# Snakes alive and aplenty in heat



## herptrader (Dec 3, 2009)

*Published On:* 12-2-2009
*Source:* The Mornington and Southern Penusular Mail






PROFESSIONAL snake catcher Barry Goldsmith was at the Portsea pub a few weeks ago when a woman came in looking for a room for the night.

Nothing unusual until it was revealed the middle-aged

woman only lived up the road, but was unwilling to spend the night sharing her home with a 60-centimetre tiger snake.

Mr Goldsmith put on his catching 'hat' and came to her rescue. Next day he had three callouts for snakes _ at BlueScope Steel in Hastings where a worker saw a copperhead snake disappear down a phone cable pit, the hospital at HMAS Cerberus in Crib Point where nurses spotted a baby tiger snake slithering between bricks and later in the afternoon when he was with his family at a Red Hill carnival and captured a copperhead snake.

*Go to Original Article*


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## herptrader (Dec 3, 2009)

_This is our very own BAZ_


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## moosenoose (Dec 3, 2009)

Who is that handsome gentleman?


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## Chrisreptile (Dec 3, 2009)

Nice work Barry


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 3, 2009)

I had two reporters from different papers ring me last week and they both seemed to be trying to make out that there was a plague of snakes..
I was flat out trying to explain that is is not true.
Just more people coming into contact with them because of habitat destruction.
They still wanted a interested story.
i ended up telling the guy from the sun to go talk to somebody else.
As it was this paper misquoted me, exagerated everything and must have tried to find the worst pic out of the 100 or so taken.
That big pic sucks Daavid..
Cya tomorrow night mate.


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## herptrader (Dec 3, 2009)

All the pics on their web site are pretty grainy. The jpg format is pretty lossy but they wind the compression factor right up.

I thought to my self there were two species with "copper" coloured heads ;-)


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## ladybredli (Dec 3, 2009)

No offence or anything, I'm sure you're a good snake catcher and all but...

*He tells a gruesome story of what happens when a snake is decapitated: "The snake can live for up to 15 minutes and I've seen their eyes follow the assailant and in one instance watch as its body was taken away."*

Nobody has a problem with this??


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 3, 2009)

I have a huge problem with it, Im glad they got that bit right.
Except i said 10 minutes and they put 15..meh
I hope it may make people think before they cut the head off a snake..


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## waruikazi (Dec 3, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> No offence or anything, I'm sure you're a good snake catcher and all but...
> 
> *He tells a gruesome story of what happens when a snake is decapitated: "The snake can live for up to 15 minutes and I've seen their eyes follow the assailant and in one instance watch as its body was taken away."*
> 
> Nobody has a problem with this??



Do you have a problem that he said it or a problem that people do it?


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## redbellybite (Dec 3, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> No offence or anything, I'm sure you're a good snake catcher and all but...
> 
> *He tells a gruesome story of what happens when a snake is decapitated: "The snake can live for up to 15 minutes and I've seen their eyes follow the assailant and in one instance watch as its body was taken away."*
> 
> Nobody has a problem with this??


Were you expecting it to die straight away,ladybredli ? 
The only problem I have with that is THE PEOPLE THAT DO THIS !!
10 mins -15 mins who's counting ..what was aimed at that quote , was, the fact the snake was in pain all that time ...:evil:
BAZZZZZZ its a great pic and hope your message gets across to many more people


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## ladybredli (Dec 3, 2009)

In all honesty I don't think it'd make anyone that would actually cut off the head of a snake think twice at all. I also think it borders on fear mongering as well. Truth be told if people think a snakes eyes will follow them after THEIR HEAD HAS BEEN SEVERED FROM ITS BODY...they're likely to think they're even more dangerous than they already do.

Thats what I have a problem with.


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## redbellybite (Dec 3, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> In all honesty I don't think it'd make anyone that would actually cut off the head of a snake think twice at all. I also think it borders on fear mongering as well. Truth be told if people think a snakes eyes will follow them after THEIR HEAD HAS BEEN SEVERED FROM ITS BODY...they're likely to think they're even more dangerous than they already do.
> 
> Thats what I have a problem with.


So do you want to pretend that it doesnt happen to make you and those type of people feel better now?>


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## xycom (Dec 3, 2009)

Good one Baz, I hate trying to deal with the local papers and the media. They love to twist your words


Per


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## redbellybite (Dec 3, 2009)

[video=youtube;V9a_6W23oG4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9a_6W23oG4[/video]

[video=youtube;SAQPZaFH3QY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAQPZaFH3QY[/video]
[video=youtube;ZMv1wZYZ5eA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMv1wZYZ5eA[/video]

some vid clips ...


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 3, 2009)

I also told the reporter that the prefered way for joe sixpack to kill a snake was to cut its head off,
Then i explained why this was cruel and inhumane.
i told him that is was not a quick was to die.
He decided to use the one line that seems to have gotten up your nose lb.
i see where ladybredli is coming from but scare mongering is not something im into,


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## ladybredli (Dec 3, 2009)

redbellybite said:


> YouTube - living dead snakes
> 
> YouTube - SNAKE ATTACK without body! Slow Motion!
> YouTube - Snake Head still moving after cut
> ...


 
Be that as it may, I wouldn't know, I don't generally go around cutting snakes heads off, so I've never witnessed it myself, I just think that trying to ward people off killing snakes by saying things like that is asking for trouble.

And I'm sure the snakes eyes weren't actually *following *its body, I'm sure it was just the last of the neurons firing etc.


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 3, 2009)

> And I'm sure the snakes eyes weren't actually *following *its body, I'm sure it was just the last of the neurons firing etc.


