'safe' handling

[armata]

Have a request - could you please change the name of one of the competitions to 'dangerous handling' as two of the entries are necking vipers - and as I have said before tis naf folks, old fashioned, and not necessary. UNLESS FOR A GOOD REASON - TREATMENT, ASSIST FEEDING, VENOM EXTRACTION.
otherwise Duh??

[Iggy]

guess you'll see two shift boxes at the end of the month!!
Seriously, we also discourage people from necking snakes purely for handling purposes, during removals etc, this photo was taken during a talk and demonstration which included the various fang mechanisms. Don't know if you agree with it in this situation, but certainly not an everyday practice - perhaps the mods see fit to remove it and we will replace with one which fits the title more appropriately.

[armata]

Thanks for that most sensible reply - don't know about demos. I guess I worry that would be hot keepers see necking as the standard safe way of handling venomous which nowadays it certainly is not.

TV and other publicity has not helped; I guess that tubing would appear pretty tame on a programme about snakes; after all they are supposed to be dangerous

[froot]

I was thinking the same thing, I think at the end of the competition we should give precautions on pictures deemed unsafe.

[Bushbaby]

Speaking about the competition... I don't see many more entries!! Come on guys!!!

[armata]

Sorry about multiple entries of handling comp - just wanted to make my point

[froot]

No problem, but could you possibly make your pics a little bigger. Please for my sake, my eyes are not so good

[armata]

Just click on the photo for large view

[froot]

Oh!

Ok thanks.

[Contortrix]

armata..

Asuming my contribution is one of the photos you are thinking about. . . As discussed in another thread, i prefer pinning by the neck with this species i had four individuals (G.b.siniticus) refusing to eat by their own and i did try "sponge methood" but for a snake that size this species is really strong and it felt more safe doing it this way. I did this once a week in about two months, not a "fun" thing to do but nessesary. . . Allways work with what feels most safe to you not the other way arround.

Cheers, Ronny

[armata]

I did point out that it is necesary for assist feeding, administering medication; and if you extract venom for a living. But vipers, particularly the small ones, e.g. Echis,small Bitis, Cerastes, Vipera, and of course Gloydius can be a bugger.

Have you heard of the 'Rowley' pinning tool - PAUL do you read this forum??? He devised this tool with tropical rattlers in mind - he works at the Venom Res.Centre at Liverpool UK.

I must also admit - a few weeks ago had a cape cobra in an aviary between the mesh and the roof and the only way to remove it was to neck it and tease the rest of the body out. Elapids on the whole are 'safer' to neck than vipers/adders; bearing in mind though how far forward mamba fangs are.

[Q Ball]

Have you heard of the 'Rowley' pinning tool - PAUL do you read this forum??? He devised this tool with tropical rattlers in mind - he works at the Venom Res.Centre at Liverpool UK.

Have you got a link to a site describing this tool and trhe operation thereoff or maybe a pic?

[wickets]

Will this help? http://www.snakegetters.com/equip/pinners-howto.html

[Q Ball]

Cool Thanx

[Bushviper]

Contortrix the comments were not aimed at you as pinning is pretty normal when force feeding snakes.