Snakes are the most peculiar creatures on the planet. They amaze the imagination of a person with their appearance, an original way of movement. This causes an increased interest of a person in this species. When studying snakes, we must not forget that many of their species are poisonous. What to do with a snake bite and how to provide first aid, read the article.

snake venom

Some reptiles of this species have parotid glands that secrete poison. With the help of ducts, they are connected through the channels with the two upper teeth. When a snake bites a person, the venom enters the bloodstream and causes severe poisoning, often leading to death. The question arises, what to do with a snake bite? Provide first aid immediately. But killing snakes is not necessary, as they are a source of poison, necessary for the manufacture of medicines.

The degree of poisoning by snake venom primarily depends on its dose, concentration and place of penetration. Therefore, the consequences are different. Of great importance is the age of the person and the state of his health. The most dangerous are bites in the head and torso. If the poison, when bitten, enters immediately into a vessel with blood, a person can die in five to ten minutes. for example, twice as dangerous when injected intramuscularly than subcutaneously. What should you do if you get bitten by a snake? Urgently, without wasting a minute, provide first aid. How to do this, read the article.

When can a snake bite?

For example, does not take active steps to attack. This happens when a person steps on her, tries to touch her with his hands, or accidentally falls into her nest. In this case, her attack has a justification: she is defending her territory. To avoid you need to be extremely careful in its habitats.

The snake is deaf, but it perfectly feels the slightest vibration of the earth along which a person walks. She won't get close, she just crawls away. The greatest probability to meet a viper in a mushroom season. To prevent this from happening, you need to take any stick and tap it on the ground in front of you.

Symptoms of Poison Poisoning

  • Bite marks are noticeable - two wounds that have a triangular shape.
  • There is pain and a burning sensation.
  • Redness of the tissues around the bite.
  • Edema that spreads rapidly.

  • Hemorrhages.
  • Weakness all over the body.
  • The head is spinning.
  • There is pallor of the skin, nausea and vomiting with blood.
  • The body temperature rises to forty degrees.

Signs of severe poisoning

In severe poisoning, hemorrhages spread in patches beyond the bite site. The affected area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body becomes purple-bluish in color, and the skin is covered with blisters filled with bloody, cloudy fluid. Often the condition of the victim is complicated by the occurrence of vein thrombosis, lymphadenitis. This can occur 8-36 hours after the snake bite, when the poison is introduced into the human body. In this case, there is a strong increase in the volume of the affected area. Wounds bleed for a long time, later ulcers and necrosis form. What to do with a bite to avoid negative consequences? First of all, it is correct to provide assistance and urgently take the victim to the hospital.

What to do when bitten by a snake

  • First aid to the victim should be provided by a person who knows how to do it. Wrong actions can cause harm.
  • It is extremely rare, but it happens that a snake, such as a viper, clings tightly and does not want to let go. It must be torn from the skin by force.
  • When bitten by a snake, what to do? Until the wound begins to heal, you can suck out the poison. Only a person should not have any wounds in his mouth, otherwise he himself will be poisoned.
  • What to do when bitten by a snake? First aid is provided in order to prevent the spread of poison throughout the body, so the victim needs to be kept calm, and not moved from place to place.
  • Apply a compression bandage to the bite site, but do not apply a tourniquet above or below it.

  • What to do with a snake bite, if it fell on the arm or leg? First of all, you need to remove everything that is worn on the limbs. The poison will always cause significant swelling, all jewelry and hygiene items will interfere with blood circulation, which can lead to gangrene.
  • When bitten by a snake, what to do? If you have it on hand, then take an allergy pill.
  • For the fastest removal of poison from the body, the victim must be provided. Drink at least three liters of water or a little sweetened tea. You need to drink liquid in small sips.

What Not to Do

  • The most dangerous and common mistake in providing first aid to the victim is the use of a tourniquet, which is applied to the arm or leg. This will not help the spread of the poison, as it is more aggressive and will still enter the body. But the bitten place will suffer. The fact is that the poison provokes such a process as tissue necrosis. If a snake has bitten a leg or arm, the tourniquet can lead to gangrene.
  • It is unacceptable to incise the wound, you can bring the infection.
  • You can not burn the bite site. This won't help, as the viper injects its venom deep. Cauterization only once again injures the bite site.
  • Do not take alcohol, it accelerates the action of the poison.
  • Don't waste your time chasing a snake.

