Black snake with yellow eyes. How to distinguish a viper from a snake: distinctive features

Each season has its positive and, unfortunately, negative sides. The onset of the summer season brings with it bright emotions from the hot sun, rich harvest and fresh air, adjacent to the fear of getting bitten by some insect or even a snake. Snakes live almost everywhere, so if you are a summer resident, a resident country house or simply caring parent, you will probably be interested in the question “how to distinguish a viper from a snake.”

Why these snakes? Snakes and vipers are the most common snakes in our forest belt, and if snakes are completely safe for humans, an encounter with a viper can turn into trouble.

Differences between a snake and a viper

Before you go into the forest to pick berries or mushrooms, go on a picnic with your child outside the city, just relax or work in the garden, you should be aware that in these places you can meet a snake. To prevent such a meeting from bringing trouble, you need to know how it differs from a viper, how to behave when meeting a snake, and how to provide first aid if a snake bite does occur.

Main differences

As noted, unlike the viper, it is not dangerous to humans. Viper is poisonous legless reptile, its numbers are quite large in our country. To distinguish a viper from a snake, we list the main distinctive features both reptiles. Let's start with the snakes:

Viper can be recognized according to the following distinctive features:

the average length of an adult viper is 70 - 75 cm, there are individuals that are longer, but, as a rule, they do not exceed one meter;
The viper, unlike the snake, does not have round spots near its head, but it has a stripe running along the entire length of its back;
come in different colors, most often they are gray, blue, brown and black shades, and closer to the tail the color changes to yellow;
reptiles have a zigzag pattern on their skin;
a poisonous snake can be recognized by its triangular head and vertical pupils;
the reptile has two visible teeth in front that contain poison;
especially active at night;
lives in forest belts, likes to hide in stones.

It is important to know these differences, because when bitten by a poisonous reptile, correctly provided first aid to the victim is very important. With timely response and provided first aid, an encounter with a viper will not result in unpleasant consequences. How to provide first aid if bitten by a poisonous snake?

First aid for a viper bite

The viper bite is fast the appearance of edema in the place where the poison got in. If the poison enters the body, it causes nausea, headache, shortness of breath, weakness, and dizziness. Primary symptoms change to anemia, shock, increased intravascular coagulability. Severe cases are characterized by changes in the kidneys and liver.

The bite site looks like two small wounds. At the moment of poisoning, a person will experience sharp and severe pain, and the affected area will turn red and swollen within a few minutes. Swelling will spread at the site of the lesion and above it. The farther the bite is from the head, the less dangerous it is considered. In the spring season, viper venom is more toxic than in summer.

If you or someone you know has been bitten by a viper, you should immediately remove the poison from the wound. If there are no wounds or other lesions in the mouth, the poison can be removed by suction. To do this, open the wound by pressing on the skin folds around it until blood appears. Start sucking out the poison and spit it out poisonous substance. This must be done for 10 minutes, but if swelling appears, stop the procedure. Rinse your mouth using a solution of potassium permanganate or plain water.

There is no need to worry that the poison being sucked out is harmful, since an extremely small dose of poison that is safe for humans enters the body. If you react in a timely manner and begin to suck the poison out of the wound instantly, you can remove up to half of the toxic substance. Treat the affected area using an antiseptic, and around the bite site you should anoint with iodine, brilliant green or alcohol. Cover the affected area with a tight, sterile bandage.

Immobilize the affected limb so that it remains stationary. Avoid any movement, since in this case the toxic substance will quickly penetrate into the blood. The victim needs to drink plenty of fluids, in addition, it is necessary to take one of the antihistamines: tavegil, suprastin, diphenhydramine and others.

What not to do if you are bitten by a viper:

drink alcohol;
cauterize the affected area;
cut the wound or inject potassium permanganate into it;
apply a tourniquet to the bite site.

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Every season has its drawbacks, even summer. With the onset of summer, there is a danger not only from ultraviolet radiation, but also the danger of getting a snake bite. You can meet them, especially if you are used to relaxing in nature. How can you distinguish a viper from an ordinary grass snake?

Features of snakes

Snakes do not pose a danger to humans, which cannot be said about the viper. It is important to be able to distinguish these snakes. The latter is a poisonous reptile, of which there are quite a lot in our country.

