Tips to Avoid Snake bites

[RATTLING]

[HISSING]

You just jumped, didn't you? Fear of snakes is almost universal. The truth is most of our scaly "friends" are harmless. In the U.S., you only have 16 species of rattlesnakes, 2 coral snakes, the cottonmouth, and the copperhead. And they're pretty easy to avoid.

Don't reach into places you can't see. Don't pick up rocks or wood.

If you see a snake, walk away. Don't try to get a closer look, and don't try to kill it.

When hiking, stay on the path and out of tall grass and underbrush. To keep them out of your yard:

Clean up piles of wood or rocks.

Cut tall grass and undergrowth.

Don't leave spaces under the floor of storage sheds or porches.

Don't leave pet food out.

Now, don't you feel calmer already? For WebMD, I'm Dr. Michael Smith.