In the Moscow region, with the onset of heat, snakes became more active - both harmless snakes and copperheads, and poisonous vipers. Where you can meet these reptiles, how not to provoke an attack and what to do if you get bitten, read the material "RIAMO in the Queen".
Where can you find a snake
Gif: GIPHY website
Snakes love dark, wet places. They are mainly found in the forest, they also crawl into garden plots, where they like to settle under berry bushes. In the city, snakes are rare guests, but in a number of districts, for example, Dmitrovsky and Shatursky, their concentration can reach several tens of individuals within a radius of one hundred meters.
Contrary to popular belief, snakes are shy and almost never strike first. If they meet a person, they try to crawl away quickly. A snake can bite only in case of self-defense - if it was stepped on, scared or tried to catch.
Snakes are cold-blooded animals, so in the spring they crawl out into the open to bask in the sun. Curled up in a ball, they lie on stumps, hillocks, hills and other hills. You need to keep this in mind when walking through the forest or choosing a parking lot for a picnic or campground.
Snakes are almost deaf, but they sense vibration very well. Most likely, the snake will feel the approach of a person and crawl away. However, there are places that become "blind zones" for reptiles - these are fields and swamps, as arable land and mossy soil drown out steps. It is there that you can quietly approach the snake and scare it, which will provoke an attack.
Snake bite prevention
For hiking in the forest, it is best to wear rubber boots to the knee so that the calves of the legs are protected. Then even if the snake attacks, it will not be able to bite through the rubber. Trouser legs must be tucked into the tops.
In nature, you should always look under your feet and around to avoid an unwanted meeting. Experienced mushroom pickers and berry pickers use sticks to not only see the gifts of the forest in the grass, but also to check for snakes on the way.
Before you sit down to rest on an old stump or a fallen tree, you should look around and knock on the trunk. In no case should you check with your hands the hollows of trees, voids under the roots, rodent burrows.
If a person came too close to the snake, touched it with his foot, stepped on it, tried to catch it, then it is almost impossible to avoid a bite.
What to do when you meet a snake
Gif: GIPHY website
Dangerous is a snake that has gone unnoticed. The discovered reptile poses a minimal threat.
If you managed to notice a snake, then you need to try to get around it. There is no need to block her escape route - she will regard this as a danger and attack. A coiled snake can jump half a meter. You don’t need to poke a reptile with a stick - it can reach your hand with lightning speed.
If the snake did not crawl away, but took a threatening posture, then you need to slowly step back, without making sudden movements. Do not put your hands forward for protection or turn your back to the reptile. You can not run away from the snake - there is a risk of stepping on another.
The Viper never attacks itself and will not pursue a person, even if it is angry. She will hiss and lunge - "peck" in the direction of danger, but will only bite if the person provokes her again, steps on her tail or tries to grab her.
No need to try to catch snakes and play with them, even if they look lethargic or have a small size - even newly hatched cubs are poisonous. You should also be careful with dead snakes, as in some species the poison retains its effect for a long time, and an accidental prick with a poisonous tooth can cause poisoning.
How to spot a venomous snake
Total on the territory Russian Federation There are more than 90 species of snakes, many of which are poisonous. Only three species of snakes live in the Moscow region - snakes, copperheads and vipers. Only the latter are venomous, but even their bite is rarely fatal.
The snake is the easiest to distinguish from other snakes - it has characteristic yellow or orange spots on its head. The scales are dark - gray, gray-black or black, the abdomen is always lighter. The size of snakes is about 1 meter, but some females grow up to 2 meters. Snakes rarely bite, they are not aggressive and not poisonous.
Copperhead is also harmless. The body length is about 70 centimeters, the color of the scales varies from gray to copper-red with several rows of dark spots. The snake lives in coniferous and deciduous forests, in clearings and sunny clearings. The saliva of copperheads is toxic to its victims - lizards and mice, but the bite of this snake is not dangerous for humans.
