Snakes rarely bite humans. If they do, here's
how to deal with it.
By Alisha McDarris Updated: September
30, 2019
Snakes have a reputation
problem. In both fiction and real
life, we frequently hear about life-threatening attacks from these
reptiles—but actual venomous snakebites happen far less often than you might
think.
Researchers estimate that,
in the United States, snakes bite about 3,000 to 5,000 people each year. The
exact number is hard to gauge, because many bites are mild and require no
treatment. Even the highest estimates only go up to 8,000, which boils down to
fewer than 1 in 37,500 people bitten by a venomous snake in a year. Snakebite
deaths are even more rare, with an average of five per year in the U.S.
“Your chances of death by
snakebite are close to 1 in 1,000. Those are pretty good odds,” says William Hayes,
professor of biology in the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences at Loma
Linda University. When we spoke, Hayes was driving to work and warned me that
he might have to call back if he saw a dead rattlesnake on the road, because he
would have to investigate the cold-blooded creature.
Like Hayes, I have long
been a fan of legless reptiles. I have fond memories of scouting in the Ohio
woods for garter snakes and watching, mesmerized, as a rat snake tried to
swallow a bullfrog in the reeds surrounding my grandparents’ pond. Even when a
garter snake bit me on the wrist (after I used it in a brief tug-of-war with my
cousin), I didn’t become disillusioned—it was my mother who panicked and rushed
to dress my wound.
Why was she so afraid?
Hayes says two primary theories attempt to explain why so many people freak out
around snakes. Evolutionary biologists say an innate fear is likely built into
our psyche; Hayes thinks it’s more likely due to conditioning.
“We’ve been taught to fear
them,” he says. “It doesn’t help when the media sensationalizes their danger.”
He and his colleagues are weary of the poor portrayals of these reptiles, but
many people still feel wary about his scaly pals.
And perhaps for good
reason: When they do happen, venomous snakebites are nasty. Even if death is an
infrequent occurrence, a bite can cause permanent disfiguration, damage kidneys
and joints, and cost more than half a million dollars to treat. Most bites
require roughly 14 to 70 vials of antivenom, billed at up to $10,000 per vial.
“The antivenom alone can bankrupt you,” Hayes says.
Sure, you could avoid all
contact with the outdoors during the times when snakes are active—their mating
seasons occur during the mild temperatures of spring and fall. But that’s a
touch over the top. Instead, cultivate a healthy respect for venomous reptiles
and follow a few simple guidelines.
Keep your
distance
If you’re hiking—or really
spending any time outside—in a snake-rich area, keep an eye out for the legless
animals. Gardeners and hikers, for example, should watch where they put their
feet and hands.
I’ve found this advice
personally beneficial on at least one occasion. In February 2016, I went hiking
outside of Brisbane, Australia—a country that’s home to eight of the 10
deadliest snakes in the world. When I saw a venomous eastern brown snake lying
just a few inches from my boots, I knew it would behoove me to step back, hold
extremely still, and patiently wait for it to cross the trail before I pushed
onward. My heart was certainly racing for several minutes following the
encounter, but according to Hayes, I took the first step (literally) toward
ensuring my own safety.
“Take two steps back, Jack,” Hayes tells kids
when teaching them about reptile safety. Most snakes can only strike from a
distance of about half their body length. As long as you’re several feet away,
they can do no harm.
Not that snakes want to
bite you in the first place. They’re more concerned with a speedy getaway than
snapping at potential predators.
Don't
antagonize
Oddly enough, the most
straightforward way to safeguard yourself against bites is to be female. At the
hospital associated with Hayes’ university, a staggering 80 percent of bite
victims are boys and men.
It’s not that snakes have
it out for the male sex. The problem is that men are more likely to antagonize
these reptiles. “Snakebites are associated with the two most dangerous
chemicals in the world: testosterone and alcohol,” Hayes says.
For example, 45 percent of
those aforementioned bites happen because someone is interacting with the
snake, attempting to handle it, or poking it with a stick. A further 20 percent
involve alcohol.
This is an easy problem to
avoid: Keep your distance from any snakes you see. While you’re at it, don't go
hiking while drunk.
Cover
your skin
When you do go hiking in
the spring and fall, read up on the area you'll be traversing. If snakes are
common there, wear protective clothes. This doesn't require anything fancy,
just the same gear hikers should already be
wearing: long sleeves, pants, and close-toed shoes.
This outfit shields you
from poison ivy and bug bites, but also helps protect you from snakebites.
Studies have shown that fabric reduces the amount of venom injected, and less
venom equals a less-serious injury.
How to
treat a snakebite
What if, despite all your
precautions, you still suffer a snakebite? You may have heard about first aid
practices such as applying cold compresses or electric shocks, cutting and
sucking out venom by mouth or with a store-bought extractor, wrapping a tourniquet,
or even making a poultice from the snake’s head. Here’s the thing—none of these
remedies work, and they often cause more damage.
“There’s only one viable
treatment currently, and that is going to a hospital and getting antivenom,”
Hayes says. The longer the venom is in your system, the more damage it can
cause to your tissue. That means the sooner you receive treatment, the better.
So the best tools to keep
on hand are the ones that will get you to a hospital as quickly as possible: a
cell phone, a good friend, and a set of car keys.
If a snake strikes, first
take a good look at the culprit (or even snap a smartphone photo) so you can
help doctors identify the species, but don't delay or try to track the
animal—an expert should be able to diagnose your attacker from the bite itself.
This will tell the hospital which type of antivenom you will require. Next,
arrange for a ride to the hospital, either by ringing up a rescue unit or
having your friend drive you at a brisk speed. En route, you should call ahead
to the hospital so they’re ready for your arrival.
Snake
venom isn't all bad
In all likelihood, you will
never receive a snakebite that requires antivenom treatment. But you might
encounter a touch of snake venom in other forms. In fact, a good number of
pharmaceuticals derive from this substance. They treat a wide variety of
ailments, including chest pain (Aggrastat), high blood pressure (Capoten), and
wrinkles (Syn-ake).
Venom might even find a
place in brain surgery. At Loma Linda University, Zachary D. Travis, a Ph.D.
candidate studying under Dr. John H. Zhang in the School of Medicine, is
currently leading a study on venom preconditioning. So far, their work has
shown that a protein found in the venom of the Papuan black snake reduces
bleeding and brain swelling following neurosurgery.
In fact, the life-saving benefits of venom help
shine a much kinder light on the animal Hayes and I both love.
“They’re beautiful
creatures," Hayes says. "They’re inquisitive, they want to avoid
confrontation—I just think they deserve more respect and better treatment.”
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