It already reaches medium size. The large oblong head is clearly demarcated in relation to the neck. The length of snakes is 0.8-1 meters, but there are also representatives 1.5-2 meters long

Highlight following features snakes:

Snakes have two spots near their head, which can be yellow or orange.
Their head is distinguished by its oblong shape with round pupils;
The surface of their skin contains a pattern represented by multiple triangles;
They are mostly active during the daytime;
They may be gray, brown or black in color;
Their average length reaches 100 cm, but there are individuals of a larger size;

Distinctive features of the viper

Project "Encyclopedia of Differences":

The viper is the most common venomous snake in the area middle zone Russia. Common viper- a small snake, reaching a length of about 75 cm, but sometimes vipers up to 1 m long are found. The head is rounded-triangular, clearly separated from the neck, on the top of the head there are three large shields

Highlight following signs vipers:

The viper pattern is made with multiple zigzags;
Viper is different big amount colors - brown, blue, gray or black;
Closer to the tail, the color changes to yellow;
She has two large teeth filled with poison;
The venomous snake has a triangular head and the pupils are vertical;
She is active mainly at night;
Its average length is 70-75 cm;
She lacks the round spots near her head, but may have a stripe along the entire length of her back.

Note! The viper primarily lives in forests. She prefers to hide behind rocks. Therefore, you should not pick up stones if you are in an unfamiliar place.

First aid for bites

The viper has a poisonous bite. If a person is bitten by a viper, he experiences shortness of breath, nausea, headaches and weakness. At the next stage, anemia, increased blood clotting and a state of shock may appear. If there are no wounds in the mouth, it is necessary to free the wound from the poison by suctioning and spitting. The procedure is carried out within 10 minutes. Then it is important to rinse your mouth with water, and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Already is a fast and agile snake. There are signs by which you can distinguish a grass snake from a viper. Experts and terrarium owners talk about the intelligence of snakes, but advise remembering that not all snakes are harmless.

Common snake, photo by Marek Szczepanek

How to distinguish a grass snake from a viper?

Eyes. The pupils of snakes are round, while those of vipers have the shape of a transverse “stick”. Characteristic feature Most snakes have well-developed eyes:

They have a round oval or vertical pupil, like a cat's, and often have a brightly colored iris, which usually harmonizes well with the overall coloring of the body. Snakes, which search for their prey mainly by sight, have greatly enlarged eyes, adapted to react to moving objects (Animal Life, Volume 5).

So: the pupils of snakes are round, and those of vipers are in the shape of a stick, which is located across the body.

Coloring. The coloring of snakes is varied. Among them there are snakes of dark olive, brown, brown and even almost black color. Some snakes have variegated skin with bright patterns. It is possible that this is the protective nature of the coloring, the desire to imitate poisonous snakes. The snake family is numerous. Therefore, in order not to confuse the snake with poisonous snake, you need to know the characteristics of exactly those species that are found in a particular area. Let's consider three types of genus Snakes (Natrix) subfamilies Real snakes (Colubrinae).

Common already “It is well distinguished from all our other snakes by two large, clearly visible light spots (yellow, orange, off-white) located on the sides of the head. These spots have a crescent shape, and are bordered in front and behind with black stripes. There are individuals whose light spots are weakly expressed or absent. The color of the upper side of the body is from dark gray to black, the belly is white, with irregular black spots” (“Animal Life”, volume 5).

Perhaps this advice from a famous snake catcher will help someone:

It was quite simple to distinguish a snake from a viper: the snake has sharp yellow or red spots on its head, similar to ears, and its body is monochromatic - dark gray or black. Vipers do not have “ears” on the head, the body is gray or red, and a zigzag stripe stands out sharply on the back (A Nedyalkov. Naturalist in search).

Water snake painted differently. This snake differs from the ordinary snake, although it often coexists with it.

The color of its back is olive, olive-gray, olive-greenish or brownish in color with dark spots located more or less in a checkerboard pattern or with narrow dark transverse stripes. On the back of the head there is often a dark spot shaped like Latin letter V, pointing towards the head. The belly is yellowish to reddish, mottled with more or less rectangular black spots. Occasionally there are specimens completely devoid of a dark pattern on the body or completely black (“Animal Life”, volume 5).

Zmeelov A. Nedyalkov warns that it is dangerous to rely only on the color of the snake’s skin. One day, a viper taught him a lesson that could end in tragedy:

I did not yet know that there were vipers painted solid black, and I almost paid a heavy price for my ignorance.

