Spring brings snakes out of of their dens as the weather warms up and that can make this a dangerous time of year here in Texas. Snakes can wind up hiding in very unexpected places. The Texas Department of Agriculture recently illustrated this point with the meme below, featuring a real photo of a snake found coiled up under a saddle strapped to the back of a horse! According to a report from KVUE in Austin, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says that hiding and camouflage are major defensive tactics for many types of snakes, which can lead to them showing up in some of those strange hiding spots.
Common hiding places include under rocks, fallen limbs, in the leaf litter, tall grass and brush, in areas mice or rats may be such as trash, brush and rock piles, stacked lumber, firewood, etc. With this in mind, TPWD advises Texans to look where you step and be careful where you stick your hands. Never reach under rocks or into holes or other blind crevices. This all sounds like common sense, but sometimes we need a reminder to help avoid disaster. Texas averages two-to-three deaths per year from snakebites.
The KVUE article linked above has some good info and photos to help identify various types of venomous snakes, and there are a few handy graphics from social media below. For a more comprehensive snake resource, check out Snake FAQ on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.
Photo: Getty Images