Snakes Becoming More Active In Fairfax County: Police

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Police have a warning for residents in the coming weeks: beware of snakes.

Fairfax County residents can encounter snakes more frequently as temperatures rise, when they become more active.

While most of the wide variety of snake species in Fairfax County are non-venomous, not all of them can be safely ignored. The Northern copperhead (pictured above) lives in Fairfax County, and its venom can be potentially deadly.

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You can identify copperheads by their triangular head shape, vertical pupil, and an hourglass scale pattern through the length of its body.

If you are bitten by a snake that you believe is venomous, seek emergency medical attention right away. If you find a snake that may be injured, call police at 703-691-2131 to be connected with the Animal Protection Police.

Police say you are most likely to encounter snakes in the following situations:

• When they are crossing roads
• When they are moving through your backyard or through other transient habitats
• During breeding season (spring or fall) when they are moving to look for mates;
• When they are basking near habitat edges (e.g., water bodies, forest lines).

Police have the following safety tips to avoid a bite:

• Do not try to handle any snake. Any snake will bite if provoked so do not handle them.
• When walking or hiking, stay on trails, sidewalks and cleared pathways.
• Wear boots or closed shoes and long pants when working outdoors or walking in wooded areas.
• Wear leather gloves when handling brush and debris.
• Use a flashlight if walking at night in areas where snakes might be present.
• Keep dogs on leashes and pet cats indoors to reduce chances of them encountering a snake.

Residents can also take precautions to keep snakes away from your home:

• Remove wood piles, high grass, old junk piles, heavy mulching and trash bins near your home.
• Check water pipes, electrical service entrances, doors and windows for small openings. Small snakes can enter a quarter inch hole.
• Seal openings with weather stripping, caulking, hardware cloth, sheet metal or mortar, depending on the type of building material. Check for snakes before sealing openings.
• Fill in openings around foundations, under sidewalks or porches with gravel or cement.

Additional reporting by Patch Editor Dan Taylor

Photo by Greg Hume/Wikimedia Commons