The puffy drank for two minutes before slithering off into an area safe from contact with other humans and pets.
South Africa (15 July 2026) – Wild Marik, a South African snake rescuer, knows that there are real risks associated with getting too close to venomous snakes, let alone being at a close enough distance to offer one a drink of water. It is not something that rescuers would generally do unless the situation calls for it.
It goes without saying that it is never something an ordinary person should do.
This time, Marik’s instinct told him that the lethargic snake, a puff adder rescued from a hot shed, was dehydrated and needed water.
“This is not something I do often. This snake was removed from a hot shed, and the snake seemed very lethargic,” shared the rescuer. “Despite being a good size and weight, I was a little confused as to his behaviour. This was when I decided to offer the snake a drink. I gently tipped the bottle and without any hesitation the snake started drinking.”
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This continued for about two minutes before the snake moved off.
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While this is a fascinating sight, ordinary people who are not snake experts or rescuers should never attempt this out in the wild or at home.
If you do happen to encounter a snake on your property or somewhere it shouldn’t be, the African Snakebite Institute should be your first port of call. Their website has a tool that allows you to share your location and, in return, it will share the contact details of snake catchers in your area for safe removal.
Always call on an expert, even if you suspect that it’s not a venomous species. Don’t attempt to kill a snake (ever, please). It puts you in a dangerous situation. Instead, keep a safe distance and call a professional to deal with it in the right way.
It is important to stay informed about how to act when encountering a snake. Even the venomous ones are not the bad guys, and by following the right steps, nobody has to get hurt.
“Let’s hope we can foster a better connection between snakes and people in the near future,” says Wild Marik in a previous post, sharing his snake safety tips.
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