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Non-venomous snakes should not be killed. Venomous snakes should only be killed if their presence endangers humans or pets. More than 80% of snakebites occur when a person is trying to kill or handle a snake. This is because North American venomous species will not actively pursue you, and they can only strike up to 2/3rds their body length. By killing it or trying to handle it, you are putting yourself in that strike zone. If the snake is encountered outdoors, the best defense is to back slowly away from it.
The first step upon taking a snake bite is to identify the snake. Here are some hints to identify venomous snakes. If you did not get a good look at the snake, you can usually identify it by the wound. The classic 1-2 puncture wounds indicate a bite from a Pit Viper, while several tiny pin-pricks point towards a non-venomous species. A Pit Viper can sometimes (but rarely) leave up to 3 or 4 punctures because their 2 fangs might have been in the process of replacing themselves in cycles, like sharks. Do not go looking for the snake if you did not identify it. You are putting yourself at risk for another bite and it wastes valuable time. Most doctors can figure out what bit you depending on animal range.
The best tool for a venomous snake bite is a pair of car keys. The reason for the few fatal bites a year is because people delay treatment- intentionally or perhaps because they’re out a far distance from any antivenom. There is no other way to stop the venom than to get the victim to a hospital.
Venom is not like poison. It is more comparable to our own digestive enzymes. Venoms of the pit viper contain peptides and proteins. The venom leads to damage of vascular cells and red blood cells. It damages muscle and is responsible for tissue death. It might not kill you but it can certainly leave you lacking a finger or two. Coral snake venom is primarily a neurotoxin and can cause repiratory depression or arrest. Coral Snake venom is generally slower-acting than pit viper venom, but can kill 4 to 5 adults. Dry bites, bites without injected venom, account for about 20-30% of all snakebites.
Don’t wrap a band around the arm to restrict circulation- more people lose the limb to restriction of blood flow than the venom itself, it is safer to leave it off unless you are trained in a medical profession. It is better to have the victim lay down, if possible. A splint is important to immobilizing the extremity, but do not elevate above the heart. Try to keep them calm- this is near impossible, but try to keep in mind that very few people in the united states actually die from native snake bites. The estimated chances of dying from a snakebite in the outdoors is approximately 1:10 million.
Be aware of typcial signs of envenomation- bites by most pit vipers rapidly cause pain. Redness and swelling usually follow within 20 to 30 minutes and can affect the entire leg or arm within several hours. People bitten by a rattlesnake may experience tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes or around the mouth, and a metallic or rubbery taste.
Most venomous species in North America are pit vipers- Cottonmouths, Copperheads, Rattlesnakes, etc. Pit Vipers have triangular heads. They also have pits- little holes on the sides of their heads for additional heat sensory. All pit vipers have elliptical pupils- “cat” eyes. Colors are very bad for identifying venomous snakes in North America- in most cases they are no brighter than normal snakes. Some rattlers can be identified by scale patterns, but it is doubtful you will be up to counting scales when confronted with a snake.
Rattlesnakes will “rattle” their tails- but many species imitate this by beating their rattle-less tail on the ground to scare you away, so this is a fairly ineffective method of identifying a snake. The Cottonmouth displays a unique open mouth of white skin. Coral Snake and King Snake color patterns can be differentiated by the rhyme “Red touches black, friend of jack. Red touch yellow, you’re a dead fellow.” A quicker way to remember it is to think of a stoplight- the light turns yellow before it turns red. Yellow and red touching means caution, means Coral Snake.
Several nonvenomous snakes have cat eyes, pits, or rough scales. What makes the snake is the combination of these characteristics. By familiarizing yourself with images of venomous snakes, you should be able to identify them apart from nonvenomous snakes with a fair sense of competency. Can you guess which snake in the image is the venomous water snake?
western diamondback rattlesnake, crotalus atrox
HOW TO DEAL WITH..
Rattlesnakes: A rattlesnake rattle sounds most like someone blowing air through their teeth unevenly, or someone shaking a maraca violently. Generally, the larger the snake, the bigger rattle sound. The sound can peak at 5,000 to 8,000 hertz, which is roughly equivalent to an ambulance siren. If you hear a rattle, stop where you are and try to locate the snake with your eyes. Keep in mind that many nonvenomous snakes will imitate this sound by beating their rattleless tails on the ground. A true rattlesnake will rattle with its tail in the air. Look for any signs of a snake.You can use these clues to help identify if it is a true rattlesnake or not. If you cannot find it after a visual sweep, proceed with extreme caution as to not step on the animal.
A snake rattles when it is ready to do battle. They do not always rattle to alert their presence, especially if they are sunning themselves or haven’t noticed you. Many people get bit from surprising the snake or stepping on it without even knowing it was there. Do not depend on the rattle. When hiking through dense or uncleared areas always have your eyes peeled for snakes. Research the range of venomous snakes in the area you will be hiking or camping.
If you suspect a rattlesnake, remain a safe (5+ feet) distance from the snake. All pit vipers will only strike about half of their body length. If you need the snake removed (probably only a necessity if you have small children or curious dogs), please call a specialist. Never, under any circumstances, try to pin the snake with your hand to put it in a travel container. This is the quickest, easiest and most common way people are bit, and the results are nasty.