What to do when bitten by a snake? The main thing is to keep calm. Panic won't do you any good. If a person is confused and fear settles in him, you can lose time. You should know that a viper bite is very rarely fatal, even if the victim has not sought medical help.

  • In nature, there are two thousand six hundred species of various snakes. In most cases, they prey on a moving object. The exception is those snakes that feed on carrion. For example, the snake is ovoid.
  • Spitting species fall on their backs with their mouths open when danger is detected, pretending to be dead. At the same time, they give off a fetid smell. This is a kind of protection against predator attacks. They do not like carrion with a bad smell.
  • On the head of a viper, a boa constrictor and a python, there is such an organ that instantly reacts to any temperature changes, thanks to which snakes hunt perfectly at night.

  • considered the fastest snake, its speed of movement is sixteen kilometers per hour. Coloring does not match the first word of the name. This snake is grey, green or brown. She is not black.
  • The longest snake on the planet is the Fluffy python, a resident of the Ohio State Zoo. Its length is seven meters thirty-one centimeters. This is a representative of the Guinness Book of Records.
  • You have probably heard more than once that in Mexico there is a herbivore snake, whose body is covered with thick hair. Rumor has it that she has long become a pet, children love to play with her. Perhaps we will disappoint you, but such a snake does not exist, in fact, herbivorous furry reptiles are a myth.

Poisonous snakes are found everywhere, however, human contact with them happens quite rarely. Even more rarely, snakes attack and bite people, although this does happen. Fortunately, in our area there are practically no snakes whose bite would be unconditionally fatal, however, such a meeting cannot be ruled out, and besides, even not too strong snake venom can cause a severe reaction in people with hypersensitivity.

Snake toxin, even in non-lethal concentrations, can cause severe local and general reactions, so it is necessary to know how to provide first aid for snake bites - until the victim is taken to the hospital.

What to do if bitten by a snake

Most often, we have to deal with non-venomous snakes, so if a person was bitten by a snake, you should try to soberly assess what happened. If after a bite there is no rapid deterioration in the general condition, the bitten part of the body does not swell, does not change its color, and the pain from the bite passes quickly, then most likely the snake was not poisonous. In this case, it is enough to treat the wound with an antiseptic.

If, after a bite, local and general changes began to occur, you should act quickly, but at the same time do not fuss and avoid unnecessary movements of the victim - the fact is that snake venom, once in the body, spreads through the blood and lymphatic vessels, and muscle contraction enhances blood and lymph circulation, thereby quickly spreading the poison throughout the body.

So, first aid for a snake bite is as follows:

  1. Stop contact with the snake as soon as possible. If the snake has grabbed a person and does not let go, it is necessary to unhook it, because the longer the bite lasts, the more poison will enter the body. It is advisable to have time to examine the snake in order to be able to describe it - this will later help you choose the optimal treatment;
  2. After a bite, the victim must be immobilized (for the reason described above). If there are rescuers near the victim, the person should be laid down with the legs slightly raised so that they are above the head. If no one was around at the time of the bite, you should at least immobilize the affected part of the body (most often it is an arm or leg);
  3. It is necessary to remove all jewelry from the victim and loosen tight fasteners. This must be done so that the developing edema does not lead to traumatic tissue compression;
  4. Apply a tight bandage to the affected part of the body above the bite site. An indicator that the bandage is applied correctly is the possibility of moving between it and the skin of two fingers. Too tight a bandage that does not allow this to be done will cause circulatory disorders at the site of the bite, which subsequently can lead to gangrene with a high degree of probability;
  5. From the wound, it is necessary to intensively suck out the poison for 10-15 minutes. To do this, it is permissible to make one or two small skin incisions at the bite site to facilitate the removal of the toxin. Poison that has entered the oral cavity is ten times less dangerous than that that has entered the bloodstream, so it is only necessary that the rescuer sucking the poison does not have damage to the oral mucosa. However, the contents must not be swallowed, but must be spit out. If you start doing this quickly and vigorously enough, you can remove up to 50% of the snake venom that got during the bite;
  6. One of the important first aid measures for a snakebite is the intake of fluid into the body. The victim should be offered water or any other drink, with the exception of alcohol. Drinking plenty of water will reduce the concentration of the poison;
  7. If the condition of the victim is rapidly deteriorating, he loses consciousness, breathing and cardiac activity stop, resuscitation should be started (indirect heart massage, artificial respiration mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-nose);
  8. As soon as possible, take the victim to the hospital, where he can be injected with antitoxic serum. At the same time, it is desirable to transport a person in a prone position on a stretcher, if a child has suffered from a snake bite, he can be carried in his arms.

