Snakes

[JohnV]

Most people don't know how to treat a snake bit properly and how to behave . The two things you need if bitten is an EPIRB so you can call help to you and a snake bite kit with 6 long crepe bandages . If you get a good bite from a Brown snake that has plenty of venom or even multiple bites . If you try and walk out your probably dead . Many people who survived doing the wrong thing is because the snake was probably low on venom and they never got a real good bite .

This is true, though I will never understand why people aren't taught the basics of first aid as part of the school curriculum.
https://www.stjohnvic.com.au/news/snake-bite-first-aid-tips/

Another very good reason to put kids through Cadet units in my opinion, I learned heaps of real-world knowledge that I never would've gained through the school system.
https://www.armycadets.gov.au/

Yes it's strange in Australia . I have done two first aid courses in Public service and one in the Military and none of those touched on snake bites but I also did a survival course in the Military and that had a section on snake bite treatment .
The best write up I have seen is in an Australian National Medical journal way back . I might still have it , might .

[Larry]

The scouts is a good place to learn all those things. first aid is a big one that is regularly taught and practiced. When I was in them we even went to the lengths of getting stage makeup eg wax and fake blood to set up surprise scenarios as practice drills. From glass cuts, burns and all the natural causes of injuries. That was of course a long time ago when scouts could still light fires in the bush.

[bladeracer]

Had a visitor on the back veranda yesterday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slBewA2KKNs

I had stepped out maybe two minutes earlier and a black rat strolled past so this girl was probably just following her nose.
She slithered along the wall and back up into the garden along the top of the wall.
Five bricks in length so about 1.3m.

[Robin]

Most people don't know how to treat a snake bit properly and how to behave . The two things you need if bitten is an EPIRB so you can call help to you and a snake bite kit with 6 long crepe bandages . If you get a good bite from a Brown snake that has plenty of venom or even multiple bites . If you try and walk out your probably dead . Many people who survived doing the wrong thing is because the snake was probably low on venom and they never got a real good bite .

This is true, though I will never understand why people aren't taught the basics of first aid as part of the school curriculum.
https://www.stjohnvic.com.au/news/snake-bite-first-aid-tips/

Another very good reason to put kids through Cadet units in my opinion, I learned heaps of real-world knowledge that I never would've gained through the school system.
https://www.armycadets.gov.au/

Army Cadets was fun when I did it, and that was 28 years ago, its where I learnt how to shoot and navigate and read a map, I also learnt about respect, if I could turn back time, this is one of the things i would do again.

In saying this, I don't know how Cadets are these days, I'm wondering if its too politically correct and soft.

[Oldbloke]

I've caught and released two tigers so far this summer in the back yard. Smallish.
About four weeks ago was out for an armed bush walk. Almost stepped on two tigers about 1.2 metres long.

[bladeracer]

Most people don't know how to treat a snake bit properly and how to behave . The two things you need if bitten is an EPIRB so you can call help to you and a snake bite kit with 6 long crepe bandages . If you get a good bite from a Brown snake that has plenty of venom or even multiple bites . If you try and walk out your probably dead . Many people who survived doing the wrong thing is because the snake was probably low on venom and they never got a real good bite .

This is true, though I will never understand why people aren't taught the basics of first aid as part of the school curriculum.
https://www.stjohnvic.com.au/news/snake-bite-first-aid-tips/

Another very good reason to put kids through Cadet units in my opinion, I learned heaps of real-world knowledge that I never would've gained through the school system.
https://www.armycadets.gov.au/

Army Cadets was fun when I did it, and that was 28 years ago, its where I learnt how to shoot and navigate and read a map, I also learnt about respect, if I could turn back time, this is one of the things i would do again.

In saying this, I don't know how Cadets are these days, I'm wondering if its too politically correct and soft.

Agreed, been trying to get my daughter to put her kids through Caders.

The last year I was in it ('83) they brought girls in. With the expected consequences. The first overnight camp got Police involved, charges were laid, and the school expunged all records of ever having had a Cadet unit - they rewrote the history of the school.

[bladeracer]

I've caught and released two tigers so far this summer in the back yard. Smallish.
About four weeks ago was out for an armed bush walk. Almost stepped on two tigers about 1.2 metres long.

