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Snakebite first aid

What to do after a snakebite.

A snakebite is always a medical emergency. Antivenom is given only in hospital, so getting there quickly matters more than anything else.

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What to do right now

Pending review by a Sri Lankan clinician. Based on World Health Organization guidance.

Do

  • Move away from the snake. Keep the person calm, still and lying down if possible.
  • Call 1990 or take the person to the nearest hospital immediately.
  • Remove rings, bangles, anklets and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
  • Keep the bitten limb still, as you would for a broken bone, and carry the person if you can.
  • Note the time of the bite. Photograph the snake only if you can do so from a safe distance.

Do not

  • Do not cut, suck, burn or squeeze the wound.
  • Do not tie a tight tourniquet or band around the limb.
  • Do not apply herbal remedies, ice, stones or chemicals.
  • Do not try to catch or kill the snake.
  • Do not wait for symptoms. Some dangerous bites cause little pain at first.

General guidance only, based on World Health Organization advice. It does not replace treatment by a doctor.

At the hospital

  • Tell staff the time of the bite and what the snake looked like, if anyone saw it.
  • Mention any symptoms: drowsiness, drooping eyelids, bleeding gums, dark urine or difficulty breathing.
  • Stay for observation even if you feel well. Some effects appear hours later.

If a snake is in your home

  • Move everyone, including pets, away from the snake calmly.
  • If safe, close the door to the room and block the gap under it with a towel.
  • Watch where it goes from a distance and call a rescuer.
  • Never try to catch, corner or kill it. Most bites happen when people do.

Preventing bites

  • Wear closed shoes or boots and carry a torch at night.
  • Sleep on a raised bed or under a tucked-in mosquito net, not on the floor.
  • Keep grass short and clear rubbish, rubble and stored materials from around the house.
  • Store grain carefully so it does not attract rats, which attract snakes.
  • Look before you put your hands into leaf litter, holes or stacked wood.