Snakes

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt
I had my first near miss with a big brown snake today on the trails. it was hiding in a rut luckily it was on a fast down hill section. So I had a bit of pace on when I went over it but it whipped around just missed my leg and nailed my back tyre. Looked back that snake was pissed off it was going balistic so I warned all hikers to stay away. Any one else had any close shaves this year ?

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 4
 

Sappa

Likes Dirt
No snakes this year and have not seen one in Perth at all.
But last year while on holiday just missed one when riding with my daughter. Got to love snakes in Tassie. Yea they are all poisonous but the are also slow. Well until you go swimming with one, but that may of been the brain being to busy swearing and me getting the hell out of the water.

Sounds like you had a near miss, gets the heart beating nice and good doesn't it. Know you alive.
 

Kind_cir

Likes Dirt
Where was it?
In a rut...




I have spotted 3 snakes on the road so far. All have been carpet snakes, but i just know it it is going to be a brown sooner or later.

Can't wait till i encounter one of those on the trails.
 

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt
Yeah it makes you know your alive but it makes you think also. As your out in the forest away from roads adrenaline is up heart is pumping. Makes you think if I got bitten by a venomous snake what do I do? I have a basic first aid kit in my pack and basic first aid abilities. But that been said even with the first aid done your still alone in the forest heart pumping often out of service with your phone. Your ment to not move but riding out is often the only way out.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 4
 

3viltoast3r

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yeah it makes you know your alive but it makes you think also. As your out in the forest away from roads adrenaline is up heart is pumping. Makes you think if I got bitten by a venomous snake what do I do? I have a basic first aid kit in my pack and basic first aid abilities. But that been said even with the first aid done your still alone in the forest heart pumping often out of service with your phone. Your ment to not move but riding out is often the only way out.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 4
I got told by a hiking friend (second hand information, anyone?) that: -Staying still, you will probably live 24 hours -walking 200 metres to your car will kill you
 

louestah

Likes Bikes
whatever limb that was bitten, dont move it and put a pressure bandage on the wound. The venom moves through your muscle stream or something like that. The more you move the move the muscle, the faster the venom moves. So like the other guy said, stay where you are.
 

JASER

Likes Dirt
I personally wouldn't stay where I was!

Only reason being is that I don't want to get bitten by the same f@@ker again!
At least move out the way.
 

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt
Yeah no doubt staying still is your best bet pressure bandage over the bite area. But on a remote trail do you wait on the off chance a person comes by ?
 

driftking

Wheel size expert
Yeah no doubt staying still is your best bet pressure bandage over the bite area. But on a remote trail do you wait on the off chance a person comes by ?
Highlights the importance of planning rides and letting someone know. Or at least making sure you have some contact method even if that means buying a satellite phone.

having matches and some common sense on how to start a safe fire might help too if need be comes to that as the only way to attract attention.

There is another thread on here about snakes with some great info. Not sure if there is a sticky but it would be a great idea for one of the knowledgable members to create one, given its applicable to well all of us.
 

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt
I always plan my rides i have a bunch of laminated maps for the places i like to ride. I use a cinagraph pencil to mark my route and give it to my parents and tell them what time to expect me back. I was thinking or trying a hand held radio so i can contact the park ranger maybe.
 

oriion

Likes Dirt
I was bitten by a brown snake 3 years ago whilst riding alone. It's a scary experience.

Whatever you do once you've been bitten limit movement, apply a pressure bandage to the effected limb bitten, and if possible attempt to identify the snake , most of all do not panic. stay calm and relaxed.

I was out of phone reception, but knew there were at least 6 other riders circulating my loop, and was able to track one down after about 30 minutes. they then rode to a reception area and got me evacuated after 2 hours, and I lived happily ever after.

Make sure if you are riding alone you:

A) tell someone were you are going
B) carry first aid - not just for yourself, but for your fellow riders, hikers, anyone else.

As a side note i do not ride alone anymore, My border collie, sometimes both of them are with me, and are trained to return/retreival to my entry point and get attention if necessary.

Always be prepared, you never know when you are going to need it.
 

NUMBER5

Likes Dirt
Nearly hit one yesterday arvo round Manly Dam, prob 1m long. I didn't even see it till I was pretty much on top of it. Always makes the rest of the ride interesting haha.... Nearly hit a big blue tongue at the end too, brain tryin frantically to work out whether it was a snake, dog, yeti..... :)

One time I went off a jump and a snake was on the lander.... Nothing I could do, landed right on top of it, wasn't the biggest thing in the world but, BLACK....... took about 1km before my heart started beating again..haha
 

0psi

Eats Squid
most of all do not panic. stay calm and relaxed.
This! I keep reptiles are have worked with snakes in the past and the old sayings is 'panic slowly'. There is no such thing as a fatal snake bite if you do all the right things, I know of a guy who survived nearly a week after getting tagged by a brown. He was in a remote area in the NT and it took him nearly a week to get to a hospital. Before you say it might have been a dry bite, well the hospital didn't believe him and just pulled the compression bandages off, damn near killed him.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, always carry a compression bandage, if you are going somewhere remote, carry two or three. Small first aid kits are useless and only fix boo boo's, compression bandages will fix life threatening things like snake bites, major lacerations and broken bones.

Also, you are a lucky man and your dogs are awesome!!

Oh, and lastly, assume all snakes will kill you.
 

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt


Full time content of my pack.
. Map of the area of intended ride
. Spare tube ( i run tubeless )
. Tyre pump
. Shock pump
. Bike multi tool
. Multi tool with pliers
. Torch
. Flint
. Cable ties
. Basic first aid kit that includes
Assorted bandages , wound dressings ,
wound Closure strips , alcohol wipes , tape ,
Scissors , and gloves

So I'm well prepared i would say . Lol
 

mongoosemichael

Likes Dirt
Oriion

You are a lucky man bet it was hard to stay calm in that situation .

I would love to take a dog with me but the area i ride is no dogs allowed due to fox baits. I have seen youtube of dogs running with there owner love it the dog is called amber .
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
Full time content of my pack.
. Map of the area of intended ride
. Spare tube ( i run tubeless )
. Tyre pump
. Shock pump
. Bike multi tool
. Multi tool with pliers
. Torch
. Flint
. Cable ties
. Basic first aid kit that includes
Assorted bandages , wound dressings ,
wound Closure strips , alcohol wipes , tape ,
Scissors , and gloves

So I'm well prepared i would say . Lol
1 thing missing - gaffa Tape - it is hard to comprehend how many things can be fixed with gaffa tape - wrap a mtr round your frame somewhere.

Oh, on topic - in the last 3 days, I ran over a 60cm green snake, ran over a 2 m long dead python, and stopped and waited for another 2 m python to wander across the track , plus assorted magpie attacks
 
Top