Snakes

[ThaStig]

With you on that, AFIK anti-venom is made by injecting horses with the venom so it forms anti-bodies that combat the venom (feel free to correct me here) so basically the anti-venom is more venom and needs to be of the specific snake

I would think one can try suck out as much of the venom as possible and then make some kind of tourniqet (sp?) to stop it spreading further. Heat or cold can also be applied but that differs per venom type.

That is one of the worst things you could do. It only works in the movies. Once venom is injected it can't be sucked out and if you could, the 'sucker' had better not have any cuts, ulcers etc in their mouth 'cos you might need 2 ambo's then Rather check your 1st aid manual

, than apply advice from "hub medics". just my 6c

[leet22]

Stay away from any anti venom. it could be worse than the bite.

1 try relax, the harder ur heart pumps the faster the venom spreads

2 if u have wrap a bandage around the bite starting from above the bite. it has been shown to slow down the speed of the venom.

3 get to medical help

[Wayne Potgieter]

Stay away from any anti venom. it could be worse than the bite.

1 try relax, the harder ur heart pumps the faster the venom spreads

2 if u have wrap a bandage around the bite starting from above the bite. it has been shown to slow down the speed of the venom.

3 get to medical help

 

 

Good one.

[TNT1]

If you carry anti-venom with, you also need somebody along who knows how to use itExactly what snake it was. Come to think of it, you need to carry exactly the right type of anti-venom for each snake, cause they're all pretty specific...

[firewolf]

Where I work there are many snakes. Some would like to bite you where the sun don't shine. Otheres might prefer a more subtle snack; balls is allways a welcome adition. These are not allways female snakes. Balls are apparantly more apatising than we might have thought.

The lesser spotted trouser snake is perhaps the most aggresive of all snakes; when confronted with one of these it is best to make loud lapping sounds in the hope that the beast might go away.

[headhunter2000]

What makes me die moer in is the black guys/kids killing all the innocent snakes in the contermanskloof farms. I see them often carrieng dead snakes while I'm cycling on the TygerVally road.

[outoftowner]

I come across snakes quite often here where I live,but Cape Cobras will very seldom bite or attack,and has only given me the "heads up",but puffies are of great concern as they don't move and give you very little warning.Best thing to do (if you no choice but to go over or close to it) get your legs up to your handlebar,as they can strike from any angle.Worked for me once, but was heavily shaken afterwards.

[pezulu]

Using anti-venom is mostly ineffective, as the doses needed are massive. The one or two ampules in an envenomation kit are generally not enough.

There are also different types of anti-venom. The use of the wrong type is deadlier that the snake bit itself.

In the past venom specific anti-venoms were produced by injecting horses, and then using the horse plasma to produce the anti-venom.

Nowadays most anti-venom used is polyvelant anti-venom, that is suitable for different snakes, but is not as effective as venom spesific anti-venom.

Polyvelant anti-venom is commonly made by injecting sheep, and not horses as in the past.

 

NEVER apply a tourniquet, as most envenomations are from snakes that have cytotoxic, neurotoxic (or combination) and haemotoxic.

Puffadders, night adders, burrowing asps, Mozambique spitters are all cytotoxic, with the latter having a combination of neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom.

Using a tourniquet will aggrevate the wound, in that the surrounding tissue starts swelling, and with a tourniquet in place the swelling will have no place to go.

Rather use a compression bandage if you have one. Wrap the affected limb from just above the bite site towards the torso.

If you don't have a bandage handy, your cycling shirt will work as well,as it is fairly elastic, and can be applied as a compression bandage.

 

Not all snakes are venomous, and not all venomous snakes inject venom with every bite. A warning bite could be a dry bite.

The use of anti-venom in those cases would be more dangerous than the bite itself.

A serious concern is also anaphalactic shock as a result of the use of the anti-venom.

The best is to remain calm.

Get someone to transport you to the nearest hospital.

Give as accurate a description of the snake as you can. Don't try and hunt down the snake to take it with you for identification at the hostital.

You are only wasting time, and run the risk of further envenomation, if it did occur.

 

You will generally know when envenomation is cytotoxic, as the pain will be IMMEDIATE, and it will HURT like hell. Swelling will follow fairly soon.

Neurotoxic envenomation is more subtle, but more serious. You will feel mild pain at the bite site, your eyelids may become droopy, you may experience problems breathing, swallowing, become disorientated, drowsy, or any combination of symptoms.

In that case get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Worry about the speeding fines later.

 

Doctors will monitor your symptoms, and treat you symptomatically.

 

Best thing to remember is that a snake will generally not bite without provocation. Leave it alone, and it will leave you alone.

 

As mountain bikers we are regularly "in the wild" and as such I believe it is the responsibility of each and every biker to get to know the wildlife that you may come across.

