As temperatures warm up across Alabama, both venomous and non-venomous snakes are on the move. A professional snake remover in South Alabama learned a hard lesson himself, and now he wants to warn others.
Frankie Ferguson, of Silverhill, has been removing snakes for more than 20 years. He responds to calls year-round. But as he recently experienced, snakes are much more active in warmer weather.
Already this year, Ferguson was bitten by a cottonmouth that he removed from Gulf Shores. It was a snake he captured last year and was keeping for educational purposes.
"I got a little careless," Ferguson admitted. "You can't get complacent, and the weather has warmed up a lot, so the snakes are a lot more active and a lot faster than what they would normally be."
Ferguson said he has never had an incident while removing a snake.
The snake bit Ferguson's thumb. After driving himself to the emergency room, he was given 16 vials of antivenom and antibiotics.
"It's pretty painful," Ferguson said. "My thumb is still a little swollen and now I have to watch for necrosis. When they bite, it can get infected. It can start turning black or discolored and get infected on the inside."
Ferguson said he would watch his hand closely as it healed. In the meantime, he wants everyone else to stay safe.
"This was totally avoidable," he said. "I made a careless mistake and was being foolish. If it's a harmless snake, leave it alone. It'll go away. You can even spray it with a water hose."
This isn't the first time Ferguson has been bitten. Another cottonmouth bit him 15 years ago. He said if a person is bitten, they should remain calm and seek medical attention immediately.
"Don't wrap a tourniquet around it and don't try to suck the venom out," he said. "Just go receive the antivenom and you'll be fine."
Venomous snakes are all around Alabama. Ferguson said there are things you can do to discourage snake activity in your yard.
"Well, you want to keep debris picked up," he said. "You don't want any pots of water or old wood or stacks of lumber or anything like that laid out because that just brings in mice. Mice will build nests under it and snakes will come in to get the mice."
"Keep your grass cut and you should have very few interactions with snakes," he continued.
SEE ALSO: Alabama Snake Guide: Identifying venomous snakes and what to do if you see them
Ferguson said a venomous snake bite is painful and could cost you a limb, or worse.
"You could have a blood clot or have a heart attack," he said. "You know, so you need to go to the hospital if you are ever bitten."
"It's just that time of the year," he said. "Snakes are really active right now with the spring weather, the warmer weather. It pays to be aware and to learn your species of snakes and what you have around your house so that it could save your life."
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