On 27 December 2025, at 10:30, a 17-year-old was bitten on the tip of his left index finger by a Bibron’s Stiletto Snake (Atractaspis bibronii), (Fig. 1). The snake measured 460mm. Two to three minutes after the bite, swelling began, accompanied by a burning sensation. Ten minutes later, the swelling reached the second joint, and a small purple ring formed around the bite. Thirty minutes afterwards, the swelling extended to the underside of the knuckle. The pressure was reported to be extremely high, and the finger could only be bent at a 30-degree angle (Fig. 2).

Major swelling was present on the underside of the finger. At 11:10, the bottom half of the finger was red, with the redness more pronounced at the tip (Fig. 3). There was slight pain in the salivary glands when swallowing. At 11:20, the top of the hand, arm, and left side of the chest became painful, and the fingernail turned a light purple. By 11:45, the finger was throbbing, and at 13:00, the lymph glands were sore. At 15:30, the swelling had reduced, but the arm and chest muscles became incredibly painful when moved.

At 08:00 on 28 December 2025, the area around the bite was red and slightly swollen. A pins-and-needles sensation was felt when touching the bite, and a small blister had formed beneath the second joint. At 07:00 on 29 December 2025, the purple coloration at the bite was very faint, and the redness at the tip of the finger had reduced, along with the pins-and-needles pain. By 31 December 2025, the bite was fully healed.

Fig. 1.