Snakes in Poland – poisonous and non-poisonous. What to do after a snake bite?

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There are four species of snakes in Poland and all of them are protected, but only one of them is venomous. We are talking here about the viper, whose venom, although it does not pose a threat to the life of a healthy person, can be extremely dangerous in people with weaker health. How to recognize ascending snakes in Poland and what to do in case of a bite?

Snakes in Poland – non-poisonous

In Poland, we deal with three non-venomous snakes: these are the grass snake, the smooth snake and the Aesculapian snake.

Poisonous snakes in Poland – grass snake

Weigh between 1 m (male) and 1,5 m (female). Olive green in color with a lighter pale yellow underbelly (sometimes even white). There are black transverse stripes all over the body. The head is clearly separated from the body, and there are yellow spots with black edges behind the temples. It occurs in wetlands, swamps, as well as in the vicinity of lakes and rivers. It is the most common snake in Poland. At the moment of danger, it is able to release a liquid that is designed to scare the attacker away. In addition, he can play dead. It does not pose a threat to humans.

Non-poisonous snakes in Poland – smooth snake

Weighs 60 to 90 cm long, gray-brown or rust-brown in color. A characteristic feature is a black stripe running from the nostrils to the neck. It is worth adding that the pattern of spots on its body may be similar to a snake’s zigzag, which means that the snake is often mistaken for it. There is a dark V-shaped spot on the snake’s head. Most often it can be found in sunny and dry areas, where it warms up on rocks or hides in dense thickets. Due to the fact that it is in danger of extinction, it is very difficult to meet him. It does not pose a threat to humans.

Non-poisonous snakes in Poland – Aesculapian snake

The longest snake in Poland can be up to 2 m long. Uniformly colored, light brown, coppery brown or olive brown. Its underside and dewlap are colored yellow. It has characteristic darker spots behind the head, but with age they become less and less visible. It occurs mainly in clearings, near roads and in deciduous forests. It can be found primarily in the Bieszczady Mountains, although it is extremely rare.

Despite the fact that the snakes mentioned above are not poisonous, they can also bite us. We must remember that even bites that come from a non-poisonous snake require evaluation, as they can lead to significant tissue damage or infection.

Snakes in Poland – poisonous

The only poisonous species of snake living in Poland is called zigzag viper (Vipera berus). It reaches a length of about 90 cm, although there are individuals up to 120 cm in length. This snake comes in three color varieties: brown-red, black and gray. It has a characteristic dark zigzag on the back, a triangular head and vertical pupils. The viper has a pair of long, movable teeth connected to its venom-producing glands. It occurs all over the country, especially in wet meadows and forest edges.

Although it is dangerous, it often runs away from humans and attacks only when there is no way to escape. However, before the attack takes place, the viper first hisses loudly to scare off the intruder and only if this does not help, it bites. It’s worth mentioning that the viper bite is often dry, i.e. without injecting the venom (such situations usually cover from 30 to 60% of cases). The Snake does this because it has a limited supply of venom, so it spares the venom where possible. However, there is always a chance that the snake will inject venom over time. In order to remove this venom as quickly as possible, it is worth having in your first aid kit the Anti-Tick Venom Removal Tool or the Unstinger Venom Removal Vacuum Pump. Devices at promotional prices are available on Medonet Market.

Bites occur during warm seasons, as the viper falls asleep in winter, and usually from being accidentally stepped on or deliberately irritated. It should be noted that vipers are the most dangerous after waking up from hibernation because their glands contain a large amount of venom. The venom itself is a mixture of many highly toxic substances with various effects, and this is how:

1. neurotoxins having a shocking effect on the nervous system;
2. hyaluronidase that accelerates the penetration of the venom into the tissues;
3. haemolysin, which causes damage to the endothelium of blood vessels and red blood cells.

