Whether you love them or hate them, snakes are fascinating creatures. They are meat eaters that live on every continent, except Antarctica. Their long, sleek body slithers across the ground and they eat pray that is larger than their head, by simply swallowing. There are approximately 3,400 different snake species on Earth. Of those, approximately 600 of them are poisonous. The odds are, you will never come across a poisonous one, but what if you do? There is a safe way to handle them. You simply have to take a lot of precautions. In fact, you are encouraged to take precautions even if you are unsure of whether it is poisonous or not.

Safe Handling of a Snake

The only safe way to hold a poisonous snake is to not do it. There are trained professionals that have been bitten by snakes and put into the hospital on life support because something went wrong. You do not want to become a statistic when it comes to snakes. In the event that it is unavoidable, and you have to pick it up, you will want to pick it up quickly by grabbing just behind its head. This will keep the snake’s fangs away from you. However, you should also keep in mind the snake’s tail, since likely they will do everything they can to get away. There are some who say that you should wear gloves and protective clothing if possible, but others say that gloves can make you clumsy. If you are picking the snake up by his head, you may want to remove the fingertips from your gloves to keep the protection while protecting your hands and arms as much as possible.

Protect Yourself from Snakes

If you enjoy hunting, fishing, or hiking through the woods, you have an increased chance of walking near a snake. The first rule of thumb is to assume that every snake is poisonous, and you want to stay away from them if possible. You should slow down your steps and attempt to give them plenty of room to slither away from you. Most snakes would prefer to avoid confrontation as well. Another good idea is to wear Hooey Boots mens if you are a hunter or a cowboy who may accidentally stumble too close to a snake. These boots are thick enough to protect you from a potential strike in most cases.

What Happens If a Snake Bites?

Each year, there are approximately 7,000 snake bites reported in the US alone. It is rarely deadly, but there are around six deaths each year. You should remember to treat every snake bite as though it was a poisonous snake, though most aren’t. The reason for this is because many people will have an allergic reaction to snake bite, even if it is not venomous. This may include pain, swelling, convulsions, nausea, and in some cases paralysis.  Other symptoms may include blurred vision, sweating, difficulty breathing, numbness in the face and limbs, and a lot more. If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, such as a rattlesnake, extreme thirst, low blood pressure, severe pain, heavy eyelids, and muscle weakness can also be a sign of problems. Shock and a change in skin color are often associated with water moccasin bites or copperheads. With other snakes, headaches and a host of other problems can all be traced back to the bite. In all cases, it will not be a pleasurable experience and you should remain calm, remain still, and seek help immediately to ensure that you walk away from it.