Ballito woman rushed to hospital following snake bite

A Ballito woman was rushed to hospital after being bitten by a Stiletto snake on Wednesday afternoon at her home in Hilltop Estate.

Unsure of the type of snake and in excruciating pain Kira Gibbons (27) was afraid for her life.

Gibbons had handled the snake, which she thought was a small mole snake, but after being bitten she knew she made a mistake.”My uncle found the snake in his swimming pool and he thought it was dead. I love snakes, so he brought it to my house in a jar,” said Gibbons.

“It must have been very docile from the cold water, because I handled it for almost 15 minutes and then out of nowhere it bit me on the inside of my finger,” she said.

Gibbons said she did not panic and waited for the snake to let go.

She said they initially thought it was just a mole snake, but she knew something was wrong when her hand started to hurt and swell shortly after the bite.

“I have never experienced anything like it. The pain was excruciating,” said Gibbons.

She was rushed off to Alberlito Hospital for treatment.

The Stiletto snake, also known as a Mole Viper or Burrowing Asp, is a small brown snake, sometimes with a light coloured underbelly.

Do not let the size of this snake fool you.

According to Neville Wolmarans, resident snake catcher from Ndondlo Reptile Park, bites from the Stiletto snake are very common.

“People do not give it the respect it deserves, because it is so small,” said Wolmarans.

He said that even though there are no fatalities reported from a stiletto snake bite, it is one of the most painful bites.

“We are catching more and more snakes with the warmer weather. Just a bit of heat and bright sunlight will attract the snakes out of their hiding places,” he said.

But that does not mean the slithering creatures will stay out of your house.

“When it gets cold, snakes will look for warmth and that is when they can come into your home,” said Wolmarans.

If you come across a snake, Wolmarans warned that the last thing you should do is to try and chase it away. This will only provoke it.

“If the snake is in your house, try and close it off in a room. Call a professional snake catcher to remove it,” said Wolmarans.

He said it helps to be able to identify the type of snake, because some species will give off a scent when provoked.

The most common snakes be found in the Ballito area are Bush snakes, Boomslang, Brown House snakes, Green and Black Mamba and also the Mozambique Spitting Cobra and Forrest Cobra.

If you do get bitten, Wolmarans advised that the best thing to do is to wipe the snake bite clean with your clothes and go to your nearest hospital for medical attention.

Make sure to take the time of the bite as this will be helpful for treatment purposes. Do not attempt to squeeze or suck out the venom, this will only make matters worse.

If you are faced with a snake emergency, call Neville Wolmarans on 082 561 4969 or 032-9471020.