Thread: what should you do if you?re bitten by a snake?

Summer

Originally Posted by jx2mad

Snakes don't normally bother me if I can see them but this one did. I was fly fishing in the Snowy mtns and I was walking along the bank looking at the water when I almost trod on a coiled, sleeping tiger snake lying on the track. I actually had to straddle the snake so I didn't put my foot down on it. IT DIDN'T MOVE!!! I was lucky because it moved shortly after.

Probably was displeased by the new odour emanating from just overhead



On a related note to the thread... Had to remove a nice Eastern Brown from the Lead Teams office building yesterday... Was fun to watch their faces.

Originally Posted by Eevo

actually lying under a tree is a sensible thing to do.
if you have to walk more than 50m to get your first aid kit, you're better off lying down and self immobilizing.

walking 50m is enough to spread the venom around.

True, and when you consider that this is the kind of advice that can only come from being passed on, - after it's worked.

Makes a better case for carrying one of those bandages in your day-pack.

I asked our medical services provider if we should take anti venom with us when remote bush camping and he said no.

They until a couple of years back provided the medical services at a couple of Army bases and he reckons the grunts often get bitten by snakes when out playing in the bush. He says they just bandage them up and transport them to the base hospitals and supervise them for 48 hours, then remove the bandages and then watch them for another 24 or so hours. They have anti venom but only use it as a last resort.

He reckons the anti venom in some cases is a life saver but in some other cases can also cause its own problems. He did say this kind of treatment of bandaging and not moving was more for eastern seaboard snakes though.

Interesting article.


...The good news is that although brown snakes produce a highly toxic venom, due to its very small fangs (about three millimetres in length) and low venom output, most bites do not result in serious illness. Indeed, many snakebites are hard to see (such as this brown snakebite illustrated here)
...

If you could get trousers that were more than 3mm thick, that'd be good! Might be a bit bulky over summer though ....

Instead of take anti venom it can be better option to take a green frog with you



Green tree frog tries to eat snake three times its length

Originally Posted by spudboy

Interesting article.





...The good news is that although brown snakes produce a highly toxic venom, due to its very small fangs (about three millimetres in length) and low venom output, most bites do not result in serious illness. Indeed, many snakebites are hard to see (such as this brown snakebite illustrated here)

...



If you could get trousers that were more than 3mm thick, that'd be good! Might be a bit bulky over summer though ....

Don't even need that..

As they strike they close their mouth and end up with a mouth full of fabric anyway.

Originally Posted by spudboy

Interesting article.


...The good news is that although brown snakes produce a highly toxic venom, due to its very small fangs (about three millimetres in length) and low venom output, most bites do not result in serious illness. Indeed, many snakebites are hard to see (such as this brown snakebite illustrated here)
...

If you could get trousers that were more than 3mm thick, that'd be good! Might be a bit bulky over summer though ....

Brown trousers also help to hide any embarrassing stains from snake encounters..