Viper is the most common venomous snake in Russia. Its length is on average about 70-85 centimeters, the color is from gray to almost black, sometimes with a zigzag pattern on the back. The viper has a characteristic triangular head shape, by which it can be distinguished from other snakes. The first viper does not attack, when approaching it hisses and makes throws, but tries to crawl away. Viper venom is toxic, but it does not always lead to death. The most dangerous bites are on areas of the body close to the head.
Experts recommend that when meeting with a snake, always proceed from the fact that it is poisonous. It is not always possible to quickly and accurately understand that it is a harmless snake or dangerous viper. Therefore, with any snake you need to try to disperse in peace.
First aid for a bite
Gif: GIPHY website
When bitten poisonous snake there is severe pain and swelling around the bite site, which spreads quickly, and the skin becomes reddish-cyanotic. After 20-40 minutes, symptoms of shock occur: pallor of the skin, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, weak and frequent pulse, and a decrease in pressure. There may be periodic loss of consciousness, and sometimes excitement and convulsions.
Immediately after the bite, it is necessary to provide the victim with rest in a horizontal position. To slow down the spread of the poison, he should move less. The bitten leg should be bandaged to a healthy one, put something under the knees and slightly raise the legs. The bitten hand must be fixed in a bent position.
The bite site must be disinfected. It is impossible to suck out the poison - if there is a small wound in the mouth or on the lip, then the poison can enter the body through it. Also, you can not apply a tourniquet above the bite site - this will worsen the condition of the victim, increase the possibility of death and can provoke gangrenous phenomena.
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is not an antidote - on the contrary, it enhances the effect of the poison and makes it difficult to remove it from the body. The victim should be given plenty of water to drink and contact the nearest medical facility as soon as possible.
For an adult and healthy person, a viper bite is not fatal. However, in case of untimely or incorrect treatment, severe complications can develop, up to chronic renal failure.
If a person has been bitten by a non-venomous snake - or a snake, he still needs to see a doctor immediately, as the bite site can fester and provoke blood poisoning.
This year there is an influx of snakes in Karelia. There are messages about them almost every day. Increasingly, they appear in the capital of Karelia. So, a crawling snake was filmed recently on Krasnoarmeyskaya. Then a local resident was taken to the hospital with a snake bite. Messages about snakes regularly come from the regions of the republic. What to do if you suddenly met a dangerous reptile? "Runa" has collected instructions. It contains everything you need to know about snakes in Karelia.
What snakes are there in Karelia?
There are only two types of snakes in the republic - the common snake and the viper. It is safe for humans and not aggressive. It is very easy to distinguish it from other snakes by yellow or orange spots on its head. It has dark scales - gray, gray-black or black with a lighter belly. In length, it reaches 1 meter, females - sometimes 2 meters. It can bite, but prefers not to, and most importantly, it is not poisonous.
A viper is a completely different matter. Its venom is dangerous and can even be fatal to humans, especially the closer the bite is to the head. In length, the viper reaches 70-85 centimeters. Her color is from gray to almost black with a zigzag pattern on her back. The viper has a characteristic triangular head shape that distinguishes it from other snakes.
Where can you find a snake?
Snakes love swampy and dark places. Most often found in the forest, can crawl on summer cottages and settle under berry bushes. Recently, snakes have also begun to come across regularly in cities, although scientists do not see anything special in this and believe that the situation has not gone beyond the norm. Snakes are cold-blooded animals. For this reason, in the spring they crawl out to bask in the sun in open places, they like to lie on all sorts of hills - stumps, hills and hillocks - curled up in a ball.
When does the snake bite?
Snakes practically do not hear, but they feel the vibration very well. Therefore, on soft soil - in a plowed garden or in a swamp that jams steps - you can approach the snake unnoticed and cause her fear, and this will provoke an attack. With all this, the snakes are quite shy. Sensing your approach, they will try to hide. They never attack first and do so only in self-defense - when they are stepped on, scared or tried to catch. The most dangerous snake The one you didn't notice. Discovered, it no longer poses such a threat: you see it and can avoid trouble.
