DON"T let this happen to your family!!

[MNRMommy]

DH and I were getting off Splash Mountain years ago and a few CM's had one of those stick things they use to catch the snakes and were in the bushes right there near where you walk to look at your pictures. Sure enough up they came with a very long black snake. I thought it was weird since it was a grass area but it was surrounded by pavement so he must have had a trek to get there. They bagged him up and carried him off through a gate.

 

[wvdislover]

I wonder how much THEY get paid for THAT job?!?

 

[momofthree08]

OK I've never posted on here, but I lurk. We are leaving for CBR on the 19th. My question now is, is it safe for kids to play in the sand there or do the snakes like to hang out there too?

 

[copperbrick]

I wonder how much THEY get paid for THAT job?!?

Not sure, but my husband needs work, so if you find out about the remove-snake-big-stick-job (and how much it pays), please let me know.

On the resume: "Knows how to walk softly . . ."

It could work.

Kidding aside, it sounds as though Disney does a great job at removing snakes (or whatever) as promptly and politely as possible. Quite a task. After all, it is Mother Nature's kingdom, first and foremost.

 

[MEK]

I thought the same thing 20 deaths by horse!!!

I'm actually surprised that more than 20 people a year don't get killed by being thrown off a horse or being trampled over by one.

Actually all these numbers seem low to me. 20 per 1million??? 20 per how many?

 

[Feralpeg]

DH and I were getting off Splash Mountain years ago and a few CM's had one of those stick things they use to catch the snakes and were in the bushes right there near where you walk to look at your pictures. Sure enough up they came with a very long black snake. I thought it was weird since it was a grass area but it was surrounded by pavement so he must have had a trek to get there. They bagged him up and carried him off through a gate.

That sounds like a black racer. They have no problem with cement. In fact, the one that lives in my bushes likes to curl up on my sidewalk to soak up some sun.

 

[TitanBrett]

OK I've never posted on here, but I lurk. We are leaving for CBR on the 19th. My question now is, is it safe for kids to play in the sand there or do the snakes like to hang out there too?

Dont worry about the sand. 1. Snakes like to hide; bushes, tall grass, etc. 2. The sand would be too hot for them to hang around on it, since they are cold blooded they cannot regulate their own body temperature, the sand would literally cook them given enough time.

 

[Princess 'n LA]

I am thankful your son is doing fine. Rest assured, he will completely recover, no lasting effects, except for a greater fear of snakes (especially by mom). I hate to hear it was while you were on vacation. Getting bitten by a water moccasin is extremely dangerous. Most times when they bite, they don't let go. While they are biting, they are releasing more and more venom.

Three years ago my son was bitten on the ankle by a copperhead on a Sunday afternoon. He really didn't feel it..thought it was a yellow jacket that bit him, but this friend saw the snake. I rushed him to the hospital 40 miles away in 20 minutes (I know the drive was probably as dangerous as the bite, but I was a scared mom). He did not receive any anti-venom; doctor said the side effects of the anti-venom was more dangerous than the effects of the bite. We spent 4 days in PICU watching his leg and foot swell til his toes looked like "little vienna sausages" and the doctor warning us we may have to cut a 12 inch slice in his leg to relieve the pressure on his skin. BTW, our bill without anti-venom was $110,000. PICU is EXPENSIVE!!!

It is remarkable how fast they recover though. By Wednesday, he was walking on crutches, by Thursday morning walking on his own, that afternoon we was jogging, and by Friday back at school with the nickname "Snake". That Saturday he was determined to play in his PeeWee football SuperBowl game. And he did. He made 1 touchdown and an interception.

Glad to hear your still had a good time on vacation and I hope you get to go back and have a real vacation soon.

 

[Shenanigoat]

I am so glad your son is OK. I am terrified something like this will happen to me or someone I love when in WDW.

 

[Amy_Callaghan]

This is very heartbreaking, I'm so sorry for your little one.

 

[tzuhouse]

DH and I were getting off Splash Mountain years ago and a few CM's had one of those stick things they use to catch the snakes and were in the bushes right there near where you walk to look at your pictures. Sure enough up they came with a very long black snake. I thought it was weird since it was a grass area but it was surrounded by pavement so he must have had a trek to get there. They bagged him up and carried him off through a gate.

