Texas Snake Bite Emergency – 5 Things You Should Never Do if Bitten

(KPEL-FM) The Texas sun is sitting higher and higher in the sky as we move into the official season known as summer. Granted, the calendar won't acknowledge it's summer until June 21st. However, if you've been in San Antonio, South Padre, Galveston, or El Paso anytime in the past week or so, you could make a pretty good case that summertime in Texas has arrived.

And as the temperatures across Texas make us want to do less outside, they are certainly more conducive for the reptiles that call Texas home. They move even more when the weather gets warm, and that means more snakes in places that you don't want to see them.

How Many Species of Venomous Snakes Live in Texas?

As temperatures get warmer, the 105 different species of snake that call Texas home will become even more active. The good news is that of the 105 species that call Texas home, only 15 of them are venomous. I am not sure if that makes me feel better or not. Still, venomous or not, none of us really wants to spend part of our day diagnosing a snake bite.

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Snake bite mortality in Texas is a bit higher than it is across the rest of the country. It's estimated that one in 50 million people will die from snake bites in the United States. From what we've been able to glean, one to two people die every year in Texas from a snake bite incident. When you consider the different climates and environments the Lone Star State offers, and the fact that our people love to be outside. I am surprised it's actually that low. 

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The best way to avoid a snake bite is to avoid snakes. That means don't go where they go, and if you happen to find yourself in their habitat, you can usually just chill and the snake will leave you alone. They want less to do with you than you want to do with them.

What Do I Do If I Find a Snake in My House or My Yard?

If you happen to discover a snake in your home, your business, or someplace around children, then you will probably want to have the creature removed. You can call a wildlife specialist who will come and relocate the creature to a different place so all involved are none the worse for wear, other than an accelerated heartbeat, okay, that might just be me.

But in the unlikely event you are bitten by a snake, don't let Hollywood be your guide. All of that stuff they do in the movies will make things worse or cause you to die. So, what are the four things you should never do if bitten by a snake?