Dumbest Things People Have Said About Your Chickens/Eggs/Meat

[Nuggetirl]

When I was young, I remember going outside to feed the dogs and our jack russell had something pinned in the corner of the pen and kept rushing at barking at it. I figure she's got some possum or rabbit (we live out in the country, this dog once tried to kill an armadillo that was trying to dig under the fence. made such a ruckus dad had to go pull it out and fill the hole) and the darn thing RATTLED at me. My beloved dogs were being terrorized by a coiled up rattlesnake. I threw open the gate and hollered for the dogs (luckily this dog had a decent recall) and drug everyone into the garage before running inside crying about a rattlesnake (remember, I was fairly young.).
both my parents just stared at me.
"Probably not a rattler" my dad says in his slow drawl.
"IT RATTLED AT ME" I'm near a panic attack. WHY IS MY FATHER NOT MOVING.
"Honey, it wouldn't make sense this time of year, this time of day" now my mom is unconcerned? TRAITORS.
My dad slowly gets the shotgun and moseys outside, shoots the snake, and hangs it over the barrel. 5 foot bull snake whose hiss sounded enough like a rattler that I freaked out.
That stupid snake still makes me mad. He tricked me and I fell for it.

 

[SpringPeeper]

Originally Posted by SpringPeeper

Actually, Copperhead bites that result in death are just about unheard of. The current recommended treatment (except for small children, facial bites and those showing signs of an allergic reaction) is simply monitor the bite in-hospital, as most of the treatments for snake bites (like antivenin and fasciotomy) can have longer-lasting ill effects than a copperhead bite.

I'm a snake person, and the crazy stuff people consider facts about snakes is way, way worse than any of the 'dumb things' people say about my chickens.
The copperhead is a ground dwelling pitviper with generally minimal to moderate effects compared to other pitvipers in the southeast. Bites are most common to hands, due to handling of the snake, and the feet and legs due to stepping on the snake, either day or night. Bites to the feet at night are almost always due to walking without a flashlight. Deaths from copperhead bites are extraordinarily rare, and have been attributed to factors such as: facial bites or bites to the tongue or mouth area that lead to swelling of the tongue and occlusion of the airway; or a previous bite and subsequent anaphylaxis.

Bites by copperheads usually cause immediate pain, which has been described as “hitting your thumb with a hammer”, “stepping on a bare electrical wire”, or “being repeatedly stabbed with a knife”. In other words, it is very painful. If for no other reason, bite patients will go to the ER for pain management. Morphine is most commonly given for pain, but vomiting is also common for moderate to severe evenomations, and either Phenergan or Zofran are typically given. Initially, blue bruising appears around the fang marks, almost without exception. Swelling is always present in an evenomation, and soft, pliable skin around the bite without bruising is a good indicator that the patient has not been envenomated, or has possibly been bitten by a non-venomous species. If swelling and bruising are present, be prepared for the patient to deteriorate. The swelling will progress up the limb, and the patient may develop numbness and tingling in the face, mouth or scalp, nausea and vomiting, chills, abdominal cramping, and rapid heart rate (due to pain and discomfort).
Treatment: Positive identification of a copperhead bite in the pre-hospital setting is an indicator that pain management should be initiated promptly. [Morphine 2 to 10mg titrated to the patient’s pain level.] The only downside is that patients that receive analgesics pre-hospital can enter the Emergency Room in very little distress, thereby causing a delay in antivenom administration if ER personnel base their treatment on distress alone. However, with copperhead bites most often antivenom is given simply to decrease the amount of local tissue morbidity and save the limb or limb function rather than saving the life of the patient. Fortunately, the new generation of antivenoms are hypo-allergenic, [CroFab, Antivipmyn] and we are able to administer them without nearly as much concern for anaphylaxis as the first generation antivenoms [Ex: Wyeth ACP]. With CroFab, 6 vials is a good starting dose for copperhead bites with both swelling and bruising, followed by subsequent doses, up to around 12 vials. [***When mixing antivenom, be sure to swirl and NEVER shake the bottle.***]
Coagulopathy isn’t normally a concern with copperheads, but rather reversal of all systemic symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, chills and paresthesias. In my experience, although you may see a decrease in the swelling, it will persist from 1 to 5 days even with antivenom administration. And it should be noted that fasciotomies are almost unheard of in copperhead bites.
Local tissue damage however, is common, as is the loss of tissue and loss of mobility of a joint near the bite. Once again, this can be greatly limited by giving an adequate quantity of antivenom early in the treatment.
Pediatrics: If small children are bitten, the concern should be much greater, and antivenom in the same or higher quantities should be administered as soon as possible. Bites with systemic symptoms (nausea, vomiting, numbness and tingling, metallic taste in the mouth), should receive antivenom in appropriate quantities without delay. Only after the initial treatment is on board should a facility transfer the patient to a higher level of care.