Our neighbour has lost two dogs in the past six months, and we had a perfectly healthy calf drop dead in minutes for no apparent cause, less than ten-meters from his fence. I'm convinced we have some tigers living in the bracken along the creek there.

[Oldbloke]

I've caught 6 or 7 over the years. Perhaps I can supplement my pension? Lol

[bigpete]

Screenshot_20220313-135045_Gallery.jpg (288.15 KiB) Viewed 6934 times

We found this chilled out tiger snake out bush walking the other day. Like most snakes,it just wanted to get away

[bladeracer]

Screenshot_20220313-135045_Gallery.jpg

We found this chilled out tiger snake out bush walking the other day. Like most snakes,it just wanted to get away

Yeah, I still prefer the blacks

[CRF]

I've known three people that have been bitten,

One had gaiters and was fine, one (a kid) received a dry bite, and one (mid 20s) got to the hospital inside 10 minutes and died.

[bladeracer]

I've known three people that have been bitten,

One had gaiters and was fine, one (a kid) received a dry bite, and one (mid 20s) got to the hospital inside 10 minutes and died.

Do you know what species of snakes?

[Oldbloke]

One of the two I spotted a few weeks ago. Type is pretty obvious. Lol

Resized_20220217_100643.jpeg (283.91 KiB) Viewed 6926 times

[bigpete]

One of the two I spotted a few weeks ago. Type is pretty obvious. Lol

Resized_20220217_100643.jpeg

Lovely

[Oldbloke]

One of the two I spotted a few weeks ago. Type is pretty obvious. Lol

Resized_20220217_100643.jpeg

Lovely

I'll be in the area again next week so,,,,,,

https://youtu.be/HsM_VmN6ytk

An old 40s classic. Dad loved that song.

[bigpete]

I've known three people that have been bitten,

One had gaiters and was fine, one (a kid) received a dry bite, and one (mid 20s) got to the hospital inside 10 minutes and died.

Do you know what species of snakes?

Dead inside 10 minutes.....inland taipan or previous health condition I'd have thought

[noneyabussiness]

a wise old aboriginal man once told me, if you see 1 snake, you've walked past 10... generally they just want to get away from this BIG thing walking at them.. unless you have cornered it or its mating season... Always stuck with me, why I reckon you need to be cautious but not afraid...

[Oldbloke]

a wise old aboriginal man once told me, if you see 1 snake, you've walked past 10... generally they just want to get away from this BIG thing walking at them.. unless you have cornered it or its mating season... Always stuck with me, why I reckon you need to be cautious but not afraid...

Correct

[CRF]

I've known three people that have been bitten,

One had gaiters and was fine, one (a kid) received a dry bite, and one (mid 20s) got to the hospital inside 10 minutes and died.

Do you know what species of snakes?

Dead inside 10 minutes.....inland taipan or previous health condition I'd have thought

Not dead inside 10 minutes, at the hospital inside 10, but still died. Tiger snake here in Vic.

[mickb]

I've lived in a place where it was not uncommon to see 20 or 30 tiger snakes in a 20 minute walk....didn't worry me then and still doesn't worry me now.

Im probably the same biigpete. I walk along a local creek barely paying attention in breeding season and red belly blacks sunning themselves scoot out of my way. Working banana plantations up north here as a young man, the banana bunches are protected by plastic bags before picking. You pull the bag off and snakes often drop out onto the ground at your feet. Usually a bit sluggish as they crawl into the bags for warmth at night. Never realised how poorly folks misidentify snakes either. Everything was claimed to be a Taipan. I swear I saw black taipans, green taipans, big taipans, tiny taipans, even taipans that looked suspciously like lizards as they scuttled off into the nearby bush.

[bladeracer]

This is a list of the known fatal snake bites in Oz (the first one is a doozy):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_Australia
1867 Melbourne, Victoria; A showman named Shires performed an act in which he allowed himself to be bitten by a deadly tiger snake. Drummond, convinced that Shires was a fraud, demanded to be bitten by the snake himself. Shires complied – and Drummond died. Shires was acquitted of manslaughter on the grounds that he had been denied the opportunity to treat Drummond using a home-made antivenom.

