Wild Venomous Snake Encounters?

Seeing the recent Cottonmouth photos by @Sarus Crane and the Western Diamondback photos by @Arizona Docent got me wondering what other Zoochatters have run across wild venomous snakes? I'd guess quite a few of you have, especially those living or having traveled in the tropics. Has anyone had a close call or been bitten? Any herptologists that actively look for them and study them?

I've only seen one wild venomous snake myself, an adolescent Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis oreganus) that wanted absolutely nothing to do with me. And I was quite okay with that.

(P.S. Do NOT go try and find a venomous snake and do something stupid just to tell it on the thread! Zoochatters are a quite sensible lot, and the warning is not directed at anyone! But I felt it needed included since this is a public site. Don't go messing with venomous snakes unless you've been specially trained and have good reason to!)

 

I have seen five different venomous snake species in the wild, 3 in Europe, 2 in Singapore and surprisingly, 0 in Africa. Here in the Netherlands there is only 1 venomous snake species (Common Viper), which is quite rare and occurs only in heathlands and bogs. I have seen them several times but not as often as our other two native snake species. I have also seen Asp Viper (French Alps) and Sand Viper (Slovenian Alps). In Singapore I had close-up views of a Wagler's Pit Viper and more distant views of a large King Cobra.

 

I have seen four venomous snake species in the wild.

Eastern Brown Snake
Yellow Faced Whipsnake
Olive Sea Snake
Red Bellied Black Snake

The former two I have both seen on several occasions, with eastern brown probably around 5 and yellow faced whipsnake at least 7 or 8. The latter two I have only ever seen once. Red bellied black snakes seem to avoid me as on several occasions other people who have been with me have seen them while I haven’t. The olive seasnake was a very brief sighting seen in a river mouth in 1770 as it came up for air.

 

Yes, @Batto has opened a zoo displaying almost uniquely venomous snakes in Germany I believe

Wow, didn't know you were around 230 years ago!

 

It’s a costal town in Queensland

 

I know, I know, but at first sight it was quite strange

 

I've seen two or three common kraits and a baby saw-scaled viper. I also know someone (another kid at my school) who nearly stepped on a krait, but was saved because it was eating!

 

I've encountered numerous venomous snakes over the years. In Arizona I've seen Sidewinders, Mojave, Western Diamondback, Black-tailed, and Tiger Rattlesnakes. In Florida I encountered a Cottonmouth and a Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake. In Kansas I've seen Prairie Rattlesnakes and Western Massasaugas. All from a safe distance of course. For bonus points I've also seen wild Gila Monsters in Arizona.

 

Other than the Cottonmouth I saw last night from up on a bridge overlooking a wetland area, I saw a Pygmy Rattlesnake on the 4th of July last year in my front yard's mulch bed. It must've been feeding on the baby frogs and toads that frequent my property during that time of year and was all coiled up in a comatose state. At least that's what I figured. I only knew about it because a family member was gardening in that bed, saw it, came inside and asked me what it was.

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake by Sarus Crane posted 8 Apr 2020 at 10:15 AM

My personal opinions on venomous snakes are that if you see one, cool.... but don't get close to it, don't touch it and just take a photo or video from a far enough distance. NE Florida is prime territory for the big 6 (Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Pygmy Rattler, Timber Rattler, Eastern Diamondback, & Coral Snake). I have yet to see the 4 other species in the wild, but whenever I'm outside I am always looking down 10 feet ahead of me to see if there's anything I need to watch out for.

 

I forgot to mention Great Basin Rattlesnakes in Idaho.

 

When I lived in Florida, the only wild Eastern Diamondback I encountered was freshly killed on the road. Quite sad

 

Austria. And not just snakes, but other venomous and poisonous animals (and plants, fungi, bacteria etc.) as well. Thank you for mentioning me.

 

Oh sorry

 

No worries mate.

 

Western Diamondback (a few times, including two days ago on a hike).
Arizona Coral Snake (very young on a trail near Sedona, though it may also have been a non-venemous mountain king snake?)

 

i have sean 4 difrent species
european adder is prity common in Sweden especeially close to coast
surprisingly of the 3 times i have bean to Afrika i saw a venomous snake during two of them
first was in south Afrika whear a mozamique spitting cobra was eating a frog in a tre on the loge resturante plus we aslo saw a black mamba darting acros the road.
second was in Tanzanina selous national park.
we lesft the car to look at a hot spring. at the topp i hear something moving on the ground an spott a spiting cobra sneaking away only 10 meters from ous. the funy thing is that i ask one of the gujds thear is the ever saw any snakes. He said no.
i have also sean a mangrove snake on Bornio earlier this year

 

Seen copperheads a lot in North Carolina. Once even on my doorstep, which sure was a scary experience.

 

Nearly stepped on a timber rattler while hiking in northern Delaware; we were climbing on rocks in the river and then stepping back to land. Thankfully my tall boyfriend was with us and was able to help move me, and our dogs, to a safer spot out of reach.