Don't be silly

[BROWNS]

i watched that show where Brian Barnes was bitten by the curl snake and it was barely a scratch.He was also with a few other experienced herpers who had well known names so one would think they were in good company,obviously the hospital wasn't good company,bloody ignorant asses!!!

 

[Sdaji]

hey sdaji if you dont mind me asking what bit you an adder?

No, I don't like the idea of adder venom! I've never been bitten by one and touch wood never will. The bite I was talking about was from a tiger (high in neurotoxin as bigguy guessed), and was caused by a huge dose of stupidity and an absurd youthful invincibility complex

I think of all the snakes in Australia, I'd least like to be bitten by a brown.

I don't usually like talking about venomous snake bites, but stories like this are an important warning for people going into hospital not to trust that the staff will be competant. If possible, get someone who knows about snakes and bite procedure to accompany you in hospital and bluntly refuse to let the staff do anything utterly stupid, like removing the bandage well before antivenom is available :roll:

I must admit, much to my shame, that when I was younger, seeing experienced herps freehandling deadly snakes, people who I admired and respected at the time, and talking to them about their bites and how they had survived gave me a crazy impression that getting bitten and taking venom was a normal part of being a reptile enthusiast (I won't name names, but they include some well known herps in Melbourne). I always thought of sir crikey as a complete moron, but the thought of young kids idolising him is a really huge concern. I have never been bitten through lack of skill or experience, only through stupidity, and it took enough venom to kill a few people to make me snap out of taking stupid risks, or at least, take far fewer and less extreme ones

 

[Sdaji]

I was reading that if bitten by an inland taipan the amount of anti-venom required to keep you alive will mean you can't ever have it again. Is this correct?

Sounds like one of those old herpers' wives' tales to me. Alergic reactions to antivenom do occur, but are far less common than people often say. I have discussed this with immunologists and they tell me that allergic reactions to venom or antivenom aren't much more likely (or any more likely at all according to some) than allergies to eating new types of food. (Now I'll wait for someone to argue with me ).

 

[nuthn2do]

I think if the appropriate steps were taken before administering you could recieve the antivenom more than once. Not like there would be much choice, but the more exposure the more likely anaphylactic shock will occur.