Tecumseh Resident Remains Critical After Four Snake Bites (a bad day alert)

KOTV Website ^ | 7/15/2005

[Cowman]

Tecumseh Resident Remains Critical After Four Snake Bites

OKLAHOMA CITY(AP) _ A Tecumseh man remains hospitalized in critical condition after being bitten four times by two different snakes.

James Cave's wife Gloria says Cave was working at a garage near his home Sunday when he felt a pain in his foot and reached down and was bitten in the hand and foot by a pygmy rattlesnake.

Gloria Cave says Cave then fell backward over a barrel and onto a copperhead that bit him in the foot and groin.

Cave's son and a neighbor drove him to a nearby hospital where he received antivenin and then was flown to an Oklahoma City hospital where he remains.

Neil Garrison with the Martin Park Nature Center in Oklahoma City says it's unusual for someone to run into two poisonous snakes at once. And he says snakes usually don't strike unless provoked, stepped on or humans just get too close.

Garrison says one tip is to never put your hands or feet into areas where you can't see.

[BBell]

Maybe there were pigs around.

[R. Scott]

When I think back on it, I’ve had those kind of friends.

[CollegeRepublicanNU]

Gosh, we should all watch a little less of Steve Irwin (The Croc Hunter) He could take care of those snakes... I live in Michigan, no snakes here... Well just the big one who is Governor.. YIKES...

[neverhome]

the new vaccination for our dogs that protects against rattlesnake bites

It evidently also works for cats according to an article I read this morning:

...Now, a California company is marketing a rattlesnake vaccine, a preventive measure that can reduce or even stop the effects of a bite. The vaccine is manufactured specifically for dogs but can be used for cats as well, says the veterinarian who developed it... http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/03/5snakebite.html

[R. Scott]

Gosh, we should all watch a little less of Steve Irwin

Now maybe I shouldn’t do this – but … Kind of like “Hold my beer and watch this”. Yep. I’ve seen it many times in real life back when I was a lot younger and a lot dumber.

[ditto h]

I've had some bad days,but.......

[Savage Beast]

I was lifting weights in my garage, on a sunny day, about 15 feet from the open garage door, when a rattlesnake appeared at the door and, dispite the noise I was making, began slithering into the garage. I pressed the button to close the garage door electronically, and fortunately, though it struck at the descending door, the snake moved outside the garage. I was cautioned not to harm the rattlesnake because it's on the endangered species list and the "environmentalist activists" will see to it that anyone who does is prosecuted.

Here's a good rule of thumb: If the "environmentalists" are for it, oppose it. If they are against it, support it.

These people tend to be petty bullies, who should be pushing mops and slinging fries--something they might be qualified to do--but who have gained power over other people far in excess of their wisdom or benevolence to use.

Needless to say, I now keep the garage door closed at all times except when entering or exiting.

Also, needless to say, I give no support whatsoever to "environmentalists" or their causes or charities.

[Cowman]

I’ve seen it many times in real life back when I was a lot younger and a lot dumber.

I know the feeling. I spent some very fuzzy nights playing Pinto Pinball.

[Ff--150]

"They make an annual festival from this....from playing with them to eating them"

Hmmm.

Grampa took me to a rattlesnake den on "Buzzard's Roost." Looked like millions to a young boy. Eating each other, slithering among the mounds of bones, and deafening echoes.

Hehehe, rather scary.

[spetznaz]

I have to agree with your hubby. Something about this story stinks, and I'd say that this dude must have been collecting the snakes and things just got out of hand. Or maybe he is just the unluckiest dude in all of Oklahoma! Although I'd bet cash money that he caught those snakes and was keeping them, and then made some silly mistakes and got tagged.

[showme_the_Glory]

Wow.... Only a 2 poisinous snake garage.

[Trajan88]

Hand me my sawed-off shotgun... please.

[phil1750]

Sounds to me like this guy was a few weeks late in cleaning out his garage..

[R. Scott]

I shudder when I think of it.

[ConservativeMan55]

LOL!

Senator Coburn holds hearing on Wasteful Spending.

[Rocky]

drove him to a nearby hospital where he received antivenin

antivenin?

[ConservativeMan55]

But..he lives in OKlahoma..where he has this great Senator!!

Senator Coburn Holds Hearing Exposing Vaste Waste.

[Cowman]

antivenin?

You got a problin with that?

[Osage Orange]

A rattler and copperhead in the same area? Unusual in my experience.

Not here....We have at least three different variations of copperheads..Broad-banded copperhead, Southern copperhead & the Osage copperhead.

We have velvet tails..( Timber rattlesnakes..), some coon tails...( Western Diamondback rattlesnakes..) & a few Western Massasauga rattlesnakes, and the Pygmy rattlesnake too..!!

They can, and are found in some places together...or not too far apart. I have personally come across a copperhead and a velvet tail within yds of each other.

All...for what it's worth.

FRegards,

[RichInOC]

James Cave's wife Gloria says Cave was working at a garage near his home Sunday when he felt a pain in his foot and reached down and was bitten in the hand and foot by a pygmy rattlesnake.

Gloria Cave says Cave then fell backward over a barrel and onto a copperhead that bit him in the foot and groin.

...and Jim Cave's friends have now nicknamed him "Lucky".