Rat snakes are helpful predators of the mice and rats that are pests on the normal homestead. Copperheads are venomous. How can you tell the difference? This was an important thing for me to know because I made a mistake last week. I believed, at a glance , that the snake my kids were pointing out to me was indeed a rat snake and I told them to leave it alone. A bit later, after looking at the pictures that Matt (15) had taken I realized that I was mistaken and had let a copperhead remain alive in close proximity to my children. I truly hope that he has the good sense to head back down into the woods area by the creekbank because, I assure you, it will not happen again! Snakes are important. I appreciate the lack of rats and mice in this house due to a particularly large black racer that lives under the house, and a rat snake that lives under the barn. I despise the fact that people kill snakes for no reason and then complain about being over run with mice and rats...But a mistake like i made could well be dangerous. I have 6 kids at home, and 3 of them are under the age of 8. While the bite of a copperhead might not kill and adult it could kill my 32 lb four year old. The know not to mess with snakes but you never know when they are going to come on one unexpectedly. I researched and now I know...and this property just ain't big enough for both of us, pardner.

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