Handling Hots

padkison

padkison

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I need to look up info on handling hot herps. I moved a copperhead from under our tomato plants which grow by the garage. I wasn't real comfortable with getting it out of there and into a bucket. From the bucket to the woods was easy enough.

My 9 year old daughter found it while picking tomatoes. She knows what they look like.
 
K

kraken

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padkison said:
My 9 year old daughter found it while picking tomatoes. She knows what they look like.
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THANK GOD she didnt try to catch it(and knew what it was),or didnt see it till too late! My son and I was out in some hills last summer and he almost stepped on a timber rattler when he went to step over a large stone.It rattled as soon as he raised his foot up.Needless to say it scared us both!
 
padkison

padkison

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Thanks for the link on the tongs. They look like they will do the trick.
 
A

Arietans

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You can also sweep the snake into a bucket.

Put some newspaper into the bucket, and the snake will actually look forward to going into the bucket :)
 
Tim Benzedrine

Tim Benzedrine

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You can use the world news section of the newspaper and the snake will slither away screaming, thus removing the threat from your locale.
 
Lasiodora

Lasiodora

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Here's another link for snake tongs. These are a little more expensive but are easier on the snake.
-Mike
 
C

Crotalus

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padkison said:
I ordered one of these. Since I was choosing the non-decapitation method of removing him from the yard, I decided to heed Mike's advice and get a more humane tong.

http://rs289.securehostserver.com/~tongscom/shop/index.php?GrID=10&PrID=11
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You dont decapitate snakes with Pillstrom. People who claim that simply dont know how to use them or more likely they never used one and decide to believe all that is written of them - i would suspect written down to benefit "another brand"
All my friends have used Pillstrom for many years and so have I and not once have any of us injured a snake with them. Its just a snake tong that looks rough - designvise - but it acctually can be used safely on even delicate animals such as frogs.
The "other brand" have a "gentle giant tong", a friend bought one for a trip and it broke shortly and he ended up using it successfully as a showel though.
 
A

Arietans

Arachnoknight
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Personally, I prefer hooking and tailing, since fast elapids like cobras are difficult to catch with tongs. But I agree with Crotalus, Pillstrom tongs get a bad rep because alot of people don't know how to use them.

I have Pillstrom tongs, and they go to every snake removal with me. I've even caught large Black Mambas with them.
 
padkison

padkison

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I was being facetious and did not mean to imply the the Pilstrom would decapitate the snake. I was actually referring to my choice of trying to move the snake safely or decapitating it with a flat shovel.

I was swayed by an article on the web stating that the Pilstrom in the hands of someone who doesn't use it correctly can damage a snake's spine and another positive review of the Gentle Giant. Since I don't handle herps, I didn't want to chance hurting the snake I was trying to move.

I have no idea what snake tong would be the best thing to get. I plan on using it for the occasional snake removal around here. I leave all but the copperheads be. Those I want to bring back into the woods away from the homes.

This may be like the discussions over which make of snowmobile was better that I remember as a teenager. Arctic Cat (Arctic Crap) vs Polaris (Pull us) vs Yamaha (Ya ha ha).

Thanks for all the input
 
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I

iturnrocks

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Im sure you could crush a snake with any tongs if you tried hard enough. It all depends on the pressure you apply. When I catch scolopendras, i use a pair of BBQ tongs and cause no damage to the pedes. I use ones with a hinge and no spring, so I know exactly how much pressure im applying.
 
C

Crotalus

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iturnrocks said:
Im sure you could crush a snake with any tongs if you tried hard enough. It all depends on the pressure you apply. When I catch scolopendras, i use a pair of BBQ tongs and cause no damage to the pedes. I use ones with a hinge and no spring, so I know exactly how much pressure im applying.
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It would be difficult to acctually crush a snake. Sure, if you press down hard as the snake is swichting and turning it could be injured, but as i sad - I have never seen it or heard that happened to anyone that uses tongs frequently. If you handle the snake carefully and slow they usually behave accordingly.
 
padkison

padkison

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Copperheads everywhere here. I moved one from by my neighbor's car this morning.

Just watch, once the tongs get here, no more snakes.
 
Sheri

Sheri

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Damn, what a beautiful snake. :)

I really wish I lived somewhere else, sometimes.
 
xgrafcorex

xgrafcorex

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beautiful snake! glad everything went smoothly and there were no injuries to either parties. from the title i was hoping to see pics of some of you crazy people holding rattlesnakes {D
 
ScorpDemon

ScorpDemon

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xgrafcorex said:
from the title i was hoping to see pics of some of you crazy people holding rattlesnakes {D
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That can be arranged.

I'll be getting my 2nd and 3rd hot tomorrow. I got a trade worked up for 2 Southern Copperheads, I'm taking a lil drive tomorrow to go pick them up.

Pics to follow.
 
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