Summertime is snake season, especially when the first good summer rains fall. We have already seen several snakebites in hospitals throughout the country and several dogs are also getting bitten by snakes.
Snakes are active both during the day and at night, and those that you encounter are invariably snakes on the hunt. The black mamba, boomslang and various sand and grass snakes are largely active during the day, whereas puff adders, most cobras and stiletto snakes are active at night.
As for snake behaviour, it is important to remember that snakes avoid people when given the choice, and are quick to escape. Should you encounter any snake in any situation, it is best to retreat at least five paces immediately, and if you have dogs, get them far away from any snake. Once you and your pets are at least five meters away from any snake you are perfectly safe and cannot get bitten. Mozambique spitting cobras are problematic but more about them shortly.
Snakes often venture into gardens in search of food and are attracted by rodents, frogs, and birds. Pet food in feeding bowls often attracts rodents as will bird aviaries and chickens. Water features and fishponds attract frogs and many snakes feed on them. As for hideouts, snakes prefer building rubble and piles of rocks where they can squeeze in tightly where predators cannot easily get to them.
Unfortunately snakes often end up in houses, usually entering through open doors or through gaps under doors. They rarely enter through open windows unless there are shrubs growing against the windows.
The Mozambique spitting cobra is by far the biggest problem snake in the Lowveld. It averages 1,2m in length, and is active both during the day and night. It is an active hunter, and often accidentally enters houses through gaps under doors or through open doors on warm evenings. This snake is known to crawl onto beds and bite people. Many of these bites are in the face, on the chest or on arms and hands in what is described as feeding bites. It is not a matter of the snake seeking heat or accidentally being rolled onto – they are finding a mammal in a bed, and mistaking it for a meal! We see many children, including small babies, ending up in hospital after a bite in bed, and it is not just people sleeping on the floor but even visitors to exclusive game lodges.
Such bites can be prevented by installing mosquito-proof doors, sealing gaps under doors and by sleeping under a mosquito net.
Should anyone encounter a snake in a house or garden, it is best not to try and kill or catch the snake. Rather watch it from a safe distance and call a snake remover to assist. There are over 700 snake removers on the free African Snakebite Institute app (see below).
In the event of someone being bitten by a snake, it is important to get the patient to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. There are various private ambulance services in the Lowveld that can assist in such an emergency. Stay away from arterial tourniquets, cutting and sucking wounds or using traditional remedies. They often do far more harm than good. As for antivenom, it is only administered in hospitals when necessary, and nine out of ten snakebite victims that are hospitalized do not need antivenom.
For venom in the eyes, gently flush the eyes with water and transport the patient to a medical doctor for further examination. If treated properly, patients recover fully within two or three days.
In the event of your pet getting bitten by a highly venomous snake, take it to a veterinarian immediately. Giving the pet cortisone or antihistamine tablets, milk or charcoal does no good, and in the event of serious envenomation, a veterinarian needs to administer antivenom.
The African Snakebite Institute present several snake awareness, first aid for snakebite and venomous snake handling courses.
More information on courses: Michelle at courses@asiorg.co.za
Check out the website on www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com – get your FREE App on the link http://bit.ly/snakebiteapp
