Snakebite first aid in Australia involves calling Triple Zero (000), keeping the person completely still, applying a pressure immobilisation bandage to the bitten limb and immobilising the limb while waiting for an ambulance. Do not wash the bite, cut or suck the wound, apply an arterial tourniquet, or attempt to catch or kill the snake. If the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately.
Australia is home to numerous venomous snakes, and in Victoria an encounter can happen closer to home than many people expect. A snakebite may occur while bushwalking or camping, but it can just as easily happen while gardening, moving materials around a property or walking through long grass.
The good news is that Australian snakebite first aid gives you a clear course of action. You do not need to identify the snake or work out whether venom has been injected. Your priorities are to get emergency medical help, stop the person and affected limb from moving, and slow the movement of venom through the lymphatic system using the Pressure Immobilisation Technique (PIT).
Key Takeaways
- Treat every suspected snakebite as a medical emergency and call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
- Keep the person completely still. Walking or unnecessary movement can increase lymphatic flow and the movement of venom.
- Apply pressure bandaging with immobilisation to bites on a limb and keep the bandage in place until medical professionals take over.
- Never wash, cut or suck a snakebite, and never use an arterial tourniquet.
- Do not wait for symptoms or try to identify the snake before taking action.
What Is the Official Snakebite First Aid?
The Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR) provides specific guidance for managing Australian snakebite.
Its recommendations are straightforward: send for an ambulance, keep the person still, reassured and under constant observation, and apply pressure bandaging with immobilisation. If the casualty suffers sudden collapse and cardiac arrest, CPR should begin immediately.
That sounds simple enough when you read it. In a real emergency, however, knowing how to apply those principles correctly matters.
The first priority is safety. Make sure you and the casualty are no longer in danger from the snake. Do not chase it, corner it or attempt to kill it.
Call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. A suspected snakebite requires medical assessment even when the person initially looks and feels well.
Next, keep the person lying or sitting completely still. Reassure them and discourage unnecessary movement. If the bite is on a leg, for example, they should not walk to the car so somebody can drive them to hospital. Bringing emergency care to the casualty avoids the muscle movement associated with walking.
If the bite is on a limb, apply the Pressure Immobilisation Technique and immobilise the limb with a splint where possible.
Stay with the casualty and continue observing their condition until paramedics arrive.
Why Keeping Still Matters After a Snakebite
One of the most important things to understand about Australian snakebite first aid is how venom moves from the bite site.
ANZCOR explains that most snake venom reaches the bloodstream through the lymphatic system. Lymphatic flow is affected by movement of the muscles.
This is why keeping the casualty still is not simply about making them comfortable. Immobilisation is part of the treatment.
Pressure applied correctly to the bitten limb helps retard lymphatic flow, while immobilising the limb reduces the muscular movement that can encourage lymph movement.
ANZCOR notes that laboratory research has demonstrated that very little venom may reach the circulation, even after several hours, when pressure bandaging with immobilisation is applied immediately and maintained.
That makes two words particularly important:
Pressure and immobilisation.
Putting a bandage over a snakebite and then allowing the casualty to walk around defeats an important part of the technique.
How to Apply a Pressure Immobilisation Bandage for Snakebite
For a bite on an arm or leg, pressure bandaging with immobilisation should be applied as soon as possible.
ANZCOR describes more than one acceptable bandaging method, which is worth noting because people sometimes hear conflicting instructions about whether they should bandage upwards or downwards.
One technique involves applying a bandage firmly over the bite site before applying another pressure bandage to the entire limb.
Another method uses a single bandage, beginning at the fingers or toes and extending upwards along the limb as far as possible, including over the bite.
The important principle is to apply firm, even pressure to the limb. ANZCOR advises that the pressure should be approximately the same as that used for a sprained ankle.
Once bandaged, the limb should be immobilised. A splint can be applied to restrict movement, and the casualty should remain still.
If possible, note the time of the bite and the time the bandage was applied. The location of the bite can also be marked on the outside of the bandage.
Do not remove the bandage to check the bite.
Leave pressure immobilisation in place until medical professionals take responsibility for the casualty.
Do You Bandage Up or Down for a Snake Bite?
This is one of the most common questions about snakebite first aid, and the answer is more nuanced than some online instructions suggest.
Single-Bandage Method
Begin at the fingers or toes of the affected limb and continue the bandage upwards, covering as much of the limb as possible, including the bite area.
Pressure Over the Bite First
Another recognised technique begins by applying firm pressure directly over the bite area before continuing to bandage and immobilise the affected limb.
What Matters Most
The priority is not simply whether you bandage “up” or “down”. What matters is achieving appropriate firm pressure, immobilising the affected limb and keeping the casualty as still as possible.
