Q&A for How to Live on a Deserted Island

Watch and see if the fruit or plant is being readily eaten by other mammals, like pigs or rodents. Look at it carefully and smell it. If it has a pleasant aroma and looks inviting, that's a good sign. Take a tiny bit and rub it on your skin. If it doesn't burn or cause irritation, move on to your lips, then your tongue, then finally eat a small amount. Give your body time to react to the fruit and if it doesn't make you sick, try eating progressively larger quantities. In general though, you should never eat any food that you're unsure about, especially when it comes to berries. Only resort to the above method if you must.

Don't eat something poisonous is the first rule. If you do, then induce vomiting. Test a very small amount instead of eating a whole lot of something. Rub a small amount on your lips. Wait a few hours, if no discomfort, burning sensation on lips or other ill effects move on to tongue. A small amount rubbed on tongue. Wait a few hours. If no ill effects or burning sensation etc move on to swallowing a small amount. If no ill effects, then swallow a bigger amount. If you're stranded on a deserted island, you need to keep your wits about you in what you choose to eat.

If vines are available, even thin ones, they can be used to tie things together. Other long plant materials such as tall grass and strips of fibrous tree bark can be used as well. Tie a few strips together to make two separate bundles connected at the end, twist one bundle tight and let it pull the other bundle into it as you switch bundles to repeat the process. Add more lengths of material about an inch or two before the end of the last bundles to add more length. Tie off the end when you have enough length. When you're done, the rope should look almost like braided rope and should have considerable strength. If you make enough, they can be tied or woven together to make a net.

Be alert all the times and keep a long stick with you. Make sure your sleeping quarters are properly protected too.

If necessary, but it's best to avoid it if possible. The dead person could be a carrier for an illness that could drastically reduce chances of survival. Also, it scrapes away at your humanity once you begin eating your fellow human and that could increase aggression within those of your community left.

Even if the situation seems be unlikely, many of the things said above could help in other situations as well. Nobody plans to be stranded, yet the reality is that a simple cruise or plane ride could end in a survival scenario. Even reading this article once puts the information into your mind, information that might one day be useful.

Sort things out. You don't have to like each other but you do need to get along so as to survive. If it gets bad enough, just make different shelters for some peace and quiet time but share such duties as finding food, eating together and keeping one another sane.

If there are trees, you already have a ton of options. Boulders can also provide shelter. See further https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Survival-Shelter.

You could always cover the wound with a leaf or fabric. The most helpful way to keep a wound from getting any dirt, insects, or other foreign objects in it is to cover it. It also helps to clean a wound by patting the would with a wet cloth or tee shirt, freshwater only.

You can make a fire quickly by first finding dry grass, leaves, bark, or even dried dung from animals. After that, the best way to start the fire is to use a steel piece and flint. If that's not available, you can get a thin, straight stick and a larger piece of wood. Start rolling the stick between your hands on the wood to create friction. It might take a long time, but don't give up. When it starts smoking, take some of the dry material you collected and put it on the smoke. Then, cover the material and start blowing towards it until it catches fire. Don't take too long to put on the dry material as it might just go out and you'd have to start all over again.

You can drape pieces of cloth or plant material over the sticks to create a sort of tent. You can also tie the sticks together using strips of fabric cut from the bottom of your shirt, or grass. If the sticks are made from a fibrous material, you could shave off the bark, and use the bark as string to tie the sticks together.

If you have a working phone, get to the highest possible ground to reach a signal. However, depending on the location of the island, you would likely be too far from a cell tower to get a signal.

Yes, they are. Tarantulas are a major form of subsistence in South America. Always cook them first, though.

Some companies claim that they have "salt water purifiers", but these often do not work. It is much safer to just purify streams and any semi-fresh water you find. Too much saltwater can cause kidney and liver failure, leading to death.

Try to lead the animal into a trap. If he is still following you -- and this is in the worst case scenario -- while running, try to find a long stick or a sharp rock.

Here is a quote from the wikiHow article: "If you decide to fish with the bugs instead of eating them, a hook can be fashioned by carving out a stick into a hook shape and putting a barb on it. Tie string to it and you're in business." If you can't find a barb, just use something pointy that you can tie on.

Well it would be hard, but you could try hitting it on a rock or throwing it against something hard.

You can try to shine a light repeatedly or start a fire in order to be seen.

Rub it on the back on your hand and if it swells up or gets itchy or burns you know it is poison but if it doesn't, it is likely safe.

Find a flexible stick 2 - 4 feet long and a vine 3 - 4 feet (because you want to make sure you can pull it back and let the arrows fly). Find several sticks that are 2 - 3 feet long; you can make them sharp by cutting the tip to a point or finding arrowhead rocks and tie that to the tip.

You could rub mud on yourself like a pigs and other animals do. Another thing you could do is try staying under trees or wearing clothing that covers most of your body. But make sure you take the clothing off every once in a while or you could get overheated.

You could set it up using the materials around you to make a shelter. For example, find a thick v shaped branch, take some cloth or whatever you can use tie it together to the trunk of the tree, and basically make a hammock.