VIDEO-Glenhills man bitten by dangerous stiletto snake
If you are bitten by this snake, remember, under no circumstances should any anti-venom be used in this case says local snake man.
A GLENHILLS man was bitten by a venomous stiletto snake on Saturday evening at about 7.30pm after picking up the reptile to put over the wall outside his property. According to Jason Arnold’s Universal Reptiles Facebook page, the man (70) was bitten multiple times on different fingers.
The man is believed to be in a lot of pain and was rushed through to hospital on Saturday night. According to Arnold he was released this morning and is back at home.
The stiletto snake, also known as the Burrowing Asp is the snake rumoured to have killed Cleopatra, who ruled ancient Egypt as co-regent.
In this video recorded last year, Arnold explains the dangers this snake poses.
“Every year around this time, we see multiple bites on people by this little snake. The Stiletto snake is a small species of snake which averages around 30 to 40cm in length, seldom exceeding 50cm. It’s a species of snake that is fairly widespread and no matter where in Durban you may be living, you could find this snake in your home or garden. Due to this snakes’ small size and general inoffensive look, many people are fooled into picking it up and handling it. These snakes are quite edgy and will usually not hesitate to put a fang into you if you pick them up.”
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“If you are bitten by this snake, remember, under no circumstances should any anti-venom be used in this case, as there is no antivenom effective for the bite of this particular species. The treatment should be purely supportive and symptomatic,” he said.
Contact Arnold on 082 745 6375.
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