5 tips to avoid snake bites

I found this on an other site & thought it be good to share here...


Five Rules for Avoiding Snake Bite
The following information has been provided as a guide only.

In Australia there are over 80 species of venomous snake. Fortunately, only about 20
of them are considered dangerous to humans. Unfortunately, some of these
dangerously venomous snakes are quite common and quite likely to be encountered
by bushwalkers. Snakes tend to hibernate in winter and they become most mobile
during spring and early summer, as they come out of hibernation in search of food
and suitable mates. This is the time that they are most active and most dangerous.
When a snake bites a human, they normally aren't doing it to eat the person, only to
defend themselves from what they perceive as a threat. As a result, most are more
likely to "strike" rather than "bite". These strikes are, in the simplest terms, the snake
hitting with its fangs. Consequently, these strikes are often shallow, and usually will
not penetrate certain types of clothing. Also, the striking distance of a snake is only
half its body length. So a 3 metre snake will have a 1.5 metre strike range. You
actually have to be pretty close for a snake to harm you. Snakes also can't strike
particularly high up (with the exception of the Western Taipan, as it is such a huge
snake it has a much greater strike distance, and thus can strike higher as well) and so
most commonly strike below the knee on an adult.
The stories about people getting chased by snakes are just mistaken. A snake, when it
feels threatened, will try to go to a safe place. If you happen to be between the snake
and its safe place, it will try to get past you to get there. If you happen to turn and
run in the same direction, the snake will appear to chase you. Also, a snake's
attention span is less than a minute long. If you disturb a snake and then let it be, a
minute later it will forget about you and go about doing what snakes do - which is not
a lot, other than look for food, shelter, and a suitable mate.
The first step to avoiding an encounter with a snake is to wear appropriate clothing,
footwear and by following a few simple rules will help avoid disaster.

Rule 1: Wear tough clothing and boots when in snake territory.

Thick, tough, close-knit pants, thick socks, and good boots will provide a good defence
against a snake when walking in the bush. It may not be totally bite proof from all
snakes, but it's far more effective than shorts and thongs! My favourite attire is knee
high gaiters when walking off track or when encountering long grass.


Rule 2: Keep your hands to yourself.

Whether you are in the bush or your own back yard, putting your hands into any kind
of hole or hollow log can be disastrous if a snake happens to be inside. Many people
have made the mistake of picking up what they thought was a stick or a length of
rope to find they were suddenly holding a dangerous snake. Many people that have
been bitten have been silly enough to try and antagonise or kill a snake. Watch where
you put your hands and leave snakes alone, and they usually won't hurt you.


Rule 3: Stop. Don't move.

If you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you are confronted by a snake,
simply stop and don't move. The snake will, after a minute, forget you are even there
and will usually just go about doing its own personal snake business. If it is moving
towards you, it will not attack you if you stand still. It might slither over your feet,
even curl around your leg, but so long as you remain motionless it will not strike. You
can yell and scream for help as much as you like, just don't move! Even if the snake
has bitten you, the best thing to do is remain perfectly still and let the snake leave.
Two bites are worse than one, and when bitten by a snake, movement will actually
speed up the venom travelling through your system. Staying perfectly still is the best
thing.


Rule 4: Watch the snake.

Take a good look at what the snake is doing and where it is going. Is it slithering
away and if so, in what direction? You want to make sure you leave the scene in the
opposite direction to the snake if you can. Is it now far enough away that you are out
of its strike range and can safely move away, or has it decided to stay still as well?
Most snakes when startled will move away.


Rule 5: Move away very slowly.

In some situations, after you have stood still for that seeming endless minute, you
may have to move away from the snake even if you are still in its strike range. Rapid
movements may startle the snake further, and there is one species that breaks the
rules about leaving the scene. The Death Adder is an ambush snake that will sit
perfectly still for days waiting for it's prey to wander past, so it will not move away
from you, you have to move away from it. Snakes sense vibration and as their prey is
usually fast moving they are very aware of the vibrations created by rapid movement.
If you move very slowly, and place your feet on the ground with each step very
gently, you will create less rapid vibrations and thus won't attract the attention of the
snake enough for it to want to bite or strike.

Thanks AG.
You can never have enough reminders about snakes.
When we're out there in the bush we seem to focus on what we are doing and dont give much thought about the little eyes staring at us from the tall grass until its too close for comfort.
Not my favourite beasties....

Very informative, thanks for posting Ag Man.

Thanks Ag, hope you dont mind if i use this on my group page , i will give credit to you and the forum

Mystyk59 said:

Thanks Ag, hope you dont mind if i use this on my group page , i will give credit to you and the forum

Click to expand...