I was walking through the forest one day after rain and saw a black body stretching across the path. large snake. The snake's head was hidden in the grass. The black body means it's not a viper, but... I really needed a big one, so I bent down and, without any precautions, took the snake by the body with my bare hand. The snake hissed. Snakes usually do not hiss when picked up. My catcher’s reflex kicked in, and with my other hand I grabbed the snake by the neck so that it couldn’t reach me with its teeth. I look and her pupil is in the shape of a stick. Viper!

What saved me from being bitten was that the viper was very chilled after the rain, and chilled snakes are rather sluggish and clumsy (A Nedyalkov. Naturalist in search).

Tiger snake , which is found on Far East Russia (as well as in Northern China, Korea, Japan), painted brightly and elegantly:

The back is dark green or dark olive in color (occasionally blue specimens are also found), mottled with more or less clear black transverse stripes or spots, gradually decreasing in size as they approach the tail. In the anterior third of the body, the spaces between the black spots are painted a bright brick-red color. Under the eye there is an oblique black, wedge-shaped stripe, with its apex facing downwards, another black stripe runs from the supraorbital shield to the corner of the mouth. There is a wide black collar on the neck, or there is one triangular-shaped spot on each side of the neck. The upper lip is yellow, the eyes are large and black (“Animal Life”, volume 5).

Smell. Snakes have one more difference from other snakes. Alarmed snakes smell disgusting:

The snake waved its tail and doused me with a stream of whitish, stinking liquid. The stench was terrible: a mixture of garlic fumes and some kind of chemical substance. I almost vomited, but I still threw the snake onto the shore. For an hour and a half I rubbed my skin with soap, sand, and alcohol, but I couldn’t remove the smell (A. Nedyalkov “Dangerous Paths of a Naturalist”).

It is believed that in those places where snakes are found there are no vipers. It's a delusion:

In addition to vipers, snakes were also found near the ditches. They say that snakes are at enmity with vipers and kill them. I have seen more than once how a grass snake and a viper lie side by side and calmly bask in the sun. And I never saw them fight (A. Nedyalkov “Naturalist in Search”).

Types of snakes

There are many different snakes, but the most common in our country are these three species.

(Natrix natrix) is found in Europe (except for the Far North). It is a black or dark gray snake measuring up to 1.5 m (usually 1 m, females are noticeably larger than males) with two yellow or bright orange spots on the sides of the head. The snake can be found in overgrown bushes near water, in wet forests and in the swamps. The common snake sometimes settles near people’s homes: in heaps of garbage in the yard, in sheds, stables, cellars and poultry yards. It often hangs onto chickens and ducks or crawls into stables and barnyards. The snake even lays eggs here that resemble those of a pigeon. A dinner egg is filled with a yolk inside, surrounded by a thin layer of white. The eggs are covered with a leathery shell. The female lays eggs bound into “beads” by a gelatinous substance. Oviposition can be found in manure heaps, in a heap of dry leaves, damp moss or in loose soil. There can be 15 - 17 eggs (less often up to 30 pieces). About three weeks pass, and the cubs are born. The length of a snake that has just hatched from an egg is about 15 cm. It is capable of eating worms, snails and various insects.

The common snake spends the winter on land: it hides in old burrows made by mammals, climbs under the roots of trees, etc.

Water snake (Natris tesselata) lives in the southern regions of Russia, as it is more heat-loving than the common one. There are many such snakes in the Volga region and on the Don. The water snake is often seen in Crimea (especially on the Kerch Peninsula). These snakes stay near water, not only fresh, but also salty. They swim well (even in big waves) and dive. They feed on frogs, tadpoles, small fish (gobies) and even shrimp. Less often small mammals and birds. To make it easier for the snake to swallow the fish, the snake holds it in its mouth and swims to the shore. There it finds support for its body, sits comfortably near it, and then begins to swallow its prey. These snakes hide from the heat underwater. Snakes sleep in dry grass, in hay, climb into rodent holes, and under stones. In the morning, water snakes slowly crawl onto the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Snakes hibernate under rocks, in crevices and in dense bushes.

Already brindle (Rhabdophis tigrina) in Russia it is found in the south of the Far East (Primorsky Krai, near Khabarovsk) in damp areas near water, in forests and meadows. They are seen even in cities. The length of the snake is about 110 cm. It feeds on frogs, toads, small rodents and fish. This snake is considered conditionally venomous, as its poisonous teeth are located deep in the mouth (on the back of the maxillary bone).

