As summer rapidly approaches the rising temperatures aren’t the only thing North Texans need to be concerned about.
Y’all, it’s becoming snake season.
A Decatur family got off the couch for ten minutes to get some pizza while watching the Mavs game, and when they came back they were greeted by a rattlesnake occupying the spot they just had.
A Midlothian man recently posted a Copperhead encounter his neighbor recently had, which left him with a pretty gnarly bite wound to the hand. The snake was just resting in the guy’s toolbox and snapped when he reached in to grab some tools!
Several varieties of venomous snakes call North Texas home according to NBC DFW, including the copperhead, cottonmouth, and the Western diamondback rattlesnake, though one of the most common in the area isn’t venomous at all.
The Texas rat snake lives in both rural and urban areas, and despite their larger size, pose no threat to humans.
In case you’re out and about and you do encounter a snake, and you want to avoid confrontation at any cost, here’s what to do:
-Stay calm: Moving too fast can cause the reptile to react and bite your lower body
-Keep your distance, if you hear rattling move away from the area
-Keep your lawn cut low and remove brush or debris
In case you’re bitten, the CDC recommends:
-Seek medical attention as soon as possible (dial 911 or call local Emergency Medical Services [EMS]).
-Antivenom is the treatment for serious snake envenomation. The sooner antivenom can be started, the sooner irreversible damage from venom can be stopped.
-Driving oneself to the hospital is not advised because people with snakebites can become dizzy or pass out.
-Take a photograph of the snake from a safe distance if possible. Identifying the snake can help with the treatment of the snakebite.
-Keep calm.
-Inform your supervisor.
-Apply first aid while waiting for EMS staff to get you to the hospital.
-Lay or sit down with the bite in a neutral position of comfort.
-Remove rings and watches before swelling starts.
-Wash the bite with soap and water.
-Cover the bite with a clean, dry dressing.
-Mark the leading edge of tenderness/swelling on the skin and write the time alongside it.
Experts say if you are bitten by a snake you should always seek medical attention especially if a child, older adult, or anyone with a compromised immune system is bitten.
If you have been bitten by a snake, contact 911, go to an emergency room, or call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 for help.
And here is what NOT to do in case you are bitten:
-Do not pick up the snake or try to trap it. NEVER handle a venomous snake, not even a dead one or its decapitated head.
-Do not wait for symptoms to appear if bitten, get medical help right away.
-Do not apply a tourniquet.
-Do not slash the wound with a knife or cut it in any way.
-Do not try to suck out the venom.
-Do not apply ice or immerse the wound in water.
-Do not drink alcohol as a painkiller.
-Do not take pain relievers (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen).
-Do not apply electric shock or folk therapies.
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