Questions tagged [snakes]
Legless, long bodied, carnivorous reptiles.
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Snake identification
I caught this snake in the Dolomites in Northern Italy, in a high-ish (750m) gorge that was lush and heavy with vegetation.
I think, from the description and photos, that it’s a Western Whip Snake, ...
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Do puff adders really not bite you if you step on them?
I had understood the puff adder to be one of the most dangerous snakes in the world; apparently, it kills more than thirty thousand people each year. From which I had concluded that it must be very ...
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Can one distinguish between a venomous snake and a non-venomous snake, and if so how and with what degree of confidence?
This question is prompted by Snake on Chest While Sleeping?. In this question, the OP asked what to do if he wakes up in his tent in his sleeping bag to find a snake on his chest. (Note: this was ...
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Is there data on how the 17-year cicada population (Brood X) emergence affects other species?
I live in Northern Virginia, the portion of Virginia that abuts DC and Maryland. We had a particularly large emergence of 17-year Brood X cicadas this past summer (summer 2021). I was here for the ...
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What to do if one is bitten by a copperhead when alone
We have had questions about what to do if bitten by a rattlesnake, but this question, about copperheads specifically, is different because (a) copperheads are less deadly than rattlesnakes; and (b) ...
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There is a Rat Snake out in my back yard
There is a Black Rat Snake who just comes into my backyard. I know they are harmless but I also have a 7 YR old sister who is "eh" over snakes. My parents are terrified of snakes nonetheless ...
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Can a coyote eat a rattlesnake without getting poisoned?
The answer appears to be that a coyote (and probably most any animal) can eat a rattlesnake without being poisoned because the venom must enter the bloodstream to be effective. So the animal could be ...
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What snake is this, in a cave in southern Italy?
I've found this snake in a cave named Grotta delle fate (cave of the fairies) close to Forre di Lavello in Cusano Mutri.
As soon as it saw me, it seem to be not aggressive at all, but rather scared, ...
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How to remove a snake from a tiny hole in the generator?
I’ve browsed through just about all the snake related questions on this sub and haven’t seen this one yet. So here goes.
Yesterday, I found a black rat snake (almost certain, but given one of the ...
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tips for wading in knee deep water where water moccasins could roam
Lately I've taken up a new hobby: taking pictures of train trestle bridges. There's one that goes over the San Gabriel river in Texas that I can get within half a mile of but any further than that ...
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Does two puncture wounds mean venomous snake?
The general internet knowledge says. If there is two puncture wounds it means you got bitten by the fangs of a venomous snake.
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Is there any evidence that suction devices are helpful for snake bites?
Back in the old days, it was recommended that for a snake bite you cut an X and suck the venom out. That is no longer recommended, however, they still sell suction devices such as the Sawyer Extractor ...
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Found a black snake in my backyard. Is it dangerous?
We found this snake in our backyard today. It was stuck in a mesh we use to protect a small fish pond from falling debris.
Just wondering if it's dangerous. My kids play in the area where it was found....
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How can an adult be bitten by a snake without feeling it?
Assume that the victim is a healthy rational adult.
I've chanced on snakes while trekking in nature. So I was stunned to read about this tragedy where:
Not realising she had been attacked, the ...
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How dangerous is it to rummage the ground in the mountains of Nevada desert with venomous creatures out there?
I made plans to do some hiking in the mountains of Nevada this weekend. I'll have someone there nearby and a hospital is an hour drive away. We thought it would be fun to uncover rocks and even dig ...
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Do bull snakes keep rattlesnakes away?
I was reading Desert Solitare by Edward Abbey, and in it, he mentions that he was using bull snakes (bull snakes are non-venomous) during his time as a park ranger to help control the mouse population ...
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Reasonable precautions against copperheads: will being noisy in copperhead habitat cause them to slither away?
In the more than 30 years I have lived in northern Virginia, I have never seen a copperhead, although there have been several reliable copperhead sightings in my neighborhood, the most recent last May....
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Aversion to snakes: How would an outdoors leader go about "curing" this condition in one of her/his charges?
Aversion to snakes, or at least a predisposition to strongly avoid snakes, appears to be deeply rooted at the genomic level in primates. See, for example, The Human Evolution Blog. Be warned, there ...