Why Practical Training Matters
Reading instructions and physically applying a pressure immobilisation bandage are very different experiences. Practical first aid training gives you the opportunity to practise the technique before you ever need to use it in a real emergency.
What Should You NOT Do After a Snakebite?
Some old snakebite treatments have survived surprisingly well in popular culture, but several of them can do more harm than good.
Do Not Cut or Incise the Bite
Cutting the wound does not provide appropriate snakebite first aid and can cause additional injury.
Do Not Use an Arterial Tourniquet
ANZCOR advises against arterial tourniquets for Australian snakebite. The recommended approach is pressure bandaging with immobilisation.
Do Not Wash the Bite
Leave the bite site undisturbed. Washing the area may remove venom traces that could potentially assist medical assessment.
Do Not Suck the Bite
Trying to suck venom from the wound is not an effective or recommended treatment for snakebite.
Do Not Try to Catch or Kill the Snake
Attempting to capture a venomous snake creates a real risk of another bite, either to the casualty or to somebody trying to help. Keep your distance and concentrate on the casualty instead.
A Photograph May Help — But Only If It Is Safe
ANZCOR notes that a digital image of the snake may be useful if it can be taken without approaching, disturbing or placing yourself near the snake. Personal safety always comes first.
Why Shouldn't You Wash a Snakebite?
Leaving the bite site alone can seem counterintuitive. If something harmful has been deposited on your skin, washing it off normally sounds sensible.
Snakebite is different.
Venom left around the bite site or on clothing may potentially assist medical professionals. Washing the area can remove that material.
The priority is therefore not cleaning the wound. Apply pressure immobilisation and leave the bite site undisturbed.
This is an important distinction because first aid for different Australian bites and stings is not interchangeable. A technique appropriate for one venomous creature may be inappropriate for another.
Knowing the difference is part of good first aid knowledge.
How Long After a Snake Bite Do Symptoms Appear?
There is no reliable number of minutes or hours after which you can declare a suspected snakebite harmless.
Symptoms depend on factors including the snake involved and whether clinically significant envenomation has occurred.
A bite may leave obvious puncture marks, but it can also appear as small scratches that are easy to overlook. Local pain may take time to develop.
As venom affects the body, symptoms can include nausea or vomiting, headache, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, breathing difficulties, muscle weakness, paralysis and collapse.
The absence of immediate symptoms therefore does not mean it is safe to wait and see what happens.
Someone can look relatively well after a suspected bite and still require urgent medical assessment.
This is why Australian first aid advice is deliberately cautious: treat a suspected snakebite as a medical emergency and call Triple Zero (000).
What Is the 20-Minute Test for Snake Bite?
People searching for snakebite information sometimes encounter references to the 20-minute whole blood clotting test, commonly abbreviated to 20WBCT.
This Is Not a First Aid Technique
The 20-minute whole blood clotting test should not be attempted by a casualty or bystander. It is not part of the recommended first aid response to a suspected Australian snakebite.
What the Test Is Used For
The 20WBCT has been used in clinical settings in some parts of the world to assess whether blood is clotting normally following suspected snake envenomation. It involves observing a blood sample after a specified period.
The Important Message for First Aiders
Do not spend 20 minutes testing, observing or waiting for symptoms.
What You Should Do Instead
Call Triple Zero (000), keep the casualty still, immobilise the affected limb and apply pressure immobilisation as soon as possible.
Leave the Testing to Hospital Clinicians
Australian hospitals can perform the appropriate clinical assessment and blood testing to determine whether envenomation has occurred and what treatment is required.
Do You Need to Know What Type of Snake Bit You?
You do not need to identify the snake before beginning first aid, and you should never put yourself at risk trying to do so.
Australia has many species of snake, and accurate identification can be difficult even when somebody gets a reasonable look at the animal.
ANZCOR recommends Pressure Immobilisation Technique for bites from all Australian venomous snakes, including sea snakes.
That gives first aiders a straightforward response.
- Suspected snakebite?
- Treat it seriously.
Rather than spending valuable time debating whether the snake was a tiger snake, brown snake or something harmless, call an ambulance, keep the casualty still and apply the appropriate first aid.
What Happens if the Person Collapses?
Severe snake envenomation can become life-threatening. If the casualty's condition deteriorates, be prepared to move immediately from snakebite first aid to the DRSABCD action plan.
Watch for Deterioration
Stay with the casualty and monitor their condition. If they become unresponsive and are not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately.
Follow DRSABCD
Continue to follow the usual DRSABCD emergency response. Send for emergency assistance, assess breathing and respond immediately if cardiac arrest occurs.