[Oldbloke]

If I recall correctly ABS says in AU only 2 or 3 deaths for 2019 snake bite.
Heaps more insect bits, stings. Maybe a dozen?

[Larry]

I've known three people that have been bitten,

One had gaiters and was fine, one (a kid) received a dry bite, and one (mid 20s) got to the hospital inside 10 minutes and died.

Sorry to hear about the death of your friend. I assume he must have had some other underlying conditions that may have contributed to his death as it is highly unusual for a 20 year old that gets to a hospital quickly to die. It underlines how dangerous snakes can be and how important first aid can be. It would take me about an hour to get to hospital if I drove myself longer if I waited for an Ambo just makes you think to be more careful.

[mickb]

Older thread but how common are gaiters where you fellas are. I have to admit in northern QLD I have never seen anyone wearing them out and about. (Or maybe some were but I never noticed) I think the heat, wet and minimalist clothing culture makes them less preferable.

[bigpete]

Older thread but how common are gaiters where you fellas are. I have to admit in northern QLD I have never seen anyone wearing them out and about. (Or maybe some were but I never noticed) I think the heat, wet and minimalist clothing culture makes them less preferable.

Never seen them,never used them

[Blr243]

I hate , make that really hate , dry galvanised burr in my socks. Grass seeds burs. Spear grass Mud. Gaiters help me shed all that and protection from browns and taipans is a bonus

[bigpete]

Sock protectors

[bladeracer]

Older thread but how common are gaiters where you fellas are. I have to admit in northern QLD I have never seen anyone wearing them out and about. (Or maybe some were but I never noticed) I think the heat, wet and minimalist clothing culture makes them less preferable.

I discovered gaiters in Army Cadets as a kid. I own several pairs now, including 40-year-old Cadet ones, but I don't wear them. I blouse my trousers over my boots every day anyway so nothing can get at my legs. Rose wears them occasionally but mainly to keep water out of her socks and boots when she's wearing a skirt in high grass. If I'm going to cop a hit from a snake it's more likely to be at my hands, arms or face I reckon. Crawling through bush or lifting a log or sheet of steel roof sheeting is more likely to bring me in touch with a snake than walking will.

I have also taken to wearing my bike racing leg protectors under my trousers to protect against cow kicks. If I'm expecting to be crawling in the dirt I'll strap them on outside my trousers, otherwise the material gets crushed and destroys the knees of my trousers.

[Blr243]

Ok from now on I’m goin to call my gaiters sock protectors. When I used to hunt with a bow I would occasionally run into trouble with noisy gators scratching sounds

[JohnV]

It's what you do after you have been well bitten by say a Brown snake that determines if you live or not . If you panic and start running back to camp your most likely going to die . If your alone and have not taken any Epirb with you , you could easily die . Not taking any snake bite treatment kit with you and no emergency communication and medical treatment is hours away your going to die . However not all snake bites deposit venom and some snakes hit your clothing or boots and not puncture your skin . Some snake have run out of venom before they bite you .
So the first job is sit down , ascertain that you have or have not been punctured . If you have been well bitten and the site looks wet and medical treatment is more than 4 hours away wash the site off with water and the clothing where it bit through . Then apply your compression bandage , bandaging from above the bite downwards when possible . Set off your Epirb and stay still and keep your heart rate down as much as possible . Let help come to you . If you try to walk out your helping the venom get to your heart and brain and you will probably die . If it's certain that medical help is only a few hours then don't wash off the bite site as they can then easily identify the snake venom . They all advise not to wash off the bite site but most of the venom enters from the surface of the bite punctures . it's not injected . So you don't want them identifying the snake from your dead body 24 hours later . Properly bandaged and keeping your heart rate down you can rest comfortable for 12 to 24 hours before starting to feel any venom effects . If help does not come within 24 hours or so your probably f*cked . I have saved two people in my time from snake bite with this treatment but they were lucky that others were with them . On your own in summer it's a good idea to have an Epirb and a good snake bite kit , wearing gaiters is a good idea .
How aggressive a snake can be depends on a few things like Spring time when they emerge they are hungry and later looking to mate . Early morning they can be lethargic because they have not warmed up , later when warm they get more active . Also a snake can cross breed and a snake that appears to be a non venomous type can be a cross breed and be venomous so treat them all with suspicion .