EMS Instructions for Copperhead Bites:
1. Attempt to positively identify the snake. This is vital to antivenom administration. Look for the pattern of Hershey’s kisses along the side of the snakes body.
2. Never transport a live snake in an ambulance. Dead snakes should NEVER be handled, unless the head has been separated from the body and the head isolated in a puncture proof container. The head of a dead pitviper is fully capable of injecting venom for several days after death. Treat dead venomous snakes with caution!!! Consider the risk and liability when dealing with them.
3. Establish baseline vital signs.
4. The affected limb is best kept in a neutral position. Do not be overly concerned in the pre-hospital setting with elevation or dependence. It won’t change the outcome of the bite.
5. Attempt to start at least an 18g IV above the level of the bite, and on the opposite side of the body. For copperhead bites, 1000 ml of NS is sufficient. Antivenom is given through Normal Saline IV lines.
6. Provide Oxygen appropriate for your patient’s level of consciousness and level of distress. When in doubt, give high flow O2.
7. Transport your patient to the nearest hospital that has antivenom. This should be prearranged. ****And NEVER ice the bite or use tourniquets!****

A forum post from a paramedic several years ago does not necessarily reflect current protocol. A few years ago, fasciotomy was considered a routine necessity in Crotalid bites, and that has completely reversed. Since you're revisiting, did you remember the names of the herpetologists or any of the studies they did on those hybrids? I'm still very interested.

 

[tridentk9]

flying snake   

PBS junkie, there was a program on flying snakes. More like flinging themselves off trees- but they can go long distances by how they move their bodies in the air.

 

[SpringPeeper]

When I was young, I remember going outside to feed the dogs and our jack russell had something pinned in the corner of the pen and kept rushing at barking at it. I figure she's got some possum or rabbit (we live out in the country, this dog once tried to kill an armadillo that was trying to dig under the fence. made such a ruckus dad had to go pull it out and fill the hole) and the darn thing RATTLED at me. My beloved dogs were being terrorized by a coiled up rattlesnake. I threw open the gate and hollered for the dogs (luckily this dog had a decent recall) and drug everyone into the garage before running inside crying about a rattlesnake (remember, I was fairly young.).
both my parents just stared at me.
"Probably not a rattler" my dad says in his slow drawl.
"IT RATTLED AT ME" I'm near a panic attack. WHY IS MY FATHER NOT MOVING.
"Honey, it wouldn't make sense this time of year, this time of day" now my mom is unconcerned? TRAITORS.
My dad slowly gets the shotgun and moseys outside, shoots the snake, and hangs it over the barrel. 5 foot bull snake whose hiss sounded enough like a rattler that I freaked out.
That stupid snake still makes me mad. He tricked me and I fell for it.

Two angry alpha predators (a dog and a human) had it cornered. Why wouldn't it try to bluff to save itself? they will rattle their tails rapidly against debris to try to get you to back off. Just curious, why kill it if he knew it was harmless?

 

[SpringPeeper]

PBS junkie, there was a program on flying snakes. More like flinging themselves off trees- but they can go long distances by how they move their bodies in the air.

Yep, Chrysopelea. To be honest, it's more of a Toy Story flying- "Falling, with style".

Mildly venomous, to really give you good dreams.

