Is the Strauch's Pitviper venomous?

Yes. The Strauch's Pitviper (Gloydius strauchi) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (viper). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.

Is the Strauch's Pitviper poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Strauch's Pitviper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Viperidae

Strauch's Pitviper

Venomous

Gloydius strauchi

2 photographs of the Strauch's Pitviper. (c) xinprotobothrops, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

The Strauch's Pitviper (Gloydius strauchi) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family.

If you are bitten

This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.

Family: Viperidae
Danger: high

About the Strauch's Pitviper

Gloydius strauchi is a species of venomous pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to western China. It is a small snake with a pattern of four longitudinal stripes, although some older specimens may be a uniform black. G. strauchi may be distinguished from G. monticola by its higher midbody dorsal scale count. This species jointly holds the altitude record for pitvipers together with Crotalus triseriatus of Mexico, both being found even above the tree line at over 4,000 m (13,000 ft). No subspecies were recognized as being valid, until a recent publication re-evaluated the taxonomic statuses of populations of G. strauchi and described the eastern Tibetan populations as a new species.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Strauch's Pitviper

Is the Strauch's Pitviper venomous?: Yes. The Strauch's Pitviper (Gloydius strauchi) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (viper). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
Is the Strauch's Pitviper poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Strauch's Pitviper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Strauch's Pitviper dangerous?: This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.

If you are bitten by the Strauch's Pitviper

A venomous snakebite is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number immediately. In the US, dial 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.

Do not

Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.

First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.

More Viperidae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Viperidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Gloydius
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Gloydius strauchi

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.