For human bites tiger snake, usually caused by short front teeth, disappear without a trace. However, in cases where the bite is inflicted by enlarged posterior maxillary teeth lying deep in the mouth, and into the wound in large quantities saliva and the secretion of the upper labial glands enter, severe poisoning can occur, not inferior in severity to that from the bite of real poisonous snakes (“Animal Life, Volume 5”).

Snake nutrition

Snakes are excellent swimmers and often get their food not only on land, but also in water. The diet of snakes mainly consists of small vertebrates: amphibians and reptiles. However, there are lovers of rodents, birds and fish. Frogs are a delicacy for snakes. He catches them in the water and on the shore. A hungry snake swallows several small frogs at once. In the water, it also hunts tadpoles and fish.

Watching him eat is unpleasant. He swallows frogs alive, just as some people swallow live oysters. The discrepancy between the sizes of the frog and the snake makes the process of eating a terrible sight - big mouth snake with a small head, thin body, in which a swallowed frog sticks out with a terrible knot... As a child, I was once caught with such a knot on my neck. I poked it with a stick - a live and unharmed frog jumped out from inside, it was still crawling, but it was completely white: the stomach juice of the snake had discolored it (Hans Scherfig “The Pond”).

The snake is said to hypnotize its prey. Externally it looks exactly like this. A. Nedyalkov saw with his own eyes how the frog obediently approached the snake:

I have been told many times that snakes hypnotize frogs. But this time the “hypnosis” did not take place. To see everything better, I pulled away a branch of the bush. The frog noticed the movement of the branch and made a desperate leap, turning over its head in the air. He continued to lie motionless. Looking closely, I saw that from time to time he threw out a forked tongue from his closed lips. I did not disturb the snake and returned to my place. About five minutes later, near the same bush, the frog purred again. I approached the bush again. He was already lying in the same place, and the frog was purring again and approaching him. She did not jump, but, carefully moving her paws, crawled the way soldiers crawl on their bellies. This time I did not move the branches, and soon the frog approached the snake at a distance of twenty centimeters. Suddenly it rushed towards the frog and grabbed it by the end of its muzzle with its mouth. The frog struggled, but could not escape. Moving his jaws, he grabbed her tighter and tighter. The frog no longer purred, but desperately scraped the snake’s head with its paws. The snake's jaws kept moving and moving. The frog's eyes were already at the very edge of its mouth. I felt sorry for the frog, and I pushed the snake with the end of the grabber. He didn’t immediately let go of his victim. Only after I squeezed his neck quite hard with my grip, did he open his mouth and the frog escaped. She immediately jumped into the grass, and then slid into the thick of the bush... I don’t think he hypnotized the frog. Most likely, she noticed his moving tongue, mistook this tongue for a worm, wanted to eat this worm and herself became the prey of the snake (A. Nedyalkov “Naturalist in Search”).

Handmade

Snakes have been kept in captivity since the time Ancient Rome. Then they caught mice. Nowadays, there are also hobbyists who keep snakes at home. They advise designing the terrarium as a “forest + pond”. It is advisable to feed snakes with frogs and live small fish. Snakes are considered intelligent snakes that can get used to humans. This is what Hans Scherfig recalls about something he already knew in his book “The Pond”:

He was so sweet and friendly. A real pet snake that was not afraid of people. He even got rid of the old one bad habit- hiss and emit an unpleasant odor when you touch it. Frightened snakes smell like garlic.

With the onset of warm spring and summer days, everything more people goes out into nature. When the bright sun is shining outside and a gentle breeze is blowing, it is difficult to sit within four walls. Unfortunately, on summer cottage, near a river, a hidden danger awaits in the forest - a poisonous viper. Many people are afraid of being bitten, but you also need to relax in nature. There are many snakes in Russia, but not all of them are poisonous. The most common crawling creatures are divided into two categories: snakes and vipers. The first ones are not dangerous at all, but you need to stay away from the second ones. How can you determine who is in front of you - an insidious creature or a harmless little animal? Our article is dedicated to this issue.

