Poisonous Snakes

[+westernPaBilly]

I've noticed all the cache listing in my area never caution people about the possibility of copperheads and rattlesnakes in the area. Some of the sites at the very least have a moderate risk of encountering them but as I said nothing is ever mentioned about it. Is it assumed that a mountainous cache site in western Pa could harbor poisonous snakes ? Do people not mention it for fear that fewer people will visit their cache site you think ?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I've noticed all the cache listing in my area never caution people about the possibility of copperheads and rattlesnakes in the area. Some of the sites at the very least have a moderate risk of encountering them but as I said nothing is ever mentioned about it. Is it assumed that a mountainous cache site in western Pa could harbor poisonous snakes ? Do people not mention it for fear that fewer people will visit their cache site you think ?

Venemous snakes, as well as spiders, poison ivy, poison sumac, ticks, bears and numerous other so-called "hazards" of nature, are simply a fact of life in most areas of the USA and, in fact, in most parts of the world, and are hardly worth a special mention unless really EXCEPTIONAL circumstances are in place! They are, rather, just a part of life for anyone using the outdoors for any reason, such as hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, orienteering, geocaching, and a few dozen other outdoor sports.

[+westernPaBilly]

thanks Vinny,I just thought there was a lot people out there that didn't have a clue about this or otherwise complacent. I know where I live I don't know of anyone ever seeing a poisonous snake but go just 4 miles as the crow flies and there are high amounts of rattlesnakes in concentrated areas..

 

 

I've noticed all the cache listing in my area never caution people about the possibility of copperheads and rattlesnakes in the area. Some of the sites at the very least have a moderate risk of encountering them but as I said nothing is ever mentioned about it. Is it assumed that a mountainous cache site in western Pa could harbor poisonous snakes ? Do people not mention it for fear that fewer people will visit their cache site you think ?

Venemous snakes, as well as spiders, poison ivy, poison sumac, ticks, bears and numerous other so-called "hazards" of nature, are simply a fact of life in most areas of the USA and, in fact, in most parts of the world, and are hardly worth a special mention unless really EXCEPTIONAL circumstances are in place! They are, rather, just a part of life for anyone using the outdoors for any reason, such as hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, orienteering, geocaching, and a few dozen other outdoor sports.

[+MickEMT]

There is an attribute for snakes, but I've only seen it used a few times.

[+Kiwi Nomad]

I think it should be used every time, not everyone who will visit the area is a local and in the know.

 

We have NO SNAKES in New Zealand. Lots of NZers travel in particular as camp counselors each year. Also those who live in cities would be unlikely to have had any previous interaction with snakes as well.

[+GIDEON-X]

Here in the desert Southwest, snakes and critters are a given. I still mention the fact as well as posting the "Attributes Thingies"........ The snakes and critters are not looking for you..........but you should be looking for them

Check this page

[Mushtang]

I've noticed all the cache listing in my area never caution people about the possibility of copperheads and rattlesnakes in the area. Some of the sites at the very least have a moderate risk of encountering them but as I said nothing is ever mentioned about it. Is it assumed that a mountainous cache site in western Pa could harbor poisonous snakes ? Do people not mention it for fear that fewer people will visit their cache site you think ?

Venemous snakes, as well as spiders, poison ivy, poison sumac, ticks, bears and numerous other so-called "hazards" of nature, are simply a fact of life in most areas of the USA and, in fact, in most parts of the world, and are hardly worth a special mention unless really EXCEPTIONAL circumstances are in place! They are, rather, just a part of life for anyone using the outdoors for any reason, such as hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, orienteering, geocaching, and a few dozen other outdoor sports.

I agree. I'd think a "beware of snakes" attribute, or spiders, poison ivy, sumac, ticks, bears, etc. would be about as useful as a "beware you don't get in a car wreck on your way here" attribute. It's impossible to list all the dangers you may or may not come across. A missing snakes attribute shouldn't be considered an attempt by the cache owner to mislead you.

[+Kit Fox]

thanks Vinny,I just thought there was a lot people out there that didn't have a clue about this or otherwise complacent. I know where I live I don't know of anyone ever seeing a poisonous snake but go just 4 miles as the crow flies and there are high amounts of rattlesnakes in concentrated areas..

 

 

I'm willing to make a bet that nobody could find any poisonous rattlesnakes within four miles of your area.

[+westernPaBilly]

you could be right, maybe a 1 1/2 would be more accurate. I don't know why they aren't close by. A river could be one reason. Maybe your thinking that 1 1/2 isn't correct either.

 

thanks Vinny,I just thought there was a lot people out there that didn't have a clue about this or otherwise complacent. I know where I live I don't know of anyone ever seeing a poisonous snake but go just 4 miles as the crow flies and there are high amounts of rattlesnakes in concentrated areas..

