Bitten by a snake: how dangerous domestic poisonous snakes are

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There are also venomous snakes in Switzerland. On June 16, a snake attacked and bitten an eight-year-old girl in Balsthal SO. The girl had to be transported to the hospital by Rega – she showed signs of poisoning.

There are two venomous snake species in Switzerland: asp vipers and viper snakes. Along with the grass snake, the viper is the most well-known snake species in this country. It mainly nests above the wooded line in stony areas and occurs mainly in the central and eastern Alpine region. It feels especially comfortable on grasslands with piles of stones.

The asp viper lives in similar habitats, but mainly in the Jurassic, western Alps, Ticino and Valais. But Andreas Meyer, of the coordination center for amphibian and reptile conservation in Switzerland (Karch), explains that unlike the viper, it also lives at lower altitudes. This also explains the biting at Balsthal.

students as an indicator

According to Meyer, it is nearly impossible for ordinary people to tell with the naked eye whether a snake is venomous. A definite feature of venomous snakes in Switzerland is the shape of the pupil: “Viper snakes and asp vipers have vertical snakes.
slit pupils.” Non-venomous snake species, such as the harmless grass snake, have round pupils.

“However, this difference is hardly visible from afar and it is difficult to definitively identify the animal,” Meyer says. “This is why we must treat every snake with respect and at a sufficient distance.” But one thing is clear: a snake longer than 90 centimeters is absolutely non-toxic in our country. Adders or asp vipers are usually only 50 to 70 cm long.

Snake bite victims should go to hospital

Animals become dangerous only in rare cases. The risk increases when they feel threatened and cannot escape. If you irritate a snake or make unwanted contact, an accident can occur. “If a bite occurs, the affected person should go to the hospital as soon as possible,” Meyer says. However, it is important not to panic and stay calm. Many poisonings only reach their peak after a few hours.

The range of possible symptoms after a snake bite is wide. Rarely, serious reactions such as vomiting or circulatory problems may occur, but in most cases there is more or less severe swelling or redness in the affected area.

“Patients are usually monitored around the clock in the hospital so that if symptoms worsen they can be treated quickly.” According to the expert, the bites of viper and asp vipers also led to similar symptoms.

Badi water snakes are harmless

According to Meyer, bites from native venomous snakes are rare compared to insect bites. Only one fatal case has been reported since 1960. In addition, the viper and asp viper stock is declining overall: “The average number of bite accidents over the years appears to be stable. However, depending on the season and region, there may be bite accumulations.” Snakes are also particularly active in humid, thunderstorms.

On the other hand, water snakes observed by watchful pool visitors in many Swiss lakes are considered harmless. “These snakes, some of which are quite large, are grass snakes and dice snakes. They are also found on the Swiss Plateau and live on the shores of numerous Swiss bodies of water.»

Source : Blick