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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by stopgetinpopped on March 29, 2008
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"Make that Vodka"
Vodka it is, personally I like mine with orange juice...gotta love em... I wanted to write screwdrivers, but didn't think that was appropriate for some reason...
HDPE - ugly yes, effective yes...go with lexan maybe...it's clear... 10 acres would be alot, but would be worth it compared to one Vet bill for a serious Crotalus envenomation to an exotic cat... I routinely hear of 15 and 20 thousand dollar Vet bills on horses...
"What if the person needing CPR was a girl in thong or bikini?"
I would work on her for great lengths of time...just to make sure :)
Actually I think you misread me, I couldn't watch someone drop and not do anything...
"Doesn’t that just tell you what a gentle person I am ? I can not even irritate a rattlesnake ;-) "
Uh huh... :)
"Maybe start a local 'Bikini Snake Removal' business? I mean, we have a wal Mart with parking lot and cars here, I can handle and respond to few fake reports of Fer-de-lance, with or without tongs."
I may even bring the fer-de-lance...several times a week potentially.
'Seriously, when I finish the video I will upload it on REXANO site first with link not public, unless I send somebody the link myself to tell me what they think before I make it public."
that sounds about as good as I'm gonna get on this subject... but not bad.
Terry
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by AquaHerp on March 30, 2008
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Here's what I would do. Again, this is my humble opinion. I would go with the trash can and a broom as opposed to the tongs. A snake goes into a darkened trash can tipped onto its side much better then trying to tong them into a bucket-trust me!
Inasmuch as rattlesnakes sharing the same space with the animals, I do understand that, however it is indeed something that you'll come to accept and have to trust in the animals themselves to be savvy enough to deal with.
I have rattlesnakes on grounds, and hence in my enclosures on a routine basis. Although I do have an emergency snakebite protocol for animals, just as I do for my staff, I can't be everywhere at all times and I can't lose sleep over it. Last year we moved 17 rattlesnakes from grounds, and these are just the snakes we happened to see. They have been a part of the landscape here since we opened in '67 and have yet to lose an animal to one.
Again, just my .02 cents.
DH
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by Rob_Carmichael on March 30, 2008
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When I spoke at a national convention for Animal Control a few years ago, I talked about easy and effective snake removal methods and the good 'ol broom and garbage can seems to be the easiest one for the average person to use.
Terry, you mentioned that tongs are only good for picking up tortoise crap and while they are great for picking up fecal matter, I have found my gentle giants to be invaluable for certain herps (particularly smaller crotalines who don't hook well...a well placed tong is less stressful than someone struggling to balance a small rattler on a hook). My staff who work with heloderms are required to use gentle giants when moving smaller specimens - they work great for that purpose. I think my angle was more towards those experienced in using the tongs, or, those who may need to learn how to use them due to frequent encounters. If used incorrectly, traditional tongs can do a lot of damage but the gentle giants seem to be the best choice.
Bottom line, acceptance of rattlesnakes in areas where they are found is critical and knowing easy, basic removal techniques(if the situation warrants....I can't think of too many though) is also important. People just need to understand that these creatures are shy and retiring and just want to be left alone.
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by Cro on March 30, 2008
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I have a pair of 6 foot gentle giant double shafted tongs, and they are great for wading in slow moving streams and catching medium sized Cottonmouths off the banks and from log jams. That is because a snake hook will not keep a Cottonmouth from plunging off the bank and dissappearing into the water near your feet.
Gentle Giants are worthless for working with a 5 or 6 foot rattlesnake, or any other snake of that size, for that matter, as the jaw opening is just not big enough.
Old style Pilstrom Tongs can be used for larger snakes like that, however, it takes a bit of practice, and a hook is still preferred over a tong.
I mostly use the Gentle Giants to pick up trash along the roadside in front of the house, and they work well for that.
I really have problems understanding all these folks who talk about how difficult it is to hook certain rattlesnakes. I really think it is a technique thing more than a type of snake thing. If a snake really is difficult to keep on a hook, then just hold something under it while it is riding the hook. That way, if it goes off the hook, it lands on the support you are holding under it.
As for using tongs on a Heloderma, I can not imagine doing that at all. I always just reached in and grabbed Helodermas behind the head with a quick grab. On the nastiest and largest of them, I would sometimes use heavy leather welders gloves, just to be a bit safer. They have a somewhat fast side to side biting motion at times, so you do not approach them from the side, but from above. Sometimes I would take a snake hook to position them a bit before grabbing them. However, I really can see no use for tongs in working with Heloderma, but that is just me.....
If you really think you need tongs for them, then by all means use them. I just do not see it as necessicary.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by stopgetinpopped on March 30, 2008
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Actually, Rob....my saying that tongs being only good for picking up Tortoise poo was largely in jest...
When Gentle Giants first came out I was at the St louis zoo BSing with the Curator and Asst. Curator at the time...I walked over and picked it up and with a Rye grin I asked Peter (the asst. curator) what they were used for? He looked at me like I was an idiot and said basically "Duh, what would you use them for?" I replied "pickin up tortoise poo" lol! you had to be there, it was pretty funny :)
I used a set of tongs on a big adamanteus once and it scared the geebus out of me...flung venom all over my face, neck and chest... I just have never found a need for them in my situation...those that use them are far more qualified to speak of their effectiveness than I am... I certainly wouldn't think badly of those that do... different tools for different folks.. ask most zoo staff what I use and they will tell you a broken tooth pick :)
I just can't quite get the hang of the tongs is all...
You and your staff still coming to visit this spring?
Hope so!
Terry
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by tigers9 on March 30, 2008
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Rob is coming over to teach you how to use tongs for non chelonian purposes? That is awfully sweet of him ;-)
Anyway, I own many turtles and tortoises, as well as Cuban iguana Fidel and Nile monitor "Floater" (he pretends he is dead in water when he sees me and floats), maybe I should test my tong as pooper scoper on the lizards as well if no more snakes show up this year so the tong will nto colelct too much dust:)
Z
<<I just can't quite get the hang of the tongs is all...
You and your staff still coming to visit this spring?
Hope so!
Terry >>
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by stopgetinpopped on March 30, 2008
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as long as he doesn't bring vodka and a bikini he can teach me anything he likes! (well the vodka would be fine) :)
T-
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by tigers9 on March 30, 2008
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What about 'bikini vodka'
http://www.rustybumperworld.com/vodka_drinks/bikini.html
instead of your screwdriver? :)
Actually, I know with snakes , alcohol might make them release a grip, and big cats hate the alcohol smell too, they also hate vinegar/water and pepper sauce/water spray.
I also keep 'triple bitter' on hand, it is supposed to be chewing deterrent for dogs, stronger than bitter apple.
'Triple bitter' is basically like weaker solution of pepper spray and alcohol, makes u cough bad if sprayed in room long after u r done spaying, and tastes horrible, cats hate it, but might be another thing that might work on snakes as well if they get a grip on people, especially constrictors, did anybody here try it?
http://www.upco.com/triple-bitter-4-oz-dispenser
Z
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by soberwolf on March 30, 2008
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I find that putting 4 or 5 rubber bands on your hook wrapping them tightly he;ps to prevent snake slippage.
Shelby
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RE: Pics of tong/snake hadling needed
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by stopgetinpopped on March 30, 2008
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ok Z....I have nothing but naughty things to say to the bikini vodka and/or screwdriver choices...:)
I use windex with ammonia for large constrictors but have often wondered if a can of pepperspray carried on a belt would be a quick and easy solution to food bites by large constrictors...I played hell once getting a 17 foot retic off my arm...i have no desire to retry the process to test an experiment though...
T-
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