SETBO VILLAGE, Cambodia - Being responsible parents, rice farmer Khuorn Sam Ol and his wife might not be expected to be keen on having their child play with a 16-foot-long, 220-pound snake. Yet they are unflustered that their 7-year-old son, Uorn Sambath, regularly sleeps in the massive coil of a female python, rides the reptile, kisses it and even pats it down with baby powder. “There is a special bond between them,” Khuorn Sam Ol explained. “My son played with the snake when he was still learning to crawl. They used to sleep together in a cradle.” Wildlife and police officials used to come by to try to take the snake away and put it in a zoo. But they relented after seeing Uorn Sambath lovingly cuddling the reptile.
“I will not let anyone take her away from me, either. I love her very much,” declared his son, Uorn Sambath, kissing his pet on the head.
Non-venomous snakes should not be killed. Venomous snakes should only be killed if their presence endangers humans or pets. More than 80% of snakebites occur when a person is trying to kill or handle a snake. This is because North American venomous species will not actively pursue you, and they can only strike up to 2/3rds their body length. By killing it or trying to handle it, you are putting yourself in that strike zone. If the snake is encountered outdoors, the best defense is to back slowly away from it.
The first step upon taking a snake bite is to identify the snake. Here are some hints to identify venomous snakes. If you did not get a good look at the snake, you can usually identify it by the wound. The classic 1-2 puncture wounds indicate a bite from a Pit Viper, while several tiny pin-pricks point towards a non-venomous species. A Pit Viper can sometimes (but rarely) leave up to 3 or 4 punctures because their 2 fangs might have been in the process of replacing themselves in cycles, like sharks. Do not go looking for the snake if you did not identify it. You are putting yourself at risk for another bite and it wastes valuable time. Most doctors can figure out what bit you depending on animal range.
The best tool for a venomous snake bite is a pair of car keys. The reason for the few fatal bites a year is because people delay treatment- intentionally or perhaps because they’re out a far distance from any antivenom. There is no other way to stop the venom than to get the victim to a hospital.
Venom is not like poison. It is more comparable to our own digestive enzymes. Venoms of the pit viper contain peptides and proteins. The venom leads to damage of vascular cells and red blood cells. It damages muscle and is responsible for tissue death. It might not kill you but it can certainly leave you lacking a finger or two. Coral snake venom is primarily a neurotoxin and can cause repiratory depression or arrest. Coral Snake venom is generally slower-acting than pit viper venom, but can kill 4 to 5 adults. Dry bites, bites without injected venom, account for about 20-30% of all snakebites.
Don’t wrap a band around the arm to restrict circulation- more people lose the limb to restriction of blood flow than the venom itself, it is safer to leave it off unless you are trained in a medical profession. It is better to have the victim lay down, if possible. A splint is important to immobilizing the extremity, but do not elevate above the heart. Try to keep them calm- this is near impossible, but try to keep in mind that very few people in the united states actually die from native snake bites. The estimated chances of dying from a snakebite in the outdoors is approximately 1:10 million.
Be aware of typcial signs of envenomation- bites by most pit vipers rapidly cause pain. Redness and swelling usually follow within 20 to 30 minutes and can affect the entire leg or arm within several hours. People bitten by a rattlesnake may experience tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes or around the mouth, and a metallic or rubbery taste.
Most venomous species in North America are pit vipers- Cottonmouths, Copperheads, Rattlesnakes, etc. Pit Vipers have triangular heads. They also have pits- little holes on the sides of their heads for additional heat sensory. All pit vipers have elliptical pupils- “cat” eyes. Colors are very bad for identifying venomous snakes in North America- in most cases they are no brighter than normal snakes. Some rattlers can be identified by scale patterns, but it is doubtful you will be up to counting scales when confronted with a snake.
Rattlesnakes will “rattle” their tails- but many species imitate this by beating their rattle-less tail on the ground to scare you away, so this is a fairly ineffective method of identifying a snake. The Cottonmouth displays a unique open mouth of white skin. Coral Snake and King Snake color patterns can be differentiated by the rhyme “Red touches black, friend of jack. Red touch yellow, you’re a dead fellow.” A quicker way to remember it is to think of a stoplight- the light turns yellow before it turns red. Yellow and red touching means caution, means Coral Snake.
Several nonvenomous snakes have cat eyes, pits, or rough scales. What makes the snake is the combination of these characteristics. By familiarizing yourself with images of venomous snakes, you should be able to identify them apart from nonvenomous snakes with a fair sense of competency. Can you guess which snake in the image is the venomous water snake?
When people think of snake bites, they might think of the image on the left. Almost all nonvenomous snakes native to North America will look like the image on the right. They have several rows of little teeth to hold on to prey, as opposed to two large retractable fangs to inject venom. Corn Snakes, a very popular pet snake, have such small teeth many owners come to believe they don’t have teeth at all. It often hurts far less to be bit by a nonvenomous snake than a rabbit or bird. A lot of snake handlers come to not even notice when they get bit.
This does not apply to imported pet animals. Large constrictors like Boas or Burmese Pythons have very large teeth, and it very painful to get tagged. Emerald Tree Boas and Green Tree Pythons have very long teeth for snatching bird prey out of the air and have very painful bites.
