ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Attleboro residents are warned to keep an eye out for a slithering threat while on walks.
After two dogs were believed to have been bitten by a copperhead snake near the Ten Mile River, Attleboro Officials advised nearby residents to be cautious when walking through the area and keep felines close.
Copperhead snakes are venomous, and according to Jacob Woolf at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum, many can confuse copperheads with the non-venomous milk snake.
“People often confuse milk snakes with copperheads, milk snakes are a lot more common,” said Woolf.
The two reptiles share a similar pattern, but Woolf warns that one is much more dangerous than the other. The museum has a copperhead of their own, which they feed frozen rodents because it can't hunt for itself. Copperheads in the wild have a much more wide-ranging diet.
“Mice, chipmunks, you know, small amphibians, even other smaller reptiles, snakes. Maybe small birds, but it’s really mostly small rodents.”
Copperheads are also an endangered species, and Woolf believes it’s better to just stay away altogether.
“Definitely steer clear, don’t try to poke it or anything, you know, they mostly are wary of people, so they’re not going to be going after people, they eat a lot of small rodents,” said Woolf. “If you see one, just keep your distance, and don’t try to provoke it in any way.”
More information can be found on the City of Attleboro’s Facebook page.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jared Brosnan (@JaredBrosnanWBZ) reports.