Ever Found a Small Copperhead or Cottonmouth in a Nest?

[Dick Sherry]

Has anyone found one of these poisonous snakes in a martin nest? Yesterday I was checking nests at another colony and found a snake coiled in a martin nest. The shape of its head told me it was one of the poisonous ones, but its markings didn't match up with any in the guide book I looked at later. I was prodding it with a long metal rod to get it out of the nest compartment, and it kept striking at the rod.

The house it got into has 20 compartments, and each is about the size of a shoe box, and slides out of the frame of the house for nest checks. The pole it is on has netting around it, so I am baffled about how the snake got past it, or wonder if it was hiding in the center core of the house at the time the netting was put on a couple of weeks ago.

I am curious to see what experiences others have had with these types of snakes. Am also interested to see what size netting others are using. The type I put on the poles at this location is "wildlife netting" from Lowe's. If there is a better product out there, I would like to get some of it.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I stopped by Home Depot, and they had some rather small openings on their rolls of netting, it must be about 1/2in. Its commonly called bird netting.

I had some old netting, it has 3/4in squares, and I bought another piece at the local feed store, it was 3/4in also

It has been recommended that you put the 3/4in near the bottom, and the 1/2in near the top. A large snake will get caught in the 3/4in, and a smaller snake may get caught in the top part. Its hard to catch a vey small snake, but fortunately, they usually don't climb poles if they are small

The only kind of snake that I ever heard of getting into a martin house is a rat snake. And a cottonomouth stays very near a stream or lake. Maybe its some sort of grass snake, do you have a photo?

[Louise Chambers]

Some snakes mimic venomous snakes as protection when threatened (hissing, striking etc).

I read of one instance of a copperhead in a bluebird box, but don't think they do much climbing, same for cottonmouths. But be safe - best to look into a nest before sticking our hands in there - could be bats or black widows in nestboxes too.

Here is a site with OK snakes - take a look at milksnake, bullsnake, and watersnakes http://www.oksnakes.org/index.cfm?id=6&all=0

We use bird netting from Lowes - best advice is to use two sizes, 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch, to catch smaller and larger snakes than would be caught with only one size

[Trishy]

You may know this, but if you don't, the eyes of venomous snakes are elliptical (like a cat), and eyes of non-venomous snakes are round pupils. Of course, you may not want to get that close to check

[Waydog]

You may know this, but if you don't, the eyes of venomous snakes are elliptical (like a cat), and eyes of non-venomous snakes are round pupils. Of course, you may not want to get that close to check

Exactly! Thats the best way to tell, as some non poisionus snakes do have a slight triangular head. And youd be suprised at how you can see the pupils. Its easier than youthink it would be to focus on them!

[Peggy Riley]

Rat snakes can make themselves look really scary. They will strike like a rattler!!! Bet it's a rat snake.

[flyin-lowe]

Did you get the snake out? Just curious how big it was? There is a formula I read on here somewhere that told how long snakes have to be to coil and climb different diameter poles.

[Dick Sherry]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and suggestions. The thing about this snake that I noticed right away was the shape of the head - the more triangular shape of the pit vipers vs the smoother rounded head of the non-poisonous varieties. I definitely did not look for the shape of the eye, as I was hurrying to get the metal rod to get it out of the nest compartment.

This colony is not far from the Arkansas River, and also close to a drainage canal that runs through the neighborhood. There are also several small structures near the martin housing that may have been a shelter for these snakes during the winter or early spring.

I will be buying some smaller mesh netting to put over what is in place now, and hope there are no more snake adventures this nesting season.

[NancyinEnidOK]

Dick, I just sent you a PM.