Hey Mystyk,
Go for it I say. No credit to me needed as I got it of an other forum's info section.

Didn't see any copyright info on the page.

Just to add to that, where did you get those pair of leg spats/gators from, nugget ?
Looked cumfy !

There's a guy on another forum I'm on who put this photo up showing that you should never ever judge a snake by its colour. These are all Eastern Brown Snakes.



Just because it isn't brown doesn't mean its not a brown snake and I had no idea that they could be anything from white to black any colour in between.

Stay at home on the couch is the best way to avoid snakes.

Peko said:

Stay at home on the couch is the best way to avoid snakes.

Click to expand...

Yeah but its a bugger finding any gold watching Opera eh??

walk loudly and carry a big stick.

We get plenty of Eastern Browns and they do vary widely in colour. Generally get at least 6 or so in the yard each season.
Not too sure what the difference was this summer but we didn't get 1 snake, black or brown. The dogs let us know pretty
quickly when they are around. Lost one dog 2 years ago and another just survived last year after after a trip to the vet and some anti venom.
Mind you he now appears half mad after his encounter.

Great advice thanks
Going out on the first prospecting trip next week I'll be sure to keep this all in mind.

G,day All ,,Just reading older topics and read this very informative one from AgMan ,,Top points !! along with the other additions , I worked in the bush as a timber cutter 4 some years and noticed that the eastern brown snake favoured gravelier types of country just like prospectors !!!! and they are Extremely bad mannered from mid january 2 the end of march. Believe it or not a Hat is not only good for the sun ,In case Your suddenly in the situation where a Brown snakes takes a sudden dislike to You,, as mentioned He will strike at the first thing that moves ,,THE Hat May now save You ,,,, Throw the hat away from Yourself and 9 times outa 10 it will distract the beasty, as he will usually hit the hat ,,

L/R

I wouldn't have thought of that one LR, thanks.

thats a good tip there L/R

Plan B .......If plan A fails .....What steps do You then take ????? BIG,,,FAST and OFTEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

L/R

I agree with rule 3 100%, I've been confronted by a 6 foot Eastern Brown and
standing still I think was the only reason it did not strike, it was in strike position
about 3 feet from me, it did not back off either or carry on, just kept tasting the
air. I backed off very very slowly after about a minute and it dissappeared in the
opposite direction.

It was quite a greeny colour, must have just shed it's skin. I was quite young
but the memory is as clear as yesterday.

Rule 3 should be rule 1/B. Saved me big time.

Good advice LR, could just work for an extra grumpy one. Hmmmm an exploding
hat with incendiary would be better to throw at it. Umm just joking with that one.

When I worked in the bush I had a lot of encounters with the critters ,,Black snakes ,Tiger snakes , Death adders, Eastern Brown, and on My travels Western Brown ,,The eastern brown and the western brown I have a very healthy respect 4 as they are both extremely aggressive and unpredictable opponent especially in breeding season and WILL go out of their way to attack a human in their territory !!

L/R

Great info Ag man, many thanks

I agree with Mitch59 Talk loud and always carry a two meter long walking stick and whack the long grass in front of you.
before you accidentally step on any kind of creatures.

Long ago my great grand father told me to put or rubbed (GARLIC) in my shoes, snake's and parasite's don't like the smell of it.

I ask the old man why garlic??

And he replied with a big on his face,,, Because the snake know that, they taste good with garlic in them,,,

Cheers,
"B"

Just completed my level 2 first aid refresher and thought it's probably a good idea to add here what to do if your bitten by a snake. When out in the bush I always carry a pressure bandage.

Signs and symptoms:

Punture Marks
Nausea, vomiting
Headache
Double or blurred vision
Breathing difficulties
Drowsiness, giddiness
Pain or tightness in the chest or abdomen
Respiratory weekness or arrest

Warnings

DO NOT wash venom off the skin as retained venom will assist identification.
DO NOT cut bitten area or try to suck the venom out of the wound
DO NOT use an arterial tourniquet.
DO NOT try to catch the snake.

What to do:

Rest and reassure the patient.
If on limb apply a broad pressure bandage over the bite site ASAP
(crepe bandage preferred)
Apply a firm heavy crepe or elastic roller bandage:
Starting just above the fingers or toes and moving up the limb as far as can be reached (including the bite site)
Apply tightly without stopping the blood supply to the limb.
Splint the bandages limb:
place splint on the outer side of the limb.
Write down the time of the bite and when the bandage was applied.
Ensure an ambulance has been called: Tripple 000
Keep the patient as still as possible until help arrives.

This same technique is used for Funnel web spiders, Mouse spiders, Snakes, Blue ring octopus and Cone shells.

Hope this helps.

Wooly