Veterinarians at Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation in Frisco, NC were in for a big surprise, well three actually, when the cottonmouth snake (Ag
Veterinarians at Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation in Frisco, NC were in for a big surprise, well three actually, when the cottonmouth snake (Agkistrodon piscivorus) they were treating regurgitated its meal(s) while it was under anesthesia. The large venomous snake, which was treated for multiple lacerations after it was found stuck in a thorn bush, regurgitated what appeared to be two Eastern ribbon snakes (Thamnophis saurita) and a leopard frog (Lithobates sp.).
The snake had five fairly deep flesh wounds caused by the thorn bush, which were cleaned up and closed. The snake will most likely be released back into the area in which it was found when fully rehabilitated.
Folks on Facebook were both fascinated by the find as well as thankful to Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation for helping the reptile when it needed it most.
Said Edith Camp on Facebook: Pretty cool. Glad you could save her. I don’t see creatures of any type as being good or bad. Seems like good or bad really means, how they affect us. Sounds like she would have had a grisly demise. You’re a good man Charlie Brown.
Top 10 Venomous North American Snakes
“Wow that seems like a lot of food,” Erika DiBiase wrote on the Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation Facebook page. “Do snakes eat that much normally? Or maybe she ate the snakes due to them being a threat?”
Thank you for sharing and for taking care of all the critters. We now know what her favorite food is, wrote Marianne Kleber.
The cottonmouth got the help that it needed thanks to Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation.