It should be remembered that antitoxic serum, which destroys snake venom that has entered the bloodstream, is most effective in the first 30-60 minutes after the bite, so it is important that the victim gets to a medical facility as soon as possible, preferably within an hour after the bite.

What to do when bitten by a venomous snake

Sometimes, sincerely wanting to help, rescuers perform actions that, instead of alleviating, further aggravate the condition of the victim. Therefore, you should know what is absolutely not recommended to do in the course of providing first aid for a snakebite.

So, when bitten by poisonous snakes, it is forbidden:

  1. Give the victim alcoholic (including low-alcohol) drinks;
  2. Apply a tourniquet instead of a pressure bandage, as this will lead to tissue necrosis, as a result of which, in addition to snake venom, toxic tissue decay products will also enter the bloodstream;
  3. Cauterize with something (including cauterizing solutions) the bite site;
  4. Influence the affected area thermally - it is forbidden to apply both warming compresses and bandages, and cooling ones. The maximum allowable is the cooling of the bite zone itself, in order to slow down local blood circulation.

Prevention of snake bites

In our area, poisonous snakes are rarely found in densely populated areas. As a rule, human contact with a snake occurs away from city noise, on hiking trips, country trips, etc. Therefore, going on a trip or out of town, you should consider the possibility of such a meeting. If there is information that venomous snakes come across in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bstay, one should move around there in clothes that leave as little open areas of the body as possible (long trousers, long-sleeved jacket, high rubber boots, etc.). If you are planning a long trip, you should take a polyvalent antitoxic serum with you - it is an antidote for the toxins of most poisonous snakes. On long hikes, this serum should always be with you within half an hour of reach.

Snake bites can be very dangerous - everyone knows about it. However, it is necessary to act in different situations in different ways.

It is important to be able to distinguish between different snakes, and before you go to a certain place (especially on a trip to Africa), it is better to check in the guide which snakes live exactly where you will be.

Snakes are harmless, albeit poisonous. And this is not a paradox - some species live far from human habitation. And if they feel that a person is somewhere close, they simply move on without attacking him.

Some types of snakes, like humans, have their own character. The snake can attack when it is angry and hungry, and it can even react calmly to aggression. Here, too, much depends on the type.

Of particular danger are poisonous snakes that attack people. Usually they develop a huge speed at which it is impossible to hide from the snake even on a bicycle.

Types of snake venom

What should be the help for a snake bite depends on its type, the composition of the poison and its type. There are two types of poisons:

  • paralytic. Dangerous kind of poison. When exposed to it, the respiratory organs are paralyzed, because of which a person can stop breathing and die;
  • dangerous for the blood. In the blood, the poison breaks down vital cells, causing spasms. Spasm affects soft tissues and organs. Although this type of poison is slower acting, it can be very dangerous.

What to do if bitten by a snake

If a snake has bitten another person in a group, it is important to give him first aid. Moreover, other people should do this, which will allow the victim to avoid excessive movements, and this will slow down the passage of poison through the blood.

The general rules for snake bites are:

  • take off your clothes if the snake has bitten through it (most of the poison can be concentrated on it);
  • treat the wound by removing all the poison that remains at the wound;
  • you can press on the place around the bite (if it is a hand, you should do it so that the soft tissues around the wound are pressed against the bone structure so that the poison can come out with blood (all of it still won’t come out, but you can reduce the concentration);
  • if too dangerous, you need to have medicine with you and, after removing the poison around the wound, take it;
  • if there is no medicine, and there is a medic in the group, you can make cuts around the wound in the shape of a cross, and then press on the wound so that the poison comes out (again, all of it still won’t come out);
  • poison can be sucked from the wound, but only within 15 minutes after the bite. This is true if it takes more than an hour to get to the medical facility or the victim is in a panic. Only a person who does not experience problems with bleeding gums needs to suck out the poison. If they are - in no case should you take the procedure - hell will get into the blood, and then two people will need help.

