Kayaking is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but it’s important to be aware of the dangers that can come with it. One of those dangers is snakes. Here are some tips to help you keep snakes out of your kayak.
How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Kayak
If you’re a kayaker, you’ve probably noticed that snakes like to hang out in boats. They’re not just trying to ruin your day—they’re looking for a cozy place to rest.
But if you’re not fond of sharing your boat with slithery critters, here are some tips for keeping them out.
1. Avoid areas with high grass and weeds.
2. Inspect your kayak before getting in.
3. Keep your kayak clean and free of debris.
4. Use a snake guard or repellent.
5. Be aware of your surroundings and watch for snakes.
By following these tips, you can help keep snakes out of your kayak and enjoy your time on the water.
What kind of snakes are most likely to be found in kayaks
The two most common are the cottonmouth (water moccasin) and the water snake.
The cottonmouth
The cottonmouth is a pit viper—a type of snake that has heat-sensing pits between its eyes and nostrils. They can be found throughout much of the United States, but are most common in the Southeast. In some areas, they’ve been known to hide under docks or boats so that they can ambush unsuspecting prey. They’re also known for being aggressive when cornered or threatened by humans or other animals.
It prefers to live near water and can be found in swamps, rivers, and lakes. They’re not aggressive toward humans, but they will bite if they feel threatened.
The water snake
The water snake is not poisonous at all; it’s actually pretty harmless—unless you have an allergy to their saliva or venom! These snakes live in marshy areas where they hunt frogs and fish to eat; they’re active during daylight hours and can grow up to five feet long!
Unlike the cottonmouth it won’t display warning signs when threatened; instead, it will just swim away. This makes it easy for people to mistake them for venomous snakes like the cottonmouth (or even worse: rattlesnakes!).
How to remove a snake from your kayak
This is a situation that should be avoided at all costs, but it can happen to anyone. When you’re out on the water and you come across a snake, your first instinct is probably going to be to get it out of your boat as quickly as possible. But before you grab a paddle or shove the snake out of your kayak with your foot, there are a few things you need to know.
Keep your boat upright! If you flip over while trying to remove the snake from your boat, the situation could become much worse—and much more dangerous for you and others around you. Once you’re sure that nothing will go wrong if you move around in your kayak, try these next steps before considering other options:
1) Do not try to handle the snake yourself! It’s best if someone else does this for safety reasons (and because snakes are slippery). If there’s no one else around who can help, try using some kind of long stick or branch (like an oar) as a tool instead.
2) Make sure there aren’t any other snakes hiding inside or near your boat before continuing forward with any attempts at removal.
3) Try to gently guide the snake back into the water with your stick, and then leave it alone. If you can’t get it to leave on its own, do not attempt to catch it!
4) If you do decide to remove the snake, be sure to do so carefully. Snakes have a tendency to bite when they feel threatened or scared; if possible, try using your stick (or oar) as a barrier between yourself and the snake while you gently guide it back into the water.
What to do if you are bitten by a snake while in your kayak
What to do if you’re bitten by a snake while in your kayak
If you’re bitten by a venomous snake, call 911 immediately. It is important to get antivenom drugs into your system as quickly as possible.
If you can’t reach 911, call someone else who can make the call for you. Tell them where you are and what happened so they can tell the 911 operator. They will also be able to help if there is any trouble with the antivenom medication later.
Once the ambulance arrives, tell them about any allergies or medical conditions that may affect their treatment of you. They’ll want to know if anything in their kit is likely to cause an allergic reaction or other problems when used on human skin or inside your body (like antibiotics). After that, they’ll give you some pain medicine and start an IV with fluids and antivenom drugs.
The best thing you can do right now is stay calm and try not to move around too much, if possible, lie down on your back with one leg up on something like a towel or pillow so that gravity helps draw blood away from where it hurts most (this will also relieve pressure on veins near the bite area).
How to avoid being bitten by a snake while in your kayak
If you see a snake while you’re kayaking, it’s probably best to just leave it alone. Snakes are usually pretty good at avoiding people—they aren’t trying to attack you! They want to be left alone, just like anyone else would.
1. Stay calm. If you’re calm, you won’t panic and make any sudden movements that could startle the snake.
2. Be aware of your surroundings. If you’re not paying attention to where your kayak is going, you could hit a snake unexpectedly.
3. Do not mess with (touch, step on, or try to capture) the snake! You should never try to touch a snake or step on it because it may bite you in self defense. Also, don’t try to catch a snake because you could lose control of your kayak and fall into water that’s too deep for swimming or get bitten by an animal with rabies (which can be transmitted through saliva).
If you do accidentally get bitten by a snake while kayaking, though, there are some things that can help reduce the risk of infection or other complications:
1) Wash the wound immediately with soap and water for 15 minutes.
2) Apply pressure to stop the bleeding if necessary (but don’t apply a tourniquet).
3) Remove jewelry from around the area of the bite if possible.
4) If possible, keep an eye on the bite for signs of swelling or discoloration over time (if any appear).
What to do if you see a snake while kayaking
If you’re kayaking through snake territory, it’s important to keep your cool. If you’re calm, you won’t panic and make any sudden movements that could startle the snake.
If you see a snake while kayaking, do not run away or try to scare it off. Instead, slowly paddle away from the reptile. If it’s a venomous snake, don’t get out of your boat until you’re at least 25 feet away from it, and that’s just in case it strikes out of fear!
First of all, make sure that there’s nothing nearby that could be mistaken for a snake by your eyesight or your sense of touch. If there is anything in the water nearby, like a log or an underwater plant, that could be mistaken for a snake, get it out of the way before proceeding. You don’t want to accidentally mess with an actual snake!
If no such thing exists in the vicinity, try to determine whether what you saw was actually a snake. Snakes have very similar body shapes to eels and other aquatic animals; they have long bodies and short necks. If you’re still not certain what kind of animal it is, If you have time, take a picture of the snake with your phone so that wildlife officials can identify it later.
How to safely kayak in areas with snakes
But before you go, remember: snakes are everywhere!
Thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to help make sure you’re safe when kayaking in areas with snakes.
First things first: always wear light-colored clothing. This will make it easier for you to spot any snakes in your vicinity. And if you do spot one? Don’t panic! Just stay calm, and paddle away from the snake as quickly as possible.
If a snake comes into contact with your kayak—or even if it’s just near it—do not panic! If you keep calm and act quickly, the snake will realize that there is no reason for it to be afraid of you and will move on to other things (like other people).
You should also consider bringing along some sort of weapon that could help protect yourself against an attack by a snake (such as a gun or machete).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do snakes try to get in kayaks?
Yes! Snakes are very curious and will often try to climb into kayaks. Make sure you have a snake-proof kayak cover or spray the inside of your kayak with water before entering the water.
How do I keep snakes out of my lake?
If you have a lake on your property, there’s no way to keep snakes out entirely. But you can take steps to discourage them from hanging out near your dock or swimming area.
What should you not do if you see a snake?
It’s important to remember that snakes are wild animals, and they deserve to be treated with respect. This means that if you see a snake, don’t touch it. Snakes can be very dangerous if they feel threatened or cornered by humans, it’s best to just leave them alone.
Can snakes get in your boat?
Snakes are excellent swimmers, so there’s no reason why they couldn’t enter a boat if they wanted to. However, it’s unlikely that the snake would want to enter the boat unless it was lured there by an animal or human.
