Snake In The Pool !

[cdiver2]

About 9pm Mrs cdiver and I decide to do a few laps in the pool( screened in) before going to bed, so I put the underwater light on and dive in. We had been doing laps for about ten minutes when I saw a movement at the side of the pool behind the hose to the creepy Crowley ans said to Mrs cdiver " I think there is a snake in the pool ".
So I pull the hose away to get a better look and expecting to see a black racer ( we have lots of them around the property) and what do I see a seven inch long CORAL SNAKE....SUPPRISE. Now it starts to swim ( very efficiently ) straight towards me, now I don't know if these things are aggressive or it was just looking for a way to climb out of the pool ( on me ). I am shouting at Mrs cdiver to get out of the pool whilst I am backing away from it, once she was up the steps I made a quick dash for the steps, it must have looked something like this . Once out of the pool I managed to scoop him up with a net and it immediately sank its teeth into the rim of the net and hung on for dear life, what a job trying to shake it of on to the back lawn...in the dark.
Just my luck, I have seen lots of snakes in Fl all non Venomous and the first one I see that is venomous I have to share my pool with !

 

[Walter]

The red and yellow bands touched and it had a black nose?

 

[cdiver2]

The red and yellow bands touched and it had a black nose?

it did, I know red touch yellow kill a fellow. I was very surprised at how well it could swim

 

[Walter]

All snakes swim very well.

 

[cdiver2]

All snakes swim very well.

Better than me . I take it at 7" it was a young one? are they still as venomous when young

 

[The Kraken]

cdiver2,

I hope you didn't kill it.

Albiet the venom of the coral snake is highly toxic, it's almost impossible for one to die from its bite. The reason ??? Like the gila monster lizard, the venom of the coral snake is released through it salivary glands. The snake has to chew on its victim in order to dispatch it. Most people simply don't have the predisposition to mull idly about while a snake chews on them. Also, the coral snake, being a smallish snake, has a very small mouth opening which makes it difficult for it to take a purchase on a human.

And besides, they're really very pretty!

the K-rait

 

[Tienuts]

cdiver2,

I hope you didn't kill it.

Albiet the venom of the coral snake is highly toxic, it's almost impossible for one to die from its bite. The reason ??? Like the gila monster lizard, the venom of the coral snake is released through it salivary glands. The snake has to chew on its victim in order to dispatch it. Most people simply don't have the predisposition to mull idly about while a snake chews on them. Also, the coral snake, being a smallish snake, has a very small mouth opening which makes it difficult for it to take a purchase on a human.

And besides, they're really very pretty!

the K-rait

All very good points, however I'm quite sure I would have had 4 heart attacks if I saw one swim at me in my pool.

 

[CBulla]

What a way to cap the evening eh?!

 

[cdiver2]

cdiver2,

I hope you didn't kill it.

Albiet the venom of the coral snake is highly toxic, it's almost impossible for one to die from its bite. The reason ??? Like the gila monster lizard, the venom of the coral snake is released through it salivary glands. The snake has to chew on its victim in order to dispatch it. Most people simply don't have the predisposition to mull idly about while a snake chews on them. Also, the coral snake, being a smallish snake, has a very small mouth opening which makes it difficult for it to take a purchase on a human.

And besides, they're really very pretty!

the K-rait

Acording to this you may wish to re think it



Eastern Coral Snake, Coral Snake.
Barry Mansell (left) and Kenneth L. Krysko (right) photos.

Scientific name: Micrurus fulvius fulvius

Description: Average adult size is 20-30 inches (51-76 cm), record is 47.5 inches (121 cm). Body ringed with black, yellow, and red; narrow yellow rings separating the wider red and black rings. The rings continue across the belly of the snake. From tip of snout to just behind the eye the head is black. The tail is black and yellow, without any red rings. The red rings usually contain black flecks and spots. The scales are smooth. The pupil is round.

The color pattern of the young is the same as the adult

Range: The coral snake occurs throughout the entire state including the northern keys. The species extends north to southeastern North Carolina and west to eastern Texas and northeastern Mexico.

Habitat: This snake occupies a variety of habitats, from dry, well-drained flatwoods and scrub areas to low, wet hammocks and the borders of swamps. They are quite secretive and are usually found under debris and in the ground, but occasionally they are found in the open, and have even been seen climbing the trunks of live oaks. Good numbers of them are turned up when pine flatwoods are bulldozed, particularly in south Florida.

Comments: . Because the coral snake is a relative of the cobras, people believe its bite nearly always is fatal. While its bite is serious and should receive immediate medical attention, statistics suggest that the bite of the coral snake is less threatening than the bite of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake.

Coral snakes feed on lizards, other snakes, and frogs.

Comparison with other species: Because they also are banded with red, black, and yellow or white, two harmless snakes in Florida, the scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides) and the scarlet snake (Cemophora cocinnea), often are confused with the coral snake, but it is easy to distinguish between these mimics (look-alikes) and the coral snake. The coral snake has a black nose while both the scarlet kingsnake and the scarlet snake have red noses. Also, on both the coral snake and the scarlet kingsnake the rings go all the way around the body, but not on the scarlet snake which has a white belly. Both the scarlet kingsnake and the scarlet snake are beneficial and should not be harmed

 

[cdiver2]

What a way to cap the evening eh?!

Especially as I was skinny dipping. I told Mrs cdiver "if I get bit there I want a female Dr to suck the poison out" she said " your going to die"