How to Avoid Snakes

[Shamim Ansary]

1. When hiking, don't go barefoot or wear sandals. Wear sturdy hiking boots and long pants.

2. When going outside, avoid tall grass. If you are in a situation where you can not in fact avoid tall grass, keep your eyes peeled for snakes and make sure your presence is known.

3. Avoid places that are more likely to have snakes. Do some research ahead of time and see what types of snakes are common in your area, what they look like, and where they are most likely to be.

4. Many snakes can climb trees and often like to move around from tree to tree using the branches. Try to avoid heavily wooded areas. If you can not, then wear a hat.

5. Walking with sure steps can decrease your chances of getting bitten. Snakes respond to the vibrations they feel along the ground, and so will be able to feel you coming and hide. Remember, snakes are just as afraid of you as you are of them, if not more so. They do not actively try to hunt humans. Rather, they will try to stay away.

6. Always look around. Being aware of your surroundings. Look down where you are walking so that you don't accidentally step on a snake.

7. Stay away from large rocks, and any type of object that may create a home for snakes

8. Be sure to not take too long getting into your car, if it is parked outdoors, because snakes like to go underneath cars to stay protected from the open air and still have contact with the warm asphalt. If you are standing there, the snake may see your feet and confuse them with a rat, and then you would have a snake biting your feet.

9. If you live in a rural community or don't have a car, and you have to walk from place to place, do so with a fast pace. When you are walking on the sidewalk, make sure you stay in the middle of the sidewalk.

10. Be sure to seal any cracks around your house that may allow for snakes or other nasty critters to crawl in.

[Shamim Ansary]

>> Snakes can be discouraged from taking up residence by keeping the available food supply down and eliminating potential hiding places.

>> Check what the chief food source is for the most dangerous snakes in your area and see if you can get rid of it from your yard (many snakes like to eat mice and rats, but others eat frogs or birds).

>> Keep your grass cut low, remove piles of wood or brush and don't leave metal sheeting lying on the ground to become a hiding place. Snakes sometimes go into basements, so seal any holes at ground level.

>> Most snakes won't attack unless they feel threatened, but if you are in an area with a very high poisonous snake population and are afraid of your children or animals playing with snakes and being bitten, you could consider building a snake-proof fence around all or part of your property. This would need to be dug into the ground and angled outwards, with a tight-fitting gate.

>> Sulpher deters snakes. You can try sulpher along your fence line. Too much in the yard is bad for your plants, but a very light sprinkling on the lawn deters insects also. People often sprinkle sulpher on their shoes and clothes to ward off chiggers. However, it is only a temporary relief for insects. Garlic, when chopped in the blender and a tea made...then sprayed on the yard will repel insects, (maybe make your neighbors move), and might work on repelling the snakes. Garlic has some sulpher-like compounds.

>> Planting chrysanthemums will deter snakes. Cold-blooded animals prefer not to be near them.

[Shamim Ansary]

WHAT TO DO IF BITTEN BY A VENOMOUS SNAKE

• Allow bite to bleed freely for 15-30 secs.

• Cleanse and rapidly disinfect area with Betadine, assuming not allergic to iodine, fish or shellfish. Remove clothing (pant legs, shirt sleeves, rings and jewelery on bitten side)

• If bite on hand, finger, foot or toe, wrap leg/arm rapidly with 3" to 6" Ace or crepe bandage past the knee or elbow joint immobilizing it. Overwrap bite marks.  But first, if possible, apply hard direct pressure over bite using a 4 x 4 gauze pad folded in half twice to 1 x 1. Tape in place with adhesive tape. Soak gauze pad in Betadine(tm) solution if available and victim is not allergic to iodines, fish or shellfish.

• Strap gauze pad tightly in place with adhesive tape

• Overwrap dressing above, over  and below bite area with ACE or crepe bandage, but not too tight. Wrap ACE (elastic) bandage as tight as one would for a sprain. Not too tight. Check for pulses above and below elastic wrap; if absent it is too tight. Unpin and loosen. If pulses are strong (normal) it may be too loose.

• Immobilize bitten extremity, use splinting if available.

• If possible, try and keep bitten extremity at heart level or in a gravity-neutral position. Raising it above heart level can cause venom to travel into the body. Holding it down, below heart level can increase swelling.