Sorry, you are wrong there, as a catcher, unfortunatly i have seen many.The neurons and nerves keep the body kicking for sure.
The head can see you, or see shadows, it opens its mouth in defence as you walk past it.
This indicates awareness, not neurons firing.


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## ladybredli (Dec 3, 2009)

ssssnakeman said:


> Sorry, you are wrong there, as a catcher, unfortunatly i have seen many.The neurons and nerves keep the body kicking for sure.
> The head can see you, or see shadows, it opens its mouth in defence as you walk past it.
> This indicates awareness, not neurons firing.


 
If you say so, but did you walk past it numerous times to ensure that it wasn't actually some form of last brain activity causing the mouth to open? Sorry, but I just happen to find it very hard to swallow that a snake whose body has been seperated from its head still has the ability to open and close its mouth and use its eyes.


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 3, 2009)

I did walk past it a few times before i finally euthanised the head with a brick.

I have witnessed this before, and since, and if i was in any doubt, i would not bother to argue with you.

Until the brain is crushed or death comes from lack of oxygen or blood or whatever the disbodied snake is aware of its surroundings.


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## redbellybite (Dec 3, 2009)

EXPLAINING about snakes and how they suffer is not causing trouble at all ...the more people are educated the less inclined they are to kill them and either accept that they live there too, or call a catcher to come and get it. Instead of killing or hurting it ...
You would be surprised once people get to actually find out some truths about snakes ,they are more open minded and actually start to appreciate the animal for its natural beauty and not just focus on it as a killing machine ...so the more that is told the better in the long run it will be ..even if it means Baz has now convinced only a handful of people ,thats a better % then prior to his article ...


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## ladybredli (Dec 3, 2009)

redbellybite said:


> EXPLAINING about snakes and how they suffer is not causing trouble at all ...the more people are educated the less inclined they are to kill them and either accept that they live there too, or call a catcher to come and get it. Instead of killing or hurting it ...
> You would be surprised once people get to actually find out some truths about snakes ,they are more open minded and actually start to appreciate the animal for its natural beauty and not just focus on it as a killing machine ...so the more that is told the better in the long run it will be ..even if it means Baz has now convinced only a handful of people ,thats a better % then prior to his article ...


 
Your opinion, not mine. Most people willing to give kill a snake wouldn't give a damn what you saying about how they suffer because...*the only good snake is a dead snake *and no amount of education will change that in alot of cases.
It would be nice if it did though.


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## moosenoose (Dec 3, 2009)

So in real terms, it doesn't matter what he told the reporters because it won't make any difference to those whose minds are set like stone on the matter ......8)  So where's the problem? :lol:


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## redbellybite (Dec 3, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> Your opinion, not mine. Most people willing to give kill a snake wouldn't give a damn what you saying about how they suffer because...*the only good snake is a dead snake *and no amount of education will change that in alot of cases.
> It would be nice if it did though.


 Not just my opinion I have actually had people change their minds about the" snake attitude" because of what I have shown them and explained to them in the process of doing a catch at their home ...so it is working ,might not be in plague proportion like we would want to see ,but definantly is happening ...some people have called me to say that they are happy now to have certain species there but would like me to remove the higher toxic vens ..which I can understand not many are comfortable having EB's around or even RBBS;s for that fact ...
Your attitude is really abrupt considering your a snake person ...I would have thought you would be happy to have even one person convinced


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## moosenoose (Dec 4, 2009)

Anyway, regardless of who thinks what about these snakes, I don't think many people appreciate the time and effort an animal takes to achieve the size of that gorgeous one Bazz has in his hands. It's so sad seeing something like this either splattered on a road or bludgeoned to death with a shovel. I hope my little one can one day reach a nice healthy size like that. So far, due to his dietary intake, it's been a bit of a struggle....but here I am 18 months down-track and he's still going strong....and has become relatively friendly may I add :lol:


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## garycahill (Dec 4, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> If you say so, but did you walk past it numerous times to ensure that it wasn't actually some form of last brain activity causing the mouth to open? Sorry, but I just happen to find it very hard to swallow that a snake whose body has been seperated from its head still has the ability to open and close its mouth and use its eyes.


 
It seems that it doesn't stop with educating people who kill snakes.
We also need to educate people who keep herps also.
Track down "*Health & welfare of captive reptiles" - edited by Clifford Warwick, Fredric L. Frye & James B Murphy.*
In Chapter 11, Miscellaneous factors affecting health & welfare, _11.7.2 Euthanasia & Killing methods (a) Decapitation & spinal cord severance_, it states that;


> "This technique has been identified as inhumane largely because coordinated signs of consciousness in severed heads often continue for long periods after decapitation (Cooper _et al_., 1989; Warwick, 1991) This situation probably arises due to the resilience of the reptilian nervous system to conditions of hypoxia & anoxia (Belkin, 1963; Cooper _et al_., 1989) which allows post-decapitation neural function.


 
For more info on the subject, read the book.
It just goes to show that you should always keep an open mind.
This is the sort of information that should be used to educate the mis-informed.

By the way, good on you Baz.


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## waruikazi (Dec 4, 2009)

ladybredli said:


> Your opinion, not mine. Most people willing to give kill a snake wouldn't give a damn what you saying about how they suffer because...*the only good snake is a dead snake *and no amount of education will change that in alot of cases.
> It would be nice if it did though.



I think LB is right. Why bother trying to educate people? 

LB if you honestly think that education doesn't help to change people's minds then i think there is little hope for you.


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