Adder bite?

[Dragonyka]

I wonder if anyone can point me in the direction of a website where I can find out for myself the likelyhood of adders being present in the M44 area of Manchester or perhaps knows already?

I was talking to a member of the allotment association where I have an allotment who hasn't been around much because of 3 wounds to his leg that he suffered while working on his allotment. I don't have the full story, so I don't know exactly how it happened, but his doctor is convinced that the wounds are adder bites, and the member thinks he must have knelt on it if that is the case. The doctor has apparently examined the wounds under magnification of some sort which convinced him that they were snake bites. I should add that this happened during the summer.

The questions I have are:-
1) Are there likely to be adders in this area
2) Should I report the "sighting" to someone and if so to whom?
3) What if any precautions should I take while working on the allotment? (my plot being next door to the chap who was bitten.)

Thanks

Nicola

[Meta menardi]

I have spent some time wading through heather and walking through long matted grass, with Adders sometimes staying on the surface of the mat. I think if you are reasonably noisy or rather not unduly quiet, you will not have adder problems if they are present. I really can't comment on the chance of them being in your area. Adder bites are not common, they would rather get away from you.

[Kayleigh]

Put some tin sheet down in a sunny spot and leave it a while then have a look lifting the sheet carefully, this will show if there are any in the area they will not bite unless they are threatened but keep a safe distance.
But just be careful when you are working on the allotment just in case there are some in undergrowth.
I don't think there is any need to report them they will try to get away from danger and humans if this story is true the snake would have bitten from being stood or knelt on.
Other British snakes can bite if they feel threatened but only the adder is our poisonous snake.

[faz]

I used to live in north Devon in xxxx they have lot of adders there to the point that they WARN dog walkers of the risk to dogs getting bitten my other half works in pharmacy in the local hospital I asked if there was ant venom for adders this is the only hospital in north Devon the next nearest is in Exeter about 60 miles away. I asked the wife if they had adder anti venom NO she replied I told her about adders and how common they are here she told her bosses and they now store it just in case.

check if you local hospital stores it where ever you are in the uk

[Kayleigh]

The venom has a very low yield which is why there have been only 10 recorded human deaths in the UK in the last 100 years as a result of an adder bite.
There could be a potential problem with anyone who suffers an allergic reaction to it.

[Dragonyka]

Thanks for the quick responses. I'm assuming that adders would be hibernating now, so I'll have to try the tin sheet experiment next year (must find something appropriate to use.)

I can find info that shows that adders have been sighted approximately 6km away across farmland from my allotment and a possibility that they're in an area only 1.5km away. Is this is close enough that they could be living on/near our allotments?

I'm very excited that they could be, but might be a bit more wary of taking my class of nursery children to visit the allotment if that's the case. (although I doubt any self-respecting adder would hang around very long with a class of nursery children around!)

I saw the chap who was possibly bitten on Wednesday this week. I don't know when exactly it happened, but there are 3 very obvious wounds on his leg still. I believe he went to the doctor when his foot started going black! He's obviously a lot better now, so no lasting effects, but it's enough to make me a touch wary.

Thanks again

[marvin]

hi

i don't know the area but a quick google makes me think its very unlikely adders are present.

i also think it unlikely someone could sustain three adder bites without noticing at the time and without actually seeing the animal responsible.

tim

[fairplay]

I must say I find it very hard to believe a chap working on an allotment does not know if he was bitten by an adder or not and as for 'kneeling on an adder' - that's just crazy.
No adder worth its reputation is going to hang around to be kneeled upon !
Still, the doctor knows best.

Neil.

P.S. 3 very obvious wounds ?!! We are only talking about an adder here aren't we and not a King Cobra ? Surely the puncture wound itself would be hardly detectable given the size of an adders head, and as for 3 wounds, that is very implausible as an adder has only a limited amount of venom which would probably be exhausted with the first bite, and as the above post states, if he'd been bitten 3 times and not seen what did it ... sorry, it just doesn't add up.

[thunder]

I'm not sure that Adders have a wide enough gape to be able to bite an adult man on the knee area of the leg. Fingers (amd toes!), yes; ankle, possibly; calf and knee - I doubt it.

henrya

[nightshade]

Adder bites are a defensive reaction when they cannot get away quickly enough. The usual bite situation is a dog off the leash rushing into the Adders basking area, chasing a stick or ball for instance, the snake reacts as if to an attack.
I have been in close proximity to Adders on several occasions and they have never been aggressive but simply disappear as quickly as possible.
I don't know how others would react but if anything bit me I would be very aware and certainly remove myself from the immediate area, then look for my assailant!
I don't like the idea of bringing any reptiles into a potential "killing ground"
like a piece of corrugated iron, where the mans friends could be wanting to get rid of the "dangerous" snakes.
I once knelt down in cover and trapped a piece of hawthorn in the crease at the back of my knee (quite low down) I thought something had bitten me, there were no broken thorns just two neat punctures.