COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife advises residents this summer to watch out for snakes while walking in parks and trails.
In Texas, you may find coral snakes, copperheads, cottonmouths (water moccasins), rattlesnakes,
According to Cory Authement, Manager of Emergency Medicine for Baylor Scott & White, it's essential to know how to prevent snake bites, the signs, and symptoms from watching for and what to do if a snake bites you.
"The big thing we like to stress is if you see a snake, don't try to get up close to identify it. Unless you are trained in handling and identifying snakes, we want you to see the snake and back away to respect its environment.", Authement said.
Texas Parks and Wildlife wrote on their website that the Central Texas region has the largest number of species. As for parts of Texas where there are many individuals, West Texas, Central Texas, and South Texas are great places to go to find snakes.
Authement said snakes are out most likely during dusk and down when it's the coolest in the day.
Authement advises people walking their dogs to watch out for snakes while out.
- Snakes can't stand cold weather and will go into hibernation during winter and emerge from dens around late February or early March in Texas.
- Snakes will confine their activity in hot climates to early morning, evenings, and night-time.
- The parks officials said coral snakes, which are venomous, do not have cat eyes. They are the only venomous snake in Texas that is brightly colored with red, yellow, and black bands completely encircling the body.
- The best defense against venomous snakes is to avoid them.
- Snakes are normally found under rocks, fallen limbs, and leaf litter. They can also be hidden in tall grassy & brushy areas.