Copperhead bites 6-year-old boy after he trips in driveway, Georgia hospital says
A sibling basketball game turned into an unexpected encounter with a venomous snake for a boy in Georgia.
Zander Childers was playing basketball with his sister in their driveway on Nov. 9 when a loose ball disturbed a copperhead near the family’s garage, according to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
When the snake slithered into the driveway, 6-year-old Zander and his sister bolted toward the house, the hospital said.
But Zander tripped and the snake bit his forearm, according to hospital staff.
“And then Zander started screaming that he got bit by the snake,” Zander’s mom Andrea Childers told 11Alive. “We initially, my husband and I, were like, there’s no way there’s no way... he just panicked.”
Zander was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance, where he received antivenom to reverse the venom’s toxic effects, officials said.
“I felt like a bunch of baby crocodiles were biting me,” he told 11Alive.
Zander is doing well after spending several days at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s pediatric intensive care unit, according to the hospital.
“Zander’s story has a happy ending, but his story is not a fluke,” hospital staff said. “Let Zander’s experience be a reminder to continue to keep an eye out for snakes and their preferred habitats, such as ivy and monkey grass.”
Snakes are more prominent in the fall, especially baby snakes who are in search of food and seek shelter in fallen leaves that “provide ideal camouflage,” officials said
Hospital staff advise that if you do see a snake on your property, spray it gently with a water hose or call an expert to remove it.
They also say it’s best to “supervise kids and pets outdoors, wear closed-toe shoes, avoid tall brush and overgrown plants, clear play areas, teach kids to respect wildlife, and learn about common snakes in your area.”
Copperheads can be identified based on their “Hershey’s Kiss” markings, according to the hospital’s website. Adult copperheads are usually between 24 to 36 inches long and young ones are between 7 to 10 inches, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute said.
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