Doctor says copperhead bites are rarely deadly

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Two people in the Charlotte area were bitten by copperhead snakes in the last two days.

On Monday, a copperhead bit a man in southwest Charlotte. The next day a telephone repair man was bitten in Matthews.

Both men were treated and released from hospitals.

There are some things you can do to avoid a painful and possibly deadly snake bite.

Dr. Charles Bregier with Presbyterian Urgent Care says, “You’ll get pain and swelling at the site almost immediately.”

He says the venom from a copperhead snake works quickly.

“Your whole hand starts to swell, extending up from the bite mark,” Bregier said.

The copper colored snake has a dark brown hourglass-shaped design on its scales and is the most common venomous snake in North Carolina.

But according to Bregier, “Deaths from copperhead bites are quite uncommon.”

The snakes typically hide in garden areas around mulch, pine needles and leaves in buildings and barns.

Melissa Knicely with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control explains that’s because, “They have a lot of things that they can nest in.”

If you are bitten, doctors say get away from the snake but try to remember its colors and markings.

If it starts to swell, “You need to get immediate health care,” said Bregier.

Animal control says they can only respond to a snake if it is found inside a home, so if you find one in your backyard just bring your kids and pets inside.

There is no state agency that tracks the number of snake bites, but wildlife officers say spring, summer and fall are the most active times of the year for snakes.