Using Snake Handling Equipment to Safely Remove Venomous Snakes

Since we are wildlife biologists, my spouse and I usually are expected to help move quite a number of venomous snakes just about every few days because it is a factor associated with our career as well as performing favors for our families or neighbors.

Being wildlife biologists we’ll capture snakes, ascertain its variety, weigh it, measure the animals, determine their sex, and following that let them go to a secure location far from buildings in the area as well as roads. To achieve this we must work with an assortment of high quality snake equipment. When handling snakes, we definitely bear in mind a large number of occurrences involving snakebite take place when “pro’s” become complacent. Many of us endeavor to reduce the actual threat simply by reducing the actual time period you need to contain the snake as well as the utilization of high quality-snake handling equipment. Working experience has proven to all of us the importance connected with owning the finest products available in the market for this task. A snake hook or snake tong that bends because of the bodyweight of a large Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is definitely not a great snake tong or snake hook to include in one’s toolbox. The equipment which many utilize is developed with your well being as well as the snake’s safety. All of our snake hooks and snake tongs are actually constructed with aircraft caliber aluminum, therefore it would certainly take an incredible amount of force in order to destroy these products.

We are commonly asked precisely what are the most effective tools for relocating snakes, especially poisonous snakes. The easy response would be common sense! Novices really should not be relocating poisonous snakes and if you fail to see whether it’s venomous or not, keep away from it! The ideal approach is almost always to quite simply enjoy the snake in their environment and when you are done, walk away.

Should a snake must be relocated, we would suggest using a collapsible snake hook and collapsible snake tongs. Commercially made snake hooks range in length from 24 to around 50 inches long whereas proffessional snake tongs range from about 24 to 60 inches in length. With tongs, shorter is better as far as control, but we do recognize that a lot of people commonly are not comfortable getting that near a venomous snake. The longer the tong is, the more difficult it is actually to handle. To be able to lift an adult rattlesnake with a 52 or 60 inch tong, almost everyone would need to utilize a second hand on the shaft, which could negate the benefit of the longer tong. Long tongs are probably better utilized for pulling snakes out from beneath shrubbery as well as houses. Always keeping these matters in mind, we will suggest using a 40-inch snake hook and 40-inch snake tong for working with snakes. The tong should have the widest jaw grip possible as this disperses amount of pressure across a greater area of the snake’s body, reducing the potential of direct pressure between specific bones and diminishing the chance of problems for this snake. The wider, more gentle jaw also provides for a lot quicker gripping which is often a great advantage for handling water snakes or tree dwelling snakes, which are notoriously fast as well as challenging to restrain.

Before you try to capture some sort of snake, ensure that you’ve got a secure container with the top off and able to obtain the snake. When it comes to this purpose, coolers or open buckets are definitely not very good choices. We make use of 5 gallon dog food buckets with screw top lids that are for sale in many pet shops. You punch air holes in the top and also attach a handle which should allow us to screw the cover on firmly. Never forget not to place your fingers close to the air holes since rattlesnakes and various other venomous snakes could certainly strike through the holes.

To relocate a snake, the snake really should be grabbed utilizing the tong in the first third of the its body right behind the head. This enables control. The hook should preferably then be utilized in the back one half of the snake for support. If you grab the snake in the tail half using the tong, you need to use the hook to pin the snake’s head down until you are able to manipulate the tong to the proper end of the snake. A few suppliers now make collapsible snake hooks for easy transport while traveling or hiking in the field. Don’t use these hooks for pinning snakes down during capture. They’re just designed for lifting and moving the snake, not pinning – they may come loose-fitting along the joints if pressure is placed on them during the pinning procedure with unpleasant results in the event the snake is aggressive or venomous. After confining the snake inside your bucket, it is usually taken and let go at a safe place far from structures and roadways.

Maybe you are working with snakes in the field or possibly with caged individuals in your own reptile room, getting proper snake handling equipment is important for you together with the snake. Be smart and practical. Pay a little bit more for a good quality, dependable product. After all, where safety counts – quality counts.