At Cub Scout camp we call it Asset Relocation.

Mary

 

[KevinW]

Glad to hear your son is on the mend! Yes, there are venomous snakes at Disney, woke up in fort wilderness back in 97 with a 3 ft coral snake in the screen room. Did not know what it was at the time, took a pic, grabbed a stick and kinda sushed it out if the RV and across the road. After we got back home and investigated the coloring, confirmed it was a 2nd most venomous NA snake. If would have know at the time, I would have gotten a ranger.

 

[tzuhouse]

The thing about a coral snake is that it is not a pit viper like the cottonmouths, copperheads and rattlesnakes. It can't strike fast, envenomate and release. They have tiny fangs and have to chew on you for a bit, which most people won't allow. Yes they have some major venom, but I would be more concerned about a pit viper because they can inject the venom so quickly.

Mary

 

[Disney753]

I am glad your son is o.k. Makes alot of people more aware of what could happen.

 

[BreTyPres87]

Wow thats scary! I'm glad that your son was/is okay now!
This doesn't make me not want to stay at WDW resorts now but it definitely makes me consider my future move to Florida , I live in a woody area in MD and see more nature than I like (spiders, deer, few garden snakes) so moving down there may be a little crazy for me! I was the kid who hated camping because of all the "outdoor play" .. I'm definitely going to keep a close eye on what my boys do while we're there though because i've got two wanderers!

 

[BlackNGold]

I am glad to hear your son is O.K. That is very scary to think about...

 

[tankernav1]

Wow! What a story! We've had a snake in our room---very very very small non-poisonous snake that they immediately came and took out. We were on the first floor and he really wasn't much bigger than an earthworm. Still.... So glad to hear your son is fine!

 

[Idontwanttogrowup]

I sort of wish I didnt start reading this because now I'm afraid to go to Disney but Im still going. I just want to know how often these snakes are seen around there?

How far from the grass & landscape should we stay away from?

Should we stay away from the lakes & boats too?

I definatley wont go into Tom Sawyers Island now.

Has anyone seen any on the rides like Jungle Cruise or Its a Small World?

I would hate to run into one on Pirates Of The Carribean since its dark & cant see anything.

 

[Feralpeg]

I sort of wish I didnt start reading this because now I'm afraid to go to Disney but Im still going. I just want to know how often these snakes are seen around there?

How far from the grass & landscape should we stay away from?

Should we stay away from the lakes & boats too?

I definatley wont go into Tom Sawyers Island now.

Has anyone seen any on the rides like Jungle Cruise or Its a Small World?

I would hate to run into one on Pirates Of The Carribean since its dark & cant see anything.

If you stay on the paths, you should be fine. At the time that the OP's son was bitten, it was right after we had a very large amount of rain. The cottonmouths were pushed from their normal habitat due to high water. The were warning people on the local news about this and had reports of locals being bitten. Those conditions have changed.

Just don't reach into bushes. Stay on the paths. Do not go off into high grass. I'm not talking about the manicured lawns. Stay away from bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, etc. You should be just fine on the rides. The snakes really don't want to be in areas with high traffic. They definitely wouldn't like the treated water on the rides. I would say that Tom Sayer's Island would be fine if you stay on the paths and regularly maintained play areas.

For the most part, the snake most people see in Florida is the black racer. It is Florida's version of a garter snake. It is harmless.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Oh wow!

Thank you for the warning. I know we are more careful at Fort Wilderness b/c it is so woodsy, but I would have never thought to do that in a more manicured area.

I can't imagine how you guys felt at that time.


This warning goes for all of Florida though--we are a tropical climate and the critters are here. (We went to a beach in St. Augustine and saw a poisonous rattler of some kind--A lifeguard came to check it out and I said they should have warnings--he said they do b/c the dunes--that you never walk on and that are roped off---are full of them. Trust me when I say that they DO NOT have a poisonous snake warning at all!!!)


We were at MK one year an they had a gator in the water---They posted a CM nearby to make sure folks wouldn't feed it. I assume they must have caught it by now--but that darn gator was pretty tricky to catch.

CM's are always on the lookout for you--and if ever you spot anything, certainly let a CM know.