Suggestions on how to avoid snakes and snake bites:
- Leave snakes alone.
- If you are in the veld, wear stout shoes or boots (not sandals) and long trousers. Most victims are bitten on the lower leg or ankle, often when they accidentally stand on a snake.
- Do not walk barefoot at night in the veld. If you have to move around in the dark, take a torch along, and wear adequate foot protection.
- Keep your eyes open and look where you are going. Do not reach into holes, burrows and hollow logs. Do not put your hands in places that are out of sight.
- Do not step over logs and large rocks as a snake may be sunning itself on the opposite side.
- Rather, step onto such objects.
- If you do come across a snake, stand perfectly still. No snake will come up and attack you. If you are a fair distance from a snake, say 4 meters or more, retreat slowly. Snakes do not chase people.
- Do not try to kill a snake in the wild. Throwing rocks at snakes or shooting at them is looking for trouble.
- Do not tamper with seemingly dead snakes, as some of them fake death. The body may be turned sideways or upside down, while the tongue hangs out. BEWARE!
- Treat all snakes with respect.