 

 

I'm willing to make a bet that nobody could find any poisonous rattlesnakes within four miles of your area.

[+Kit Fox]

you could be right, maybe a 1 1/2 would be more accurate. I don't know why they aren't close by. A river could be one reason. Maybe your thinking that 1 1/2 isn't correct either.

 

 

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venomous. I've even slipped and made the mistake of typing poisonous by mistake. Mushtang was quick to point out my mistake.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Kit Fox

[+westernPaBilly]

I don't think you can go wrong describing them either way.

 

 

you could be right, maybe a 1 1/2 would be more accurate. I don't know why they aren't close by. A river could be one reason. Maybe your thinking that 1 1/2 isn't correct either.

 

 

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venemous. I've even slipped and made the mistake of typing poisonous by mistake. Mushtang was quick to point out my mistake.

[+Ambrosia]

I don't think about it. I'd have to mark almost all of my caches with the attribute, as rattlesnakes are very common around here. We find quite a few of them in our yard every year. I guess there's a possibility that someone out of town wouldn't think of it. Hm.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Ambrosia

[O-Mega]

you could be right, maybe a 1 1/2 would be more accurate. I don't know why they aren't close by. A river could be one reason. Maybe your thinking that 1 1/2 isn't correct either.

 

 

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venomous. I've even slipped and made the mistake of typing poisonous by mistake. Mushtang was quick to point out my mistake.

 

Ahh, but prepare one wrong for a sandwich and you will find yourself very sick...would that make them poisonous?

[Neos2]

I'm getting a little confused. Your first thread in here seemed like a complaint that people needed too much info about the caches --and now this one seems like you are suggesting that cache owners don't put enough info on the caches?

 

My husband loves attributes. He happily clicks on every attribute that may ever be a consideration on one of his caches. I have to suggest he scale it back some. I think some cachers are just that way.

 

I suspect most people use the hazard attributes only when a clear risk is present. I rarely add the insect warnings or noxious weed warnings thinking it's pretty obvious that in this area (southern Indiana) you are going to find ticks and poison ivy just about everywhere you go.

On the other hand, if I have to wade through stinging nettle to get to my cache, I'm going to put that warning up on the page--you find spots with a lot of nettle, but it isn't ubiquitous like PI.

 

I found a snakeskin under a boulders at one of our earthcaches. It's a field of boulders inside the city limits. While writing up the cache I thought to myself that most people wouldn't think there was a great risk of snakes in town like that, but most snakes would think of those boulders as a great place for sunning themselves on a cool day. So it got the attribute.

[+bobbarley]

Ahh, but prepare one wrong for a sandwich and you will find yourself very sick...would that make them poisonous?

 

MMMM snake sandwich

[+westernPaBilly]

I'm getting a little confused. Your first thread in here seemed like a complaint that people needed too much info about the caches --and now this one seems like you are suggesting that cache owners don't put enough info on the caches?

 

My husband loves attributes. He happily clicks on every attribute that may ever be a consideration on one of his caches. I have to suggest he scale it back some. I think some cachers are just that way.

 

I suspect most people use the hazard attributes only when a clear risk is present. I rarely add the insect warnings or noxious weed warnings thinking it's pretty obvious that in this area (southern Indiana) you are going to find ticks and poison ivy just about everywhere you go.

On the other hand, if I have to wade through stinging nettle to get to my cache, I'm going to put that warning up on the page--you find spots with a lot of nettle, but it isn't ubiquitous like PI.

 

I found a snakeskin under a boulders at one of our earthcaches. It's a field of boulders inside the city limits. While writing up the cache I thought to myself that most people wouldn't think there was a great risk of snakes in town like that, but most snakes would think of those boulders as a great place for sunning themselves on a cool day. So it got the attribute.

 

don't be confused Neos2,there's a difference between doing everything for the person except physically carrying him/her to the cache site and thinking about their safety. You can't see that ? I guess it would fit in with your possible preconceived idea about me from my previous post that I wouldn't care if I led someone into encounter with a poisonous snake.

[+Confucius' Cat]

I think it should be used every time, not everyone who will visit the area is a local and in the know.

 

We have NO SNAKES in New Zealand. Lots of NZers travel in particular as camp counselors each year. Also those who live in cities would be unlikely to have had any previous interaction with snakes as well.

So a simple statement of "if you are not in New Zealand, you might encounter a snake" would be all that is necessary.

 

For most of the world advising "watch out for venomous snakes" would be about the same as advising "use sunscreen when out in the bright light that you see in the daytime' or "eat something every now and again or you might starve to death."

 

i don't see much point in putting a snake icon on every cache page except those in New Zealand.

[+TrailGators]

I can see both sides.

 

We can tons of rattlers out here and after awhile you learn where they are more likely to be hidden. So if I hide a cache near one of those areas, I'll add the snake attribute. To me the attribute is there for kids or non-locals. It certainly doesn't hurt anything.

