raz Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Nice vid, SC. What did you answer when the guy asked you if he'd been there for very long? Gee I dunno...I forgot to ask him You herpers are all such mad chaps. They all listen to Michael Jackson eta good question about you getting tagged. Do you have much info about serum sickness? Edited September 19, 2011 by raz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Touch wood, but in the 40 years that i have been working with venomous snakes, I have never had a bite that needed antivenom or hospitolisation. Ive just been lucky i think. The snake wont bite unless they are scared so, when i can, i like to finesse them into the bag rather than just grab it. I only ever use my stick and my bag when i go, all the other tools on the market scare the snake and then it becomes a more dangerous job. Raz, hopefully i wont have to find out but i carry bandages and a mobile phone so im sort of ready for it if it happens. @ Gillybob, the tigersnakes and copperheads have so much variation in colours and patterns it never ceases to amaze me. Just on the peninsula they can vary hugely. Sounds to me like you live in a paradise and if you are a religious person, you know you cant have paradise without the snake. Old Bob sounds like he would have been a great dog. Thanks K9Angel, im not so sure i like the sound of my voice... At least my but-crack didnt star in this video, lol. Edited September 19, 2011 by snake catcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillybob Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) He still is a great dog!!!! He always knew were a RBB was, they do smell a bit dont they. I shared a home yard with Bob and at least three RBB for many years. Only ever had one bad day and that was with a travelling very large Brown Snake. The RBBs loved my compost heap. I really love snakes and recon they have an important place in the way of things. Its really not worth their venom to bite something they cant eat. Edited September 19, 2011 by gillybob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Oh dear.... I have an aweful feeling we are in snake heaven. Pool, dam, compost heap and surrounded by National Park. My neighbour had a huge RBB yeaterday. The wires people came in and got him. They were here in 25 minuites. Snake Catcher; they relocate the snakes in the national park around us. Do the snakes come back to where they came from if it is not very far away? I have seen dozens and dozens of snakes while riding in the NP. The horses nearly always spot them before I do. Sorry if it is a stupid question. I agree you have a real talent handling those snakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Raz, hopefully i wont have to find out but i carry bandages and a mobile phone so im sort of ready for it if it happens. I hope you dont as well, SC. One of my dogs reacted to AV so I'm mostly concerned about serum sickness. I've been told if he gets envenomated again the AV will probably kill him, not the venom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Generally speaking Nic.B, the snake will not return to the area it was caught in as it will associate the area with the trauma of the capture. Ive never had a snake return to ground zero..that i know of. Snake venom is such a complicated protien Raz, and they are still discovering new things all the time.. In January i had researchers from ARVU come to my house to take samples of venom from some local snakes for a study. (results due next month) Edited September 19, 2011 by snake catcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Will be very interested as to what they find SC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Snake venom is such a complicated protien Raz, and they are still discovering new things all the time.. In January i had researchers from ARVU come to my house to take samples of venom from some local snakes for a study. (results due next month) It's fascinating, isnt it. Looking forward to you posting the results, SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I took some pics of the researchers visit and Ill post them on this thread if you like. Meanwhile, this copperhead was in the way of the freeway construction.had to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 my computer is being temperamental and utube crapped out on me but I got the gist of it, especially from some of the comments Nice of the guys to call you, SC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idigadog Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Snake venom is such a complicated protien Raz, and they are still discovering new things all the time.. In January i had researchers from ARVU come to my house to take samples of venom from some local snakes for a study. (results due next month) I wonder why we don't have a vaccination against snake bites? Apparently they do in the US against Rattle Snakes - or is someone just having a lend of me We've had three dogs bitten in the past 18 months, sadly losing one of them who was only 15 months old. We have done absolutely everything possible to eradicate the snakes' need to come into our dog yards and we are stumped as to what to do next. My lovely neighbour on the adjoining property just came and told me that he saw a brown go across our driveway this morning and into the paddock towards the dog shed/yards. I'm on tender hooks already and it's not even summer time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Snake venom is such a complicated protien Raz, and they are still discovering new things all the time.. In January i had researchers from ARVU come to my house to take samples of venom from some local snakes for a study. (results due next month) I wonder why we don't have a vaccination against snake bites? Apparently they do in the US against Rattle Snakes - or is someone just having a lend of me We've had three dogs bitten in the past 18 months, sadly losing one of them who was only 15 months old. We have done absolutely everything possible to eradicate the snakes' need to come into our dog yards and we are stumped as to what to do next. My lovely neighbour on the adjoining property just came and told me that he saw a brown go across our driveway this morning and into the paddock towards the dog shed/yards. I'm on tender hooks already and it's not even summer time! No they do have a vaccine against Rattle snakes in the US there was quite a discussion about it and some links posted on another forum I go on as I was very interested myself. I do wonder why we do not have something similar as yes they would still need to get veterinary treatment but they would not be as severly affected. Maybe it has something to do with the actual make up of the venom of different types of snakes??? I am very interested to find out. Wish I could collar Vaccine reps like I used to be able to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 two snakes seen today :( Not Happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 One for me and it's overcast and drizzling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindainfa Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Aww thats sad to hear that you have to euthanaise the snake if you can't relocate within 5 kms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Snake venom is such a complicated protien Raz, and they are still discovering new things all the time.. In January i had researchers from ARVU come to my house to take samples of venom from some local snakes for a study. (results due next month) I wonder why we don't have a vaccination against snake bites? Apparently they do in the US against Rattle Snakes - or is someone just having a lend of me We've had three dogs bitten in the past 18 months, sadly losing one of them who was only 15 months old. We have done absolutely everything possible to eradicate the snakes' need to come into our dog yards and we are stumped as to what to do next. My lovely neighbour on the adjoining property just came and told me that he saw a brown go across our driveway this morning and into the paddock towards the dog shed/yards. I'm on tender hooks already and it's not even summer time! Yup. There's a rattlesnake vaccine http://rattlesnakevaccinefordogs.com/ But rattlesnakes aren't THAT poisonous. (Remember the interesting Christian groups that use them in religious rites, often get bitten, but rarely die. I don't think faith would do as well protecting people from tiger snakes). They've long known that dogs that survive the first bite develop a degree of immunity by developing antibodies. The vaccine stimulates an immune response. It isn't 100% effective, but generally leaves dogs better prepared to overcome the toxin. I think most Australian poisonous snakes are too toxic for this strategy to work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I think training the dog not to attack the snake, although it may be hard with some dogs, is the best way to lesson your chances of a snakebite. One popular method, in the States, is with the use of a training collar that delivers a shock via a remote. The rattlesnake vaccine is ok, not 100% and also needs to be topped up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I wonder why we don't have a vaccination against snake bites? Because it would be as useless as an ashtray on a motorcycle. I would trust a global flu vaccine before I would trust an elapid vax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I was called out to this pretty but angry little tigersnake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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