What to do when you meet a snake?
If you still met a snake, you need to try to get around it. You can not block her way to retreat, so that she does not regard this as a threat and does not respond with an attack. Do not touch the snake with a stick - it will instantly get to you and sting. A snake curled up into a ball, by the way, can still jump to a height of up to half a meter. Therefore, it is better not to approach her at all. If the snake did not crawl away, but hissed and assumed a threatening posture, it is necessary to slowly and without sudden movements step back. You can't run away from it - you can step on another. Do not turn your back to the snake or stretch your arms forward for protection. The same viper will not chase you, even if angry. She will hiss and lunge towards danger (peck the ground), but will bite only when you provoke her - step on her tail or try to pick her up. Therefore, in no case do not catch snakes and try to play with them. If they are lethargic or still small, this does not make them less dangerous. Already hatched cubs are poisonous in snakes. And in a dead snake, the poison retains its effect for a long time, and an accidental prick with a poisonous tooth will end in poisoning.
How to protect yourself from a snake bite?
In those places where snakes can be found, you must first of all look under your feet. If you went to the forest, it is better to go for a walk in rubber boots to the knee, and tuck the legs inside the boot. The snake will not be able to bite through the rubber, and you will get off with only a fright. Many mushroom pickers still use a stick to check for mushrooms. Rustling to her in the grass, they seem to give a signal to the snake, which will try to hide. If you are going to sit on a stump or a fallen tree, inspect them before that, or rather tap with a stick. In no case do not get your hands into the hollows of trees, voids under the roots and holes of mice.
What happens after a bite?
At the site of a bite of a poisonous snake, severe pain occurs and swelling appears, which quickly spreads to neighboring areas of the body, the skin becomes reddish-bluish in color. 20-40 minutes later, symptoms of shock appear - the skin turns pale, dizziness, nausea and vomiting appear, the pulse becomes weak and frequent, pressure drops. A person may lose consciousness, sometimes there is agitation and convulsions.
What to do if the snake still bites?
The victim needs to be kept calm. In order for the poison to spread more slowly, the person should move less and take a horizontal position if possible. If a snake has bitten a leg, then this leg should be bandaged to a healthy one, put something under the knees and slightly raise the legs. If the bite is on the arm, it must be fixed in a bent position. The bite site must be disinfected. It is impossible to cut the bite site, cauterize with hot objects, and also suck the poison out of the wound in no case: it is possible that through small wounds on the lip, the poison will further spread throughout the body. Do not apply a tourniquet to the bite site - this can cause gangrenous phenomena and even lead to death. A person needs to be given as much water as possible and delivered to a medical facility as soon as possible. Do not drink alcohol after a bite - it enhances and makes it difficult to remove the poison from the body. The bite of a viper is not usually fatal to an adult, but if delayed with a visit to a doctor, this can lead to dangerous consequences up to renal failure. But even if you were bitten by a non-venomous snake, you still need to visit the doctors - the wound must be treated so that the bite does not fester and blood poisoning does not occur.
According to sanitary and epidemiological supervision, in Russia, out of a thousand people bitten by a snake, two die, on average, about a hundred people need hospitalization per season after meeting with snakes, and mostly these are children and the elderly, they are at risk. These data provide another reason to familiarize yourself with the rules of human behavior in situations of possible collision with poisonous reptiles. True, we must remember that in Russia there are not so many snakes. Among the snakes living in Russia, the following can be distinguished:
common viper
Where can you meet?
Forest-steppe and forest zone of Russia: swampy terrain, mixed forests, glades, near the banks of rivers and lakes. This species is distributed in Siberia, in the European part of Russia, as well as in Far East(up to Sakhalin Island).
How does he behave?