• Evacuate to nearest hospital or medical facility as soon as possible

• Try and identify, kill and bring (ONLY if safe to do so) offending snake. This is the least important thing you should do. Visual identification/description usually suffices, especially in the U.S. and in regions where the local fauna is known. Local symptoms will alert doctors to whether the bite is venomous or not.

• Bites to face, torso or buttocks are more of a problem. ACE/crepe bandaging can not be applied to such bites. A pressure dressing made of a gauze pad may help to contain venom. (see Pressure dressing procedure)


Antivenom is the only and best treatment for snakebite and you must get as much as is necessary as soon as possible. Antivenom administration should not be delayed. Up to 20 or more  vials of Wyeth ACP may be needed to neutralize the effects of rattlesnake and other crotalid venoms in North America. Protheric’s Cro-Fabâ„¢, a highly purified monoclonal polyclonal antivenom may require far less. It is the only antivenom  containing specific antibodies to Mojave Type A and B toxins which may be present in North American rattlers other than Mojave Rattlesnakes.
http://www.rci-enr.net/neo-slither/articles/rattlesnakevenom.pdf

WHAT TO TELL THEM AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Ask staff to contact their designated Poison Control Center Immediately
 
2. Ask hospital staff, if they are not familiar with snakebite emergencies, to use physician consultants available thru the nationwide Poison Control network.

[Shamim Ansary]

What Not to Do if Bitten by a Venomous Snake

1. Contrary to advice given elsewhere DO NOT permit removal of pressure dressings, Sawyer or ACE bandage until you are at a facility ready and able to administer antivenom. As soon as the dressings are released the venom will spread causing the usual expected problems of venomous snakebite. The hospital at this time must be prepared to administer the antidote (antivenom)*

2. Do not eat or drink anything unless okayed by medical sources

3. Do not engage in strenuous physical activity

4. Do not apply oral (mouth) suction to bite

5. Do not cut into or incise bite marks with a blade

6. Do not drink any alcohol or use any medication

7. Do not apply either hot or cold packs

8. Do not apply a narrow, constrictive tourniquet such as a belt, necktie or cord

9. Do not use a stun gun or electric shock of any kind. For more information on electric shock treatment please click on SHOCK TREATMENT

10. Do not remove dressings/elastic wraps until arrival at hospital and antivenom available.

11. Do not waste time or take any risks trying to kill, bag or bring in offending snake

*Remember ACE or other wide bandaging must not be wrapped so tight as to cut off systemic venous or arterial circulation. Properly applied such bandages will NOT compromise the systemic circulation.

[Shamim Ansary]

Never hike, camp, work or collect specimens in areas where there are venomous snakes unless accompanied by at least two companions. One to stay with the victim and the other to go get help. All parties should know what to do.

If you come across any snake in the field and don't know positively what it is or isn't, do not approach it, try and examine it or photograph it (unless you have a long telephoto or zoom lens). Move away from it as expediently as possible.

If you work with venomous snakes in a public (zoo/exhibit) or private collection or in a museum or university laboratory, never open their cage without a companion nearby who is familiar with snakebite first-aid

A telephone with an outside line should always be located in the room or area where venomous snakes are located in case there is a need to call for help.

Never handle or attempt to handle venomous snakes without at least one trained companion present

If you are not an experienced venomous snake handler, don't try handling or catching them without first obtaining extensive experience and training by someone who is trained

If you maintain a private or laboratory collection of live venomous species, keep all cages under lock and key; rooms where such cages are located should have a double door and vestibule, be completely visible through glass paneling from the outside and be off-limits to all but authorized personnel. If a snake appears missing from a cage you may be able to locate it before entering the room in preparation of re-securing it. Such rooms should be completely sealed. No open or screened windows and no "mouse-holes" or pipe holes through which a snake can escape. Sink drains should be also be capped and toilets, if present, always kept covered.

Finally if you deal with venomous snakes always make sure you have or know where to locate a supply of specific antivenom for the species you are involved with.



Steve Grenard
Staten Island University Hospital South
375 Seguine Avenue
Staten Island NY 10309
sgrenard@siuh.edu

[jafar_bre]

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JAFAR IQBAL
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Department of Real Estate
Daffodil International University