Surviving a Venomous Bite in the Wild: 6 Strategies

Animals evolve the ability to secrete venom for a variety of reasons. Some use it for hunting and subduing their prey and may have evolved the ability to be venomous because of changes in the ecosystem. Others use it defensively as a means to protect themselves, securing their place in the food chain and keeping themselves out of the bellies of larger predators.

Whatever the reason, running afoul of a venomous creature while you’re out in the wilderness can be dangerous or even deadly.

Don’t Be Dumb

This shouldn’t have to be said, but there are many cases every year of spider and snake bites that could be avoided — mostly because someone decided to do something dumb. You can’t prevent every snake or spider bite, but you can avoid those that might occur because you chose to pick up a snake or poke a spider to get a better picture.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce your chances of getting bitten.

For snakes, always pay close attention to where you’re putting your feet. If you’re hiking through thick brush or undergrowth, always tap the ground with a walking stick before you step forward. If there is a snake there, it will be just as spooked but will strike at the stick instead of your ankles.

For spiders, just be careful where you put your hands when you’re turning over logs or other items that haven’t been moved for a while. You can even treat your tent with peppermint oil to keep spiders from creeping in during the night.

Being aware of your surroundings and not taking excessive risks by poking snakes can go a long way toward preventing a venomous bite, especially when you’re a long way from help.

Know Your Threats

If you’re out in the wilderness, then you’re in their territory — and it’s important to know what types of venomous snakes and other creatures you might encounter. It will vary depending on the part of the world you’re exploring at any given time.

North America, for example, has more than 20 species of venomous snakes in addition to hundreds of non-venomous varieties. Australia has 66 venomous species, while Brazil has 79 and Mexico has 80.

If you’re going to spend some time in the wild, make sure you know how to identify the most common venomous species in your area. Coral snakes and kingsnakes look very similar, but only one has the ability to kill you (coral snakes). The other will just hurt a bit if it bites you.

If you get the chance to take a close look at the snake before it bites you, it is possible to tell the difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes. Venomous snakes usually have a triangle-shaped head, often with a very narrow neck. Many, such as rattlesnakes and copperheads, will also have small pits on the sides of their head — a distinctive feature that earned them their name “pit viper” — that enable them to detect heat from their prey.

Finally, if you can look at the eyes, venomous snakes usually have slitted pupils similar to cats, while non-venomous ones will have round pupils. Only use these identifiers if you can do so safely and out of striking distance. Don’t get close enough to see the pupils if it’s going to get you bitten in the face.

Dry Bites vs. Wet Bites

Before we start talking about first aid, there is one last thing you need to understand: the difference between dry bites and wet bites. Snakes have the ability to control whether their bites deliver venom. The bite itself will still be painful and cause inflammation, which can make it difficult to determine whether the bite contained venom in the beginning — but dry bites are not often life-threatening.

Wet bites, on the other hand, deliver venom and can be potentially life-threatening. All venomous snakes, regardless of age or size, can control the amount of venom they use in a given bite. The more threatened a snake feels, the more dangerous its bite will be. According to experts, around 25% of pit viper bites are dry, as well as about 50% coral snake bites.

First Aid for Snake Bites

If you do find yourself on the wrong end of a snake bite, don’t waste time trying to determine whether it is a dry or wet bite. Instead, start administering first aid immediately. Here’s how:

1. Stay calm and keep the bitten area below your heart. This won’t prevent the venom from flowing, but it will reduce the speed.
2. Take time to remove anything that could become constricting if you begin to swell, including rings, watches, other jewelry items, or even pieces of clothing.
3. Allow the bite to bleed for a short period before cleaning the area.
4. If possible, put a loose splint around the affected area to limit movement. This will prevent the contractions of your muscles from moving the venom through your bloodstream.
5. Call 911 or contact emergency services. Getting medical attention as soon as possible is essential for survival.
6. If emergency services can’t reach you, you’ll need to evacuate. Move slowly and make every effort to keep your heart rate down while moving the affected area as little as possible.
7. Monitor your heart rate and other vital statistics, especially if you are alone.

While identifying the snake can make it easier for medical professionals to determine what kind of anti-venom you need for treatment, don’t go out of your way to try to catch or kill the snake unless you can do so safely.

Trying to hunt down the snake wastes valuable time and could put you at risk for another bite. Emergency room physicians can determine how best to treat you without the snake. Don’t make their job harder by getting bitten again.

First Aid for Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings

Snakes aren’t the only thing that could potentially deliver painfully venomous bites when you’re out in the wilderness.

Start by identifying the spider, if you’re able. In North America, most bites are painful but aren’t dangerous. The only exceptions to the rule are the black widow and the brown recluse. In other parts of the world, there are around 30 spider species that are considered dangerous and have been responsible for human deaths. That is a small fraction of the 43,000 different species that currently share space with us on the planet.

