The Essential Guide to Snake Bite Treatment and Prevention

Copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes - these are just a few of the species you'll find in North America. And while our continent isn't quite as dangerous as Southeast Asia when it comes to venomous snakes, it's still worth knowing how to prevent and treat bites.

The CDC estimates that almost eight thousand people fall victim to a venomous snake bite every single year in the United States alone. However, that doesn't mean you should avoid hiking trails or other outdoor activities when out in snake country. As long as you keep to a few basic preventative measures and know what to do in case of a bite, it's more than likely that you'll be just fine. 

Don't want to fall victim to a deadly bite? Scroll down for our full infographic guide. 

​We've put together a complete manual to snake bite prevention and treatment (in handy infographic form!). As experienced trekkers ourselves, this is the exact guide we use when camping or hiking in North America. 

At Birren, we go the full hog when putting together our definitive guides. We've done extensive research to ensure this is an accurate go-to source that you can print off and use when you're out on your hike.

We've consulted leading experts in the field (both doctors and herpetologists) to get the most up-to-date information out there, we've meticulously studied medical literature to differentiate antiquated advice from current medical recommendations, and we've also compiled a comprehensive list of simple tips that are just as easy to implement as they are to ignore (at your peril!). 

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Further Reading