The dangerous species in the country are the various species of viper and the viper. They belong to the phylum Chordata, the subphylum Reptilia, the order Serpentes, and the family Viperidae.

In Greece, one can encounter around 70 different species of reptiles. However, only 7 of these species are venomous snakes.
Five of these venomous snakes belong to the family Echidnidae, or vipers. These snakes have tubular fangs and relatively potent venom. The remaining two species belong to the family Colubrids and have posterior fangs with weak venom that is not dangerous to humans.
The venomous snakes of the Echidna family are not all found together in the same area. On the contrary, they have a different geographical distribution in different areas of Greece.

Pipe cutter:
They have two much larger and distinctive teeth at the front of their mouths, like the canines of mammals. These teeth are mobile and when not in use, they remain folded back. During a bite, however, they unfold in a flash to bite and inject their venom into the victim's tissues. These teeth are hollow on the inside, like syringes, so that they can channel the venom stored in the snakes' venom glands.
The species

Viper – Vipera ammodytes

Ottoman Viper – Montivipera xanthina

Milos viper – Macrovipera schweizeri

Astrit – Vipera berus

Dwarf viper – Vipera ursinii

Back engravings:
They have smaller, non-movable teeth that inject their venom. These teeth are located at the back of the mouth. They are generally not considered deadly to humans, as their venom is of low toxicity. Furthermore, due to the posterior position of the teeth, most opisthognathus snakes cannot easily bite anything more than, for example, a finger.
The species

Sapitis – Malpolon insignitus

Golden snake – Telescopus fallax

Vipera ammodytes, Viper

The Viper is the only truly dangerous snake in Greece. It frequents abandoned walls, uncultivated areas with vegetation and stones and sometimes near houses. It is found in almost all regions of the world, except Australia and Madagascar.

It has a cylindrical body of gray-blonde color with scales, as does its head. On the back it has dark zig-zag patterns and on the head formations that look like an X or L. Males reach up to 60 cm. in length, while females are smaller. Its head is clearly distinguished from the body with the back area being wider. Its tail is short.
It has sharp vision even in the dark, with the iris of its eyes changing depending on the intensity of the light. In the upper jaw it has 2 large, sharp teeth connected to venom glands. It is oviparous, giving birth to 10-20 live young that already have venom. It feeds mainly on lizards and small mammals.
Every year it sheds its skin and goes into hibernation.
When bitten, it secretes an amount of venom proportional to its size. The venom contains proteases that break down proteins, causing pain, swelling, tissue necrosis, and blood loss. Death is usually due to a drop in blood pressure.

Vipers and man
Vipers never attack humans unless stepped on, grabbed, or directly threatened. Most of the time when they bite humans, the bites are “dry” and warning, with no venom injected.
In the event of a venomous snake bite, immediate medical attention is necessary. The skin at the site of the bite should not be cut or torn, nor should the limb be tied tightly, as this can cause complications.
The venom spreads mainly through the lymph and not the blood vessels, so inducing bleeding does not help but is dangerous due to the traumatic shock it can cause.
If the bite is severe and not treated promptly, it can lead to permanent scarring, amputation of the limb, or even death from an allergic reaction. However, in most cases in Greece, with proper medical care, the symptoms subside and the patient recovers fully.
Rumors and traditions
Nowadays, snakes unfortunately have a very bad reputation. Traditional perceptions present them as symbols of evil, cunning and malicious animals that seek to harm us. They are considered repulsive, disgusting and dangerous, as a result of which they are disliked by most people, who kill them at the first opportunity.
However, these perceptions are unfair and are simply based on myths that have been formed in recent centuries. In ancient times, the snake was considered a symbol of renewal, healing, wisdom and other positive concepts and virtues. It was a sacred and useful animal, a good omen when it appeared in homes, without any negative prejudice.
In fact, snakes were also used in medicine to treat diseases, which is also symbolized by the ancient symbol of Asclepius that has been preserved to this day.
It was with the advent of Christianity that the snake became associated with original sin and the mortality of man. Thus, the Serpent began to symbolize the devil and the power of evil.
What is the reality?;
Snakes are simple animals like all others. The fact that they have no legs may make them seem special and “strange” in terms of their appearance, but this characteristic does not differentiate them in terms of their behavior and importance compared to other members of nature.
Snakes will never attack something that is not food for them, let alone the human they fear so much. On the contrary, their first reaction is to avoid and run away from what they consider to be their predator, which is justifiably true for humans.
In fact, they are very beneficial animals as they contribute significantly to maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. In their first years of life, they feed mainly on insects in large quantities. Then, when they grow up, they feed mainly on rodents, being one of their main predators and playing a decisive role in controlling their populations.
It is estimated that a single snake can consume up to 1,000 rodents during its lifetime, due to its longevity. So one can understand how much the rodent population in an area can increase if even one snake is killed, as rodents multiply quickly and in large numbers. At the same time, a dead snake will not reproduce, so no new rodent predators will arise.
Thus, it becomes understandable the imbalance that can be caused in an ecosystem if snake populations are removed or reduced – an imbalance that directly affects humans themselves.
Treatment
It is important to be able to identify at least the dangerous snakes in our area, something that can be done very easily with the help of the photos on herpetofauna.gr.
http://www.herpetofauna.gr/index.php
REPEAT techniques and methods that have questionable effectiveness in repelling snakes:
Sulfur: Annoying in smell to humans but also quite toxic, with no proven effect in repelling snakes.
Garlic or onion: No proven effect in repelling snakes.
Oil or gasoline: toxic to humans, destructive to the environment, with no proven effect on repulsion.
Naphthalene: Hazardous material, can cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation, liver, kidney, blood and nervous system damage, and even cancer. Has no proven effect on repellents.
So is there a safe way to repel snakes?

