Despite more sightings, fewer snakes are emerging in Texas. Here’s why.
A Fort Worth area family went to grab some pizza during a Mavericks game only to find a venomous rattlesnake had taken their spot on the couch.
Jacob Gamble posted the video from his Decatur area home in a Facebook group dedicated to helping North Texas residents identify snakes. The invader was ID’d as a timber rattlesnake.
As the weather warms, we start to hear of more snake sightings. Snakes tend to emerge from mid-April to mid-June, experts say. But this year, a severe drought might actually mean we’ll see less of them.
“We’ve personally been on a few research trips now this spring locally here to look for reptiles and amphibians, and what we found is that the drought is really kind of affecting the activity levels of snakes,” said Gregory Pandelis, herpetology researcher at the UT Arlington Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center. “So we’re actually seeing fewer snakes than we normally would at this time.”
How does weather affect snake emergence?
Texas gets a lot of snake activity when there’s a combination of consistent rain and heat, Pandelis said.
Like humans, snakes like to come out in warm weather, with their favorite temperature being in the 80s.
“They come out, they bask, they absorb sun, they get energy, they go hunting for food because they’re hungry from the winter, and are looking for mates,” says Mark Pyle, president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society. “That’s why this time of year is when they’re most active.”
Severe drought, however, is causing fewer snakes than usual to emerge. The reptiles like to spend time in and around water, but now there’s less available to them. Prey like rodents, toads, frogs and birds also tend to be harder to catch during drought.
What are the most common snake types in DFW?
Pyle says the western rat snake is the most common snake North Texans tend to report, followed by the plain-bellied water snake, dekay’s brownsnake and diamondback water snake. None are venomous.
There are only a few venomous snake species in North Texas, so it’s best to learn to identify those in case you ever see them, the experts said. The copperhead is the most common venomous snake North Texans encounter. In Dallas, eastern copperheads are the most common and in Fort Worth, broad-banded copperheads are. Use texassnakeid.com to help identify a snake you come across. Or join “What kind of snake is this? North Texas Educational Group” on Facebook, a page run by Pyle that has over 167,000 members.
“Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to identify the venomous snakes in your area,” Pyle said. “In all of North Texas, we only have eight venomous species, but not one single county has all eight species in it. So no matter where you’re at, you’ve got under eight species of snakes to memorize.”
How can you prevent snakes from getting into your yard?
Snakes are attracted to areas that provide food, water and shelter, so try to remove at least two of those elements from your yard.
Snakes are more likely to get in your yard if you have a pond, water bowl, container with water or an air conditioning unit dripping with condensation. They’re also attracted to areas with lots of bushes, heavy cover and thick leaves that they can hide under. Snakes also like places with bird feeders, birdhouses and bird baths since they bring animals that the snakes feed on.
If you want to protect a certain area of your property, you can install a hardware cloth around it, Pyle said. Repellent products don’t work, he says.
What should you do if you spot a snake?
Is there a snake in your yard? Just back away, and it’ll move on. They’ll only attack if you come close and they feel threatened.
“As long as you leave them alone, they will leave you alone,” Pandelis says.
If the snake doesn’t move, you can grab a garden hose and spray it with water from a distance, Pyle said. You can also contact the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society or a similar group that relocates wildlife.
“As long as what you’re seeing is not venomous, it is absolutely beneficial to have them around because they’ll eat things like insects and rodents in your yard,” Pandelis said.
What if you see a venomous snake?
“The worst thing to do is to try to handle it yourself,” Pandelis said. “Because when you have a venomous snake, and you’re not experienced with how to handle it properly, it’s quite easy to get bit in scenarios like that. That’s when a lot of people do get bit is when they’re actually messing with venomous snakes.”
What should you do if you get bitten by a snake?
A non-venomous snake bite will prick your skin, Pyle said, but is usually nothing to be concerned about. Treat it as any other scratch or puncture.
If you get bitten by a venomous snake, some things can make it worse. Don’t put a tourniquet on, cut your skin or try to suck the venom out. That will just keep the venom in and destroy tissue.
“There’s a lot of old ways of treating snakebites that have proven to be ineffective and more harmful,” Pyle said.
Instead, call 9-1-1 to get immediate medical attention. While you’re waiting, keep the wound elevated above your heart. The hospital will treat you based on your symptoms and the severity. You may not have been injected with venom or could have only a little.
