Gridiron Serpents!

Hello.

An unintentional incident but still a stupid incident.

A dangerous pit viper was found inside the helmet of an Arkansas high school player. He ended up being extremely lucky the animal did not strike. 

A cottonmouth is a common venomous snake. It is exist in the Southeast. 

A high school football player recently had a venomous, scaled surprise tucked away in their football helmet.

Animal services in Maumelle, Arkansas, received a call from Maumelle High School last Thursday, reporting a snake had been found curled inside a football helmet, Chris Davis, director of animal services for Maumelle, said in a statement to ABC News.

Amy Eoff, lead animal control officer with Maumelle Animal Services, added that it was reported to them that a player had been wearing the helmet for an hour before noticing the creature.

Nick Farr, executive principal of Maumelle High School, told ABC News, "The student in question did feel something kind of moving on his head and, he took his helmet off and alerted the defensive coordinator that 'Hey, there is a snake in my helmet.'"

Athletic director Kirk Horton and Farr were notified shortly after the incident.

The student's guardian was notified and the student was evaluated to confirm he was in good condition, according to Farr.

Cottonmouth vipers are dangerous.

According to Eoff, the snake was initially reported to be a copperhead, but once animal services examined the specimen, they realized it was a cottonmouth snake, a venomous serpent found across America's Deep South and as far north as southern Missouri and Virginia.

Davis said two officers attended the scene and confirmed the snake was lodged in the helmet's padding.

Once the cottonmouth arrived at the shelter, still in the football helmet, Davis said the service's realized tools would not be able to pull the snake out of the helmet.

The team decided to flood the snake out by placing the helmet in a container and submerging it in water until the snake decided to come out of the helmet for air, when the team was able to remove the snake, according to Eoff and Davis.

Eoff said the snake is still alive and was released elsewhere after its removal.

"Everybody should be cautious leaving anything outside," Eoff said in an interview with ABC News. "Snakes will curl up into anything."

"Most of the time these snakes are not trying to harm anybody, but of course they're fierce," she said. "So, if anybody reaches in, they're probably going to snap at them cause they're just terrified."

ABC News has reached out to Pulaski County Special School District for more information.

If you are approached by a cottonmouth (also known as a water moccasin), freeze immediately, stand your ground, and then slowly take several steps backward.

Cottonmouths are deeply misunderstood creatures. Despite persistent myths, they are not inherently aggressive, do not hunt humans, and will not chase you. 

If one is moving toward you, it is almost always because you are unintentionally blocking its path to a water source or a safe hiding spot.

• Follow these critical safety steps to handle an encounter safely.
• Freeze and assess: Sudden movements can trigger a defensive strike. Pause to see where the snake is heading.
• Back away slowly: Maintain a safe distance of at least 6 to 10 feet away from the snake.
• Do not block its exit: Look behind you and to the sides. Ensure you are not standing between the snake and its escape route (usually water or thick brush).
• Leave it alone: Never try to poke, kick, trap, or kill the snake. Attempting to harm a cottonmouth drastically increases your chances of being bitten.

In the rare event that you are bitten, you must treat it as a medical emergency. 

According to guidelines from the Mayo Clinic and Poison Control, you should immediately do the following:

• Call 911: Seek emergency medical attention right away. Emergency rooms carry polyvalent antivenom (such as CroFab or Anavip) to treat pit viper bites.
• Stay completely calm: An elevated heart rate pumps venom through your body faster. Sit down, rest, and minimize movement.
• Remove tight items: Take off any jewelry, watches, rings, or tight clothing near the bite site before swelling begins.
• Position the limb: Keep the bitten arm or leg rested at or slightly above heart level.
• Take a photo (if safe): If the snake is still nearby, snap a quick photo from a safe distance to help the emergency physicians confirm the species. 

Avoid these dangerous myths:

• Do NOT use a tourniquet or wrap the wound tightly, as this traps venom and destroys local tissue.
• Do NOT apply ice or submerge the wound in cold water.
• Do NOT cut the wound or attempt to suck out the venom by mouth or with a pump kit.
• Do NOT take pain relievers like aspirin, Advil (ibuprofen), or Aleve (naproxen), as they thin your blood and worsen the venom's anti-clotting effects. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) if absolutely necessary.

Can we get the Darwin Award for the most stupidest people on the planet?

You can't fix stupid!

You can't change minds!

You are completely trapped in stupid.

You are wrapped and emboldened in stupid.

Again, why do white people always treat wild animals like they're domesticated? 

I don't get why some of these people believe it's their mission to disrupt the lives of others. 

This is why Republicans are idiots. Democrats are idiots too but at least some of them have the sense to not engage in stupidity. Not saying all Republicans are idiots, but definitely the ones who voted for President Donald J. Trump are.

I've said it before and I stand by what I say: "Wild animals are......well you know!"

Interacting with uncontacted people is dangerous. Well, they are.... you know!"

If you want to be a thrill seeker, you might want to get life insurance.