Knowledge of adders helps boy to survive bite

This video is about a European adder (Vipera berus) in N-E Romania.

From The Sun in Britain:

Snake-mad lad trumps adder

May 19th, 2007

A SNAKE-MAD schoolboy helped docs treat him after he was bitten by a vicious adder – by using his knowledge of the serpent.

Nine-year-old John Parsons from Argyll in Scotland was bitten on the knee by a female adder as he played outside with friends.

He realised he needed hospital treatment and asked his friend’s mum to call an ambulance.

And he was able to tell doctors at hospital the snake’s sex because of its size and distinctive markings.

John became interested in snakes after watching late Australian naturalist Steve Irwin on TV.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said the attack could have been “very serious” if the lad had not known exactly what to do.

The lad was in hospital for four days after the attack.

He suffered bruising and severe swelling and is still using a frame to help him walk.

Doreen Graham of the Scottish SPCA said: “The fact that John is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about snakes and wildlife is very impressive.

“He knew it was a female adder and had the sense to say to someone that he needed treatment.

“Adder bites are rarely deadly, but if he had not got help when he did it could have been very serious.”

And she praised the schoolboy for acknowledging that the snake had been defending itself when it bit him.

She added: “Here is a little chap who can see the wonder of Scottish wildlife which is wonderful.”

Snakes and snakebite in the UK: here.

Paul O’Grady (AKA Lilly Savage) bitten by an adder: here.

Floodplain death adders eating toxic frogs: here.

USA: Timber rattlesnakes: here.

And here.

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2010) — Like the canary in the coal mine, the timber rattlesnake may be telling us something about the environment we share: here.

Related articles

• Chinese Year of the Snake, English adders (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Snakebite Survival (doomandbloom.net)
• Antivenom can’t halt neuro damage (sciencealert.com.au)
• Snake, the most misunderstood of animals (rightways.wordpress.com)
• Watch Steve Irwin take a python bite like a champ (deathandtaxesmag.com)
• Figures reveal snakebite frequency (independent.ie)

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