Summer on the Adriatic coast is an active season not only for tourists. At the end of spring, snakes wake up from hibernation. They crawl out to bask in the sun, admire the local landscape and do family things. In Montenegro, you can meet the following representatives of the snake kingdom.
The long-nosed viper (aka Poskok)
This snake is dangerous and poisonous. The body length is 60-70 cm. The upper part of the head is brown, with small spots. At the end of the muzzle there is a pointed growth covered with small scales, 3-5 mm long. The color of the viper is gray, sometimes burgundy, with characteristic transverse stripes along the back. The belly is yellow.
Vipers like rocky places. When meeting one, you should behave as carefully as possible, without sudden movements. It is best to quietly step back and wait until the viper crawls away of its own accord.
If you saw a snake in a river or a pond, it is most likely a type of harmless grass snake. The grass snake differs from the viper by two bright yellow spots in the temporal region of the head. The head of the grass snake is oval and elongated, while that of the viper is triangular and short. The pupil of the grass snake is round, if you have time to see it, of course, while that of vipers is vertical. The tail of the grass snake is thin and long, while that of vipers is short and thick.
Yellow-bellied snake (also known as Yellow-bellied)
This snake is not a poisonous animal, but it is still very dangerous. Its length reaches more than 2 m. The color of the upper side of the body can be all shades of olive, without a pattern. The abdomen is yellow, fawn, sometimes reddish. There is usually a yellow spot around the eyes.
Yellow-bellied snakes can be found in open areas, in bushy thickets near roads, on rocky mountain slopes. They often hide in cracks in the ground, in scree, in rodent burrows.
Yellow-bellied snakes are also called toothy snakes. An alarmed snake is very aggressive. When attacking, it can jump up to 1.5-2 m in height. The bites are deep and painful, leaving fragments of the snake's teeth in the wounds, which can cause blood poisoning.
Such snakes love silence and do not like well-trodden tourist paths. When walking new routes without a guide in the mountains, try to behave quietly and watch your step carefully.
Blavor (or Legless Lizard)
It looks like a snake, but in fact it is a lizard. It is not dangerous, not poisonous and harmless. It can reach a length of up to 135 cm. The color is even, ash-brown or gray.
As a rule, it hides among stones and in the grass. Blavor can also be found on roads and mountain paths. It feeds on rodents, spiders, lizards and other snakes. Therefore, local residents try to settle it near their home, as a protector from rats, mice and poisonous snakes, which do not like such a neighborhood.
Precautions and rules of conduct
Remember: snakes are dangerous animals. Do not catch or provoke them for the sake of a good photo or for fun, even if they are small and outwardly seem lethargic. Baby vipers are just as poisonous as adults. You should be careful when handling dead snakes, some of them retain their poison for a long time.
Snakes never attack without warning. If the snake has taken a threatening pose, slowly retreat back. Avoid sudden movements that frighten the snake! It is strictly forbidden to shout loudly, defend yourself, put your hands forward, turn your back to the snake, or run away. If you have a stick, hold it in front of you in the direction of the snake. Remain calm, and only calm.
First aid for a snake bite
What to do if you can't avoid a snake bite?
It is prohibited to:
• Cut the bite site or cut out the affected area. Such cuts can lead to infections, damage to veins and tendons.
• Cauterize the wound with hot objects, coals from a fire, gunpowder, as well as alcohol, vinegar or iodine. These measures are dangerous and useless, since snake teeth reach a centimeter in length, and the poison is injected deep into the muscle tissue.
• Do not apply a tourniquet or tight bandage above the bite site. This can significantly worsen the condition of the victim, provoke gangrene, and even death.
It is necessary to:
• Provide the victim with complete rest in a horizontal position. He must not move.
• The wound should be disinfected, a sterile bandage should be applied, which should be loosened periodically as the swelling develops so that it does not cut into the soft tissue.
• Give the victim more water to drink (it is better to avoid coffee, tea, sweet drinks, and especially alcohol). Clean water helps remove the poison from the body. Alcohol, on the contrary, delays and enhances the properties of the poison.
• Hospitalize the victim immediately. Anti-snakebite serum is available at ambulance stations.
Be attentive to yourself and the world around you, let your vacation bring you new and pleasant impressions!
