Snakes come out in Hays County amid rapid development

Snake season in Central Texas

It is snake season in Texas. In Hays County, as land development accelerates, snakes are popping up after being displaced from their original habitats.

HAYS COUNTY, Texas - It is snake season in Texas. In Hays County, as land development accelerates, snakes are popping up after being displaced from their original habitats.

Hays County is developing rapidly. New subdivisions, roads, and commercial spaces are replacing brushland.

"When there are developments or disturbances to a habitat, you will see all the ecology start to show up a little bit more obviously," Urban Jungle Wildlife Removal Wildlife Biologist Marshall Fish said.

That includes snakes. This weather is what they prefer.

"The warmer temperatures help them, they're able to regulate their body temperature more, with them being cold-blooded. They prefer to be active during warmer months when they have access to that energy so that they can maintain homeostasis," Fish said.

Why you should care:

Fish said it is important to learn how to recognize venomous snakes, which are copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and rattlesnakes. Some common indicators are a triangular-shaped head, a black snout, narrow pupils, or a rattle.

Fish said that technically you can find snakes anywhere.

"Any place where a snake feels like it's covered, like it has shelter, and also where there's a food source close by, that's primarily where we'll be finding larger snakes," Fish said.

If you want to try not to run into a snake, keep your grass trimmed and clear of clutter like piles of debris, wood, or scrap materials.

If you do come across one, stay calm and back away slowly.

If you do happen to get bitten by a snake, venomous or not, seek medical attention.