Snake Bite FAQ

Kyoto: Hiking from Kibune to Kurama

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Obviously the best prevention is to avoid getting bitten. It helps that humans are not the natural prey of any venomous snake. We are a bit large for them to swallow whole and they have no means of chopping us up into bite size pieces. Nearly all snakebites in humans are the result of a snake defending itself when it feels threatened. In general snakes are shy and will simply leave if you give them a chance. Remember, MOST BITES HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO FAIL TO MOVE AWAY FROM SNAKES ONCE THEY SEE THEM. So don't pick up, torment or otherwise mess about with venomous snakes. In light of the Curry data, avoiding alcohol or drug intoxication in snake country would be a good idea. Many, many bites are associated with intoxication.

Another basic rule is to be sure the snake knows you are coming. Walk heavily; they may sense ground vibrations better than sound. If they sense your presence they will almost always leave before you even know they are there. (This may not apply in other parts of the world. Some of the more potent snakes may protect their territory as well as their bodies.)

If you do unexpectedly confront a snake, stay calm, back away and do nothing to threaten it. (This assumes of course that the surprise didn't cause you to jump well beyond the snake's reach. It's amazing what the human body can do in such circumstances.)

Don't run around barefoot in snake country, especially after dark. During warm weather snakes will be most active at night and will defend themselves if stepped on or if you walk too close and they sense danger. MFM lists going barefoot and gathering firewood after dark as two common activities leading to snakebite. Going barefoot not only exposes your feet, it also makes your footsteps quieter so you are less likely to be felt. You could invest in a pair of snakeproof boots but any high top leather boot is probably adequate. Long pants will also help since the snake has difficulty biting through a fold of your clothing.

Remember that snakes like to hide under rocks, logs, and brush to protect themselves from sun or cold. Be very careful in snake country about moving such objects or reaching into anywhere a snake might hide. A snake might well perceive your actions as aggressive and defend itself. There may be more than one snake in the same place and, taken by surprise, they may strike without warning. Furthermore snakes will be more likely to bite your unprotected hand rather than a leg or foot protected byclothing. Remember, according to Curry, 74.4 percent of bites are to the upper extremities.

Rock climbers should be careful in snake country. Snakes like to sun themselves on ledges and it can be a real eye-opener to poke your head up and stare one in the eyes. And while you won't find them in the middle of a 5.12 face you may find them in cracks and on ledges. Remember, the mice and rats which inhabit many cliff areas mean food to a snake and so attract them. Small rock outcrops scattered around on foothills are prime snake territory, so be particularly careful when you go bouldering.

Be careful entering old buildings such as mining cabins. They make nice homes for snakes.

Obviously you should not handle or tease poisonous snakes. Less obvious is the danger of handling them when they are dead. A reflexstrike from a dead snake can be just as dangerous as a bite by alive one. This warning also applies to detached heads of dead snakes.

The degree of protection afforded by responsible behavior and protective clothing (boots, long pants) is remarkable. Iserson in JAMA reported on the incidence of snakebite in three groups of experienced outdoor workers. Members of the Southern Arizona Rescue Association worked 115,000 person-hours in the field without a snakebite. The personnel at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica (habitat of the fer de lance, a venomous crotalid) worked for 350,000 person-hours in the field without a bite. The graduate students at the Organization for Tropical Studies, also in Costa Rica, worked 660,000 person-hours in the field with only one bite.

Russell has something to say about this as well, "Few bites occur in backpackers, serious hunters, or fishermen... In the past 20 years, there has been only one backpacker in the Sierras of California, who I know of, who was bitten by a rattlesnake, and this happened when he was changing a tire at the end of his hike."