Unresponsive + Not Breathing Normally = Start CPR
Do not delay. Begin CPR and use an AED if one is available, following the standard DRSABCD sequence.
Can the Rescuer Get Venom From Giving CPR?
No. ANZCOR states that there is no risk of venom transmission to the rescuer from providing CPR. Fear of venom should not delay resuscitation.
Why Acting Quickly Matters
Hesitation costs valuable time in cardiac arrest. If the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing normally, commencing CPR promptly becomes the immediate priority.
Continue Resuscitation
Continue CPR until the person responds, paramedics or another qualified healthcare professional takes over, it becomes impossible to continue, or you are otherwise directed by emergency services.
Snakebite Risk Around Melbourne and Victoria
You do not need to be deep in the Victorian bush to encounter a snake.
Snakes can be encountered around suburban fringes, parks, reserves, walking tracks, farms and rural properties, particularly where suitable habitat and food sources are available. Garden sheds, long grass, piles of materials and areas near waterways can also provide habitat or shelter.
The sensible approach is prevention rather than fear.
Wear appropriate footwear and clothing when walking through areas where snakes may be present. Avoid putting your hands into places you cannot see. Take care when lifting sheets of metal, timber, rocks or other materials that have been sitting outside.
Most importantly, leave snakes alone.
If you encounter one, give it space and allow it an escape route rather than attempting to handle or move it yourself.
Why Snakebite First Aid Is Worth Practising
Snakebite is one of those emergencies where knowing the correct treatment in theory can create a false sense of confidence.
Knowing You Need a Bandage Is Only the Beginning
You may remember the basic advice, but real first aid requires you to turn that knowledge into the correct physical response.
How firm should the pressure immobilisation bandage be?
Where should you start bandaging?
How much of the affected limb needs to be covered?
How do you immobilise the limb once the bandage is in place?
What do you do if the casualty suddenly stops responding?
Practice Turns Instructions Into a Response
These questions are much easier to answer when you have actually practised first aid skills. Practical training gives you the opportunity to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage, immobilise a limb and respond to a deteriorating casualty before you ever need to do it in a real emergency.
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid develops practical skills for responding to a range of medical emergencies and injuries. Training gives participants the opportunity to move beyond simply reading instructions and demonstrate first aid procedures in realistic scenarios.
For Melbourne workplaces, families, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who simply wants to be better prepared when something goes wrong, nationally recognised first aid training provides skills that can be called upon well beyond snakebite.
You can explore recognised first aid training with First Aid Courses Melbourne, delivered by First Aid Pro.
Snakebite First Aid: Simple Actions Matter
Seeing a snake close to you is startling enough. Realising somebody may have been bitten can quickly turn that moment into an emergency.
That is precisely when a clear first aid response matters.
Don’t waste time trying to identify the snake. Don’t wash the bite. Don’t encourage the casualty to walk to the car. And don’t rely on how well they appear in the first few minutes.
Call Triple Zero (000), keep them still, apply pressure bandaging with immobilisation and monitor them continuously until medical help arrives.
Those actions are based on Australian snakebite first aid guidance, but knowing them and being able to perform them confidently are not quite the same thing.
Practical first aid training helps close that gap. If you want to develop the skills to respond to snakebite and other emergencies, consider completing HLTAID011 Provide First Aid with First Aid Courses Melbourne. Emergencies rarely give you advance notice. Training gives you something much more useful: a response you have already practised.
Related Reading
- Australian Museum – Australian snakes image gallery
- healthdirect.gov.au – Snake Bites
- ANZCOR Guidelines – Guideline 9.4.1 – First Aid Management of Australian Snake Bite
FAQs
What is the first aid treatment for a snake bite?
Call Triple Zero (000), keep the casualty still and reassured, apply pressure bandaging with immobilisation to a bite on a limb, and keep the person under constant observation. If they become unresponsive and are not breathing normally, commence CPR. Do not wash, cut or suck the bite or apply an arterial tourniquet.
Do you bandage up or down for a snake bite?
ANZCOR recognises different pressure immobilisation methods. One approach applies pressure over the bite before bandaging the limb. The single-bandage method begins at the fingers or toes and continues upwards over as much of the limb as possible. Correct pressure and immobilisation are more important than reducing the advice to a simple “up or down” rule.
How long after a snake bite can symptoms appear?
There is no safe waiting period. Symptoms and their timing vary, and a person may initially appear well. Do not wait for symptoms to develop before seeking treatment. Every suspected Australian snakebite should be treated as a medical emergency.
Do you need to identify the snake before treating a snake bite?
No. Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake. ANZCOR recommends pressure immobilisation for bites from Australian venomous snakes. A photograph may assist identification if it can be taken safely, but identifying the snake should never delay first aid or put another person at risk.