Scorpions, who belong to the same family, can also be dangerous. Around 25 species of the 1,500 or so scorpion species inhabiting the planet are fatal.

First aid for spider bites and scorpion stings is simple:

1. Clean the area with soap and water. You can also apply triple antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
2. Apply a cool compress for 15 minutes every hour. This will help reduce swelling and inflammation and can manage pain.
3. Keep the area elevated whenever possible to reduce swelling and inflammation.
4. Treat discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers.

If you are bitten by a dangerous spider, like a brown recluse or black widow, or you aren’t sure what kind of spider bit you, or you experience signs of an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, seek medical attention immediately.

First Aid for Other Venomous Bites

Spiders, scorpions, and snakes may be the most common types of venomous bites that you experience in the wilderness, but they aren’t the only things you need to be on the lookout for.

Cow killer ants are large insects that bite and sting and are happy to do so repeatedly. First, they bite, transmitting the venom in their saliva, and then they sting with their secondary venom gland, which gives you a double dose of venom and can cause excruciating pain.

While not generally fatal, these stings can be dangerous for anyone who experiences allergic reactions, as well as small children or individuals who may have suppressed immune systems.

Fire ant bites are small and painful, but if you fall on a mound or set your tent up on one, thousands of bites can add up quickly. They are among the most aggressive insects on the planet and will chase you if you run afoul of them.

They’re nearly impossible to eradicate, too. Pest control companies aren’t always able to get rid of them, and even drowning them isn’t an option — they simply ball up with their queen in the middle and float until the water recedes and they can begin to dig a new nest. While a few bites won’t usually be fatal unless you’re allergic to insect bites, excessive bites have been known to be fatal.

Treating these stings is similar to treating spider or scorpion stings. Use soap and water to wash the site, ice to reduce inflammation, and over-the-counter painkillers to manage any pain. If you begin to show signs of an allergic reaction, seek out medical attention immediately. You can also use over-the-counter antihistamines to deal with itchiness. Benadryl offers pill options as well as topical treatments that you can use to prevent and treat the itching.

What Not to Do

Now we know what to do, but there is a lot of inaccurate information out there that we need to debunk. Here is a list of things not to do if you’re dealing with a venomous bite while you’re out in the wilderness:

• Don’t try to catch the snake. You’ll just end up getting bitten again, and a double dose of venom is going to make it that much harder to survive the bite.
• Don’t try to suck the venom out of the bite. It doesn’t work. It became a popular way to build tension in movies, but in reality, all you’re going to do is risk getting poison in your mouth.
• Don’t apply a tourniquet. This is another holdover from Hollywood. While it will prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of your body, all you’re doing is accelerating the tissue damage in the area around the bite.
• Don’t use over-the-counter suction devices. They’re still marketed as a way to help you survive a snake bite, but they’re not effective, and the strong suction they generate can cause more damage to already-wounded tissues around the bite.
• Don’t cut the bite marks. Chances are good you won’t even hit the venom pocket and will do more harm than good. If you’re lucky enough to get a dry bite, all you’ve managed to do is leave yourself with an open wound in the middle of the wilderness, where it is prone to infection.
• Don’t use ice. Cold reduces all blood flow to an area, including the healthy blood flow your body needs. Some studies suggest snake venom can make you more vulnerable to frostbite from ice packs as well, so it’s a good idea to avoid ice.
• Don’t push yourself. While you may have to evacuate to an area where emergency services can reach you, you want to keep your heart rate as low as possible, so you’re not encouraging the poison to circulate through your body.
• Don’t eat or drink anything. The only exception to this rule is if the EMTs or other medical professionals tell you it is okay. In general, if you’re expecting to need medical intervention, don’t put anything in your stomach. It can create additional risks and may even delay treatment.
• Don’t do anything stupid. This bears repeating, and includes poking at snakes or trying to pick them up or any other behavior that puts you in the direct line of danger. No “hold my beer and watch this” while you’re out in the wilderness, especially where snakes and other venomous creatures are concerned.

Stay Safe out There

None of this information is designed to discourage you from exploring the wilderness and enjoying the great outdoors. On the contrary — we want you to get out there and experience everything the world has to offer.

It’s just important to remember that we aren’t the only species that call this planet home — and there are plenty of them out there that can hurt you with nothing more than a bite or a sting if you’re not careful.

Go camp! Go sleep in the woods and catch your breakfast and watch a sunrise. Find the darkest patch of sky you can locate and count the stars. Whatever you do, remember how to stay safe, and know how to survive if you end up getting bitten by something venomous.

[Note: This was a guest post.]