When meeting people, the common viper, like most snakes, seeks to escape, and attacks a person only if it feels threatened. And even in this case, the snake will warn of the attack: it will hiss, stand in a threatening stance.
Already ordinary
Where can you meet?
This species is found throughout the European part of Russia. The exception is the polar regions. Already ordinary is distributed in the Far East and Siberia, as well as in the vicinity of Lake Baikal.
How does he behave?
Absolutely safe for humans. At a meeting, he tries to hide. The character is calm, balanced, prone to domestication: in Ukraine and Belarus, snakes are specially tamed to fight mice.
Copperhead common.
Where to expect danger? And wait at all?
The habitual habitat of the copperfish is the forests of central Russia: these snakes live on the edges of coniferous, deciduous or mixed forests. Copperhead is not poisonous and does not pose a particular danger to humans.
Gyurza
Where can you meet?
Southern Siberia.
How it behaves
Gyurza is a very brave snake, but the first to attack a person is only if he disturbs her. At an unexpected meeting, it attacks immediately, without warning.
First aid. Instructions for use.
The minimum assistance to the victim is as follows:
- Do not worry yourself and calm the bitten;
- Call doctors or organize the transportation of the bitten to the hospital or clinic;
- Carefully inspect the wound and make sure that there are signs of poisoning;
- Lay the victim down and ensure limb immobilization (suspension) without applying a pressure bandage;
- If possible, give plenty of fluids;
It is important to note that several factors influence the severity of the consequences of a snakebite. Among them:
- Age, body size and health status of the patient.
- Bite site.
- snake size
What not to do when bitten by a venomous snake or snakebite myths.
Quite often it happens that the consequences of improper treatment of a snake bite turn out to be much more dangerous for the bitten snake than the bite itself. In order not to harm the victim, remember, DO NOT:
- apply a tourniquet to the affected limb;
- cauterize the bite site;
- chip the bite site with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- make cuts;
- drink alcohol internally.
Sergey Leonidovich Panigribko, a dermatovenereologist, an employee of the popular Internet portal Med.Krug, told us about some safety rules. “To avoid contact with a snake, remember that the snake only attacks when it feels threatened. When setting out on a trip to an unfamiliar area, study what snakes can be found in the area you have chosen for the trip, take care of your equipment. If you are going to pitch a tent, then do it where the snake is least likely to appear. These simple rules will save you from a dangerous encounter with a snake.
Equipment is the best insurance!
When planning a trip to areas inhabited by poisonous snakes, do not forget about the appropriate equipment. You need to have high boots and tight trousers that should not be tight around your legs and knees. Put on thick woolen socks - this is a kind of "charm" from a bite. You should also carry a sharp knife or lancet, a bandage for applying a pressure bandage, suction bulbs and antiseptics in sufficient quantities to provide emergency care, and in case of visiting hard-to-reach places, also carry an anti-snake serum. The most important thing is to carefully look under your feet before taking the next step, because careless behavior in dangerous regions can lead to adverse consequences.
04 June 2017In summer, everyone wants to travel, spend more time in nature, swim and sunbathe, pick mushrooms and berries, or just walk in some beautiful place in the forest, by the river or by the lake...
Alas, dangerous situations arise here too, one of them is a meeting with a snake.
What to do if you meet a snake?
Most often, the snake itself solves this problem safely for you - it just runs away from the meeting place. A person for a snake is not a food object, it has no reason to attack you. Another thing is if you unwittingly provoked the snake, created a situation threatening it, and the snake had to defend itself. For example, they leaned over to get a better look at it; stepped on or bumped with a hand while picking berries or mushrooms. As a rule, such contacts end with a bite.
What snakes are most likely to meet you? In central Russia, in Ukraine, in the Urals, in Siberia, this is an ordinary, or gray viper. Viper bites for an adult are not fatal, but can cause serious disorders of the body.
Vipers are often confused with snakes, yellow or white spots at the base of the head help to distinguish them - the viper does not have them. The snake has shiny skin, the viper has matte skin.
