Copperhead bite

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Copperhead bite

Postby vuduman » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:44 pm

....So I spent most of my day yesterday in hospital after getting bitten by a small Copperhead viper.
It bit me right through a glove that is designed to be puncture resistant to reptiles.
Only one fang got into my finger,but the bitemark went black in seconds followed by swelling.
For now,I am recovering at home and trying to ignore the pain.Luckily its only a
copperhead that showed me how defective the glove is,as I trusted it with lethal snakes just the day before.
I will reveal the name of the gloves with pictures to prevent other people to trust in these gloves.

heres a picture about an hour after the bite...
Image
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby vuduman » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:46 pm

I'll post pictures of the gloves as soon as I get backto work again to photograph them.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby kfc223 » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:52 pm

Ah damn mate.

That's never a fun one. Shows that people should never just rely on gloves(not saying that you did) and should use it as a last line of protection. Were these hexiamour gloves?

I hope you make a full recovery without any permanent impairment or anything bad. Goodluck and thanks for posting it. Its not an easy thing to do and hopefully it will show people that copperheads are a dangerous highly venomous species that should not be messed with.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Mr Venom » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:59 pm

Eish Ferdo!

I hope you make a full and speedy recovery, I never trusted gloves that were designed for snake bites.

Thanks a lot of sharing, it took a lot of guts to do that, and hopefully people will know that the gloves are not a replacement for hooks and tongs, and that copperheads are not to be messed with.

I fully agree Justin.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby coral snake » Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:07 pm

Not a pleasant feeling,sorry mate.

Hope you make a full recovery :)

I'm also anxious to hear what the gloves name is
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby vuduman » Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:40 pm

Thanks for the replies.Personally its an embarrassment to write this on here,but I do feel that its my duty to share my symptoms for others to see how dangerous these underrated hots can be. And also,I want to expose these gloves in case others puts their faith in them too.It could have been a lot worse if I trusted the gloves with something fatal of course!

The snake was on a hook and I had one glove on my hand for a little extra protection.The racking system is not the greatest,and when the snake was in it's shallow tub,I battled to push the tub in its snug drawer. Thats when the little head popped over the side of the tub and just struck at my glove.It cut through instantly without a chew or anything.Its maybe only 30cm long,but hasn't eaten with me yet and just shed,so the venom yield must have been quite big.
I instantly took my hand out the glove while cursing like a sailor in disbelieve that he bit me through the glove!

Luckily there is a clinic less than a minute from me and I went there.I told them what had happened and that I want at least antihistamine injection,and I agreed to a anti-tetanus injection while I was waiting there for a taxi to take me to hospital.

I am on a course of antibiotics in case of secondary infection and anti-inflammatory, arm in a sling and I put Voltaran cream and keep it warm. The swelling has dropped a bit,but it still feels like my finger is getting smacked by a sledgehammer on an anvil with every heartbeat. Also my glands under my arm is swollen so I cannot lift up my arm.

I have never trusted these gloves and its the 1st bite I took on a glove,so definitely the last time I will trust them with hots. I will get the name and pictures of the gloves and post it as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading and for those of you that has copperheads. Please,do not underestimate how much discomfort a bite can cost you.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Chopper 1 » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:10 am

The glove probably saved you a lot more damage and pain!!
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Mitton » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:57 am

Thanks for sharing Ferdo, hope the recovery is quick.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Westley Price » Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:17 am

Wow, what a wake-up call!

I'm sure a large portion of us, whether keepers or field herpers, use these gloves on a regular basis, myself included, so I will certainly think twice before picking up something venomous.

I can see that you're in for a long recovery, but it's safe to say, the worst of the pain is at least over. Now it's just managing the wound to prevent infection.

If that's the bite from a "starter hot" I am very happy I have a rule against venomous. Not a pleasant sight.

I wish you a speedy and painless recovery. Good luck.

Please take some pictures to document the necrosis and recovery.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby rolandslf » Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:56 am

Dude, not good news. I am just glad that you are alive to tell the tale.
I am willing to bet that if you try to feed the little so and so now, he will eat.
It is better to be Pissed Off than Pissed On.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby vuduman » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:48 am

Thanks guys.I put some old faithful Zambuc on the bite yesterday as it looked quite a bit worse yesterday,and today it is looking and feeling a lot better.Still throbbing and entire arm stil sore,but I had a better sleep.Will post pictures again when I clean and put a new dressing tonight.
Thanks for the getwell soon messages.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Davidc » Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:54 pm

Reminds me of that time you got tagged by the night adder when you were much younger??
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Kakibos » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:07 pm

Ouch man! Hope you heal soon.
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby vuduman » Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:34 pm

Thanks Kakibos.
I found one of the gloves still at work-Its HexArmor.I've been informed that it got removed from the Midwest pricelist and they don't sell them anymore by Johan Marais.They where made in Pakistan and on the tag inside it says 'something,something USA (the rest is scratched out with a permanent marker)

Thanks David for your constructive remark.It reminds me how you tortured one of your mother's ducks back in the day :p
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Re: Copperhead bite

Postby Davidc » Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:17 am

vuduman wrote:Thanks Kakibos.
I found one of the gloves still at work-Its HexArmor.I've been informed that it got removed from the Midwest pricelist and they don't sell them anymore by Johan Marais.They where made in Pakistan and on the tag inside it says 'something,something USA (the rest is scratched out with a permanent marker)

Thanks David for your constructive remark.It reminds me how you tortured one of your mother's ducks back in the day :p

Hey bud didn't mean it in a negative way at all. Just brought back memories of our exploits and how different things were when we started off. As for your duck comment I remember we took turns holding the duck for each other......
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