But on Sunday, experts from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden instructed a group of combat medics how to treat soldiers who might get bitten by a venomous snake.

Six species of venomous snakes - one cobra and five vipers - are found in Iraq, and each requires a different antidote for treatment.

That's why it's critical to be able to identify the snakes and the various symptoms brought on by the toxic reaction, said Winston Card, the zoo's conservation program manager.

The 14 medics - subject to deployment at any time - are members of the 256th Combat Support Hospital unit and the 369th Minimal Care Detachment unit, both from Sharonville.

"A snake bite can be just as dangerous as a bullet," said Sgt. Kelly Williamson, combat medic coordinator.

Some of the venomous snakes in Iraq have light-brown skin, making it easy for them to blend in with the desert and posing a threat for an unsuspecting soldier who might dive to the ground, Card said.

Odds are slim that this will happen, but it is possible.

And a venomous bite won't feel pleasant.

"Imagine two red-hot needles being jammed into your finger and then someone hammering it over and over again with a hammer," Card said.

The amount of venom delivered and symptoms vary by snake. Some symptoms include bloody wound discharge, convulsions, blurred vision and loss of muscle coordination.

The medics were instructed to wrap the limb - finger, arm or leg - with a bandage to restrict the venom flow until the victim can be taken to a field hospital and given the appropriate antidote.

On average, only 5 percent of snakebites end up killing humans, said James Harrison, director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade.

"You have to keep the victim calm," Harrison said. "The biggest problem you'll have is confronting the victim's paranoia and the fear of what may happen."

E-mail mleingang@enquirer.com