This is especially important to understand when hiking in the desert, where a lot of snakes can live, despite the whole image of the absence of life in this area. However, it is better to study in more detail.

If a person is bitten by a snake on the leg, it is better to tie it to the other leg and take it to the hospital in a horizontal position.

If the snake has bitten your hand, you need to urgently remove the rings from all fingers, bend your arm at the elbow and remain calm.

If possible, it is better to put the bitten one down. Even a sitting position has a negative effect on the spread of poison.

Important: drink plenty of water. Water helps to reduce the level of intoxication. This is not a panacea, but it helps with dangerous bites and long-term transportation to a medical facility.

Myths about snake bites

There are ways to deal with snake bites that don't really do any good, but only cause more harm.

The imposition of a tourniquet. “It is necessary to apply a tourniquet so that the poison does not spread throughout the body” - in no case should this be done.

If you stop the flow of blood, the poison will be concentrated in one part of the body. It will not be inactive, but will begin to be absorbed into the internal veins.

This can bring dangerous effects. Also, due to squeezing with a tourniquet, edema forms, the poison combines with the tissues - they become inflamed, dehydrated.

Such actions can lead to serious consequences up to the need for amputation.

All differ in the animal world. Dangerous snakes live in them differently, therefore, when preparing a trip, you need to find out in advance how it is best to escape from the bite of a snake of one species or another that lives in the area.

There are simply no general methods of struggle and a universal remedy or antidote - this is a myth.

It is forbidden to take alcohol after a bite. Also, when traveling, it is undesirable to take alcohol at all, since in the event of a snake bite, the poison will be better absorbed.

The opinion that, having taken 100 grams, the bitten one will feel calmer is fundamentally wrong.

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

First aid for bites of poisonous animals: what is the danger of a snake bite? How can you tell a venomous snake from a non-venomous snake? What should you do if you are bitten by a snake?
bites snakes pose a huge threat to human health. The fact is that today there are numerous types of snakes, which tend to release a very strong poison that can not only harm the general state of human health, but also lead to death. The amount of venom released by the bite of a venomous snake is much greater than the amount of venom released by the bite of any other venomous insect. It is not surprising that snakes are considered to be much more dangerous than the same scorpions, poisonous spiders and many other animals.

Despite the fact that most people believe that snakes are extremely aggressive, in fact, their poisonous species tend to attack on their own only in very rare cases. As a rule, the person himself is guilty of the attack of these poisonous animals, since it is he who, in most cases, disturbs the snake or, for some reason, attacks it. First aid for a snake bite involves washing the affected area with running water, squeezing poison out of it, and fixing the affected limb. In addition, the wound must be wrapped with a sterile bandage, and then the victim should be taken to a medical facility.

Types of snakes that are most dangerous to humans

If we consider the list of terrestrial poisonous animals, then among all its diversity one can immediately distinguish snakes, the bites of which can cause the death of a person. Of particular danger are such types of these animals as: sand efa, cobra, viper and gyurza. If a person is bitten by a snake, they should immediately seek help from a specialist doctor, as it is quite possible that it was poisonous. Right now, some of the distinguishing features of poisonous snakes will be presented to your attention.

Specific features of poisonous snakes:
All poisonous snakes have slit-like eyes and a head that resembles a triangle in appearance. If we talk about the common viper, then it has a special color, but the main tone still remains cinnamon, while a zigzag pattern is visible on the back. Gyurza has a very large thick body, which has a reddish-brown or grayish-sandy color. Throughout the back of the viper there are transversely elongated spots. Efe is characterized by a golden-sandy color, while quite large white spots are located along the entire body, and a light zigzag is drawn on the side. The so-called cross is on the head of the efa.

It is also important to have some information about how poisonous snakes behave. For example, a cobra, when it attacks a person, tends to make a kind of throw, the length of which is equal to the third part of its body. A clear distinguishing feature of the cobra is also considered to be its threat posture: the front third of the body takes a vertical position, the hood swells, the head sways from side to side, while the snake emits a hiss. If we talk about gyurza, then at the moment of threat it bends the front of the body in the form of a zigzag.


