Texas Hunting Forum
Dead Snake?
Kilt a copperhead about 48 hours ago and he is still "not stiff".
Doesnt rigmortis set in pretty quick? Shouldnt he be stiff as a board by now?
What if he is just in a coma?
reach down and kiss him on the head and see if he is sleeping
Posted By: JCB
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 07:08 PM
TAKE YOUR 12 GAUGE AND BLOW HIS FREAKIN HEAD OFF AND THEN YOU WONT HAVE TO QUESTION IF HE IS IN A COMA OR NOT!!!!!!
WHEN I KILL A SNAKE THERE IS NO QUESTION WHAT SO EVER ABOUT HIM BEING DEAD OR NOT!!!!
With the price of ammo these days, just cut his head of with a shovel.
Posted By: deerfeeder
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 07:17 PM
I always try for headshots on snakes. If I'm successfull the first thing I do is cut off what is left of the head and flip it away. That's the only thing about the snake that can hurt you and it can hurt you even when it is officially dead.
Even with the head totally removed they can still move for hours. I've seen numerous snake "bites" by headless snakes 4 or 5 hours after they were shot. Creepy.
I know that they have a different toxin, I forgot and this will teach some folks, but are they a member of the pit viper family where all the poison is in the head? I never heard of you snake eating guys eating a copperhead
Posted By: JCB
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 07:38 PM
Quote:
I never heard of you snake eating guys eating a copperhead
I am sure that someone here has ate one, but for the most part copperheads dont get big enough to eat.
Posted By: kyotee1
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 07:43 PM
They are a member of the pit vipers, however, the venom is not located in the 'head', but in venom sacks inside the mouth on the upper jaw.
The reason why it hasn't 'set up'/gotten stiff yet, is if you severed the spinal cord, it may not become stiff.
For all you head blower offer guys like me; I have heard that when you splatter their head the venom goes everywhere all over the snake; you then handle the snake then touch your eyes, mouth, or your you know what, it could cause some very bad effects.
So be careful handling them showing them off etc. I read an article somewhere where this happend to a dude, not cool
Posted By: JCB
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 08:13 PM
Quote:
For all you head blower offer guys like me; I have heard that when you splatter their head the venom goes everywhere all over the snake; you then handle the snake then touch your eyes, mouth, or your you know what, it could cause some very bad effects.
So be careful handling them showing them off etc. I read an article somewhere where this happend to a dude, not cool
YEP!!!! When you shoot them in the head with a shotgun, make sure the wind is at your back because when you pull the trigger you will vaporize the venom and you will breath it in and it will get in your eyes!
I have read several stories in the last couple of years of people blowing a snakes head off and the next day their eyes are swollen shut due to the venom! In most cases you will get your eye sight back, but it will take a while!
Posted By: texasd
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/03/08 09:16 PM
skin snake and put into freezer till frozen solid... then take him out and thaw him and see what he does... bet he still moves alittle
Rigor Mortis is a short term effect. It only lasts a day or so. Not even sure it applies to snakes.
I have heard of a guy that blew the head off, skinned the snake and made a hat band out of the skin. The next summer, he got hot, sweated and the skin got wet and the sweat got in his eyes. He was temporarily blinded.
I think I've told this before but I'm old and can't remember.
I used to tan and sell rattler hides. I used one of those folding Army shovels to pop their heads off when they'd uncoil. You have to be pretty close but that's half the fun. Usually, I'd throw the carcass in an ice chest and let them cool a few hours before I skinned them.
One night late, I killed one on the lease cabin steps and decided to skin it before I went to bed. Every time I stuck that snake with the tip of the knife (you start at the butt), he would strike me. He didn't have a head but he would hit me with his bloody neck every time. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep myself from throwing him down every time. My hunting buddys thought it was pretty funny. After about 20 minutes, I gave up and threw him in the ice chest to wait till the next day.
If the head is completely separated from the body, what kept telling that snake to strike? And how was he able to hit me every time? One of Natures wonders I guess.
They have a heat sensing organ but I thought that was on the head...?
Posted By: CTK3
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 02:15 AM
Quote:
For all you head blower offer guys like me; I have heard that when you splatter their head the venom goes everywhere all over the snake; you then handle the snake then touch your eyes, mouth, or your you know what, it could cause some very bad effects.
So be careful handling them showing them off etc. I read an article somewhere where this happend to a dude, not cool
so if the venom somehow comes in contact with your "you know what"...........it causes swelling? by god folks, we have just discovered a brand new all natural male enhancement formula on the thf! maybe if you rub enough venom on it.......you could wiggle it like a rattle snake does its tail?
Posted By: cajundave
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 02:34 AM
Quote:
They are a member of the pit vipers, however, the venom is not located in the 'head', but in venom sacks inside the mouth on the upper jaw.
Help me out here?
"Venom is not located in head."
venom is located in "Venom sacks inside mouth on the upper jaw."
HUNH??? When did the upper jaw become part of something other than the head?
Posted By: MaggieMTx
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 03:43 AM
Next time toss it on a red ant bed & watch them pick it clean but leave every single bone. The nerves in it make it move for hours on the mound even tho its dead & minus its head.
Posted By: The_goat
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 03:45 AM
Now THAT is funny.
Posted By: kyotee1
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 04:06 PM
Quote:
Quote:
They are a member of the pit vipers, however, the venom is not located in the 'head', but in venom sacks inside the mouth on the upper jaw.
Help me out here?
"Venom is not located in head."
venom is located in "Venom sacks inside mouth on the upper jaw."
HUNH??? When did the upper jaw become part of something other than the head?
I was referring to the head/brain portion, not the mouth and I could have stated that beter. Forgive me for not being analytical...
Posted By: Duckhawker
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/04/08 06:13 PM
Snakes don't stiffen up when they are dead. They just start rotting and stay limp through the whole process, unless they really dry out and then they become crusty and stiff.
Posted By: shaggner08
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/06/08 02:55 AM
they did a show on discovery? i think. and they blindfolded a snake and put a rat in a box with him. the snake still nailed the rat perfectly (although after some time to sense it out). their heat sensing abilities are freakin scary!
Posted By: DFWPI
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/07/08 01:02 AM
Just step on his head and cut it with your knife.....
Rigermortis is the uncontroled tightening of muscles in a dead animal/reptile/person Riger usually sets in about 3-4 hours after death and only lasts about 4-5 hours depending on the size of the subject and amount of adrenaline in the blood stream at time of death.
Riger only lasts for a bit not for good I found this excerpt in an online encyclapedia hope it helps.
Posted By: CRF4JEFF
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/17/08 08:23 PM
Headless, skinned, gutted and still moving.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D7-vS_38q9g
Posted By: Rwuensch
Re: Dead Snake? - 04/18/08 12:36 PM
That's a little creepy!
Quote:
That's a little creepy!
Yes it is !!