Venom Toxicity: Very toxic. Venom is necrotoxic – it destroys all cells it
comes in contact with – red blood cells, muscle, ligaments, and bone.
With a quick hospital visit after a bite you may just lose part of your
finger, or some tissue where the bite occurred. The venom causes a bite
victim to bleed from body orifices – eyes, nose, mouth, ears, sexual
organs, and sometimes fatally in the brain. Most people don’t die if they
go to the hospital. Deaths occur when bite victims delay seeking medical
treatment. There is antivenom for this snake.
If you are bitten by this snake, do NOT wrap a tight band around the bite
location. That will stop the venom from moving, from being diluted, and
the tissue will suffer much more destruction.
Defensive Behavior: Partially coiled with neck in an “S”. Their strike is very
fast. Their fangs are long – and in the front of the mouth. Some strikes are
short, others involve the whole body as it “jumps” at the same time it strikes.
Don’t underestimate the distance this snake can reach when striking. Also,
this snake is VERY good at striking behind its head. Watch the video.
This pit viper has the longest fangs of any other snake in Thailand – including
the Siamese Viper (D.
siamensis).