# Copperheads-harmless-ish??



## rc10andy (Jun 16, 2008)

are the as harmless as Mark O'shea makes out? Been looking at a few of his reports and he seems to think they are pretty harmless!


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## DavidR (Mar 19, 2008)

Copperheads are by no means harmless, serious envenomations have occurred and the potential for serious 'harm' is there. Although not as dangerous as some other venomous snakes, they are still very dangerous.

David.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

rc10andy said:


> are the as harmless as Mark O'shea makes out? Been looking at a few of his reports and he seems to think they are pretty harmless!


I've read a post on here posted by Mark O'shea himself where he states that all venemous snakes are potentially deadly depending on where they bite you, how much venom they inject and of course your general health. So I don't for one minute think he makes out that they are anything like "harmless".


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## SWMorelia (May 15, 2007)

He probably meant armless as they have no arms....:whistling2: And when they say legless, it doesn't mean they are drunk, before you ask:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

As a general rule, they are known to be a little less toxic in comparison to other N. American venomous snakes, however they have caused fatalities and are still extremely dangerous – fingers and other limbs have been lost on many occasions. Check out “Venomousreptiles.org” – there are a couple of bite reports on there!

I think you may be getting your wires crossed on what Mark may have said, although I’ve not heard or seen the statement that you are quoting. Mark was bitten by a copperhead some years back, if I’m right in what he said, he thought he had not been envenomated and there were no clear indication of fang penetration marks, but some time later, things started suggest otherwise. 

Cheers,

Dave


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

To a man who routinely deals with some of the most potent species the snake world has to offer, then a Copperhead might be considered _relatively_ innocuous... and somebody used to collecting them in the U.S. may appear unconcerned when capturing them (down to practice), but I can't see Mark O'Shea (or any herpetologist) referring to them as "harmless"...


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

I would say to the OP let one bite you and then find out if it is harmless


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## rc10andy (Jun 16, 2008)

Mynki said:


> I've read a post on here posted by Mark O'shea himself where he states that all venemous snakes are potentially deadly depending on where they bite you, how much venom they inject and of course your general health. So I don't for one minute think he makes out that they are anything like "harmless".


Harmless-ish:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## rc10andy (Jun 16, 2008)

xxstaggyxx said:


> I would say to the OP let one bite you and then find out if it is harmless


Yeah i will.....v.constructive: victory:


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## rc10andy (Jun 16, 2008)

I got a book from the library. Mark O'shea wasnt the author of the book. And i didnt quote anything from the book and i personally used the term harmless-ish!


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

people die from american copperhead bites...


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

rc10andy said:


> I got a book from the library. Mark O'shea wasnt the author of the book. And i didnt quote anything from the book and i personally used the term harmless-ish!


Well you quoted his name, so either way you were wrong. I knew he never said that, because I asked him!

Response from Mark:

“Yes I had a scratch and 4hrs later felt the effects in my thumb yet could find not actual penetration.

There have been two deaths to copperheads, the latest fairly recently.

Of the four _Agkistrodon__,_ the copperhead is the least serious, but you could say of the blacksnakes, the red-bellied is the least serious, only because the others are more pokey."

Cheers,

Dave


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

my neighbor's copperhead bite... and he got prompt medical attention...


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

rc10andy said:


> Yeah i will.....v.constructive: victory:


I do try : victory:


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## smart1 (Oct 16, 2007)

rc10andy said:


> are the as harmless as Mark O'shea makes out? Been looking at a few of his reports and he seems to think they are pretty harmless!


 
you should ask him he does come on here ..


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## rigsby (Jan 11, 2008)

I was bitten by a 18 inch copper head last year on my finger, 
My whole hand swelled up to the wrist and I was in a lot of pain 
For a few days, two of which I spent in hospital under observation.
Took about two weeks to get full use of my hand back .


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## snappingchap (Jul 31, 2010)

i have a copperhead who is particularly stroppy, my friend and i decided to probe it, we tubed it, however, this particular beastie took great offence to this and promptly started biting at the inside of the tube, so much so that i had vemon all over my hand that had run down the tube, probably not a particularly nasty venom compared to many other animals, but when they throw a strop you still dont want to be on the receiving end.


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## rinkels (Jun 17, 2011)

pythondave82 said:


> Well you quoted his name, so either way you were wrong. I knew he never said that, because I asked him!
> 
> Response from Mark:
> 
> ...


i have to agree with dave i think you haveyour wires crossed what mark meant.ive known mark from when i use to work for dave lester and im sure it is somethink he would not have said in the way you are thinking it.


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

You are all wrong - It was a copperhead that said that Mark Oshea is relatively harmless


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## AJ76 (May 24, 2011)

HABU said:


> image
> 
> 
> my neighbor's copperhead bite... and he got prompt medical attention...


 
Is that from his Fasciotomy? It must have been a huge envenomtion for that proceedure to be carried out?

What was the actual bite zone like? I take it the bite was on his hand?


AJ


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