Aurora Foreman Has a Brush With Danger After A Puff Adder's Dry Bite

• A 30-year-old farmer from Aurora in the Western Cape survived a puff adder bite without any venom being injected
• Quick thinking and following medical advice, like avoiding tying off the arm, helped prevent further damage after the bite
• Experts warn that puff adder bites can cause severe tissue damage and even limb loss

It happened on the afternoon of 29 August 2025, when the foreman from a farm in Aurora, Vredenburg, heard his dog going crazy in the yard. He went to check it out and found the dog barking frantically at a puff adder.

In a quick move to grab his dog and pull it away from danger, the foreman was bitten on his ring finger. The snake’s fang broke off and remained stuck in his finger, right on the knuckle just below his nail. This was posted by Boland Snake Removal 24/7 and Pest Control.

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The dangerous bite of a puff adder snake

The foreman and his family called for help and went to Vredenburg Hospital immediately. He did not tie off the arm, which is what many people think is best when bitten by a snake. This is a vital piece of advice, especially with a puff adder bite. Puff adders’ venom destroys tissue. Tying off the arm would only concentrate the venom in one area, leading to severe localised damage.

The 30-year-old farmer was lucky, as the outcome could have been much worse. Despite the terrifying bite, he showed no swelling after an hour, felt no burning sensation, and, in fact, had no symptoms at all. When they arrived at the hospital, the medical staff confirmed it was a "dry" bite. A dry bite is when a venomous snake strikes, but no venom is injected into the bloodstream.

Understanding puff adder venom

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The hospital offered the man the option to stay for observation overnight or return if any delayed swelling occurred. With snakebites, sometimes the body’s tissue tries to "seal off" the venom, but hours later, the venom can slowly seep into the tissue, causing symptoms to show up later.

Fortunately for this farmer, there was no sign of that happening. The dog was uninjured.

Dangers of a snake bite

Had this not been a dry bite, the results could have been severe. Puff adder bites are known for being one of the most painful snake bites. The venom causes intense swelling that can spread from the finger all the way up to the shoulder. Without prompt medical attention, a bite from a puff adder could lead to the loss of a limb within about a week.

This is why experts like those at Boland Snake Removals and Pest Control stress a few key rules to remember: Never tie off a limb, never cut into or around the bite site, and never try to suction out the venom. These actions can cause more harm than good. In this case, the foreman's quick action and adherence to the correct advice likely prevented a bad situation from becoming a tragic one.

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South African stunned by man's snake bite:

Arlene Cloete said:

"Thank you for that very helpful info. Sjoe, that farm foreman was so lucky. Thank goodness they thought to call you straight away and I am sure your advice saved his life."

Albert van Rhyn commented:

"I was driving to the ambulance station, and when I saw the man, I said to my colleague, 'If this guy is at the hospital, there must be big trouble.' I checked him out and couldn't believe there wasn't even a sign of swelling. He must have been carrying a pocket full of luck today."

Marthie Spamer wrote:

"The Lord was with him today. It could have turned out so differently, thank You, Jesus."

Monique Erasmus joked:

"Can the snake now bite someone else with a broken tooth, or does it need a crown?"

The snake catcher answered:

"That's a good question, but luckily for the snake, it won't need a dentist. Snakes, especially venomous ones like the puff adder, have several rows of fangs that act as a natural 'replacement supply.' When a fang breaks off, there is already another one ready to take its place. The new fang will move forward and replace the broken one. The broken fang will eventually fall out, and the snake will fully regain its ability to bite and inject venom. This is a natural process that ensures they are always ready to hunt or defend themselves. The man in the story was just incredibly lucky that it happened at that exact moment."

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Heinrich Fernando Louw

"You're a good man, 'snake guy,' you always give us the right advice too, in case something happens to the next person... which makes it very valuable."

View Facebook post below:

3 Briefly News snake bite stories

• A South African woman shared how her young relatives in Port Shepstone were bitten by a venomous snake.
• A viral video of a woman's reaction to a life-threatening snake bite stunned her husband and Mzansi.
• A Durban man was bitten by a venomous snake and turned away from a hospital.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News