Banded Krait

[Thaihog]

Last night when I was out walking my dog in our Moo Ban (poor lighting) I nearly stepped on a baby banded krait (black/yellow). I never realized how deadly they were until I looked it up on the web.

It got me thinking as to which hospital in Chiang Mai is best suited to snake bites should you get bitten?

Thanks...

[T_Dog]

When my wife was stung by a Tiger Hornet, we went to Maharaj (Suan Doc) hospital right to the 13th floor. As soon as the desk knew what it was and looked at her, they rushed here into a room and gave her benedryl-like and adrenalin injections. They knew right away what to do. Not sure if they have all the anti-venom's for snakes though. I wonder if you should bring in the snake for a positive ID as long as you are sure it's dead and in a sealed container? (Bet that would go over well in a crowded waiting room!)

[coma]

If you ever get bitten by a snake. IMPORTANT.Do NOT wash or wipe the bite sight. Put a compress bandage on tightly. Start at the bite sight and move down the limb away from the heart. Then up, down,up down until you run out of bandage. Immobilize the limb [if it is a limb bitten] and yourself as much as possible to keep your heart rate down. Draw a small circle on the bandage around where the bite is so when you get to hostpital they can just cut that part out and take a swab to test the venom to find out what snake it is, all the while maintaining the compression. These days if you have trouble identifying the type of snake, the hospital will do it for you or there are numerous anti venoms that can treat all types of snake bite.

Snake are not like bees, therefore don't die after biting. Using energy to try and capture or kill the snake for identification purposes is just down right silly and a waste of time. The energy you use doing this will only get the venom moving through your body quicker.

A basic discription of the snake if the victim gets a look at the perpertrator will safice. Hope this helps.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This is why I kill snakes first.

[IanForbes]

This is why I kill snakes first.

Not me. I rescue them. Two days ago I rescued a cobra that had been run over by a scooter. The scooter's tire has forced out a series of eggs that were trailing behind the snake and prevented the cobra from moving quickly. I stopped traffic and picked up the snake by the tail and tore off the trailing eggs. Then I released it into the bushes. Snakes do a lot of good getting rid of rats and mice. They mostly want to get away unharmed. Unfortunately, whomever owns the property, are filling in the pond behind my hotel room, and the poor snakes are being displaced into the city.

[coma]

This is why I kill snakes first.

Not me. I rescue them. Two days ago I rescued a cobra that had been run over by a scooter. The scooter's tire has forced out a series of eggs that were trailing behind the snake and prevented the cobra from moving quickly. I stopped traffic and picked up the snake by the tail and tore off the trailing eggs. Then I released it into the bushes. Snakes do a lot of good getting rid of rats and mice. They mostly want to get away unharmed. Unfortunately, whomever owns the property, are filling in the pond behind my hotel room, and the poor snakes are being displaced into the city.

Good work and good for you IanForbes. Killing snakes is barbaric and reserved only for those who don't understand and therefore are shit scared of them. Some would do well to get educated about snakes. Ohh. And maybe stop watching movies such as Anaconda and King Cobra.

[Thaihog]

If you ever get bitten by a snake. IMPORTANT.Do NOT wash or wipe the bite sight. Put a compress bandage on tightly. Start at the bite sight and move down the limb away from the heart. Then up, down,up down until you run out of bandage. Immobilize the limb [if it is a limb bitten] and yourself as much as possible to keep your heart rate down. Draw a small circle on the bandage around where the bite is so when you get to hostpital they can just cut that part out and take a swab to test the venom to find out what snake it is, all the while maintaining the compression. These days if you have trouble identifying the type of snake, the hospital will do it for you or there are numerous anti venoms that can treat all types of snake bite.

Snake are not like bees, therefore don't die after biting. Using energy to try and capture or kill the snake for identification purposes is just down right silly and a waste of time. The energy you use doing this will only get the venom moving through your body quicker.

A basic discription of the snake if the victim gets a look at the perpertrator will safice. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip.... but I would still like to know the best hospital to go to in the event of a snake bite....

[coma]

If you ever get bitten by a snake. IMPORTANT.Do NOT wash or wipe the bite sight. Put a compress bandage on tightly. Start at the bite sight and move down the limb away from the heart. Then up, down,up down until you run out of bandage. Immobilize the limb [if it is a limb bitten] and yourself as much as possible to keep your heart rate down. Draw a small circle on the bandage around where the bite is so when you get to hostpital they can just cut that part out and take a swab to test the venom to find out what snake it is, all the while maintaining the compression. These days if you have trouble identifying the type of snake, the hospital will do it for you or there are numerous anti venoms that can treat all types of snake bite.

Snake are not like bees, therefore don't die after biting. Using energy to try and capture or kill the snake for identification purposes is just down right silly and a waste of time. The energy you use doing this will only get the venom moving through your body quicker.

A basic discription of the snake if the victim gets a look at the perpertrator will safice. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip.... but I would still like to know the best hospital to go to in the event of a snake bite....

No worries. I believe that the nearest hospital would be the best hospital without doubt and would definately be my first preference. The rush is not to get to the anti venom. It is more of a priority to get to medical attention in general such as IV fluid and observation to determine the appropriate action.Thai hospitals are all well equipped to treat snake bite as it is quite a common occurance here in Thailand. I must state that I am not one that believes in the 'urban myths' that bigger and more expensive hospitals here in Thailand are better than others for non specific treatment/ procedures.

This is just IMO and is advice that i offer taken from personnal experience. In the end it is your call. Good luck.

[haybilly]

Some very useful, helpful and interesting information--thanks.

Incidentally, though, surely Ian, you held the snake in question by more than just it's tail??? Doesn't the other end get a bit 'pissed off'?

[hml367]

This will be interesting! Or at least entertaining.

MSPain

Some very useful, helpful and interesting information--thanks.

Incidentally, though, surely Ian, you held the snake in question by more than just it's tail??? Doesn't the other end get a bit 'pissed off'?

[leininger]

I have read that Maharaj Hospital has anti-venom for all poisonous snakes around here, but so do ost of the major hospitals. if you get bitten, if you have cell phone camera or any camera handy, you can always take picture of snake. Killing or capturing it is risky if you do not know what you are doing. Local Burmese workers may do it for you if you pay them. If I saee a snake around my property I usually kill it. Sometimes I fling it over the wall into the brush. Usually I kill it as there are little kids playing around my house as well as pets. I do not hunt snakes or hate them but i do not lose any sleep after I kill them.

[IanForbes]

Some very useful, helpful and interesting information--thanks.

Incidentally, though, surely Ian, you held the snake in question by more than just it's tail??? Doesn't the other end get a bit 'pissed off'?

Yes, they do bite from the other end, but if you swing them a bit they won't turn and bite. It DOES take practise, though. I just wanted the snake somewhere safe, and away from people, for both the snakes sake and anyone else who could possibly get bitten. The snake only flared its hood a bit at me, but it was more concerned with getting away than being aggressive. Although I am a hunter, I don't like killing things that don't need to be killed. That includes humans. Oddly enough, I didn't take its picture with my cel phone like I normally would. I was more concerned with moving the snake some place safe.