A graphic video (below) of a decapitated venomous snake flashing its fangs one last time before dying is going viral on social media.
The clip was uploaded to Facebook by Texas resident Jill-Scott Mollett on July 9, the Daily Mail reported. It shows a deadly black moccasin snake, also known as a cottonmouth snake, moving its head after being decapitated.
“So the girls found a cottonmouth water moccasin today, in our flower bed of all places,” Mollett wrote. “We didn’t have a knife close to us, so Avery chopped [its] head off with some tree loppers. The girls’ favorite part was when the head kept trying to bite stuff for a few minutes after it was chopped off its body. #CountryLivingAtItsFinest.”
The snake eventually stops moving. Its head is then prodded by one of the spectators, who is checking for any signs of life. Streaks of blood can be seen surrounding the snake’s head, and a photo of the decapitated creature was also shared.
The video of the snake was shared by media outlets all around the globe. It has been viewed more than 4 million times on Facebook, and shared more than 800 times.
Several social media users commented on the video and photo. Many were outraged by the gruesome killing, while others appeared concerned about the safety of the mother’s children.
“How about you all teach your kids how to look at their surroundings,” wrote one Facebook user. “See a snake. Go the other way. Most snake bites in the US occur when people are trying to kill them. You’re all inexperienced morons.”
“Good lord. Leave the snakes alone. They eat a lot of other potentially dangerous animals (rats, other snakes, etc.) and finding one in your flower bed is common,” wrote another. “Leave it alone for an hour, come back, and it should be gone. Otherwise call someone to professionally remove it.”
“You know cotton mouth snakes are super dangerous right? One bite can kill an over weight grown man,” added another commenter. “You shouldn’t wait for it to bite you to kill it because then it’s too late. ‘It didn’t deserve that’ neither did those cows you’re eating huh? Oh but that’s different.”
“What would you do if a snake came out at you or came out of a flower bed?” asked another user. “You’d try to kill it, wouldn’t you? Its natural instincts. We kill for a living. We’re just as dangerous as any other animal. What’d you expect?”
A bite from a black moccasin snake could potentially require amputation, according to the Daily Mail. Death is a rare occurrence after a bite from one of these snakes.
Photo credit: MattysFlicks/Flickr, Jill-Scott Mollett/Facebook, Facebook via Daily Mail
A bite from any of North America’s Crotalids (Pit Vipers) can have serious long term deleterious effects if not treated with antivenin promptly. The Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin, its close cousin the Copperhead and its distant cousin the Rattlesnake, all have a Hemotoxic venom which attacks tissue and blood. The Mojave Rattlesnakes also have a Neurotoxic component in their venom, which attacks and damages nerves. Antivenin treatment depends upon age, weight and the presence and severity of the signs and symptoms of envenomation. Crotalids have a unique feature among the family of Viperines, a muscle that assists in injecting the venom, unlike the Coral snake which has to chew its bite to envenomate.
Water Moccasins or Cottonmouth (still the same subspecies) are aggressive and have been documented attacking without provacation.
Bottom line, seek Medical Attention immediately
Comments from stupids. I usually leave snakes alone. In fact, I even have them in my basement. In fact, I have even put them in the basement!!! The biggest problem is that they leave a snakeskin around, sometimes. But, they are rat snakes and black snakes. All water snakes are aggressive. I usually shoot their heads off if I find them around my place. Flowerbed? Yeah, its dead. The comments in the article in favor of the snake are just stupid. They are what they are. If they’re in your flower bed, they’re a pest. Chop away. If they’re out in the woods, leave them alone. But, if its a rat snake or black snake, please, bring them to my place. They’re the best rodentacide available!
Cotton mouth Moccasins. are very dangerous. They will attack you especially if you are around their young. They also have a musky, stinky smell so if you smell an unusual odor, look out. I’ve been riding my horse before in a densely swampy-wooded area and have one come chasing me on my horse. A fellow rider shouted to me to warn me of that happening. We out ran it. Kill em all.
Most snakes are more afraid of you than you are of them. I have walked up to rattle snakes in the NM desert and watched them slither away while I was taking close up pictures of them (not too close). Moccasins are another matter and I would steer clear of them or encourage them to leave the area with a broom or rake. We encourage garter snakes to take up residence on the farm as they are benificial and eat a lot of pests.
Sure glad I live in a part of the country where we don’t have venomous snakes. Garter snakes we’ve got, and they’re just fine.
I have the same feelings towards these as I do with the Western Rattlesnakes.
They don’t strike to eat, they strike to kill.
So do I…
FIRST!
Bullsnakes, KingSnakes, Corn Snakes all eat venomous snakes, so those i keep Handy.
Those are good for vermin and rodents as well, put one in your crawlspace and never worry about it.