Differences between snake and viper in head shape

When meeting a snake, you should immediately pay attention to the shape of its head. The difference between a snake and a viper is that the first has an oval, slightly ovoid head, while the second has a triangular, spear-like head. A poisonous snake has “superciliary ridges” extending from its neck; they are pronounced, so they are clearly visible. True, a snake can easily be confused with a viper if it is very angry. In this state, he flattens his head, trying to intimidate the enemy. Of course, you don’t always have the time and opportunity to take a good look at a creature that suddenly appears under your feet. But still, the shape of the head catches the eye almost immediately.

Differences in the pupil of the eye

The difference between a viper and a snake is huge, although these creepy crawlies look similar to each other. Of course, in combat conditions it is not very convenient to examine the body shape or coloring, but still, if you manage to thoroughly study the creeping reptile or observe it from the side, then determining whether it is poisonous or not will not be difficult. The eyes tell a lot; in vipers the pupils look like thin sticks located across the body; in snakes they are round or vertical (similar to a cat’s). In addition, the latter have an iris that perfectly matches the color of the overall body color. Snakes have very good vision, because thanks to him they look for food. Their eyes are enlarged and react quickly to moving objects.

What does the shape of the shields on the head indicate?

The shape of the scutes is another criterion that distinguishes it from a viper. In the former, they are of regular shape, large in size, and located symmetrically. In snakes, the scutes cover most of the head. The same cannot be said about vipers. They have three small shields irregular shape, which are located on the front of the crown. Next, the vipers begin to have body scales. When viewed from afar, these differences are hardly noticeable, but if you manage to see the snake up close, the shape and number of scutes immediately catch your eye.

What can the drawing of the head and back tell about?

How to distinguish a grass snake from a viper by color? This is a very unreliable method of recognizing a venomous snake, because there are a huge number of dark specimens on whose body it is almost impossible to determine the presence of spots or zigzags with the naked eye. Vipers have triangles along their backs that fold into stripes. Snakes do not have zigzags, they may have longitudinal rows, but they consist of spots, specks, and the pattern is always noticeable, it stands out on the body. Some problems occur with the water snake because it is dark and has staggered spots. From a greater distance, this pattern looks like a zigzag, so this snake is often confused with poisonous viper. Only up close you can see that these are not triangles at all, but spots.

Snakes have a variety of colors, among them there are individuals of brown, brown, dark olive and even black. There are also bright representatives of a large family, full of magnificent patterns. Many snakes imitate vipers for protection, so you need to know many characteristics so as not to confuse them with venomous snakes.

Viper, grass snake: similarities and differences in the shape of the body and tail

Venomous snakes have a much shorter body compared to non-venomous snakes. It is thicker than that of a grass snake and denser. The transition from the body to the tail in vipers is very sharp; it is blunt and short. Non-venomous snakes are long and thin. In snakes, the transition to the tail is smooth; it is long and thin. In vipers, the color on the inside of the tail is almost always a little lighter and has a yellowish tint. Having assessed appearance snakes, even inexperienced person will be able to determine who is in front of him - an enemy or a harmless creature.

Differences in the shape of scales

The difference between a snake and a viper is also in the shape of its scales. They always have a keel - a kind of narrow elevation found on each scale and dividing it in half. It is found in both vipers and snakes. The difference is that in poisonous snakes the keel does not divide the scales in half, leaving it whole, while in non-venomous snakes it is double, so it consists of two scales. Of course, it’s impossible to see all this from a great distance. The shape of the scales can only be determined by picking up the snake or killing it.

Coloration of ventral scutes

How to distinguish a snake from a viper in combat conditions? First of all, you should pay attention to the coloring of the abdominal scutes. In almost all vipers they are dark gray or black. In this case, the scutes have yellowish spots, they can be separate or merging, their shape also varies. In snakes, the belly can be divided into three parts. Their top is light, the middle is colored, but the lower part gradually darkens and turns black. The exception is the water snake, which has whitish spots on its scutes. Melanists have a normal color.

Presence of poisonous teeth

If you have the opportunity to examine a snake up close and pick it up, you can determine for sure whether it is poisonous or not. To do this, you need to press on the sides of the jaw and slightly pull the skin onto the neck from the head. This will open the mouth. The grass snake and the viper have a completely different arrangement of teeth. Comparisons can only be made up close and this must be done extremely carefully, because even a dead snake retains its venom for a long time. If you accidentally prick your tooth, you can get poisoned. The poisonous fangs are located in front; when the viper opens its mouth, they immediately turn, as if on hinges. Snakes do not have poisonous teeth at all.

