Weather Brings Venomous Snakes Out In West Alabama

I must admit, for this contributor, writing about this topic makes me very nervous.

Get our free mobile app

I'm betting many of you feel the same way.

If you need evidence of copperhead snakes increase in activity in our area, a quick look at social media should do the trick. Some experts point to the extreme wet weather combined with the warm summer months as the reason for the increased activity among snakes in our region.

One story garnering a lot of attention comes from Valerie Turner, a woman in Tuscaloosa, who shared her recent experience as a victim of a copperhead snake bite on social media.

Her experience was similar to many who never saw the venomous snake in the dark of late night while simply letting their dogs out before bed.

As her husband took care of ending the snake's life, she got in the vehicle, and they were off to DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.

DCH staff always place a priority on all snakebites, and she was quickly taken back for processing.

The team at DCH took blood samples and began treating the symptoms of the bite.

Turner praised the work of the entire staff at DCH, from the Emergency Room team to the "top-notch" aftercare from nurses and doctors overseeing her treatment.

We had the opportunity to speak with DCH's own snakebite educator, Drew Johnson, and learn what to do, and maybe more importantly, the myths that we should not do after being bitten by a venomous snake.

Johnson told us how important it is to act quickly and get the patient to the ER as time is critical when dealing with a snakebite from a copperhead, cottonmouth, rattlesnake or other highly venemous snakes.

You can listen to our conversation with Drew Johnson, from DCH, below.