# Hook or jigger debate?



## Tatelina (Mar 18, 2008)

*Hook or jigger debate*






What do you call this?

(Sorry for the small pic, I borrowed it from www.herpasylum.com.au/husbandry.htm)

I got confused when somebody from a wildlife rescue group was referring to using a jigger to pull a snake out from under a rock ledge... and then I saw pictures of hooks in the latest reptile magazine labelled jiggers...so now I'm wondering. 
What does the majority think?


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## thals (Mar 18, 2008)

I call a spade a spade n a hook a hook..

Tis a hook i say  lol


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## Hickson (Mar 18, 2008)

I call it a hook. But I've heard other people call them jiggers.

To me a jigger is a pinning stick (with a piece of leather or soft material used to pin the animal).

A jigger is also the larvae of a nasty little skin parasite.



Hix


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## Jozz (Mar 18, 2008)

You say tomato, I say tomato  I thought they were the same thing? It's a hook / jigger.


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## ishka (Mar 18, 2008)

Hix said:


> I call it a hook. But I've heard other people call them jiggers.
> 
> To me a jigger is a pinning stick (with a piece of leather or soft material used to pin the animal).
> 
> ...



I'm with Hix... the one in the picture is a hook.

This what I have always referred to as a jigger.





pic from visimax.com.au

Cheers,
Ishka


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## redbellybite (Mar 18, 2008)

ISH i call that a pinner lol but anyway like they say tomatoe tomato who cares as long as the snake isnt getting hurt .........I HATE THEM BLOODY PINCHERS THAT I SEE ALOT OF CATCHERS USE ........lhandle held squeeze the trigger and holds the snake bahhhh if been trained properly you would never need one of those !!!!redbellybite


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## ishka (Mar 18, 2008)

See now just to add more confusion to the topic I always thought a hook was a hook (like the one in the first post) and that a jigger and a pinner were the same thing (the second pic) lol



redbellybite said:


> I HATE THEM BLOODY PINCHERS THAT I SEE ALOT OF CATCHERS USE ........lhandle held squeeze the trigger and holds the snake



I think those ones are called snake tongs.

cheers,
Ishka


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## Craig2 (Mar 18, 2008)

ishka what you have pictured it a pinner 
hook/jigger same thing 

Most rescue organisations call them a Jigger


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## TrueBlue (Mar 18, 2008)

hook / jigger two names for the same thing.

A pinning stick is not a jigger.


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 18, 2008)

The raptor snake tongs advertised in the last reptiles Australia magazine looked very good and the article by Simon Fearn gives them a great rap. If these do not harm the snake as claimed in any way then why not use them, for many situations it would be a far safer option than tailing. I have tailed all my life but have one on order myself.

Cheers Dave


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## Tatelina (Mar 18, 2008)

Valley Reptile Supplies said:


> Most rescue organisations call them a Jigger


I still don't understand the reasoning for this....it's not even logical, and most people call it a hook...but oh well.


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## Jonno from ERD (Mar 18, 2008)

PilbaraPythons said:


> The raptor snake tongs advertised in the last reptiles Australia magazine looked very good and the article by Simon Fearn gives them a great rap. If these do not harm the snake as claimed in any way then why not use them, for many situations it would be a far safer option than tailing. I have tailed all my life but have one on order myself.
> 
> Cheers Dave



G'day Dave

I see the animal cruelty issue as only one of several problem with tongs - there are several others. Firstly, it can give inexperienced handlers a massive false sense of security, leading to complacency and a bite. Secondly, a stressed snake is never going to enjoy been clamped in a set of tongs, regardless of how gentle they are - you know how a snake reacts as soon as you put a pinner on the back of its neck or try and restrain it at all. Thirdly, I just don't see many, if any at all, scenarios where I would prefer to be using tongs over a simple hook and bag set up.


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## eladidare (Mar 18, 2008)

its a gaff


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## Magpie (Mar 18, 2008)

Jigging is a way of fishing, fishing uses hooks, hook = jigger.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Mar 18, 2008)

hook are better in my opinion as jiggers look like there hurting the snake, i axadently clicked jigger tho lol


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## Tatelina (Mar 18, 2008)

Magpie said:


> Jigging is a way of fishing, fishing uses hooks, hook = jigger.



Ohhhh....  

Lame. 

But thanks.


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 18, 2008)

Jonno
The reality is that here in Port Hedland 98% of all snake relocations involves western brown snakes, and of course we all know that this species are fully capable of killing people who are brave enough to attempt to catch them if things goes wrong. Most if not all snake catchers in this area have very little training and those that do have had next to no practical hands on experience with live large elapids. In the end of the day human safety is the first priority and the welfare of the snake only the second consideration. Tongs used correctly in my opinion are safer option for the novice. Sure, once the snake is clamped it now wants to bite you but I haven’t met too many tailed western browns that weren’t wanting to bite me after been grabbed either. I have often been called out to remove western browns in concrete sunken pits with not enough room to safely tail and only a man hole as an access, these are situations where the tongs would be perfect.


