SA toddler bitten by a night adder, recovering
|Published
A two-year-old South African toddler is recovering after being bitten by a nigh adder due to the quick identification of the snake by his parents as well as quick treatment.
Last week, a two-year-old toddler was bitten by a common night adder while playing, according to Arno Naude, who runs a company called Snake Bite Assist.
Naude, who is based in Pretoria, has more than two decades of experience, and his company helps to avoid snake-human conflicts as well as dealing with the consequences in the event of accidents.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Naude said he shared the toddler's experience and pictures with the parents' permission.
Naude said the child got tagged on the finger by a common night adder, and his parents had quickly identified the snake before rushing their son to a nearby hospital.
“I am not sure what he was given when admitted, but the hand was swelling and it was slightly elevated. I would have preferred more aggressive elevation, but with a small child it is not easy,” he said.
He said after two days there was talk of a fasciotomy, which is an emergency procedure used to treat acute compartment syndrome.
This procedure, he said, is “totally uncalled for even in this situation.”
“Luckily, calm heads prevailed and the child was discharged,” said Naude.
Naude said that he has been in contact with the parents and has talked them through what would happen, when, and what they need to do to help the recovery process.
“So far the recovery is going well and yesterday he was using his hand for small tasks, so its functionality has not been affected,” he said.
Naude added that small children do not understand danger, and there is nothing anyone could have done to prevent the bite.
“But at least the treatment did no harm, and I expect it to be resolved later this week.”
Local snake catcher Nick Evans said in the Greater Durban Area, the Rhombic night adder is far more common than the puff adder.
“Puff adders are generally spotted in the Upper Highway Area, but even there, they're few and far between. In other parts of the province, such as savannah areas in Zululand, and the grasslands of the Drakensberg, the puff adder is more common,” he said.
Describing the difference between the two, Evans said that an adult Rhombic night adder is much smaller than the larger puff adder.
“The night adder has a less-distinctive head, not quite what you may expect an adder's head to look like. They are more slender too. They're generally light brown in colour, sometimes appearing grey, with dark diamond-like markings going down the length of its body. They also have a distinctive 'V' marking at the back of their head,” said Evans.
He said puff adders have a very distinctive, fist-like head.
“They've got much bigger fangs too. In the Midlands, Berg, and southern Natal, they're generally yellow and black in colour.”
“The ones up in Zululand, in the drier areas, tend to be a more dull colour (shades of light brown and cream). Instead of diamond patterns, they have chevrons (or arrows) going down their body.”
Evans said both species are venomous (cytotoxic venom), but the puff adder's bite is far more serious and life-threatening than that of the night adders.
“However, a bite from a night adder should never be taken lightly, and urgent medical attention should be taken,” he said.
According to Evans, both species hiss and puff if threatened, as a warning, although the puff adder can exhale much more loudly.
“Puff adders feed on rodents, lizards and sometimes frogs. Night adders feed only on toads,” he advised.
Evans said night adders are more active during the day, where they are often seen basking or feeding on toads. “I've found more puff adders at night time, whilst they're on the move, but they too are active during the day, and are particularly fond of basking.”
He added that the puff adder gives birth to live young while the night adder lays eggs.
The Mercury