It could just save your life, or the life of someone else.

[Pronutro]

Some good info there. Thanks pezulu. Was wondering how one would be treated when arriving at medical help, without having been able to identify the snake in the first place, since it seemed that anti-venom treatment is a no-go without such identification. Was thinking one is pretty stuffed then, regardless of medical help, so am glad to hear they have some broader scope treatment also. Still, it does seem prudent to get to know the snakes. No, that doesn't sound right. It seems prudent to gain knowledge about the snakes.

[DJR]

@ Pezulu

 

Great post, exactly the right info!

 

(Listen to this advice and ignore the other rubbish posted.)

[Squier]

Thanks Pezulu - +1 for you sir!

 

My biggest worry is the Puffies. Most snakes will move away when they hear movement or at least give you some kind of warning before they strike, but with the Puffies you won't even know they were there until it's too late.

[Wayne Potgieter]

The best is to remain calm.

 

Again with the jokes.

 

Great Post.

[Reg Lizard]

Anyone have a spade handy

Pick me, pick me ....

 

O no, we have to wait to identifiy whether it is venomous or not

[nickelass]

Come accross many snakes at giba,and there are some days I can predict I cross paths with one or two.

Usally if the weather has warmed up,after a spell of cold days,the snakes tend to bask on the open paths.

If the trails are not busy be carefull.

Both the mambas and cobras are very alert,and move off the track, as they react to the vibration,the puffadders seem to not always move,lifting your legs high seems to be the best answer if you are forced to run over them.

[King_Crispy]

With you on that, AFIK anti-venom is made by injecting horses with the venom so it forms anti-bodies that combat the venom (feel free to correct me here) so basically the anti-venom is more venom and needs to be of the specific snake

I would think one can try suck out as much of the venom as possible and then make some kind of tourniqet (sp?) to stop it spreading further. Heat or cold can also be applied but that differs per venom type.

 

As i say to my son: if you don't know, don't try look clever by trying to give an answer. Posting some crap story will only make you look like a **** when someone tries it and dies.

It's ok, not all of us know everything about everything

[The Drongo]

I have just spent a few days at Zimbali Coastal Forest Estate.

 

The family thing - LUVERLY !

 

Monday we spent at one of the pools. All the laarnies chilling like...

 

Then all the laarnies were commotionioning (not a real word), and vacating their loungers, and their drinks. Some were running thattaway, others were running thissaway.

 

It was fun to watch. Although I had no idea what was going on.

 

Then the "owner" of the gazebo that was attracting all the attention started throwing his t-shirt up into the rafters. So his wife/girlfriend left her lounger. Then his son did the same.

 

Then his t-shirt didn't come down.

 

Then some of the barmen came down to see what was wrong. The two, more tanned ones, immediately ran away. Two stayed nodding and pointing, and looking SERIOUS.

 

Now I could not leave the pool, as I was in charge of my 2+ year old who wants nothing to do with those water-wing things, and is constantly intent on escaping my grasp so that he can drown himself.

 

So I sent a runner. Small cousins are handy for this sort of thing.

 

The runner came back and informed me that the men said it was a Green Mamba, and it was eating the Geckos. ( The First Clue, right there)

 

The bald guy was now throwing the wife/girlfriends t-shirt at it. She didn't seem impressed . It had fancy gold writing on, it also didn't look like Mr Price price.

 

So I sent the runner back to tell them it was more likely a Boomslang. A little less deadly, but it could still bring a salty tear to the eye. He did. The bald guy stopped throwing the expensive looking t-shirt. The barmen and another bloke shook their heads, and their hands, at "The Runner" and looked SERIOUS.

 

The runner came back and told me they "know what we were talking about, go back to your mother!"

 

I was hoping at this stage that the t-shirt-throwing-bald-guy and his entourage would vacate the gazebo so that we could claim it, as we only had umbrellas.

 

He didn't. He started tossing flipflops.

 

By now I was tiring of holding onto the ankle/arm/ear of the 2+ year old.

 

So I left the 'safety' of the pool,with the 2+ year old, and strolled over to introduce the t-shirt-throwing-bald-guy to The Spotted Bush Snake. Which DOES eat Geckos.

 

The 2+ year old kept saying "tuchshittuchshittuchshit" .

 

The bald guy didn't look too convinced, but he eventually reclined and told his son to retrieve his t-shirt. The wife/girlfriend eventually came back.

 

The snake looked thankful.

The large lady had finished dragging her recliner to the other side of the pool.

The bald guy didn't even offer me a beer.

 

Personally, I wish it had been a GM. I woulda given its tail a sharp tug before returning to the pool to continue with the drowning lessons.

 

Oh, and 660, Night Adder snake - that is tautology.

Edited December 28, 2011 by The Drongo