Trying to save a snake? A Durban expert says that’s exactly how people get bitten
A Durban snake expert is warning people against picking up snakes, even if they think they are helping to get the reptile to safety.
Nick Evans said there have been recent incidents of people suffering snake bites while trying to “help” snakes.
“A snake does not know the person is trying to help and it will bite out of terror and panic. They don’t know if a human is a friend or a foe,” Evans said.
Recalling recent cases, Evans said it is not advisable to use a glove or towel to pick up a snake.
“One man tried using a rubber glove to pick up a Night Adder. The snake easily bit through the glove and the man suffered swelling and pain,” Evans explained.
He said in another case, a man tried to remove a Stiletto snake from his neighbour’s property using a towel and tongs, and was bitten.
“In another case, a Stiletto snake was picked up behind the head, bare-handed. The individual was bitten four times,” Evans said.
He warned that with Stiletto snakes, although small and innocent looking, they have a cytotoxic venom that, while not fatal, causes pain and swelling to tissue if left untreated. Night Adders have the same venom make-up as Stiletto snakes.
Stiletto snakes display a fast, twitchy movement. They swipe their heads from side to side and arch their necks. Stiletto snakes have a short, stubby tail and mostly feed on smaller snakes.
“Night Adders are quite easy to identify with that dark ‘V’ at the back of their head, and the diamond-like markings going down their brown or grey body. They feed exclusively on toads,” Evans stated.
Evans said the African Snakebite Institute has a free app that can be downloaded, where users can snap a picture of the snake and get it identified.
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