Efa at such moments turns into a rosette, in the center of which there is a head with a specific pattern, which in its entirety resembles a cross or a bird at the time of flight. In the case of a bite from a non-venomous snake, two stripes of thin small scratches are noted on the body of the victim. If the bite was carried out by a poisonous snake, then there are also two stripes of scratches on the face, but at their ends there are also punctures left by fangs.

Signs of a snake bite:

  • Clearly marked one or two puncture wounds or scratches.
  • Increasing swelling around the bite and pain at the site of the lesion.
  • Vomiting, cold sweat, fever, drowsiness, severe nausea, muscle weakness.
  • Violation of vision, namely "split" in the eyes.
  • Labored breathing.

First aid for snakebite

If a person is bitten by a snake:
  • Stay calm and immediately send someone to get help from a specialist doctor or, if possible, call an ambulance yourself.
  • To prevent the poison from spreading through the body at an accelerated pace, try to move as little as possible. In no case should the victim move independently. He should immediately be laid down and provided with complete rest. Plus, the affected area should be completely immobilized, while fixing it with a bandage. If the bite fell on the upper limb, then it is fixed in a bent position.
  • In the event of a snakebite, immediately suck out poison from the affected area. In this case, it is necessary to squeeze the tissue around the wound with your teeth, while simultaneously sucking out and squeezing out the liquid. The resulting liquid should be spit out as soon as possible. The whole process usually takes fifteen to twenty minutes. During this period of time, approximately twenty to fifty percent of the poison is extracted. Do not worry that the poison will penetrate into your body. In fact, this is unrealistic. First of all, the person who comes to the rescue always spits out poison. In addition, the amount of poison that can still enter the body is very small and cannot cause intoxication.
  • We disinfect the wound with brilliant green or iodine, after which we apply a tight bandage to the site of the lesion. The stronger the edema develops, the weaker the bandage should be made. Thus, it will be possible to avoid damage to soft tissues.
  • The victim should consume a huge amount of liquid, namely water, tea, and so on. This will make it possible to cleanse the body of the existing poison much faster.
  • If necessary, do heart massage and artificial respiration.
  • It is necessary to hospitalize the victim as soon as possible, since only in the hospital they will be able to introduce a special polyvalent anti-snake serum.
  • Cut out the affected area or cut it crosswise. Cuts with objects such as glass, a knife, and others can cause infection.
  • To do cauterization in the place of defeat with such hot objects as gunpowder or coals from a fire.
  • In fact, such cauterizations are not effective, since the length of the teeth of a poisonous snake is one centimeter. As a result, the poison tends to penetrate very deep into the tissues. Cauterization on the surface of the skin will not have any healing effect at all, but it can provoke the development of a scab, under which suppuration develops.
  • Apply a tourniquet above the lesion. This will only worsen the general well-being of the victim, as well as increase the risk of his death.
  • Consume alcoholic beverages. Understand that alcohol is not an antidote, it does not allow the poison to leave the body, as it only enhances its effect. In such cases, urgent

Almost all cases of snake bites are the fault of a person when trying to kill her. But killing snakes, even with all the dislike for them, is not necessary. They destroy many rodents, and they themselves are food for rare birds protected by the law of our country, such as the serpent-eater, the great spotted eagle, white and black storks.

The snake only bites in self-defense. The conflict between a snake and a person, as a rule, arises through the fault of a person when trying to step on it or take it by surprise. To prevent this from happening, you need to follow a few very simple rules. If you see a snake, do not try to chase, catch or kill it, and it will quietly hide. Try not to move silently - hearing your steps, the snake will crawl away. Snakes love secluded places - they burrow into moss, hide under dry rhizomes of stumps. Tired in the forest? Do you want to sit on a stump or a bump? First tap on them with a stick. Feeling vibrations from tapping, the viper, if it sits under a bump, will quietly crawl away to another place. One must be especially careful before entering overgrown pits. You should not make a halt near rotten stumps, trees with hollows, at the entrances to holes or caves, next to heaps of garbage or deadwood.


On warm summer nights, the snakes are active and can crawl to the fire. When moving at night, it is necessary to illuminate the path with a lantern. The entrance to the tent should be tightly closed so that the snake cannot crawl in there. If the tent has not been tightly closed, before using the bed, inspect it, especially the sleeping bag. The same should be done when staying overnight without a tent. Remember that mice attract snakes.


