Encountering Snakes: Essential Dos and Don’ts for Safety

In France, it is thus common to cross snakes during walks in the forest, along the trails, in the countryside, etc. Crossing the road to a snake can be particularly intimidating for some, but these meetings are generally harmless.

It is nevertheless important to know how to react when you find yourself face to face with a snake. The behavior to be adopted also depends on the type of snake, if it is poisonous or not for example.

Some snakes are poisonous, others not

In France, the snakes you meet can be vipers or snakes. These two sub-familys also include many species which differ depending on the environment and the region.

The first thing to know is therefore that the snakes are perfectly harmless while the vipers are poisonous.

Be careful however, this does not mean that the vipers are dangerous animals that must be dread. And for good reason, vipers cause very little death per year (one on average).

How to differentiate vipers and snakes?

To distinguish the vipers from the snakes, it is first necessary to observe their physical characteristics. The shape of the body is an essential criterion. “At the viper, he is in the form of a sausage, large and flange. The body and tail are easily differentiated, it is similar to a small vermisseau. This is not the case with the snake, which has an refined body, ”explained the naturalist Gaëlle Caublot for the mountain.

In addition, unlike certain beliefs, color or skin patterns are not reliable indicators to identify them, because these genetic characteristics can vary from snake to another.

If you have the opportunity to see a snake closely, you will notice that the scales of the snake are larger on the head, with a single row of scales between the eye and the jaw.

On the other hand, vipers have smaller scales on their heads. Regarding the eyes, the vipers have a split pupil, while the snakes have a round pupil.

If you discover snake eggs in your garden, it is even easier to identify them. Vipers are viviparous, which means that the embryo develops inside the body, unlike the snakes that lay eggs.

How to react to a snake or a viper in full walk?

There is no particular precaution to take if you come across a snake in nature. The snakes are surely more afraid of us than us. Regarding vipers, the situation is sometimes more delicate.

Vipers are fearful snakes who will not voluntarily approach man. However, she is still able to bite if she feels threatened or attacked.

The best to do is therefore not to panic. It is better to go back quietly. No need to shout because the viper is deaf. On the other hand, it is possible to hit the ground to keep it away. She actually does not appreciate the vibrations she can feel.

In the event of a bite, the viper hemotoxic venom can cause blood circulation problems which can result in swelling of the limbs, for example.

The first thing to do is therefore to disinfect the wound, then go to the nearest hospital so that the bite is evaluated by professionals.

Source: the mountain