Snakes

I think it would depend on where you choose to live, if  antivenin is actually available.
Over the years of rural living we have seen and had dogs bitten by different species of snakes, and luckily they were tended by vets although we had to drive quite  distance for treatment.

We have 'found' snakes  in the garden, storage boxes, perching on top of  window security bars, in the house on a windowsill after returning from vacation, at the water storage tank outside by the back door...

A neighbor, a teen, who decided he could remove one from a woodpile, spent two weeks in hospital and later lost his finger, after being bitten by a terciopelo

Various insect bites can send you to hospital...as can cane toads.

In the past 2 weeks we have had seen 2 tarantulas in our home, one large one scooting across the floor, 1 medium on the screen door and one small ...but not tiny   ... one outside. Now, I understand that they don't usually bite but I flushed the down the toilet anyway...

Keeping the grass cut around your home will hopefully, deter snakes...

Kohlerias
Thank you. I've lived around snakes when I was a child and generally know enough to leave them alone when I DO see one it's the ones I don't see that worry me. We didn't really need any deterrents in India because the cobra which was the snake of the day stayed away from human habitation as a rule and rarely decided to sneak under your blankets to cuddle while you were asleep.

I've started sensitizing my dogs to rubber snakes and squirting them with a spray of water when they go near it. Hopefully they're smart enough to stay away from the terciopelos there.

I found contact information on the institute in CR that makes antivenin with a 3 year shelf life and they sell to the public. It's only about $20 a vial so I'm definitely going to stock that at home.

~whig

I should have mentioned it is very important to watch out for  the small but  highly venomous Coral snake which we have also encountered.