Anyone who has ever worked with snakes will tell you that you shouldn’t try to handle a snake, especially a venomous one in the wild. If you’re thinking of picking up a snake, ensure you know how to do so to keep yourself safe from bites.
To pick up a snake without it biting you, calmly grab hold of the middle portion of the snake’s body, avoiding its head and tail. If you grab its head, it could coil its body around your arm or hand and attack. Picking it up by its tail can also make it easy for the snake to bite you.
It’s never a good idea to try to pick up a snake that you have no knowledge about without preparation or proper gear. Snakes are powerful animals with very quick reflexes, and things can go downhill very easily for anyone who attempts to pick them up. In the rest of this article, we will learn how to pick up a snake and prevent getting bitten.
How To Pick Up a Black Snake
Black snakes are not venomous or aggressive but will not hesitate to attack if they feel threatened. To pick up a black snake safely, approach it slowly and grab it from the middle of its body.
Once you have picked it up, you can support its weight by simultaneously holding its middle and lower body towards its tail. But it’s never a good idea to pick a black snake up by its tail because it’s easy for the snake to attack and bite.
In addition to the risk of bites, picking up a snake by its tail can cause injury to the snake.
How To Pick Up a Garter Snake
Garter snakes are not venomous but are known to be aggressive and ready to attack whenever they feel threatened.
To pick up a garter snake safely, avoid making any sudden movements as you approach, and keep calm. Pick up the garter snake by the middle of its body, avoiding the head.
Moreover, try to avoid picking up a garter snake with your bare hands because though they are non-venomous, their bite can cause a severe allergic reaction in humans. Occasionally, garter snake bites can lead to anaphylaxis and even death.
It’s always better to wear protective clothing, such as long sleeves and gloves, when handling a garter snake. You can also pick up a garter snake using snake tongs.
However, one common downside to these tools is that it’s easy to squeeze on the snake’s body and cause injury, so be extremely careful. Ideally, you should practice picking up things with tongs before you use them on a snake.
How To Pick Up a Wild Snake?
As a rule, you should not approach or pick up a wild snake, especially if you don’t know about the species or how to handle it. However, if you find yourself in a position where you need to pick up a wild snake, always grab it from the middle of its body to restrict movement.
Never pick up a snake by the head or neck. If you grab a wild snake by the head, it will react by becoming more aggressive and struggling to bite you. This struggle to keep the snake’s fangs from contacting your skin can make you squeeze on its head or neck and cause serious injury.
Ideally, walk away from any wild snake that crosses your path or stay still till the snake slithers away. Do not try to cross paths with it or come near.
Most snakes, even the venomous ones, prefer to flee than fight. That way, both of you come out unscathed. You don’t want an aggressive or threatened snake proving to you how powerful it can be when protecting itself.
How To Prevent Getting Bitten by a Snake?
Whether you’re trying to pick up a snake or accidentally crossing paths with a snake on a hiking trail or in your backyard, you don’t have to come out injured. Here are some ways to prevent getting bitten by a snake.
1. Don’t Travel Alone
Go out with a friend if you know you’re going to a wooded area such as a hiking trail, forest, or unmaintained backyard, especially if there have been snake sightings in these areas. By creating a buddy system, you and your partner can warn each other if either of you sees any sign that a snake is lurking nearby.
Going alone in remote wooded areas is also dangerous because if you do get bitten, it will be difficult for you to make your way back or get help on your own.
2. Wear Appropriate Clothing
It’s not recommended to approach a snake without enough preparation. Wear long sleeves and gloves to protect your hands and arms. If you’re going on lush hiking trails, you should wear high boots covering up to your ankles, thick socks, and loose pants.
Tight-fitting clothing, like leggings, is not advisable because snake fangs can easily go through the material.
Snakes usually lurk underneath rocks or other dense areas on the ground where they aren’t easily visible, so you will want to protect your ankles and calves the most.
3. Use the Right Tools
Use hooks to check for signs of snakes before proceeding and snake tongs to pick snakes up. Snake hooks are excellent for picking snakes up because you don’t have to handle the snake with your hands, and you can avoid a bite altogether.
But if you’re not careful, you can easily injure a snake using hooks or tongs, so be mindful of how much pressure you put into handling the snake.
Snake bags are also very helpful for transporting a snake and can make handling easier since you can drop the snake in the bag as soon as you pick it up.
4. Keep Calm
Snakes are usually threatened or intimidated by loud sounds and sudden movements. So if you know you’re approaching snake territory, move slowly and refrain from making any jerky movements.
Shouting at the sight of a snake is also not a good idea. The snake can flee or attack, the latter being the more likely course of action if you’re extremely close. So if you know you’re not as confident and calm as you need to be, you might want to delegate the snake hunting to someone else.
5. Give Out a Warning
Most snake bites happen because people are caught by surprise. They usually walk straight into a snake’s path because they don’t know what’s lying in wait.
So if you’re in a wooded area, you can check potential hiding places by tapping on the ground or the rocks with a stick to coax snakes out of the way.
If you’re in the wild and unfamiliar with the snakes in the area or don’t know whether they’re venomous, the best thing to do is stay out of their way. Do not provoke them or try to approach them, especially if you’re not prepared.
6. Forego Adventures in the Dark
If you’re a thrill seeker, you may want to go on a night trail or explore the outdoors in the dark. However, these late-night explorations are not advisable, and not only because snakes are more active at night. So if you are eager to go on a hike, reserve it for the morning when you are less likely to encounter an active snake.
If you have to venture into wooded areas in the dark, bring a powerful flashlight with you to avoid being caught by surprise.
7. Don’t Pick Up a Snake if You Don’t Have To
If you don’t have to pick up a snake — such as if you don’t have to remove one that’s making your backyard its home — then absolutely do not pick one up. Handling a snake requires expertise and experience. Also, while it’s possible for a snake to not get threatened by a human, it takes a long-developed bond for them not to act aggressively.
So leave it alone unless it’s a pet that has learned to trust you or a snake you really have to handle. That way, you don’t risk getting bitten, and you also don’t potentially injure the snake.
What To Do if You Get Bitten by a Snake?
But what if, after all the precautions, you still got bitten by a snake? Whether the snake that got you was venomous or not, you must know what to do immediately after the bite.
Here are some do’s to remember.
- Note the snake’s appearance so you can recount it to emergency services.
- Stay calm and still to keep the wound from swelling.
- Clean the wound with soap and water.
- Remove constricting items like tight shoes or rings.
- Call for emergency medical help right away.
Conclusion
Snakes should never be taken lightly, especially in the wild. Some of these crawlers may look small, but they are powerful. And when intimidated, even non-venomous ones can bite and cause serious injury. So if you do have to pick up a snake, make sure that you know what you’re doing and have the right tools to do it properly and safely.