These substances cause aggregation, i.e. sticking together, clogging of small vessels and disturbances in blood coagulation. In addition, the venom also affects the circulatory system, causing symptoms similar to anaphylactic shock. The viper venom also acts directly on the heart muscle, damaging it.

It is assumed that the amount of venom entering the body during a bite may vary from 0 to 75%. the contents of the venom gland.

See also: Poisoning caused by a viper bite

Snakes in Poland – symptoms of a bite

Usually people know immediately if a snake has bitten them. However, these animals can attack quickly and disappear before we can react.

Symptoms of bites of non-poisonous snakes

Non-poisonous snakes do not produce toxins. Unlike poisonous snakes, they do not have fangs. Instead, they have rows of teeth.

Some of the symptoms of non-poisonous snake bites include:

1. pain in the area of ​​ uXNUMXb uXNUMXbthe bite;
2. bleeding;
3. swelling and redness in the area of ​​ uXNUMXb uXNUMXbthe bite;
4. itching in the area of ​​ uXNUMXb uXNUMXbthe bite.

Without treatment, non-poisonous bites can lead to skin infection and necrosis or tissue death, so caring for the wound is very important. The bites can also cause allergic reactions in some people.

Symptoms of viper bites

The viper has two fangs that provide venom when bitten. The bite usually leaves two distinct puncture marks (unlike non-poisonous snakes whose bite tends to leave two rows of tooth marks).

Usually the bite site turns blue and swells. In extreme cases, petechiae and blisters filled with serous content appear around the bite site, and the nearest lymph nodes become enlarged.

If the snake’s venom glands were well filled with venom and a lot of the toxic substance has leaked into the wound, the person stung may be agitated and feel nauseous and overly thirsty. In addition, people who are bitten sweat and fear death.

As the viper venom causes blood coagulation disorders, it causes nosebleeds, skin ecchymosis and excretion of bloody urine. Other symptoms of a bite include: abdominal pain, balance disorders, increased heart rate, drop in blood pressure (which can lead to collapse). In the case of children, people suffering from cardiovascular disease, or when they bite the head or neck, it can lead to unconsciousness and death.

Snakes in Poland – what to do in case of a bite?

First of all, soothe the bitten person and ask them to move as little as possible. Movement and nerves accelerate the spread of the toxic substance throughout the body. It is also necessary to place the victim in a position with the bite site below the level of the heart and contact the emergency services (anti-venom serum must be administered as soon as possible).

In the event of bites in the hands or feet, immediately remove any jewelery or a watch, and the wound itself should be covered with a sterile dressing.

If the bitten person loses consciousness, they should be observed and checked for circulation and breathing. The unconscious should be placed in the safe position on its side. If necessary, artificial respiration and cardiac massage should be started.

See also: Bites and bites – what to do? First aid after the bite of a bee, wasp, mosquito, tick, bedbug, snake, spider [EXPLAINED]

Snakes in Poland – what not to do in case of a bite?

In the case of a bite by a viper, you must not:

1. massage, compress the wound, or ice it;
2. to suck the venom, because it carries the risk of infecting the bitten person and the person providing help;
3. incise wounds, because the stress of the injured person and their movement during the incision may accelerate the entry of toxins into the bloodstream.

It used to be advisable to use tourniquets for bites, but nowadays it is not recommended as tourniquets increase the risk of tissue necrosis. A tourniquet is placed above the wound site when transport to hospital takes longer than 30 minutes. In such cases, it is important to control the blood supply to the limb.

See also: The 5 most common causes of health loss on vacation

Snakes in Poland – preventing bites

If we go on trips, e.g. to the forest, we should put on high shoes and be careful where we put our steps. If we want to rest during our journey, first let’s check the place where we are going to sit. When we come across a viper, try not to accost it and not block the way, especially don’t try to catch it. Remember that the viper hisses before the attack, then it’s best to slowly retreat to a safe distance. Before the trip, do not forget to take a small first aid kit with you. Let us try to enter unchecked places and look for snakes in our vicinity.