There goes the neighborhood - Part 2, ya'll

So, I need to preface this post and say that we live in a very nice neighborhood. We have lovely neighbors and are very happy here. But, I received this email today from our neighborhood's online newsletter and it was too funny not to post.

The names have been removed to protect the innocent.

Original Email:
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have seen, on at least 4 occasions, a large copperhead snake on, around, or underneath the bridge between Copper Creek community and Auburn Ridge (I think that it the name). I have also spotted him in the creek a few times and on the sidewalk once.

Reply:
When I lived out in the country (Hurdle Mills - on the Person-Orange County line), I had hordes of these guys around my cabin. I even killed a couple in my cabin/drove one to the drop-off center where it proceeded to come out of the pot I was carrying...cripes... One of my dogs and one of my cats were bitten by them and they swelled up quite a bit...however... Most cats and dogs (cats more than dogs) have a natural immunity. The biggest danger is when they get bit around the mouth/neck (which is usually where they get bit) and the initial swelling threatens to impede their breathing. That said...the smaller ones are actually more problematic than the larger ones. The reason being is that their immaturity causes them to expel all of their venom at once (in one bite - strike)...where a mature snake will retain some. You will see these more (of the small ones) around September and October. Bites will send you (humans) to the emergency room and win you a stay overnight in the ICU (I used to work Trauma at Duke as a nurse - the bites were the easy patients). Everytime you have a tarp down for a couple of days in September or October by the woods...assume that their are baby copperheads underneath and proceed with caution... And...with overturned canoes/kayaks...yup...those will likely have black widow...and treat them as such...