The common snake is the most common snake in Europe

This is the most common of the creeping creatures in the Central and Southern Europe. The common snake and the common viper are very similar, which is why people often confuse them. They can be distinguished by the size of the body, as well as bright spots on the sides of the body. The length of the viper is about 80 cm, in rare cases 1 m. Females weigh about 0.5 kg, and males weigh up to 0.2 kg. Common vipers are black in color and have white or pink spots on their upper lip. There may or may not be an orange zigzag on the back.

The common grass snake has crescent-shaped orange, white or yellow spots, bordered by dark stripes. In some individuals they may be absent or mildly expressed. The belly of the snake is light with black spots, the color of the body is dark. The spots on the head resemble ears, which is how a non-venomous snake differs from a poisonous one. The common snake grows up to 1.5 m. It is found mainly near swamps and in thickets of forests. Sometimes a snake settles not far from people; it can be found in garbage, in sheds, in a pile of leaves.

How not to confuse a water snake with a viper?

This snake lives in the southern regions because it is very thermophilic. She loves to swim and dive, and both fresh and salty water. The water snake feeds on fish, frogs, small birds, and shrimp. From the heat, he hides under water, spends the night on the ground in dry grass, under stones or in the burrows of small rodents. Overwinters in dense bushes or crevices. There is practically no difference in color between the viper and the viper, because the color of both representatives of the family is very different. They can only be distinguished by their drawing.

The water snake can have an olive-grayish, olive, brown, or greenish color. Its main difference is dark spots on the back, arranged in a checkerboard pattern. People often confuse this pattern with the zigzags of a viper, but upon closer inspection it becomes clear that these are spots, not triangles. The belly of the water snake is reddish or yellowish with black spots. Sometimes completely black specimens are found; it is incredibly difficult to distinguish them from the viper.

Is the tiger poisonous?

This snake prefers to settle in damp areas, near water bodies, in meadows, in forest thickets, but is sometimes found even in cities. How to distinguish a grass snake from a viper? Of course, by the color and shape of the body. The tiger snake has a dark olive or dark green back with black spots or transverse stripes that taper towards the tail. There may be dark triangular spots or a black collar on the neck. His eyes are big upper lip yellow color.

What makes it different from a viper is that the former is safe for humans, although this statement is controversial. The tiger snake is considered conditionally poisonous, it’s all due to the posterior jaw teeth located in the depths of the mouth. If you have bitten a person with your short front teeth, then there is no need to worry, the wound will heal without a trace. And if the snake opened its mouth wide and grabbed the body with its posterior teeth, releasing a lot of secretion from the upper labial glands and saliva into the wound, then you should worry about your health. The fact is that a tiger snake bite can cause severe poisoning.

What do snakes and vipers eat?

Snakes are excellent swimmers, so they can find food not only on land, but also in water. The differences between snakes and vipers in diet are almost invisible. They can feast on small birds, frogs, rodents, and lizards. But only snakes can eat fish, because vipers are not ichthyophages.

What to do if bitten by a viper?

Not everyone is able to quickly determine whether a snake they meet along the way is poisonous or non-poisonous, and in some cases the creeping creature already bites, and then you only notice it. If you have even the slightest idea of how to distinguish a grass snake from a viper, then you need to carefully examine the attacker and decide whether the bite threatens your health and life or not. The snake usually does not intend to bite a person; accidents occur when people accidentally enter its nesting area or step on it. The hiss of a viper should not be regarded as an attempt to attack. Thus, she warns of her presence and offers to leave healthy and unharmed.

If you still cannot avoid the bite, then you should try in any way to reduce the amount of poison that gets into the wound. If possible, you can suck it out, but if you can’t cope on your own and there is no one nearby, then you need to take a glass or other container and try to push out the toxic substance. It is imperative to get to the first aid station within an hour to administer the antidote. If you can’t get to the hospital, then you need to prepare for swelling of the limb, and then the whole body, and severe pain. To avoid allergic reaction, you should take the Suprastin tablet.

It is very important not to move. It is recommended to lie horizontally and raise your legs slightly. This will make it easier for the body to fight the poison. Alcohol is contraindicated; in this case, you only need to drink plenty of sweet drinks. At home, a person needs to lie down for several days until the swelling subsides. At the hospital, the patient is placed in an inpatient unit for a week and given IV drips.

