3 Safety Tips to Prevent Snake Bites in the Wild

Formerly a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, Shaun Hayes is a wealth manager who first began his career in finance as a consultant for AXA Advisors, LLC, where he earned recognition as a top 3 producer in the country. In his free time, Shaun Hayes is a herpetology enthusiast who documents his experiences capturing snakes to share with his audience of 23,000 Instagram followers.

People who are unfamiliar with the species often mistakenly believe that snakes are malicious and intentionally seek to hurt humans when they bite. In reality, snakes prefer not to interact with humans and only bite in self-defense or when determining whether or not something is food. The following three tips can help people avoid being bit when exploring areas where snakes are often found:

1. Avoid walking through areas with tall grasses and dense bush. Snakes like to hide in this type of foliage to keep themselves safe from the detection of predators, especially large birds like falcons and hawks.

2. Don’t put your hands into crevices, under logs, or anywhere that you can’t see. Reaching into small, concealed areas without checking may result in a bite from a startled snake who has chosen to hide there.

3. Never provoke a wild snake. A majority of bites in the wild occur when people without any experience in handling snakes attempt to capture or harass them. Most snakes are conflict avoidant and will leave people alone when they themselves are left alone.