The answer is no.

According to current data, there is no safe method of repelling snakes from an area, but what we can do is think in reverse.
Instead of looking for what repels them, let's find what attracts them and try to avoid it.
The daily life of snakes is very simple and is mainly divided into four stages: thermoregulation, foraging, rest and reproduction.
According to 90%, the reasons why a snake will visit our home are because there is a food source and/or hiding places where it can rest.
So prevention is what we can do to prevent snakes from choosing our home for a "visit".

Prevention
We keep rodents (mice, rats, etc.) and arthropods (crickets, grasshoppers, etc.) away from our home, as much as possible, as they are food for snakes and their presence will pique their interest.
We limit exposed food and water sources that may attract rodents and large insects
We rid our property of piles of objects that can be used as hiding places for rodents and insects and close all external cracks and holes.
We avoid planting fruit trees and plants in our garden that can become attractive to rodents and arthropods.
We can also use repellents if we find some, non-toxic, that do not cause harm to us or the environment and are based on natural products.
Snakes always look for a cool, dark, and safe place to hide and rest, especially after feeding.
We rid our garden of large stones, piles of wood, or any objects that create crevices, holes, and hiding places.
We cut – mow the tall grass.
We prune the bases of dense bushes up to 60cm above the ground, creating a gap underneath, or we avoid dense bushes and dense vegetation in general.
We thoroughly seal the cracks at the entrances to the house, warehouse or basement, so that the doors and openings close tightly.
We block all external holes and crevices that can be used as temporary shelter by snakes.
We avoid creating a humid and cool environment during the summer season, when it is accessible to snakes (e.g. outdoor ponds, permanently wet lawns, etc.).
We avoid leaving the front doors open.
By following the above advice, we create an environment that is quite inhospitable to snakes, which makes them reject it and choose another area more convenient to their lifestyle and needs. The chances of finding a snake in an environment with these conditions now become minimal.
What do we do if we spot a snake in our home?;
If we are not able to identify the snake and know whether it is poisonous or not, the first thing we do is call the Fire Department.
In our country, unfortunately, there is still no competent service for such incidents, but the Fire Department may collaborate with some specialists who will come voluntarily to remove the snake from your home, or send personnel to help the situation in any way they can.
Under no circumstances should we try to kill the snake, as it is very likely that it will become aggressive and bite us in its attempt to defend itself and save itself.
In fact, a large percentage of venomous bites are the result of incidents where someone tried to kill the snake.

Repellence with modern repellents
Reptile repulsion (snakes, lizards) is carried out with special preparations in granular solid or liquid form.
Their smell causes discomfort and blocks the information received by the reptiles' sensory organs.
The result is confusion and the snakes leave the area.
The preparations are placed around the perimeter of the area we want to protect, thus creating a barrier to repel reptiles from entering and settling there.