It can also bite, but its bite is not poisonous. However, it is better not to check these differences in practice and not touch any reptiles, especially if you met them in the Crimea, the Caucasus or somewhere in the tropics - other types of snakes live there. Therefore, any unfamiliar snake should certainly be considered poisonous.
If you see a snake, it is best to freeze and let it crawl away. You should not turn your back on her and run away - there is a risk of disturbing another snake. The threatening behavior of the snake should not frighten you - it hisses and raises its head, simply trying to drive you away. By the way, snakes behave the same way. Slowly, without losing sight of the snake, back away. At some point, the snake will lose sight of you (its eyesight is poor), and you can safely leave the dangerous place.
Snakes in the house - what to do?
There are a lot of recommendations on this topic on the Internet, but, as a rule, they all involve some kind of active action. It is better for a person who is not familiar with the habits of snakes to entrust the solution of such a problem to specialists, for example, call the Ministry of Emergencies. If a snake is found in your hotel room, inform the hotel staff immediately, they have special instructions on this matter. And before the arrival of specialists, do not lose sight of the snake, moving away from it to the maximum possible distance. Trying to expel or neutralize a snake on your own is to put at risk not only yourself, but also other people.
And if a snake was found on the site of a summer house or a rented villa, say, somewhere in Bali, what should I do? Everything is the same as described above, plus one rather exotic way. A snake from a safe distance can be thrown with ice and frost from the refrigerator.
Snakes are cold-blooded animals, when cooled they quickly fall asleep and become almost harmless, they can simply be removed with a mop. But this method is an extreme case, when there is no way to seek help from the rescue service, hotel administration, owners of the villa or apartment.
What to do when bitten by a snake?
So the snake has bitten you. Be sure to remember how it looked - this will help doctors when choosing a serum.
Poisonous snakes usually leave two (by the number of poisonous teeth) bleeding and very painful wounds, but there may be one.
Non-venomous snakes and other reptiles usually leave a few wounds. To begin with, let's explain what to do with a snake bite, contrary to common misconceptions, SHOULD NOT be done:
apply a tourniquet to the bitten limb;
incise or even cut out the bite site;
try to squeeze out the poison;
take hard alcohol.
After a bite, you should move the bitten limb as little as possible. Movement stimulates blood circulation and the spread of poison in the vessels. Wounds should be treated with an antiseptic solution and apply an antiseptic dressing (napkin). And drink as much of any liquid as possible to stimulate the excretion of poison in the urine from the body.
These measures are in no way a substitute for seeking medical attention. Symptoms of poisoning the body from a snake bite - dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, aches and pain throughout the body usually appear a few tens of minutes after the bite and can last several days.
Therefore, it is important to introduce an antidote to the victim as soon as possible - a special serum, this should be done in a medical facility.
The dog was bitten by a snake - what to do?
Seek veterinary help immediately. In dogs, the area of the nasolabial triangle is usually bitten when the animal sniffs the snake.
Some breeds, for example, hunting dogs, dachshunds, tolerate snake bites quite easily. Large dogs may develop pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Veterinarians will use the same methods in therapeutic treatment of bitten dogs as doctors in the treatment of people, but be prepared for the fact that your pet will have a long treatment and observation.
With the advent of summer, the inhabitants of Karelia again encounter snakes, even in cities. Recently Small child found a viper right on the playground and after her bite in intensive care. What to do if you suddenly met a dangerous reptile? We have collected for you everything you need to know about snakes in Karelia.
What snakes are there in Karelia?
In the republic, you can encounter only two types of snakes - an ordinary snake and a viper. The first should not be afraid, it is safe. It is easily recognizable by its gray or black scales and yellow or orange spots on its head. This snake is not venomous or aggressive, although it can sometimes bite. It is more difficult with a viper: its poison is deadly, especially if the bite fell near the head. The snake is distinguished by a characteristic triangular shape of the head and a zigzag pattern on the back.
