Snake season is here!

[DJ Vier]

In today's news. In Afrikaans only as far I could find

http://reviewonline.co.za/73681/vrou...eter-luislang/

http://maroelamedia.co.za/blog/nuus/...ltong-go-back/

4m python grabbed woman when she was on her bed. She got loose and was taken to hospital.

Than some - one killed it. Sad.

[Meteor]

Sweet I would recommend Arno Naude's courses. He is one of the most consulted people in SA for snakebites.

Johan Marais' course is kak.

[gertjie87]

Sweet I would recommend Arno Naude's courses. He is one of the most consulted people in SA for snakebites.

Johan Marais' course is kak.

I don't know if you have met Arno Naude or what you base this on but I would strongly advise against his courses. Just because he somehow established himself as a consultant does not make him good at it. He is the instructor Zero of the snake world. Johans courses focusses on people like mine workers etc so does not completely cover proper handling.

[FantomBadger]

If you want to make a trip out of it also consider Thea Litschka-Koen course in Swaziland.

http://www.simunyeclub.com/snakes.htm

[Brendank]

Mikes course is really good in terms of hands on handling. The issues about treatment is the controversial one though.
Pressure bandages are now only suggested if you are further than 2 hours from a hospital. Tourniquets are only suggested for Large elapids like mambas and non spitting cobras, with cytotoxins from puff adders and spitting cobras small movement in the limbs are advised. BUT the core is get to a hospital asap all other treatments are really ineffective if not done properly and that time and energy is better spent on getting to a hospital.
The three major treatments, pressure bandage, tourniquets and limb movement can all be more detrimental if done incorrectly or done on the wrong kind of envenomation. So again gets us back to get to a hospital ASAP.

Please don't take my words as against Mike Perry he does really good hands on snake handling training but when it comes to snake bite treatment leave it to the docters.
From symptoms it is easy to know what antivenom to administer so the docter should know what to do. But snake ID can e very helpful.
Get to know the deadly snakes and be able to ID them.
cobras and mambas have hoods so see a hood know it is deadly. If their hoods are not open it is more difficult to ID but there are not a lot of different ones so get to know them.
Deadly ones include.
Snouted cobra
Mozambique spitting cobra
forest cobra
cape cobra
green mamba
black mamba
rinkhals
coral snake
Adders have short fat and rough bodies with triangular heads
deadly ones include
puff adder
gaboon adder
Boomslang and vine snake have very distinctive headshapes get to know them.
Find out which of the above mentioned snakes occur in your area and be able to ID them.
Do not try and kill a snake with a object a lot of bites happens during this time.
Don't handle a snake with your hands.
Always keep out of striking range this is at least the body length of the snake.
When walking in the veldt look where you are stepping. step onto logs or rocks not over as their could be a snake on the other side.
If you do encounter a snake move away slowly and move around them. Cornered snakes will bite left alone snakes will leave you alone.
If you do encounter a unidentified snake in your house always wear glasses in case it is a spitting snake. Stick to the no touching and no getting close rule.
Just a couple of things about snakes that could help someone

We have Coral Snakes in S.A? Surely not indigenous?

[FantomBadger]

We have Coral Snakes in S.A? Surely not indigenous?

I don't know whether these are the ones gertjie87 refers to, but we have these. Beautiful snakes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspidelaps_lubricus

[gertjie87]

Those would be the ones i am referring to we have no recorded deaths from them but they are stil considered dangerous

[Quintin]

I didnt want to get involved with this thread, but here it go's.... ;)

I am a trained and professional snake handler and expert if you would want to call it that.... I have kept and bred a large number of indigenous and exotic snakes... Venomous and Non-Venomous...

I know the "Crazy Witch Lady" Thea Litschka-Koen (as she is know by the locals in Swaziland), Arno Naude and Mike Perry well... I had to do my snake handling course through Mike to be able to register for keeping permits for the North West Province.. When I still used to keep and breed indigenous reptiles.

To get back to.. "Do we get Coral snakes here in SA?" We certainly do...

Don't confuse our Coral Snake (Aspidelaps lubricus) with the North American (Micrurus sp.).. Two totally different species obviously.. ;)

Our coral snake is Mildly venomous.. but CAN inflict serious bite... Its not always the venom toxicity that kills you.. but rather the hyper sensitivty to the venom, causing anaphylaxis that does...

Once you encounter a snake in the veld while hunting.. be cautious yes, but at a distance feel blessed to see such a magnificent animal in its natural habitat... because they are more scarce to find as you would think!

Q ;)

[Bushboy]

To lighten the mood a bit....
Last week a foreign guest of mine at my lodge had an interesting encounter that he is unlikely to ever forget. While in the bathroom of his chalet, standing at the vanity (basins mirror etc) a 3m rock python fell from the roof onto his head. Lets just say his reaction was electric and entirely understandable. Help was summoned and the poor dude was found huddled up in the bath and the python was found curled up in a corner under a curtain. It was duly captured and relocated into suitable habitat away from the buildings. The guest calmed down a bit and was able to laugh at himself, but as someone who does not fear snakes, I know I would have gotten a pretty big fright if a big assed snake fell on me in the bathroom all of a sudden.

[Meteor]

I don't know if you have met Arno Naude or what you base this on but I would strongly advise against his courses. Just because he somehow established himself as a consultant does not make him good at it. He is the instructor Zero of the snake world. Johans courses focusses on people like mine workers etc so does not completely cover proper handling.

He is one of the most knowledgeable people in SA concerning snakebite treatment and has definitely done the most hands on work with victims. He has drawn info from the most people over the biggest span...and keeps updating his info.

Johan's course makes many mistakes the layman will not see. He advocates and teaches with tongs and used single hooks on large Bitis.
Why he doesn't do much handling on his course I do not get ,it is the most important part of an ID, handling and treatment course.