Beheaded Snake Still Strikes

[lizbud]

I wouldn't think this was possible, but I know now.


Beheaded Snake Sends Man to Hospital

Aug 10, 2007 10:02 AM EDT




PROSSER, Wash. - Turns out, even beheaded rattlesnakes can be dangerous. That's what 53-year-old Danny Anderson learned as he was feeding his horses Monday night, when a 5-foot rattler slithered onto his central Washington property, about 50 miles southeast of Yakima.

Anderson and his 27-year-old son, Benjamin, pinned the snake with an irrigation pipe and cut off its head with a shovel. A few more strikes to the head left it sitting under a pickup truck.

"When I reached down to pick up the head, it raised around and did a backflip almost, and bit my finger," Anderson said. "I had to shake my hand real hard to get it to let loose."

His wife insisted they go to the hospital, and by the time they arrived at Prosser Memorial Hospital 10 minutes later, Anderson's tongue was swollen and the venom was spreading. He then was taken by ambulance 30 miles to a Richland hospital to get the full series of six shots he needed.

The snake head ended up in the bed of his pickup, and Anderson landed in the hospital until Wednesday afternoon.

Mike Livingston, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, said the area where the Anderson's live is near prime snake habitat. But he said he had never heard of anyone being bit by a decapitated snake before.

"That's really surprising but that's an important thing to tell people," he said. "It may have been just a reflex on the part of the snake."

If another rattlesnake comes along, Anderson said he'll likely try to kill it again, but said he'll grab a shovel and bury it right there.

"It still gives me the creeps to think that son-of-a-gun could do that," he said.

[wombat2u2004]

Oh thats happened here in Aussie.
Snakes are not dead till ya crush their head.
Wom

[CathyBogart]

*sigh* why did I click this one? I hate people.

[wombat2u2004]

*sigh* why did I click this one? I hate people.

Ahhhhhhhhh CB.......some snakes are great....I've had them myself. But others are just really mean !!!!
Wom

[Catty1]

I heard this guy interviewed on CBC last night. He said he later found out that the snake head stays 'alive' for about an hour.

It was struck in the head with a shovel...I am trying to use nice words here.

I don't know why they killed it...they are very poisonous, and I suppose that's an automatic reflex from way back in history...but most snakes would as soon slither away from you again.

Though - how would a person scare off a 50 foot rattler? 50 feet...15 yards/meters....yow

[Laura's Babies]

Ewwwwww!

[CathyBogart]

Though - how would a person scare off a 50 foot rattler? 50 feet...15 yards/meters....yow

50 feet? No snake gets to 50 feet.....barely even half that. I imagine you could use a flamethrower though, it works in the movies.

[TamanduaGirl]

You can call herp rescue people to move them. Animal control might know of local people to do that. The eat mice not people and biting is just self defense so leave them alone and they will move on and keep our kids from the area till then. Also like anything dangerous teach your kids to leave them alone.

[Twisterdog]

It doesn't say it's a 50 foot long snake, it says its a 5 foot long snake.

My guess would be he was worried about the safety of his horses. It says he was feeding his horses when it happened. If the snake was in the corral with the horses, I'm sure he was concerned for them.

[lizbud]

My guess would be he was worried about the safety of his horses. It says he was feeding his horses when it happened. If the snake was in the corral with the horses, I'm sure he was concerned for them.

Exactly what I thought too. he was out to tend to the horses when he
spotted the snake.

[Catty1]

OOPS - okay, I though I heard "50" on the radio yesterday.

Am getting my ears back from the cleaners tomorrow....