First of all, I
wrote this page for Americans. In the United
States, all species of venomous snakes are pit
vipers - rattlesnakes, cottonmouth, copperhead.*
Thus, you either got bitten by a pit viper or a
harmless non-venomous snake. Was the snake big
and fat with big needle fangs, and is the bite
site black and blue and swollen while you
experience the worst pain of your life, like a
bee sting times a million? If not, you're fine!
Wash the bite site with soap and water to keep
away bacteria. If you did actually get a
venomous pit viper bite, you're not reading this
web page, you're on your way to the nearest
hospital, bawling like a baby. So this web page
is pretty much pointless.
Click the below photographs
for photos of venomous snakes in North
America:
DO:
- Stay Calm
- Identify Whether or Not You Are in Extreme
Pain (if not, you're fine)
- Attempt to PROPERLY Identify the Snake
- Wash bite site with soap and water
- If it actually is a venomous pit viper
bite, keep bite site as immobile as
possible, but most of all, get to a
hospital.
DON'T:
- Panic and act like an idiot
- Try to Catch the Snake for Identification
Purposes
- Apply a tourniquet
- Cut open the bite site and attempt to suck
out the poison
- If you can help it, don't drive yourself
to the hospital
Snake Bite Advice On How To Avoid And Treat
Snake Bites - There are over one hundred
different species of snakes in North America and
Mexico, of these just under twenty of them is
actually dangerous to humans. The venom that is
injected into the victim has neurotoxins that
will damage human tissue and when it enters into
the bloodstream it can become deadly. Most
people that get bitten from a snake are
surprised and will panic thus causing more harm
to their body from the bite. It is important to
know the kind of snakes that live in your area
and how they will behave when you come upon
them. If you are bitten by a snake, whether you
know it is poisonous or not, seek medical
attention immediately.
According to the American Association of Poison
Centers there are about two thousand reported
snake bites a year with about another estimated
six thousand snake bites that are not reported.
Out of these possible 8,000 incidents maybe five
or six people will die, and it is usually
because they did not get medical care within six
to eight hours of getting poisoned. It is
important to know what to do if you or someone
close to you is bitten by a snake, as it could
save your life or stop any further damage that
can occur with snakebites. Ninety percent of all
snake bites are on the fingers, hands and feet
so when you see a snake it is best to leave it
alone and walk widely around it or completely
away from it.
Avoiding Snakes All Together - The best way to
not get bitten by a snake is to avoid coming
into contact with it. Most snake bites occur
when someone is trying to get a closer look at
the specimen or trying to actually kill the
snake. It is true that this sometimes cannot be
avoided especially if you accidentally step on
the reptile or if you are out in the wilderness.
There are some precautions that you can take
when you are out in undeveloped areas such as
wearing high rubber boots or hiking shoes and
long clothing that protects your arms and legs.
Most snakes can only strike out the length of
their body so keeping your distance out of range
of striking distance will avert any sudden
attacks.
First Aid Treatment Of The Snake Bite -
According to the American Red Cross, these basic
techniques should be done immediately:
• Using soap and water clean the wounded area.
• Keep calm and immobilize the infected area and
keep it below the level of the heart.
• Seek medical attention immediately.
If you are out in the wilderness when you or
someone you are with gets a snake bite and you
will not be able to get medical attention within
thirty minutes of the incident, than there are
additional steps that should be taken. Wrap a
bandage two to four inches above the bitten area
to slow down the venom, but not so tight that it
cuts off the circulation. If you have snake kits
available use the suction device to draw out the
venom.
Learn about the differences between a
Venomous snake and a poisonous snake - and hwo it is that
snakes produce venom.
Things To Avoid Doing If Bitten By A Snake - The
old adages of applying a tourniquet, cutting
open the bite and sucking out the venom with
your mouth is outdated and can cause more harm
than help. Tourniquets that are not applied
correctly can cut off the circulation to the
infected area which may lead to amputation of
the limb. Cutting open the bite, as well as
sucking the venom out can lead to harmful
infections to both the victim and the rescuer.
This can cause nerve and blood vessel damage. It
is best to call and get medical assistance
immediately.
*Yes, there's the red black and yellow Coral
Snake, which is the only non-pit viper venomous
snake in the USA, but you didn't get bitten by
that, did you? It's got a tiny mouth, it's very
rare, it's docile, etc. If you did by miracle
get bitten by a coral, get to a hospital now.
You won't even notice pain from the venom until
it messes with your nervous system and
potentially causes breathing paralysis.
Snake Guard Glue Trap
which catches snakes.
Chart of snake removal
scenario showing snake tongs.
How to get rid of Florida
snakes in a snake sack.
How do snakes kill
their prey?
Do snakes jump?
Do snakes always
inject venom when they bite?
How do snakes
sleep?
How do snakes eat?
Do snakes feed
their young babies?
Do snakes eat birds?
Do snakes drink
water?
Do snakes dig holes?
How do snakes
communicate?
Common snakes of
South Carolina
Do snakes climb
trees?
Do snakes chase
you?
Do snakes blink?
What attracts
snakes?
How to get rid of
snakes in the attic
