What To Do After Spotting A Venomous Snake

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With the warm weather coming along and the start of Spring, snakes are beginning to come out of their dens with their babies to feed. For those out hiking, camping, or working in the wilderness, it can be dangerous. Here’s some tips on what to do when you see a venomous snake.

According to snake venom expert Joe Hymes from Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary (PHS), an estimated 80% to 90% of rattlesnake bites happen when homeowners try to deal with snakes on their own – without proper training.

To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, if you see a snake, it is better to just leave it alone and not approach it. Give it at least three feet of space, and let it slither away. However, if you’re in a place like your home where it needs to urgently be removed, you should call a snake expert in your local community to come remove the snake.

“You absolutely do not want to touch a snake, especially children. We will come out and dispatch volunteers to safely and humanely catch the snake and relocate it back out to the desert — away from your home.” Joe said.

If You Are Bitten, You’ll Want To Do The Following

Lastly, get to the hospital as fast as possible. It’s better that you get someone else to drive you as well. Call the police on the way and let them know you are driving to the hospital and maybe they can send officers to help escort you.

Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary runs several educational programs sharing safety tips to protect you and your family from getting bitten and having to go to the hospital. As a rescue center, PHS helps protect the world’s biodiversity by increasing awareness to people that killing snakes is not recommended – capture and release is the best.

“Wildlife plays an important role in our world,” Russ Johnson, the president of PHS said. “We can coexist if we understand them better.” 

Click Below To Learn What To Do If You Get Bitten