Gingin poultry farmer Rob Kestel received a very unwelcome surprise on Christmas eve when he was bitten by a dugite, or brown snake, whilst collecting supplies from a storage unit.
Wearing thongs, Rob visited the sea container at about 8pm and was unlucky enough to step on the very large adult snake. Rob was bitten twice on the leg as he clamboured out in the darkness. Making a conscientious decision to remain calm, Rob got back in his car and drove the 100 meters back to his house where he carefully instructed his family not to panic. Wife Robyn called an ambulance while his teenage children bandaged his leg.
Ambulance staff commended their job and Rob says that receiving the leg bandaging within minutes of the bite was crucial to slowing the venom entering his bloodstream.
At Joondalup hospital Rob’s condition was monitored and blood samples taken every few hours.
Keep calm and survive snakebite In the early hours of Christmas morning hospital staff removed the bandaging as Rob was showing no reaction to the bite.
“The biggest thing was my ability to stay calm and keep my heart rate low,” said Rob, “Secondly the age of the snake – an older snake can control the amount of venom it releases, so I didn’t get too much.” After Christmas lunch in hospital, Rob was released by 3pm and was back in form, crabbing with his family in Mandurah the next day.