 

On the flip side, I was just in Malaysia and saw a viper while on a hike. I had no clue that there were vipers around or for that matter anything else threatening. There was not a snake attribute on the cache page but to be honest I never checked. I've learned to be alert no matter where I go. Not paying attention is always what gets people in trouble.

[+Totem Clan]

I think it should be used every time, not everyone who will visit the area is a local and in the know.

 

We have NO SNAKES in New Zealand. Lots of NZers travel in particular as camp counselors each year. Also those who live in cities would be unlikely to have had any previous interaction with snakes as well.

So a simple statement of "if you are not in New Zealand, you might encounter a snake" would be all that is necessary.

 

For most of the world advising "watch out for venomous snakes" would be about the same as advising "use sunscreen when out in the bright light that you see in the daytime' or "eat something every now and again or you might starve to death."

 

i don't see much point in putting a snake icon on every cache page except those in New Zealand.

... or Alaska. No snakes there either.

[AZcachemeister]

I think it should be used every time, not everyone who will visit the area is a local and in the know.

 

We have NO SNAKES in New Zealand. Lots of NZers travel in particular as camp counselors each year. Also those who live in cities would be unlikely to have had any previous interaction with snakes as well.

So a simple statement of "if you are not in New Zealand, you might encounter a snake" would be all that is necessary.

 

For most of the world advising "watch out for venomous snakes" would be about the same as advising "use sunscreen when out in the bright light that you see in the daytime' or "eat something every now and again or you might starve to death."

 

i don't see much point in putting a snake icon on every cache page except those in New Zealand.

... or Alaska. No snakes there either.

 

Let's not forget Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica!

 

Seriously, as Vinny pointed out early in the thread, if you are going to venture out into the wilds you need to be aware of the dangers...and prepared to deal with them.

 

On a side-note, I just learned that Benjamin Franklin advocated making a rattlesnake the symbol of the United States!

[+Tresco]

Snakes don't worry me. Alot of things do but not snakes. I live way out in the desert where there should be plenty of them and I only see 10 of so a year. Of those less than half are rattlesnakes and I almost always see them before they see me. Rattlesnakes almost never bite anyone who is not trying to pick them up or otherwise molest them. I do worry about my dogs (Rhodesian Ridgebacks) but they seemed blessed with the good sense to leave snakes alone. I've spent a good portion of my life wandering the desert and if I do ever get bit or have a dog bit I will have to chalk it up to the long odds catching up with me. But then the odds are probably similar to being hit by lightning. I'm much more worried about drunk / stoned / stupid drivers. Another thing I worry about when I'm out wandering the wildes is that some meth cooker will bust a cap into me. I once had a crossbow pulled on me when I wandered too close to some tweakers outdoor lab.

[+Confucius' Cat]

I think it should be used every time, not everyone who will visit the area is a local and in the know.

 

We have NO SNAKES in New Zealand. Lots of NZers travel in particular as camp counselors each year. Also those who live in cities would be unlikely to have had any previous interaction with snakes as well.

So a simple statement of "if you are not in New Zealand, you might encounter a snake" would be all that is necessary.

 

For most of the world advising "watch out for venomous snakes" would be about the same as advising "use sunscreen when out in the bright light that you see in the daytime' or "eat something every now and again or you might starve to death."

 

i don't see much point in putting a snake icon on every cache page except those in New Zealand.

... or Alaska. No snakes there either.

 

Let's not forget Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica!

 

Seriously, as Vinny pointed out early in the thread, if you are going to venture out into the wilds you need to be aware of the dangers...and prepared to deal with them.

 

On a side-note, I just learned that Benjamin Franklin advocated making a rattlesnake the symbol of the United States!

Personally, I have a problem with statements like "there are no snakes in (whatever area).

 

I simply don't believe it.

 

We live in an age of world travel and worldwide shipping.

 

People make pets of exotic animals of every kind and often, after figuring out why their precious "special" pet isn't QUITE as popular as cats and dogs, release them to fend for themselves.

 

There are all kinds of ways that snakes can propagate to places where they are not indigenous or have been chased out by storied saints. Whether they will survive very long is irrelevant to the person who encounters the serpent in the "snake-free" country BEFORE it croaks from the un-snake-friendly environment.

 

So:

ATTENTION HUMANS:

There is a critter that God (or the primordial ooze if you so prefer) created called in the English language a "serpent" or "snake" or a "slithering, legless reptile." (nomenclature varies by language and locale)

SOME of these critters are dangerous if encountered in certain special circumstances, but in general they are harmless to humans if left alone.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND AWARE OF THEM WHEN YOU ARE IN THEIR HABITAT.

Their habitat can be ANYWHERE, including your house or your baby's crib.