Snake Bites (Part 2): Venomous Bites

In my last post, I talked about the bites of nonvenomous snakes, and what to do when you are bitten by a harmless species. Today, I'm going to write about the opposite scenario, a potentially life-threatening injury: bites inflicted by venomous snake species. 

Before I get into it, I want to stress once more (I've said this over and over but I don't think it can be overstated!) that most venomous snakes are incredibly beneficial species that do not deserve the fear they are associated with. Though their bite can be potentially fatal, the majority of venomous snakes are rather docile, and tend to only bite in defense, and only when all other options have been exhausted. Venom did not evolve so snakes could attack us, but rather as a tool for hunting; in most instances they would rather not use it on us (using up energetically expensive venom can be detrimental to their own survival). For this reason, venomous snakes generally only inflict bites on people who are actively trying to capture or kill them (and the number one demographic for venomous bites is intoxicated males ages 18-30). Keep in mind that in many places, killing any snake, even a venomous species, is a major crime. A healthy respect of these animals is critical for living alongside them, but the fear and hatred they garner isn't really warranted.

In order to avoid conflicts (the snakes want nothing to do with us!), most venomous species issue some form of warning. Rattlesnakes have their iconic rattle and cottonmouths expose the bright white interior of their mouths. Tail vibrating (among non-rattler species) and swaying back and forth may be a sign that you need to back up. Some species will hiss loudly or even growl to tell you you've gotten too close. Be respectful of these warnings, and there is almost no risk to your safety; just treat them like you would any other frightened wild animal.

That being said, bites do happen. Someone may unintentionally corner a snake they didn't even see, accidentally step on one, or disturb it when sticking their hand in a shallow crevice. Maybe they even have thought they were catching a harmless species and realized too late they had misidentified. So what the heck do you do when you have been bitten by (what you may think is) a venomous snake? Though I have not been bitten myself, I am well practiced in what to do following an envenomation. Because our facility houses venomous species, we are required by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to run regular "Envenomation Drills", practice runs for the possible infliction of a bite. We are fortunate enough to never have had a bite here (though I do know several private keepers who have suffered a nasty bite!), and hopefully we never will! Today, I'm going to share our envenomation procedures, and what you should do if you are ever struck with the incredibly bad luck of a venomous snake bite!

Don't panic and back up!

First and foremost, protect yourself from further harm; back up quickly and put some distance between yourself and the snake (more than likely the snake will remain in a defensive posture or take off in another direction). You want to move as smoothly as possible and avoid any sudden, jerking motions; these could startle the snake and be misinterpreted as an attack. As I mentioned with nonvenomous bites, one of the worst parts of a bite is the shock; it is incredibly important that you don't panic. An increased heart rate can increase the speed at which venom moves through the body. I know, it's hard to imagine trying to stay calm when you've been envenomated, but just take deep breaths and reassure yourself you will be fine. For the vast majority of bites, as long as you can get to a hospital, you will be okay (most bites will not kill even if left untreated for hours or even days, though you should obviously seek medical attention as soon an possible!).

For us herpetological keepers, the time during which we would most likely suffer a bite would be during our weekly feeding/cleaning. In the event of a venomous bite, the keepers working with the snake will attempt to secure the animal in a locked enclosure or bin. If the animal cannot be contained or managed to escape after the bite, the staff will lock down the room (sealing off drains, vents and other potential escape routes) and leave. With the animal secure, the bite victim can be dealt with, and the snake recaptured later (we also have to run drills practicing seeking out a loose snake, fortunately that has never happened!).

Call for help/Identify the snake:

If you know the snake is venomous, or are even just unsure, immediately call for help; it's better to look a little foolish finding out you were bitten by a garter snake than ignoring a bite from something more hazardous. The bite wound itself is often the best means of identifying whether or not the snake was venomous; as pictured below; venomous pit vipers will leave two large holes from their venom-injecting fangs, while nonvenomous species will only leave a couple rows of little pin pricks. Again, if you are even the littlest bit unsure, immediately call for help. IF YOU CAN, try to identify the species that bit you (even getting a picture or just being able to describe it is important!). If the snake is venomous, knowing what species bit you could be important; not all bites are treated with the same antivenom, and knowing what species inflicted the bite can substantially benefit your treatment. Your safety is of the utmost concern; do not approach the animal or attempt to capture/kill it as that will only put you at more risk. A professional can be called to attempt to identify the animal.

Because venomous snakes do not want to wast their venom, some will inflict a "dry bite". As I mentioned in a previous post, these snakes can control how much venom is injected during a strike, and in some instances may elect not to envenomate at all! NEVER EVER ASSUME THAT A BITE IS A DRY BITE. While it is possible, you should always have the bite seen by a medical professional, even if there is no pain or apparent damage.

Addressing the wound:

While waiting for help to arrive, there are a few things you can do to help medical professionals. First, remove any jewelry or tight clothing around the bite area; the bite will likely swell quite a bit. Do not bandage, apply any creams or ointments, or ice the wound! It should of course go without saying, but I have to do it: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO "SUCK OUT" THE VENOM. It doesn't work and can only cause more damage. More or less, you just want to leave the wound alone until help arrives. You can however track the damage; for our department, following a bite, an assisting staff member will draw a ring around the bite and note the time with a permanent marker. Every 5 minutes, they will draw a new ring around the swelling or discoloration and continue marking the time until paramedics arrive. Doing so allows the responding medics to evaluate the damage and the rate at which it is spreading. This can be done yourself, but it not necessarily required; it is most important to keep the victim calm until help arrives.

Once help arrives, they will administer the treatment that will best improve your welfare. This can range from a simple painkiller (bites from species like copperheads are quite weak) to intensive injections of antivenin to combat the most potent venoms. Hospitals are generally equipped with (or able to get) antivenin for the snakes that are native to their regions; if you are bitten by an exotic (I know a lot of people who keep non-native venomous species as pets), try to alert paramedics over the phone so they can acquire the appropriate supplies as quickly as possible. 

Recovery is long and painful. There is no fun way to get over a snake bite, but perhaps the real pain comes later when you receive the hospital bill. A single vial of antivenom can cost over $14,000...and depending on the species that bit you and the amount of venom injected (as well as other factors like allergies) a single bite may require multiple vials to treat. One man, bitten by a rattlesnake in 2015, was charged over $153,000 for his treatment (source), the bulk of which was the price of the administered antivenin.

Venomous bites are no joke. Even while you are more than likely to survive one, a single bite can cause immense pain, long lasting nerve damage and health complications, and inflict a major hit to your wallet. Fortunately, when shown a proper respect, venomous snakes don't really pose to much of a danger (in most parts of the world). These are largely defensive animals, non aggressive creatures that we need to learn to live alongside peacefully. It may seem strange to share our homes with such a potentially dangerous animals, but I promise the benefits outweigh the risks immensely. A venomous bite is a horrible injury, but as I have learned in my profession, there is really no reason to find any fear in these amazing animals! 

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