 

[tridentk9]

Yep, [COLOR=252525]Chrysopelea. [/COLOR]To be honest, it's more of a Toy Story flying- "Falling, with style".   Mildly venomous, to really give you good dreams.

300 feet!!! http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/moment-of-impact/video-snake-takes-flight/5612/

LOL- my tv watching style does make it easy to find programs.

 

[Nuggetirl]

Quote: Oh, I don't really blame the snake for anything. The dog had it cornered and coiled up. She's just lucky she didn't get bitten (actually, that we know of.)
And that's just what was done then. It was in our space and was dispatched. I won't say it's right, it just is. My father is in his late 50's now, he grew up in a different time where people killed whatever was on their property that they didn't want on their property.

 

[Hinotori]

Our family loves camping, hiking, or just day trips to the creek. When we take our friends, they insist every snake on land is a copperhead and every one in the water is a cottonmouth. It drives me batty, because even when I point out pattern differences they still don't believe me. I have the same problem with spiders. My DH thinks every one is either a brown recluse or a black widow. We've got both kinds, but you'd think he would learn the difference between a yellow garden spider and a widow. Spiders don't frighten me, so I clean out the shed every spring. I've been bitten a few times too, and he thinks that just proves his point about how dangerous they are. I don't even see a doctor anymore for recluse bites; I just put some prid and a bandage on and look out for infection. I do get tired of people thinking we have to freak out about snakes and spiders, or that I'm a freak because of my relaxed attitude about them.

Had a friend of ours come in and say that the doctor said the wounds he had were multiple brown recluse spider bites. He wouldn't listen to me that there were none of them in that area and that doctors can't ID a bite on a person. He just wouldn't listen and the wounds wouldn't go away. Only luck that he was retiring from the service not long after and the doctor doing the separation physical was actually a good doctor fixed him. Doctor took one look and tested his blood sugar and ordered a diabetic workup and MRSA test. After the blood sugar test came up 300+ it was pretty obvious that our friend had uncontrolled diabetes he didn't know about. The wounds got better with the correct treatment for diabetic ulcers.

 

[Nuggetirl]

Quote: I'm terrified, TERRIFIED, of spiders, but even I am aware that 99% of them can't/won't hurt me. Found a brown recluse in the house (almost positive) and the hubs was not happy. I told him a spider is a spider, and rarely do their bites even come to anything he. He did some research and decided I was right. There is no love between me and spiders, but at least I know it's an irrational fear (I also lived in a house infested with hobo spiders. those were more scary until I could positively ID them. Still spent a lot of sleepless nights after finding those buggers on the wall.)

I also can't believe a doctor would just say, oh, those are spider bites. That's insane! Just plain irresponsible.

 

[Hinotori]

I'm terrified, TERRIFIED, of spiders, but even I am aware that 99% of them can't/won't hurt me. Found a brown recluse in the house (almost positive) and the hubs was not happy. I told him a spider is a spider, and rarely do their bites even come to anything he. He did some research and decided I was right. There is no love between me and spiders, but at least I know it's an irrational fear (I also lived in a house infested with hobo spiders. those were more scary until I could positively ID them. Still spent a lot of sleepless nights after finding those buggers on the wall.)

I also can't believe a doctor would just say, oh, those are spider bites. That's insane! Just plain irresponsible.

It may have been a physicians assistant. The Navy uses them for enlisted. I never heard if it was a real doctor. I always requested to be seen by an actual doctor when I was in.

I am terrified of spiders. I can overcome it mostly and I truly believe in knowing my enemy. We are in hobo territory, but I'm pretty sure all I've seen that look like that have been wolf spiders. If the spider is outside and not in my way, I leave it be. If it's inside it dies. That's the deal. We haven't had to many inside since I got the chickens and they patrol around the outside of the house. I have been known to go grab a chicken and take her to the inside spider if it's in reach. They will happily take care of them for me.

Snakes aren't an issue. I go out of my way to not hurt the little garter snakes. I've had to rescue a few from the cats. See snake movement when mowing and I slow down to let it get out of the way.

Nice little spider info site I like to send to people. http://spiders.ucr.edu/