Don't be so quick to kill that snake - chances are, it won't hurt you

What is the first thought in your mind when you happen upon a snake in your yard?

Do you look for the nearest garden implement so you can kill it?

You shouldn’t.

For years, snakes have been one of the most misunderstood animals. Believe it or not, most snakes indigenous to Virginia are harmless. Unless you absolutely adore the mice that defecate around your home (and can produce 50 offspring per year), leave the snake alone — he’ll take care of your mouse problem.

There are many misconceptions about snakes in general. First and foremost, it’s likely that snakes in the wild are more scared of you than you are of them. Secondly, snakes only strike, or bite, out of fear of if they think you’re food.

Incidentally, snakes are perceptive enough to know if you’re a mouse (or some other form of smaller wildlife) and small enough for them to eat. Finally, snakes do not “chase” people — most likely, when you see this perceived “chasing,” they’re probably trying to get the heck out of Dodge.

Sometimes it can be difficult to identify whether a snake is venomous. And, yes, they are “venomous” not “poisonous.” Generally speaking, venom is injected, whereas poison is ingested.

According to “A Guide to the Snakes of Virginia,” published by The Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries, each year bee stings, lightning strikes and horses kill more people in Virginia than venomous snakes do.

Only five deaths in Virginia have been attributed to venomous snakebites since 1948, and three of those involved people intentionally handling snakes. Of the three venomous varieties in Virginia, copperheads have the least potency. Bites from cottonmouths and timber rattlesnakes are potentially deadly if left untreated.

One of the most common snakes we see sunbathing on roads and cruising through our yards is the ratsnake, aka blacksnake. Contrary to urban legend, blacksnakes cannot mate with copperheads; it is biologically impossible. Blacksnakes lay eggs, whereas copperheads give live birth.

As adults, ratsnakes can grow up to 80 inches long. We used to have a “pet” snake that lived in our barn when I was growing up. We let him live in there, because he kept the mice and rat population at bay. We even named him Harvey — although we wouldn’t go near him.

Many snakes are misidentified, mostly because of the different areas from which they are indigenous. For example, the venomous cottonmouth is confused with the non-venomous northern watersnake a lot of times. And although the copperhead is found throughout Virginia, other snakes are usually misidentified as being copperheads, such as cornsnakes, milksnakes, juvenile ratsnakes or mole kingsnakes.

Do you think you’ve seen a cottonmouth? Think again. They mostly live in swamps and freshwater marshes of the lower Coastal Plain region.

There is a wonderful zoo right down the road in Luray. Our good friends, Mark Kilby and Jenn Westhoff, run the zoo, and they perform hands-on, interactive educational presentations. They present the animals, then dispel myths and give you the facts about many fascinating creatures, including snakes.

When I met my husband 16 years ago, he told me he had a few snakes as pets. Folks, I was raised with a “healthy fear” of snakes. I couldn’t be in the same room as one, even if it were caged. I have to give my hubby serious props, because he educated me about snakes and dispelled some of the myths I’d heard.

Sixteen years later, we have a nice snake collection, and two are even mine (Piper and Mag). Our daughter has grown up with them, with a healthy respect instead of fear.

Smith’s column runs every Friday on the editorial page.