For a hike in the forest, you should choose practical shoes. Wearing open shoes - sandals, slippers - is obviously a risk. You can feel nothing but a slight prick in the shin (this is how a snake bite sometimes feels) and return home with a swollen leg. Therefore, rubber boots are most suitable for hiking in the forest.

When meeting a person, the snake, as a rule, tries to hide. When threatened, it takes active defense: hisses, makes threatening throws and the most dangerous bite-throws, which are most easily provoked by a moving object. Therefore, it is better not to make sudden movements during a direct meeting with a viper. You should not take the snake by the tail, as the possibility of a bite is not excluded. At the site of the bite of the viper, two point wounds from the poisonous teeth of the snake are visible.

Do not attempt to catch or play with snakes unless absolutely necessary, even if they are small and lethargic in appearance. Poisonous and newly hatched from the egg cubs of snakes. Care should be taken when handling dead snakes, in some of them the poison retains its properties for a long time. An accidental sting with a poisonous tooth can cause poisoning.


Snakes never attack without warning! If you suddenly notice a snake crawling, freeze, give it the opportunity to leave. If the snake is in a menacing posture, back away slowly. Avoid sudden movements that frighten the snake! You can not, defending yourself, put your hands forward, turn your back to the snake. If you have a stick, hold it in front of you towards the snake. Do not run away from the snake you meet - you can quietly step on another snake. Remain calm in decisions, actions, gestures. Remember: a snake that you can't see is dangerous, a snake that you see is not a threat.



What to do if you met a snake in nature? Imagine that you are walking along a field, along a path, or along a mowing and suddenly you see a snake 2 meters away from you, curled up in a ball, hissing menacingly in your direction. Usually a person freezes from fear. And he does it right! You need to stop, and slowly but surely begin to back away. The main thing is not to make sudden movements that can provoke the snake to throw. Snakes can lie motionless on stones for several hours under the rays of the sun, but then - noticing the prey - jump sharply on it. The main thing for a person is not to give a reason, an impulse that can serve as a “trigger” for a snake to strike. Try to gently put your shoes on the ground, do not knock. They see snakes poorly, but they very sensitively feel the vibrations of the soil, steps.


If you need to walk through an area inhabited by snakes, you need to take a stick 4-5 meters long and walk, making as much noise as possible. With a stick, you need to knock on the ground in front of you, rummage through suspicious bushes, tufts of grass in front and on the sides. It is possible that you will not take a single snake away - they will simply crawl away. No wild animal likes to meet a man.

Rules of conduct in the habitats of snakes:

1) do not touch the snakes;

2) wear boots;


3) be especially careful in thick grass, in overgrown pits;

4) do not walk at night - at least without a flashlight: many snakes are especially active on warm summer nights;


5) keep in mind: where there are many rodents, snakes should also be expected;

6) do not arrange lodging for the night near hollow trees, rotten stumps;


7) before going to bed - inspect the bed;

8) if, upon waking up in the morning, they found a snake on themselves - do not twitch, call for help or wait until the snake crawls away.


Precautions for snake bites:

Clothing should cover the legs: high boots, loose trousers tucked into shoes.


You should not touch with your hands dry deadwood, tall grass, shrubs where snakes can hide.

You should not sit in a haystack without first turning it over with a stick.


It must be remembered that at night the snakes crawl on the fire and the heat of the fire, so you should be careful when spending the night by the fire.

Summer residents should remember that the snake will not crawl over an obstacle smeared with liquid mustard or other liquids with sharply repellent odors.


When a snake is found, you can’t come close to it, tease it and beat it with a stick, you need to calmly move away or go around it. You should know that the length of a snake's jump on a person is equal to the length of its body; before the throw, the snake rises.


First aid for snake bites

All snake venoms are divided into 2 groups according to the mechanism of action:

1) poisons that act on the blood (thick muzzle, steppe viper, gyurza) - severe pain occurs, the affected area of ​​​​the body turns red, edema develops, the temperature rises or falls, fever may occur, blood appears in the urine, feces, the patient is tormented by bouts of vomiting. In severe cases, the victim loses his ability to work for a long time, and sometimes dies;

2) poisons acting on the central nervous system (cobra) - acute pain and swelling at the site of the bite is not observed. Soon, weakness sets in, muscle rigidity develops, limbs, muscles of the lips and throat are paralyzed, the tongue is taken away, breathing becomes difficult, vision loss is possible.

