Snakes, Mobile phones and Ambulances

[kizza01]

Where we build jumps there is always long grass as the counsil only mow it on occasions.
A few years ago, after we had finished yr 12 exams, we went to build and were chased by a fuck off big brown snake.

Im sad to say that i killed it with a shovel, but i really didnt want that thing living right where we were building. Now we bring lawnmowers and whipper snippers to cut the grass ourselves.

 

[t]

I require a convincing and large fake snake for a ride this weekend.

Any idea of where to get one in the Sydney / Blue Mountains area??

most ruber snakes aren't shiney enough, mabey a quick coat of laquer will shinney them up for that convincing AOT experience, let us know how it goes.

http://www.pestawayaust.com.au/snakes.html

 

[miko]

Mate, pull your head in and only comment on subjects you have some sort of knowledge about.

Snake venom travels through the lymphatic system, NOT the blood stream. Your lymphatic system is the fluid within your muscles. The Pressure Immobilisation first aid procedure works on the same theory as bandaging a sprained ankle...if you apply pressure, the fluid won't travel in...with snake bite, it's so the fluid (and venom) won't travel out. It's extremely effective, and is basically the only first aid you need to perform in the event of a bite.

Remember though, there is two parts to the procedure, pressure AND immobilisation.

To be fair here mate, it used to be taught that it travelled through the circulatory system, so it's not surprising that it's a common misconception. That's why years ago they used to suggest sucking the poison out of the wound!

Seriously though, I think everyone should do this course. It doesn't matter how much you think you know about this topic, there is always more, and always new techniques to learn. I did my course with Nurses, and people who teach first aid in the work place. Everyone learnt something. Quite a few things actually.

The new thing is DRABCD. Debribillators are starting to become more common, so they are suggesting using those when all else fails!!

 

[TRACKS]

I think this summer there is going to be a lot of snakes around, were i ride there is lot of brown snakes. So i ride a lot slower but when i see one i look for a strong forked stick to catch it, and relocate it to a another area. I do not recommend this method if you are scared of snakes. especially when you have no experience handling snakes...........

 

[mtb_slipknot_fan]

I think this summer there is going to be a lot of snakes around, were i ride there is lot of brown snakes. So i ride a lot slower but when i see one i look for a strong forked stick to catch it, and relocate it to a another area. I do not recommend this method if you are scared of snakes. especially when you have no experience handling snakes...........

the good ol forked stick trick never worked for me because the snake has gone before i could find a good enough stick to try move it with

 

[Icarus]

While nothing on here has been totally incorrect, I thought I'd scan and post the page out of my Wilderness First Aid hand book. I'm sure they won't mind.

 

[THE YETI]

I'd just be thankfull that your ride taken with you. I would have shat myself if it wasnt sitting right beside me in the Ambo.
I'd like to think you bought a carton for the rider who went to lead the ambo??

 

[CGR]

today we had a 27degree day here in adelaide, and me and a friend were doing runs in Belair using the train. on about our third run we did the track called Mark2, for all those who know of it, the end opens out and the dirt of the trail is orange/brown clay with the surrounds covered in tall, prickilly bush flower things and low growing spiky bushes with no trees around, except the ones behind you. We both knew that this was the perfect place for snakes to be sun baking, and were trying to be as careful as possible. i was in front, and as i came out of the last small turn, and onto the gravel area beside the road, sitting right in my path was a, smallish, light brown, snake. fortunatly i was able to stop in time and so did my friend behind me. from what i could tell it was dead, but just to be sure i tossed a smallish rock close to it and it didn't even flinch, but i wasn't game to invesigate further so we left it their. now i haven't written this just to tell people the story, but i just wanted to warn all those Farkiners who ride in Belair to be very careful if your doing any open tracks like Mark2 and, especially Mark2 when the next 3 days are predicted to be 34, 35 and 27.

not the greatest explainations there, but i hope i got it across that it pays to take care.

 

[spadam]

Yarra Snakes 2006 Every where

There do seem to be more snakes out this year than last. I have seen one almost every ride since the end of September on the Yarra trails, last year I didn't see any. On a hot days i always try to be cautious, freeking out at mainly wierd shaped tree roots and sticks. The problem is when you haven't seen one for a bit you tend to speed up and not look, and thats when they seem to show up. Do you: A. slam on the brakes possibly landing on the thing (as Shep_DOG did recently) or stop next to it. B. Run over it/bunny hop it or C. try to ride around it. I guess the key is to commit to what ever you choose. I heard that near the trails at the bottom of the Ivanhoe public golf course (where i saw a big tiger in Sept) they had to close the bottom holes after those end of summer floods 2 years ago as hundreds of the tigers had been forced out to sun bake on the greens. May be we could have a Simpsons style "Whacking day"? Or may be Barry White could sing some where away from the trails so we could have a few good runs though in the sun. I do admit they were there first, but i also like frogs. Are snakes ever out at night (apart from QLD pythons)? But then again at night has anyone ever hit a Wombat? Just wondering whats more dangerous....

 

[Mandy]

I was just wondering on the topics of snakes if any of the sutho guys know if snakes get out on the national park trials??? Do they only come out on fire trials or do you need to be careful on single track too???

 

[Shep_DOG]

They sure do come out the the national parks Mandy!!!! They will use single tracks, fire trails, rocks, roots and logs. It is after all their home!!!!!! They will normally try to get out of your way but it all depends. As me and a mate were discussing its simply the luck to the draw he has seen one snake in the last five years!!! while i have seen four snakes in the last two rides!!!! Just know where you are try to ride with others and bring a first aid kit!!!

