Most snakes have the potential to bite a human, but will generally only bite as a last resort. Not all snake bites are harmful. Pythons do not have venom and colubrids (rear-fanged snakes) either have a weak venom or lack venom altogether.
Leave it alone. Snakes are generally shy and will not attack unless provoked, so it's best to leave them be. If you see a snake inside your home, get all people and pets out of the room immediately. Shut the door and fill the gap underneath with a towel, then call a professional snake catcher for assistance.
If you see a snake, back away from it slowly and do not touch it.
Between 81,000-138,000 people die from snakebite each year. Many more survive but may do so with lasting disabilities or disfigurement. Most snake bites occur in low-income areas in Africa, Asia and Latin America, with agricultural workers and children most often affected.
About 7,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States annually. Only 0.2% (1 out of 500) venomous snakebites result in death.
If you discover a snake, do not approach it closely. If you step on a snake or are very close to a Puff adder then move away quickly. If the snake is only about a meter away, freeze at first and see the snakes reaction - it will likely look for an escape route. If it is cornered, back away slowly.
Snakes do not typically like being pet, but some that become accustomed to being handled don't mind the human interaction. Snakes can definitely feel when you pet them but the sensation is not as desirable as it is for many domesticated animals.
People become infected with Salmonella by hand to mouth contact. Usually, this happens when people handle reptiles or amphibians or their droppings and then accidentally touch their mouths or forget to wash their hands before eating or drinking.
Ammonia: Snakes dislike the odor of ammonia so one option is to spray it around any affected areas. Another option is to soak a rug in ammonia and place it in an unsealed bag near any areas inhabited by snakes to deter them away.
Avoid climbing on rocks or piles of wood where a snake may be hiding. Be aware that snakes tend to be most active at dawn and dusk and in warm weather. Wear boots and long pants when working outdoors. Even denim jeans may prevent some, although not all, bites by smaller snakes.
While they can be out any time, rattlesnakes are most active in the morning and from dusk into the night. They hunt mice and rodents in darkness because they can sense body heat with special organs on their face.
Eye Irrigation
If venom is spit into the eyes, immediately and copiously irrigate them with any bland fluid, such as water, saline solution, or milk.
Q: What snake KILLS THE MOST PEOPLE every year? A: It is either the Asian Cobra group (Naja sp.) and/or Saw-scaled vipers (Echis sp.)
However according to statistics released by the National Coronial Information Service, eastern browns are responsible for the majority of snake bite deaths. Up to 65 per cent of fatalities between 2000 and 2016 were attributed to the venomous species, which is found across most of eastern Australia.
When bitten by a snake, the Jaanga First Nations people of inland Queensland survived by laying down under a tree and not moving a muscle for four to five days while their people brought them food and water.
Do NOT incise or cut the bite, or apply a high tourniquet. Cutting or incising the bite won't help. High tourniquets are ineffective and can be fatal if released. Do bandage firmly, splint and immobilise to stop the spread of venom.
Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
Traditionally, it is made with equal parts lager and cider. If a dash of blackcurrant cordial is added, it is known as a "snakebite & black" or a "diesel".