You know, it's people like you, concept, that remind me why my wife sometimes has to yell at me.
Back when we were dating, we went fishing at some lake. On one of my casts, my bobber fell off my line. It was about 6 feet from the bank, so I stepped out onto a stump in the water next to the bank, grabbed a tree branch, and leaned out the last couple feet to get the bobber. And a water moccasin swam right between the stump and my hand. I looked at the snake and right then she yelled "NO!"
Yep...I was seriously considering making a grab for it.
If the snake you're considering grabbing is known to be venomous, then my recommendation is don't intentionally put yourself in a position where you could possibly be bitten. There are usually lots of options, such as a stick, broom, or something that you can use to trap, kill, or get the snake out without exposing yourself needlessly. Or just leave it alone, depending on circumstances.
Baby snakes have a couple things you need to be aware of:
One is that they don't always quite look like their mature version. Coloring and patterns may differ significantly. So if you get bitten, and you think it was venomous, accurate identification is important for correct medical attention for anti-venom. With camera phones so prevalent, maybe a good picture. The dead snake in a container is also good. A life snake in a secure, clear, container maybe. (Though you probably should leave the snake in the car and ASK if they need to see it...) Anything that helps positively identify the exact snake.
Another thing is that younger snakes have a much more limited amount of venom available at any given time with which to inject. It's potency may or may not be as much as an adult's, though. Smaller amount of venom injection is better, of course, than larger amounts. Location of the bite, depth of bite, and what the fangs reached is important, too. It's generally true that about 20% to 25% of viper snake bites are dry, for whatever reason. But even so, and even if the bite that got through was the last one of several bite attempts, you can't bet money on this.
Which means you really should seek medical attention immediately, if at all possible. They may determine it's nothing to worry about, but it's not something to bet your health on. At the very least, you can be sure to have it treated for infection.
Back to my wife...the snake at the lake event was nearly 25 years ago, now. I'm in my fifties and LIKE to think that I'm the wiser for it. But in all honesty...I've always had an intense curiosity, and a complete lack of fear (and common sense, my wife would claim), for any kind of snake, venomous or otherwise. Because of this, my wife would probably STILL yell at me today under similar circumstances.
Sometimes we men need yelling at for our own good.