Bites of poisonous snakes are accompanied by various consequences. The decisive factors that determine the severity of the condition are the composition of the poison and its amount that has entered the tissue. Often, after a bite, deep, difficult-to-heal wounds form at the site of the lesion, the edges of which later ulcerate. In addition, even a few months after recovery, a person may experience severe pain in the affected area.

The place of the bite also matters. It is dangerous if the bite is inflicted on the chest or face. A serious danger is the ingress of poison into a large blood vessel, since in this case the rate of spread of the poison throughout the body will increase several times, and the patient's condition will deteriorate sharply.

The main remedy in the treatment of snake bites is the introduction of a special serum, which is prepared from the blood of a horse.

First aid algorithm for snake bites:


Lay the victim in the shade;

Immobilize the injured limb;


Put cold on the bite;

Carry out anesthesia;


Give antiallergic drugs (suprastin, tavegil, diphenhydramine, etc.);

Plentiful drink (tea or coffee) and as soon as possible deliver the victim to a medical institution for the introduction of anti-snake serum.


cut the wound;

Apply tourniquets;

Give alcohol.

In the summer-autumn period, when people go to the forest for mushrooms, you can meet a snake. It is very important to take precautions when encountering snakes.


The tips that we will give here are not expert advice, but the advice of mushroom pickers, as well as the experience of people on different forums. They can be considered only for reference, and not as clear recommendations for behavior in the forest with snakes. And we are considering the forests of the Leningrad region, where vipers are found. Vipers do not attack first without a reason, they are not cobras or ephs. Let us remind you once again that this is not an expert, but the collected experience, so how to act in a particular situation, you have to decide for yourself based on the circumstances of the meeting with the snake.


The first thing to know when going to the forest to avoid encountering snakes, it is noisy to walk through the forest. Namely, "rustle" and stamping their feet. Snakes do not hear sound, but they hear the vibrations of the earth. Then the snakes will crawl away.


Second, do not go to the forest when it is hot - snakes love to bask in the sun.


Third, try not to bring animals with you, your favorite dog in the forest is not protected from ticks or snakes.


In the forest you need to walk in rubber boots - the snake will not bite through them.



If the snake nevertheless bit you, whether or not to suck out the poison, decide according to the circumstances, since there is no consensus on this matter. But if the poison is sucked out, then this should be done within 15 minutes after the bite. If there is an open wound in the mouth (for example, you recently had a tooth removed, then you should not suck out the poison, and it will not have a fatal effect on small cracks).


Most importantly, when bitten by a snake, quickly get to the hospital. At the same time, if a snake has bitten you on a limb, try to move it less. The one bitten by the snake needs as much rest as possible. So the poison will spread more slowly. A person bitten by a snake should drink more water, juice or tea. And put something cold on the bite area to reduce swelling. If you are bitten by a snake, do not drink alcohol. Do not overtighten the limb with a tourniquet, gangrene may begin. Go to the doctor right away! Or call the doctors and consult on the spot! If you are in doubt whether or not to use a tourniquet and how to proceed, call the rescue service 112.


If you stumble upon a snake in the forest, don't panic. Stop and take a look. In no case do not run away in a panic - you can step on another snake. Give the snake a chance to crawl away and carefully leave this place, looking around so as not to step on another snake.


In the forest, swamps and windbreaks should be avoided.


Also, when you walk through the forest, try not to step on snags and fallen trees, bypass the bumps - snakes can hide there.


If you leaned over a mushroom and suddenly saw a snake, and your hand was already lowered, in no case do not make sudden movements. So as not to scare the snake. Frightened, she may bite. Just like that, a viper in our forest will not attack. Try to calmly wait until the viper or other snake crawls away and then raise your lowered hand.


The viper can bite up to 4-5 times! The most dangerous viper bites are in the heart and neck area due to a growing tumor! You can suffocate and die. Therefore, if a snake bites in the neck or in the heart area, you must definitely get to the hospital in 30 minutes!


If you want to sit on a stump in the forest, be sure to tap it first with a stick! If there is a viper there, it will crawl away.


It is worth walking through the forest with a stick, pushing the bushes in front of him with a stick and tapping the bumps and moss in front of him.