Only 1% of those bitten die from the bite of a common viper. But it should be remembered that poison is most difficult for people with weakened immune systems, as well as small children. It will also be bad for those who have been bitten on the neck by a viper. In these cases, you cannot sit at home idly, you must immediately visit a medical facility. The introduction of an antidote, adherence to bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids - all this will quickly put the patient on his feet. It is important to know how to distinguish between a grass snake and a viper in order to take timely action.

A snake bite gives the body a big shake-up, oddly enough, but in the future it has a beneficial effect on human health. If the viper attacks again, then its poison will no longer have such an effect on the body. Professional snake catchers receive more than a hundred bites in their lives, and are still alive and feeling well. Therefore, you should not be afraid of vipers, but it is still necessary to take precautions. If a snake is spotted from afar, then you should not be overly curious and approach it. Sometimes it happens that a viper lies on the path, blocking the passage. In this case, you need to take a long stick, move it in front of the snake and it will crawl away.

How to distinguish a grass snake from a viper is an important question for tourists, berry and mushroom gatherers. Is it possible to quickly determine how dangerous a creature you meet on a forest path is? IN Russian forests many species of poisonous and non-venomous snakes, which differ from each other appearance and character, but they all have one common feature– they never attack a person first; on the contrary, they try in every possible way to avoid contact with people, and when meeting them, move as far away from them as possible. Therefore, you need to move through a forest or clearing with caution; perhaps the place you have chosen for relaxation and walking is home for someone.

How is it different from a viper? Let's name the main similarities and differences between the viper and the grass snake.

External signs

The snake and the viper - the differences and similarities are understandable only to serpentologists who willingly share their knowledge and observations with others. At first glance, the similarity between snakes and vipers is obvious, and in both cases we see in front of us a long, crawling reptile. It is not easy for a non-specialist to determine the difference between them. If these two types of snakes are nearby, it is easier to compare them, but when examined separately, it is much more difficult to determine which one you encountered along the way.

Most main feature What distinguishes a snake from a viper is the presence of yellow semicircular spots at the base of the head, which can be mistaken for ears. However, not all snakes have such spots; they may be absent altogether, or may not stand out much against the background of the rest of the color.

These two amphibians have different head shapes. The viper has a spear-shaped head, while the snake has an oval, egg-shaped head. However, if it gets really angry, it begins to flatten its head to scare the enemy. Another difference is that the viper has distinct arches above its eyes, extending from its neck.

There is also a difference in the pupils of the eyes, although extreme conditions It is not always possible to look closely at these small signs. The snake's pupils are always round, while the viper's pupils are in the form of thin vertical lines. The eyes of snakes are distinguished by the presence of an iris, which is compatible in color with the general color of the body, and they have good vision. Whereas the viper has poor eyesight and does not see well. The approach of a person or animal is indicated to her by vibrations of the soil, which she is able to sensitively detect. The attacks of a poisonous snake are not very accurate; in order to hit the target it has to make several attacks. To produce poison in its body, the viper has to expend too much energy, so it spends the poison sparingly, which explains its reluctance to attack everyone and at any opportunity.

The shape of the scutes of the two amphibians also differs. In snakes they are large, regular in shape, located symmetrically and cover almost the entire head. And vipers have three small scutes of any shape, and they are located on the front of the crown.

Another difference between a viper and a grass snake is the color of its body. Although in nature there are a great many poisonous and non-venomous snakes with patterns various shapes and coloring, therefore this method does not always allow you to quickly determine the type of reptile.

The most important thing to remember is that the viper has a continuous zigzag stripe made up of triangles along its back. In snakes, the pattern consists of longitudinal rows consisting of specks and spots that make up a noticeable pattern. At the same time, the black viper has no pattern at all, while the black snake has a pattern made up of small yellowish spots and forms a kind of mesh.

In addition, the water snake has light and dark spots in a checkerboard pattern that can be confused with the zigzag pattern of a viper.

The color tone of snakes can also be different - brown, olive or black. Some snakes are indeed difficult to distinguish from poisonous snakes by their color; this helps them protect themselves from attacks by humans and some predatory animals.

The viper's body is thicker and denser, but shorter than that of the snake. And their tail is very different in thickness from the body - it is short, blunt and lighter than the body. In addition, it has a yellowish tint. In snakes, the body smoothly transitions to the tail, which is thin and long.