Where can you find a snake?
Most often, the snake can be found in the forest, swampy and dark places. Often they crawl out to summer cottages and live under berry bushes, and from time to time appear in cities. Snakes are cold-blooded animals. For this reason, in the spring they crawl out to bask in the sun in open places, they like to lie on all sorts of hills - stumps, hills and hillocks - curled up in a ball.
When does the snake bite?
Snakes have practically no hearing, but they perceive vibrations remarkably. If you walk in a vegetable garden, on sand, or in a swamp, it drowns out the sound, so you can approach the snake unnoticed. But just out of fear, she attacks. Snakes are quite shy. Sensing your approach, they will try to hide. They never attack first and do so only in self-defense - when they are stepped on, scared or tried to catch. The most dangerous snake is the one you haven't noticed. Discovered, it no longer poses such a threat: you see it and can avoid trouble.
What to do when you meet a snake?
If you meet a snake on your way, try to get around it, do not block its path to retreat, otherwise it will regard it as a threat. Do not touch the reptile with a stick - it will instantly get to you and sting. A snake curled up into a ball, by the way, can still jump to a height of up to half a meter. Therefore, it is better not to approach her at all.
If the snake did not crawl away, but hissed and assumed a threatening posture, it is necessary to slowly and without sudden movements step back. You can not run - there is a risk of stepping on another. Do not turn your back to the snake or stretch your arms forward for protection.
By the way, the viper will not pursue you, even if angry. She will hiss and lunge towards danger (peck the ground), but will bite only when you provoke her - step on her tail or try to pick her up. Therefore, in no case do not catch snakes and try to play with them. If they are lethargic or still small, this does not make them less dangerous. Already hatched cubs are poisonous in snakes. And in a dead snake, the poison retains its effect for a long time, and an accidental prick with a poisonous tooth will end in poisoning.
How to protect yourself from a snake bite?
Try to look under your feet if you are in areas where snakes may live. It is better to go into the forest in rubber boots to the knee, and tuck the legs inside the boot. The snake will not be able to bite through the rubber, and you will get off with only a fright. Many mushroom pickers still use a stick to check for mushrooms. Rustling to her in the grass, they seem to give a signal to the snake, which will try to hide. If you are going to sit on a stump or a fallen tree, inspect them before that, or rather tap with a stick. In no case do not get your hands into the hollows of trees, voids under the roots and holes of mice.
What happens after a bite?
At the site of a bite of a poisonous snake, severe pain occurs and swelling appears, which quickly spreads to neighboring areas of the body, the skin becomes reddish-bluish in color. 20-40 minutes later, symptoms of shock appear - the skin turns pale, dizziness, nausea and vomiting appear, the pulse becomes weak and frequent, pressure drops. A person may lose consciousness, sometimes there is agitation and convulsions.
What to do if the snake still bites?
The victim needs to be kept calm. In order for the poison to spread more slowly, the person should move less and take as horizontal a position as possible. If a snake has bitten a leg, then this leg should be bandaged to a healthy one, put something under the knees and slightly raise the legs. If the bite is on the arm, it must be fixed in a bent position.
The bite site must be disinfected. It is impossible to cut the bite site, cauterize with hot objects, and also suck out the poison from the wound: it is possible that through small wounds on the lip, the poison will further spread throughout the body. Do not apply a tourniquet to the bite site - this can cause gangrenous phenomena and even lead to death.
The person needs to be given as much water as possible and taken to the hospital as soon as possible. After a bite, you should not drink alcohol - it enhances and makes it difficult to remove the poison from the body. The bite of a viper is usually not fatal for an adult, but if delayed with a visit to a doctor, this can lead to dangerous consequences, including kidney failure. But even if you were bitten by a non-venomous snake, you still need to visit the doctors - the wound must be treated so that the bite does not fester and blood poisoning does not occur.
