He Was Bitten By a Snake. Here’s What He Should Have Done But Didn’t.

What would you do if you were bitten by an unknown snake in the middle of nowhere with no phone reception? While most of us know we should seek medical attention immediately if bitten by a snake, what about when you’re on a remote trail far from the nearest clinic? Even when you are far from medical help, there are first-aid guidelines everyone should know, especially those who live in areas where the risk of a snakebite is high.

Australia is known for having a large number of venomous species, including snakes, roaming across the continent. Listen to this harrowing encounter an Australian Redditor told when he received a snakebite in the middle of the night in a remote location.

Bitten by a Snake Between Narrandera and Hay

In retelling this Redditor’s story, it’s best if we first set the scene. Reddit user, u/diedlikeCambyses posted an image of his snake-bitten ankle in r/australian with the title, “I got bitten by a snake.” As u/diedlikeCambyses tells the story, he was driving the remote stretch of road between Narrandera and Hay.

According to Google Maps, this is about an hour and 45 minutes’ drive along Highway A20. Both cities are located in New South Wales. For reference, Narrandera is a little over a five-hour drive from Sydney. This area, known as the Region Riverina, is home to a diverse amount of wildlife, including snakes. Some of the snakes you may run into there include red-bellied black snakes, eastern brown snakes, tiger snakes, and copperheads. And yes, each of those snakes is venomous, although they vary in the intensity of how much harm they can do to a human.

What Not to Do When Bitten By a Snake

As u/diedlikeCambyses tells the story, he got out of his car on the remote highway to stretch his legs at about 2:30 a.m. He says, “I saw the outline of it, but not which type,” and, “It swelled up straight away (gone down now) and really hurt.”

When u/diedlikeCambyses was bitten, he didn’t have phone reception and was miles from the nearest town. So he got back in his car and drove on. He said by the time he reached civilization, he wasn’t feeling sick, so he didn’t seek medical attention. In his words, “Honestly I just blanked it out and pretended it was not happening. Not on purpose, I realised after I did. Middle of nowhere, no phone reception. By the time i got to the nearest town i realised itd been many hours and I was not sick. Surreal experience.”

When he posted the picture of his snake-bitten ankle, it had already been 30 hours. Many in the Reddit thread urged him to seek medical care, even if he wasn’t sick, which he agreed to do. He believed he had received a “dry bite,” which means the snake was biting out of defense and did not release venom. Had the snake released venom, this Redditor likely would have been telling a much different story.

Millions of Snakebites Each Year

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 5.4 million people bitten by snakes every year. Furthermore, around 81,000 to 137,000 people die of snakebites each year. Besides being lethal, snakebites can cause permanent disabilities and amputations. Most deaths occur in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where people lack medical resources.

What Should You Do Immediately When Bitten by a Snake?

It’s easy to relate to u/diedlikeCambyses’ reaction to having been bitten by a snake. Without a first aid kit or anyone else around, he got back into his car and drove home. However, this was not the safest course of action and had the bite been from a venomous snake, he could have been in real danger.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, you should treat every snakebite as venomous, since it’s impossible to know right away if you have been bitten by a venomous or nonvenomous snake.

If you are bitten, you can follow these tips from the Cleveland Clinic. First of all, try to remain calm. The next thing to do is to inform people around you what has happened. Next, call emergency services (in America, call 911). Most importantly, don’t try to drive yourself to get medical care. If it’s a venomous bite, you may become too sick to drive on the way there.

Sit or lie down calmly away from the snake and wait for help. Remove jewelry or snug-fitting clothing around the wound in case it begins to swell. Use soap and water to gently wash the wound, and cover it with a clean dressing or bandage. (It’s a good idea to keep a first aid kit with you at all times when in snake territory.)

You should also avoid taking ibuprofen or aspirin, as this can make you bleed more. Don’t try to chase or pick up the snake to find out what species it is. You should NOT apply a tourniquet to your wound. And, don’t apply ice to the wound, or drink alcohol or caffeine.

And finally, don’t try to cut or suck the venom out. The only way to counteract a venomous bite is with antivenom. When emergency services arrive, they will administer an antivenom shot.

What if You Are All Alone and Far From Help?

In the case of u/diedlikeCambyses, he was well aware that he should seek medical help, but had no way to do so. The experts recommend always having technology with you to be able to call for help when needed. Some phones can connect you to emergency services even when you are out of a coverage area. If you have an iPhone 14 or later, or the Google Pixel 9, you can connect to a satellite to text emergency services even when you have no cell or Wi-Fi service.

So what should u/diedlikeCambyses have done in his situation? Although it worked out and he made it to safety, ideally, he should have had emergency services enabled on his cell phone. He could have stayed where he was and called for help. Had the bite been venomous, this could have made the difference between life and death.