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How fast can a snakebite kill? [closed]
I have been looking around and I see some claims of 15 to 30 minutes. Googling 'snake bite fastest time to death' brings back many different answers. In one place I see Black Mamba with 30 minutes ...
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Why are tourniquets not recommended as a first aid for a snakebite?
Why are tying the tourniquets or restricting bandages not recommended or in fact to be avoided to treat a snakebite before getting the proper medical attention?
Closely related questions:
Am I able ...
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Am I able to "open up" a snake bite and suck the venom out of it?
Someone told me that you should treat a snake bite (in the wilderness) by cutting a X in the skin (with a knife) and sucking the stuff out of it. This sounds a little weird to me. Is this really a ...
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What to do when a snake blocks a narrow trail?
Some time back I was on a very narrow mountain trail with a cliff rising to my right and a steep gorge dropping to my left. The trail was blocked by by the viper below (with the gorge just out of shot)...
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What sort of crane, and what sort of snake?
In an area near where I work in Monterey, I often walk during the noon hour and end up in a meadow that is much-beloved to red-winged blackbirds.
The other day I saw something unusual, though - as I ...
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A snake glides over a very rough, hard surface with no signs of discomfort...how?
Yesterday, I saw a snake smoothly glide over about 30 feet of rough gravel in our parking area to get to the woods. It showed no sign of discomfort -- but I am not sure I would know what an ...
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How well do timber rattlers swim?
Today's Washington Post reported that the state of Massachusetts plans to establish a sanctuary for timber rattlesnakes on an off-limits 1,400 acre island in the Quabbin Resevoir, 65 miles west of ...
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Meeting an unknown snake on the trail; what is the best thing to do?
The newsletter from the Virginia Wildlife Rescue League reported the following incident.
A man, his partner and her 4 year old daughter were walking in Farquier County (a rural county), when they saw ...
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How to avoid snakes when hiking in heavily leaved areas? [duplicate]
While attempting to locate a specific climbing wall, our group hiked off-trail through several different areas that had large piles of leaves. In attempt to scare off the snakes, we poked the ground ...
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Do snakes try to get in hammocks?
I use an ENO hammock when I camp and I have always wondering if a snake would want to slither into my hammock while I'm sleeping. Note that this hammock is open, as opposed to a Hennessy hammock, ...
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At what point is a rattlesnake mature enough to control its venom?
Young rattlesnakes are more deadly than large rattlesnakes, the reason being because when they are young they are more likely to strike, but more importantly because they can't yet control their venom....
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When will a rattlesnake strike?
There are a few questions about how to avoid rattlers, and what to do if you're bit, but at what point does a rattler actually strike?
I had my first rattler encounter ever yesterday, just out in ...
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Snake on chest while sleeping?
Now, this is not very common, however I have heard it enough times from people to know that it actually does happen.
When sleeping in the open or in an open tent (yes, i know you shouldn't), snakes ...
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Snake dangers while hunting in the desert?
I plan to start doing some hunting in the greater southern Nevada Mojave desert (say within a 2 hour drive of Las Vegas).
I know that while hiking, there is some "safety" from snakes because you are ...
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Should one run (or walk) back to civilization if bitten by a rattlesnake?
From what I understand the most important thing to do when bitten by a rattlesnake is to get to a hospital. I often go on hikes where I am a few hours walk from civilization at the midpoint of my ...
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What are the first aid precautions to be taken in case of a snake bite?
I'll be trekking through a dense monsoon forest which has a sizable population of king cobras and vipers. I'll be at least 5 hours away by walk to the nearest human settlement and another 1-2 hours by ...
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When should you be alert for snakes?
Are there specific seasons or temperatures that increase the likelihood that a hiker would encounter a snake? I go backpacking solo in the mid-Atlantic (US) and carry a snakebite kit as an extra ...
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Good ways to avoid snakes when hiking?
I'v been told that walking with a heavy foot-fall will deter snakes. Is this really true?
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What should you do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake?
You should obviously avoid rattlesnakes if at all possible. But if you do get bitten by one, what should you do? What supplies can be brought ahead of time to allow for the best treatment, and what ...
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What to do if you're bitten by an adder?
I've heard that while adder bites are venomous the number of people who have died from them are extremely low. If you're on a trek and you're bitten is it safe to continue for a couple more days ...
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