Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if somone was to get bit on the finger or hand would cutting the digit or hand off right after a bite keep the person from being affected from the venom?

Possibly, depends on how fast you got it done. Shooting them in the head would work too I guess. If you're talking about in the U.S., I hope you're aware that the death rate from venomous snake bite is something like 1 in 1000, so lopping things off is probably a bit extreme. In fact, hacking things off is probably much more likely to kill you than the bite...

I have no intention of cutting any parts off...LOL..just curious
I have heard people mention it before and just wondered

I'm with Larry on this. Next time you hear someone talking like that, point out that with prompt, proper medical treatment, snakebite is very survivable. Chances are excellent that even the bitten digit will be saved. For more info on snakebite treatment, check out my site.
First Aid

It has been reported in cases of bites by big dangerous snakes (gabbys,mambas,taipans etc..) when they were out in the bush and no immediate medical care was available. Extream measures for extream situations. I like to keep all my bits with me, thanks.

Al
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Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but foot prints. Not a law, just a good idea.

I believe it was on Corwin a while back where he met with some dude in Malaysia(I think) who supposedly was bitten ON THE NOSE by a king cobra, and proceeded to lop off his nose. Whether or not he was really bitten is anyone's guess, but he did not much of a nose left, so maybe he was telling the truth.

Just FYI, psilocybe, that was on a Mark O'Shea episode titled "Revenge of the Cobra". O'Shea made the statement, "that may of been the first time someone cut their nose off to SAVE their face."
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Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

I don't know whether the story is true or not(it has a "folk tale" ring to it, but in an old book just called RATTLESNAKES-I think by J. Frank Dobie, there is mention of somebody who did exactly that-he was chopping wood, and got bit on the thumb by a rattler when he reached for another piece of wood. He chopped off the thumb with his axe, and later(maybe a couple days-it's been 10 years since I read the book) he was at the woodpile, found the thumb and (here's what makes me think folk tale) test fitted the digit to the stump-still raw-, absorbed venom through the thumb into the raw tissue, and died that night.
As I said, it may or may not be true, but it's an interesting story.