The shape of the scales is a feature that distinguishes venomous snakes from non-venomous ones. A small keel in the form of a narrow protrusion on each scale, which divides it in half, is present in both snakes and vipers. But in poisonous reptiles, the keel does not divide the scales into two parts, leaving it intact. Whereas in non-poisonous ones it divides the scales into two parts. This method of distinguishing a viper from a snake is also not easy and simple in conditions wildlife. It is possible to carefully study the structure of scales in reptiles only from a close distance, which is not always safe to reduce.

Poisonous teeth - this feature is found only in vipers. But they can also be identified only by picking up the reptile. A non-specialist can study the structure of the jaws only on a dead animal, but even in this case, care must be taken, even a dead viper remains dangerous for some time, the poison in its teeth remains for a long time, if you prick yourself on them, poisoning can occur.

In order to reveal the teeth, you need to press the jaws from the sides and slightly pull the skin off the head. The fangs with poison are located in front, they can be noticed first. Snakes do not have poisonous teeth at all.

Body length – as a rule, vipers are not very long. Their length rarely exceeds 1 meter, and is generally 80 cm. Males weigh about 200 grams, and females weigh about half a kilogram. Snakes can grow up to one and a half meters, while their weight is small - 700-800 grams.

The abdominal scutes also differ between vipers and grass snakes. The abdomen of vipers is dark gray or black, the scutes on it are covered with yellowish spots of various shapes. In snakes, the abdomen is divided into three parts: the upper one, immediately from the head, is light; middle – variegated; the lower one is a uniform black color. The water snake may have whitish or orange spots on its abdominal scutes.

There are species of snakes that have their own characteristics, for example, water snakes. These are heat-loving reptiles that live in warm regions in fresh or salt water. They feed on fish, shrimp, frogs, and small waterfowl.

The color of water snakes is dark green, brown, olive, grayish. But they almost always have dark spots on their backs, arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The abdomen is yellow or reddish with black spots.

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Differences in diet and lifestyle

Snakes and vipers differ from each other not only external signs, but also diet and lifestyle. For example, snakes readily climb trees, while vipers prefer to stay on the ground. Vipers do not lay eggs, they are viviparous, while snakes reproduce from eggs, which they lay in rotting plant debris, wet moss, and burrows.

In fact, viper cubs also emerge from eggs, but this entire process, from the birth of eggs to the appearance of snakes, occurs in the mother’s womb. The mother carries her 8-12 cubs within herself from start to finish.

Snakes, and not only aquatic species, prefer to settle near water - in swamps, in the floodplains of rivers and lakes, near ponds. Therefore, they feed mainly on fish and small water inhabitants, swallowing them alive without first killing them.

Doesn't hurt a person fatal bites, and when in danger, tries to convince or pretend to be dead. But when caught, he will try to secrete a liquid with a disgusting odor from the cloacal glands - this is his only defense against enemies.

Surprisingly, snakes can be tamed and domesticated. At home they are kept for hunting rodents and fed with milk from domestic animals.

Vipers have adapted well to life in swamps, mountains, steppes, deserts, semi-deserts and mixed forests.

The viper lives in one area and does not like to move long distances. Only when leaving for the winter do snakes crawl away to a distance of up to five kilometers, gathering into large balls numbering 2-3 hundred individuals. For the winter, vipers climb into holes and crevices, and in the spring they begin to crawl up and crawl back to their former habitats.

The viper feeds on mice, lizards, bird eggs, and chicks. The diet of young snakes consists of insects - slugs, snails, caterpillars, locusts, beetles, butterflies, worms, ants.

If bitten by a viper

Viper venom is dangerous for humans, but proper treatment will not cause death. In 70% of bite cases, people do not feel any serious symptoms at all, or only feel pain at the bite sites.

At severe poisoning Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea begin. The pressure rises, the skin turns pale, heart rhythms are disturbed, and all signs of tachycardia appear.

Less often it comes to loss of consciousness and a significant decrease in blood pressure. Kidney failure appears, convulsions begin, and the person falls into a coma.

In case of mild poisoning, a person can recover from the bite on his own within 3-4 days. In severe cases, the consequences can be felt within a year. In any case, you need to contact the clinic.

Before going to the hospital, the person bitten should be given more water, apply a tight bandage to the bite site, but do not tourniquet, try not to move the injured limb so that the poison does not spread throughout the body.