Snake warning

[Diane]

Warning to any newbies that this warm weather will bring out the snakes. Our little cat managed to find a baby brown snake to play with this afternoon, and is at the vet at the moment getting nearly $2k worth of treatment. Be warned. The babies are just as poisonous as the adults too.

[foxychick]

we went to a talk on snakes and they said that babies are more dangerous than adults in a way as they have the same amount of venom but havn't learnt to not use it all in one bite or to dry bite. Does that make sense.

 

Also if bitten, don't wash the area, leave venom on there so the anti-venom can be identified and tighly bandage the whole limb then immobilse as best you can whilst you seek medical treatment.

 

Hope you cat is ok and you had insurance!

[Diane]

Thanks, though we don't have insurance - found in the past it costs more to insure than it costs to pay for treatment - always insured the cats I had in Britain, then most of them managed to get themselves run over, which wasn't covered!

 

This time, husband saw the cat with the snake though, managed to get it off him, jumped up and down on it till it was dead (don't tell anyone - I think they might be a protected species!) and took the snake's corpse into the vets with the cat so they could ID it. Vet said that was the right thing to do as it means they can treat with the right antidote. Just glad Duke didn't bring it inside and let it run free to bite the kids or the dog - apparently dogs suffer much worse and much quicker than cats and are a lot harder to treat successfully.

 

Fingers crossed Duke will be ok - obviously don't begrudge the money at all but we're hemoraging (sp?) money at the moment, one way or another.

[Moosh]

We've seen 3 snakes in the last 2 weeks in our area. 3 in the last week at work! If you see a snake don't go near it!

[Guest Roo1]

Fingers crossed Duke will be ok - obviously don't begrudge the money at all but we're hemoraging (sp?) money at the moment, one way or another.

 

Ahhh, poor little mite. I hope he pulls through.

[Leyland CJ]

That's why you've got to be very, very careful around the garden / garage / carport.

 

Any old stacks of timber or boxes lying around ? That's a favourite hiding place when it gets hot for them to be under to cool off...and remember to keep the screen doors closed as well, because yes - they do crawl inside.

 

No joke !

[tina&steve]

Hope your cat is ok Diane (((hugs))) xx

[Diane]

Well he's not had any adverse reaction to the anti-venin (sp?) - we've just spoken to the vet and he's sitting up looking quite perky (the cat, not the vet) so hopefully we caught him in time. Thanks everyone for your good wishes. Bloomin' cats - they weedle their way into your heart so cleverly!!

[Guest Chandan]

Hope Duke is ok!! I watched my beloved long hair border collie die under our trailer when i was 8, he'd been bitten by a brown snake.. we lived in Bibaringa outside of Gawler with parents at work and me on a sick day from school with my 15 year old brother, we had noone to drive him to the vet in time

 

And a few years later our cat twinkle was bitten and was on a life support machine for three days and made a full recovery..

 

we did live on 10 acres of farm land in the country side.. so we saw plenty of them.. but dads trick was to pour a cold bucket of water over them to move them on their way.

 

ps when rapping a bandage on the limb make sure you go from shoulder/thigh down apparently doing it the other way helps the venom circulate, and keep toes/fingers exposed to check for blueness.. it take 6 minutes without oxygen/blood for cells to die, you dont want to kill your toes etc... blue/purple means too tight!!!

 

hope you are ok dianne, must be very worrying.. and yes they do steal your heart dont they. fingers crossed and when Duke gets home lots of special dinners and love !!

[Diane]

It's been quite a day one way or another - father-in-law was taken into hospital this morning (he's over on a visit and staying with brother in law, and has been getting very bad angina), and then the cat...just dreading whatever the third thing will be! Our border collie is currently lying fast asleep on the settee - luckily she and the cat aren't close friends so they weren't sharing the snake between them!! Must have been an awful situation for you and your brother on your farm, I really feel for you.

[Guest katsmajic]

Oh no, hope dukes ok, hes the image of our brucey...

im feeling paranoid about snakes at the mo especially as we live a few doors up from aldinga scrub now....

been lots of warnings at the vets etc as theres alot of them out and about at the moment...even heard on regional radio that there could be a double breeding season with them being out in such numbers so early...

[coolerking]

Mrs C saw a 'massive' one crossing the road just past the Victory on Main Sth Rd. She swerved to avoid it...

 

Cooler

 

Oh no, hope dukes ok, hes the image of our brucey...

im feeling paranoid about snakes at the mo especially as we live a few doors up from aldinga scrub now....

been lots of warnings at the vets etc as theres alot of them out and about at the moment...even heard on regional radio that there could be a double breeding season with them being out in such numbers so early...

[Diane]

Quick update - Duke back home and good as new, acting as if nothing ever happened, and all family very happy (although $1200 poorer!!) Think he's going to be staying inside for the foreseeable future (much to his disgust!)

 

Thanks again everyone for your good wishes.

[Guest Guest5035]

...just dreading whatever the third thing will be! .

 

Australia to win the Ashes...

 

stevo

[Guest Tterrier81]

Australia to win the Ashes...

 

stevo

 

 

i really hope ur wrong

 

the way the aussies have been playin lately should give us confidence but for some reason i cant help thinkin it that the aussies are gonna turn up on the day a completely different team

 

i have learned now not to ever be too confident when it comes to england and sport