LAKE MARY, Fla. -- Bob Cross has handled snakes in Central Florida his whole life.
- Snake season is underway in Central Florida
- Snakes are more active when the weather's hot
- Professional snake trapper shares tips on how to stay safe
And for the last four years he's done it professionally.
But even he’s got to admit, finding a rattlesnake and two cottonmouths in such a short time in a Lake Mary neighborhood is not normal.
“In four days I’ve caught three venomous snakes in a quarter-mile area, in a heavily-populated subdivision, and to find three venomous in such a small area, is really unusual,” he said.
Cross said when the weather warms up snakes start to get more active.
There are six types of venomous snakes in Florida.
“Right now the warm up has started this past week and got the snakes on the move. Now that it’s getting warm and hot they love it, they like it to be between 80 and 95 degrees,” he said.
Cross said it's especially important to take care while doing yard work.
“A common safe practice is to not put your hands where you can't see what's in front of the bush or what's around," Cross said. "When you're trimming tall hedges, you tend to put your feet under the hedge as close as you can to trim, but if you put your feet underneath there and you don’t know what’s underneath there, and this guy happens to be underneath there, he’s going bite you.
"Don’t put your hands underneath a hedge that you can’t see where your hands are going because that’s where these guys are going to be they’re going to be in the shade,” he added.
Cross says both the Cottonmouth and the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake love to lie alongside trails in parks or the woods.
“And they’re going to bite the next warm blooded thing that goes past them,” Cross said.
So it's very important to be aware of where you're stepping.
And carry a flashlight with you if walking at night so you can see any snakes that might be nearby.
Cross says it’s especially important to educate your young kids because they might not be aware of where they’re running or playing.
And make sure they know to back off when they see a snake.
Cross says they won't chase you.
He says you should call 911 if you or a loved one gets bitten by one of these snakes.