Medical experts: Snakes can by anywhere at anytime

Be on the lookout when you're outside this summer as venomous snake bites are on the rise in North Carolina, according to North Carolina Poison Control.

Between January and April 2019, researchers estimate that snake bites are up by almost 60 percent.

Dr. Michael Beuhler said there is not one specific reason for the increase and wants everyone to know that snakes in North Carolina can be anywhere at anytime, especially copperheads.

Jim Kochuck was bitten by a copperhead in the crawl space under his home last December.

"My hand just started swelling up, just terribly," Kochuck said. "I was probably in the worst pain I've probably been in in my life."

Kochuck's recovery from the bite required physical therapy.

"I had no real movement because it was just swollen and kinda froze if you will," he said.

NC Poison Control adds that venom is "expensive" for snakes because they don't want to use it on something they aren't going to eat. This makes nearly half of all copperheads in North Carolina "dry," meaning they don't secrete venom, or just secrete a small amount of it.

Six months later, Kochuck is nearly fully healed. From now on, he always looks down whenever he's outside and recommends everyone does the same.

Other than copperheads, North Carolina is home to five other venomous snakes, including: the timber rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, cottonmouth water moccasin and the eastern coral snake.