Are non-venomous snakes harmless?

Snakes (in Latin Serpentes) belong to the suborder of reptiles detachmentscaly. Their habitat is quite extensive: they live on almost all continents (with the exception of Antarctica and a number of large islands, such as Ireland, Greenland, New Zealand, Malta, some islands of Oceania), in all climatic zones and environmental conditions (forests, steppes, deserts , foothills, mountains). But still they prefer to settle in places with a hotter climate. Snakes are usually terrestrial, but some of them may live in water, in trees or underground.

Of the diversity of these reptiles, numbering more than two thousand species, most are non-venomous snakes. The list of poisonous does not exceed three hundred.

Snakes are predators by nature.The basis of their diet is the most diverse animal species, both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, there are snakes that specialize in eating a certain type of prey (the so-called stenophagi). Unlike poisonous ones that kill their prey with the help of poison, non-poisonous snakes can swallow it alive or strangling it beforehand. In this case, all the snakes absorb their prey entirely due to the specific structure of the lower jaw, consisting of the right and left halves, making alternating movements and as if pulling themselves on the prey.

The main types of non-venomous snakes living in Russia

• Already. Everyone knows for sure about this species, since it is the most common non-poisonous snake in our country. They can be found in the forest, and in the meadow, and along the road.
  Usually snakes do not exceed one meter in length, although there are separate specimens reaching two meters.
  Typically, these non-venomous snakes live in humid places — near water bodies, in thickets of coastal reeds, in swamps, etc. It swims and dives very well, overcoming long distances in water.
  The basis of its diet consists of both inhabitants of water bodies (frogs, tadpoles, small fish), and land animals (lizards, chicks, small mammals).
• Runner. Distributed in the southern regions (Caucasus, MiddleAsia, the south of the Far East). These non-venomous snakes, exceeding two meters in length, can move fast enough (up to 6 km / h), and not only on the ground or on rocks, but also on trees where birds are hunted.
  Also, snakes actively exterminate rats and mice.The snake bite is not dangerous for humans, although it is painful. When a bite appears, all signs of a bite by a venomous snake (swelling, pain, dizziness), which usually disappear in three days.
• Medyanka ordinary. Эта гладкая небольшая змея (обычно не превышающая 0.7 m long) has a grayish or brown color sometimes with a reddish tinge. Sometimes it is confused with a viper, but it has a narrower head, covered with large, compared with the viper, flaps and a less noticeable transition to the neck. Being a creature rather sluggish, the coop usually preys on shelter animals. The bite of the vermouth is poisonous to some cold-blooded animals, but is absolutely harmless to humans.

Non-venomous snakes are often infested by humans inas pets. Well, as they say, there are no comrades to taste or color. However, it must be remembered that caring for these reptiles is no less difficult than for other animal species. The snake needs to create conditions as close as possible to its habitat in its natural environment - and this is not only creating an external environment (branches, sand, stones, etc.), but also maintaining a special temperature and humidity, not to mention feeding. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that even a bite of a non-venomous snake can contain a small amount of poison, and therefore certain handling measures should be observed when handling them.

Helping with bites of non-venomous snakes

If you are bitten by a snake, you must rinse the place.bite with water or alcohol-containing liquid, then treat it with iodine or brilliant green. It should be remembered that even non-venomous snakes on the teeth can have the smallest remnants of food, and in addition, the teeth themselves can remain in the wound. All this can lead to the ingestion of pathogenic microbes. And therefore, in the case of the formation of bites at the site of pustules, tumors or other inflammatory processes, it is imperative to seek help from a medical institution.