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Precautions

Watch out for Habu Snakes

Dangerous and poisonous snakes

The habu is a poisonous snake found in Okinawa Prefecture. It is most active between April and November, but is also awake throughout the year.
The young will hatch around September and begin to move around looking for food. During the day, they hide in stonewalls, caves and thick brush, but will come out at night.

Habu Bite First Aid

  • Stay calm, try not to move around, and call someone close by for help
  • Seek medical attention at a clinic or hospital right away. As a first-aid measure, use a venom extractor to repeatedly draw out poison from the wound.
  • If it’s going to take time to get to a hospital, then wrap a cloth loosely, enough for one finger to be inserted, around an area between the bite and heart.

See the following website for a guide to using medical institutions in Japan