Royal Lifesaving society run one of the cheapest Level 2 first aid course $155 if anyone is interested. Or redcross also run some good ones!!!! and both orgs are Australia wide (not trying to plug them just well worth the money and time).

 

[Arete]

The vast majority of venomous Australian snakes are from the family Elapidae. Their venom is a neurotoxin which travels through the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a passive transport system activated by muscle movement.

As such, the amount of time you have after being bitten by a snake before serious symptoms show up is hugely subjective, dependant on how much venom was injected, body mass/composition, circulatory status, movement after the bite... you get the picture. If you go nuts and run away from the snake, drink booze etc... worst case scenario you could be dead in an hour. If you do everything right, you could have 12 or more hours in which to seek medical aid.

The vast majority of people bitten by snakes are bitten whilst trying to kill the snake. You can actually annoy even infamously aggressive snakes a suprising amount before they strike.

Me, I like seeing snakes, but I'm a bio-geek.

 

[Moggio]

Saw two snakes on Mt Hay trail here in the Blue Mountains last Thursday morning... I am pretty snake paranoid so I always look for them when bushwalking or riding. Luckily they were very shy and cleared off though one was a really huge brown.

I have been riding the trails around Katoomba at least once a week over the last 8 months and these are the first snakes I have seen.

Snakes are always a concern, especially seeing I ride alone (as I don't know of anyone to ride with here). Also mobile coverage up here can be flakey at best with all the valleys and hills.

However I always ride with some compression bandages, they are pretty small and worth putting in the backpack.

 

[tnankie]

One other thing I can add is don't wash the bite. Many snakes can be identified from venom traces on the skin. This is especially useful if you can't identify or didn't see the snake.

 

[thecat]

get the local club to put up advisory signs about snakes how to deal with one while riding?

it would be the worst to have a rider die of a snake bite in that area just because they werent aware that the likely hood of seeing a snake would be so great.

Why should the club have to put up signs? Anyone who goes out in the Aussy bush in summer and doesn't expect snakes to be about and doesn't know what to do if they are is a fool and needs to be taken out of the gene pool

There are some really good websites around on Australian snakes and first aid proceedures just do a google search and all the info is there. Make sure it is dealling with Australian snakes as, typically, their venom is different to that of north American snakes.

However a very interesting page that puts a lot of the hoohaa about Australian venomous snakes into perspective can be found here http://members.iinet.net.au/~bush/myth.html

 

[Ev]

Just thought i'd post something about effective treatment of a snakebike..
Appologies if someone has already posted this, but it never hurts to racap this sort of thing anyway...
before anybody decides to argue with my treatment or question my qualifications, i am an active member within St John Ambulance Australia, i hold certificates in Senior First Aid, Advanced First Aid and Advanced Life Support Procedures and have recently completed an Instructor accreditation course.

First things first, If you are bitten by a snake, any snake (or a funnel web for that matter), Follow the simple DRABCD procedures, hopefully you wont need to work all the way through...
Check for Danger, make sure the snake isn't still around, no point endagering yourself or anyone else any further..

You want to be, or have the casualy lying flat, minimising movement and therefore the flow of the venom through the lymphatic system.
You need to bandage the limb that has been bitten from the bed of the fingernails or toenails, as far up the limb as possible..Tightly, but not so tight that you cut off the circulation (to check for circulation you can squeeze the finger/toenail and watch for capillary return (return of colour to the nail), should be within 2seconds). It's preferable to use a 10cm elastic bandage, but you can use whatever you have. When you bandage the limb, try to remove any clothing that may be on it first, allowing the Pressure and Immobilisation Bandage to do its job properly. keep the clothing to give to the hospital and they can use it to identify the type of snake.
Also if you can, mark the approximate bite point on the outside of the bandage.
Of course, in any situation where you or someone else has been bitten by a snake or venomous spider, call an ambulance immediately (or get someone to do it for you). 000 on a landline or a mobile, or 112 from a mobile.

Hopefully this helps a little, and expands your knowledge shoudl you encounter something of this nature.

 

[Shep_DOG]

before anybody decides to argue with my treatment or question my qualifications, i am an active member within St John Ambulance Australia, i hold certificates in Senior First Aid, Advanced First Aid and Advanced Life Support Procedures and have recently completed an Instructor accreditation course.

Sorry guys a little off topic but i cant help myself!!! Why do all st johns first aiders insist on letting you know exactly what they can do and how good they are??? Relax buddy no one will argue as long as the treatment is right, im sure there are plenty of people with ALS and BLS training on this site also!!!!!

But good correct advice all round!!!!

From a guy having a bad day!!!!

 

[Mandy]

Hey,
Today we had a black snake in our back yard and had to call a snake catcher. So i thought i wuold let you all know how it went.

The guy said black snakes kill all brown snakes so if you see one you should leave it alone. He also said they wont attack you unless you hurt it where as browns will attack you so recommend we keep it in our yard. Since we have a dog tho he agreed to come take it away. Didnt end up being necessary as we saw the snake leave the yard and tommorrow will baracade the fence so that it cant return!.

 

[thecat]

where as browns will attack you so recommend we keep it in our yard.

Common Browns are a rather "nervous" snake. They wont "attack you" just for the hell of it, but they will strike out if they are startled or feel threatened and they are very easily startled.

 

[Mandy]

Maybe he was refering to the king brown snake??? All i know is now i am getting up at 5am to barracade the back of my fence so no more snakes come in. My lil dog has a habbit of attacking all the lizards that come in and i am worried if he attacks the snake he will come off worse!!!

Apparently my area Narellan/Camden has seen a decrease in black snakes that has led to a large increase in browns. The guy also said hed been out on calls all day so i guess there is a lot more snakes everywhere and they are out alot earlier too!!!