Florence: Displacing venomous snakes into homes

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Image: Hurricane snake. NY Post. https://nyp.st/2CSShAB

The monster cyclone could uproot up to 38 different species of snake – including the deadly copperhead viper – from where they live along the US coastline, says the New York Post. Which means they could be displaced into homes through basements, dryer tubes, drains and toilets. If your home is flooded, be cautious as you inspect the damage. If you spot a snake, call the animal/pest control department and leave it alone.

Thad Bowman, a member of Alligator Adventure Zoo in South Carolina, said flooding caused by Florence could lead many of the snakes to move from their natural habitats. Venomous snakes inject venom, which causes tissue destruction, platelet loss, bleeding, and in rare circumstances, death. The rattlesnakes in South Carolina are the eastern diamondback, timber and pigmy rattlesnakes. Whatever the situation outside, a snake bite warrants a 911 call.