Corns & Colubrids

VENOMOUS SNAKES

Venomous snake handling takes practice, confidence and the right tools.  Read before you obtain a venomous snake.

venomous snake handling

 

 

Most snakes have poor vision and hearing, so they wouldn't be able to tell people apart based on those senses alone.  However, these animals do have an advanced sense of smell and can do it better than dogs can.  Though, they are not as intelligent as dogs, and therefore they CAN "smell your fear", but they don't understand what it means.

 

Their finely tuned senses help them distinguish their owners from other humans, and the familiarity of the owners smell and touche may in some instances put them at ease.  When being handled by an unfamiliar person they will pick up on the smell and vibrations if that person is nervous.  This in turn could make them behave differently because they are now cautious about this ünfamiliarity" touching them.

 

Once you have overcome fear and gained enough confidence to handle your first venomous snake it is advisable to keep practicing and build confidence by handling different species when the opportunities arise.  Snakes have different- personalities and body types that determine their behaviour and how they move.

 

You get those that is short and stubby, that move slow but strike extremely fast like your large bodied viperids.  Then there are long medium bodied snakes such as cobras, mambas and other elapids that are fast movers.  Also arboreal venomous snakes such as tree vipers can be quite thin and fragile.  All of them with their own characteristics, and it are important for you to identify the best course of action when dealing with specific venomous snakes.

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There are a variety of snake handling courses available and a good start for people in Cape Town would be. 

 

Deep South Reptile Rescue

 

Snake awareness course

Advanced venomous snake handling

Please contact Steven Meighan

www.stevevenomman.com

Handling

 

Fear makes people do silly things and with venomous snakes, depending on the species, you are literally gambling with your life.  Handling should be done as little as possible and only when necessary. 

 

If and when you need to handle your venomous snake, you will need some tools to aid in keeping and handling them.  Here's an overview of general tools of the trade and equipment generally available. 

 

HexArmor® gloves

 

These are a thick pair of gloves made with a special material to prevent or reduce the ability for the snake’s fangs to penetrate and reaching your finger.  They have been tested on many species of venomous snakes for their durability and reliability.

 

Personally I don’t enjoy using them due to the thickness of the lining making it difficult to tell how much pressure I am applying to the snake when holding it and don’t want to accidentally injure my animals.  It is important to be comfortable when using your equipment.  The gloves do provide maximum protection from bites however freak accidents do happen and large fanged snakes such as rattlesnake, gaboon vipers, rhino vipers, etc could penetrate if a fang goes through a seam or stitching of the glove.

 

Tube set

 

This is a collection of tubes either made from glass or acrylic with different lengths, thicknesses and diameters.  Tubes are not something a person keeping 1 or 2 venomous snakes would have a regular use for.  It’s more a tool for keepers or breeders with large collections that for example would have to sex a lot of babies or when medication has to be administered you do not want to perform the daunting task of “necking” the snake.  Tubes are there to ensure the handler and the snake’s safety and should only be used by experienced handlers.

 

The keeper will select the appropriate sized tube for the snake in question. They will then gently direct the snake to move into the tube and once in the tube, grab the tube and snake together to keep the snake’s upper body inside. It is very important for the correct sized tube to be used as if the tube is too big, the snake may be able to turn around inside it and come back at you. You need to always concentrate on what you are doing with the snake as well as watch the front end of the snake.

Tubes are also useful for the same reason of trapping the snake when you need to sex your snakes. If you are experienced enough to sex your own snakes, you can do this safely with the pointy end of the snake inside the tube.

 

 

Snake tongs

 

There are a lot of mixed feelings when it comes to using snake tongs for venomous snakes. I think the decision to use snake tongs is based on the situation at hand. When normally removing snakes for cleaning, feeding or inspection, a hook is the best option. Snake tongs, or also known as grab sticks, are mostly used when out on snake removal calls or in venom labs.  Sometimes when on snake calls, the snake is in a situation where it has wedged itself and a hook can’t pull the snake out.  Tongs are great for this.  One needs to also consider good practice when using tongs.  I have seen a few examples when snakes ribs have been damaged and even broken because too much force has been applied to the tongs.

 

Tongs are also great to use when you need to neck your snake for whatever reason.  A lot of people use the back end of a hook to pin the snake but there is always a chance the snake can get free and possibly bite the owner.  Snake tongs also come in different designs.  Choose the right design for the snake you are working with.

 

 

Haemostats/ large forceps

 

A haemostat is a large version of tweezers that is usually used in hospitals during surgery to clamp veins and arteries shut. These are very useful in our hobby. Because of their long lengths, they provide a safe means to feed our venomous snakes, depending on the species. Arboreal viper keepers mostly use these to feed their snakes. They can also be used to safely remove things out of the snake’s enclosure. Be very careful about using certain length haemostats with certain species of venomous snakes. Most times the snakes striking range is longer than that of your haemostat and bites are always possible. Always ensure you keep a close eye on what you are doing.

 

With this information, I will conclude this section on venomous snakes. Just always keep in mind that before you obtain your first venomous snake, you are 100% confident that you will be able to care for the animal you wish to get. Make sure you have done all your research about the housing requirements, feeding requirements, potency of its venom and also if you are in an area accessible to the anti-venom if needed. There are a number of people in SA that do offer venomous snake handling courses. This information can be obtained on almost every reptile platform available.

 

Happy keeping and remember, stay away from the pointy end.