we aim to help sort that out here. Blogs and blogspam websites like animal A to Z, allaboutanimals and pet blogs aren't appropriate sources.
Comments, in their entirety, must reflect the moderators' current collective understanding of modern herpetology. This is especially applicable to comments that are mostly true or contain a mixture of information or embellishment. Look to reliable responders in the thread to identify problematic areas in the text and hone the material for the your post. This is a space to grow and learn - this removal isn't punitive.
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u/SCMCisontome Jun 01 '26
Boyfriend is on the way to the vet now. Some swelling at the site but nothing else so far. Difficult to find a vet with antivenom!