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

Hooks and jiggers are different, a hook is shaped just like a hook and used to handle reptiles, while a jigger is a metal rod bent at 90 degrees to help lift items such as rocks, logs and other materials. 

In some situations tongs are required when the health and safety of the handler is important, as mentioned by pilbarapythons, pits, drains and in one case I have required them to recover a tiger snake from sewage where the tiger snake would not sit on a hook and we could not enter the "water" for health reasons. Each situation is different, different tools for different jobs, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. My biggest concern with tongs is the old pilstrum tongs which should be banned, there are several on the market now that are proven to cause no injury to the snake, and with good training people can be safely taught to use them to ensure minimal stress to animals.


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## redbellybite (Mar 19, 2008)

I will say it once again those snake tongs are barbaric,,:evil:, its bad enuff on the snake when in a situation of being removed ,while people like myself who are trained to catch and relocate use the bag and jigger method( and we use that system because its the least invasive way to catch snakes ) The snakes are already in a stressed situation (99%of time) due to being harrased by the human who found it in the house or shed or even worse being attacked by a dog ....:x...then on top using those bloody clamp like tongs would even stress it out more and i agree with jonno that it can give inexperienced people a FALSE sense of security too .:shock:.. when it comes to finding venomous snakes in your house /yard /shed and you want it gone ,ring somebody that is experienced and licensed to do it ,your local council ...zoo or even police station should be able to help you out with a number to contact ,,,in a ven situation again the thing to do is watch the snake at all times till someone can get there if you have dogs chain up or place in another room away from snake and if in a bedroon place towel under door so snake is contained in one room that way when a catcher comes you know exactly where it is ........redbellybite


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## nuthn2do (Mar 19, 2008)

snakehandler said:


> Hooks and jiggers are different, a hook is shaped just like a hook and used to handle reptiles, while a jigger is a metal rod bent at 90 degrees to help lift items such as rocks, logs and other materials.


I have a jigger that does exactly that, used for getting to the snake. I also have a hook but it's rarely used


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

Whilst I agree they give some inexperienced people a false sense of security if not trained properly, there is a need for them in different circumstances, not all snakes will allow themselves to be hooked, some places are too hard to pin or tail. You also need to remember that there are occupational health and safety requirements too. If you read the permit contiditons in Victoria for example it clearly states in the Wildlife act 1975 (ammended 2002) additional conditions 7. Snakes taken in accordance with this license may only be taken by the use of catching sticks, bars or nooses. So there are legal requirements also. We cannot dismiss a technique because of the past, new equipment has made it safer for the animal

We prefer techinques that have less stress on the animals so the tongs and pinning are way down on our list of techniques, but some situations require it. 95% of what we catch is tailed, we dont get usually get pythons, unless they are translocated or lost pets, so personal safety is our number one concern!


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

Did any one see the Bondi Rescue episode where the "snake catcher" was attempting to hook a red belly???

Tell me this playing with, teasing, fumbling and very unprofessional attempt at hooking a snake does not create stress, if they were trained to tail, or heaven forbid tong the snake it would have been in the bag in moments, reducing the stress to the snake and risk to others....this person WAS trained (not by us I must add). As I have mentioned different techniques for different circumstances.

Back to the question though....nuthn2do, that is a great example of a jigger! Unfortunatly not many places sell them, so it can often be easier to make your own!


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## Australis (Mar 19, 2008)

snakehandler said:


> Did any one see the Bondi Rescue episode where the "snake catcher" was attempting to hook a red belly???



*snakehandler,*

It should also be added that this person was on her very first call out
not to mention being on camera, would add to being a little nervous.

Hardly the best case to compare catching methods/tools.

Fair go.


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## Jonno from ERD (Mar 19, 2008)

Adding to what Australis has said, she was also trained by a wildlife rescue group that is well known for their poor training methods.


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

1st snake job or not, not all snakes can be hooked quickly and this increases stress on the animal, a well trained person would request the cameras to be removed and the public held back. The technique is not perfect and in fact no technique is.....I have seen several people, experienced people attempt to hook snakes and then give up to tail them. I have also seen experienced people loose control of a brown while hooking and nearly get bitten.


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

No technique is going to have perfect results.

Back to the hook versus jigger, I would be interested to see what other jiggers have been made, ours are very simple and industrial, I have seen some on the midwest website which look very good too...but expensive.


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## -Peter (Mar 19, 2008)

Sydney Wildlife call it a hook.
Tongs have there application. Most people wouldn't tackle wild PNG tais without a pair.


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## TrueBlue (Mar 19, 2008)

snakehandler,/ sorry but i disagree a hook is another name for a jigger, simple as that, always has been always will be.

I agree with jonno here as i dont like tongs in any shape or form. Ive had to catch and relocte snakes in just about evey situation you could come across and ive yet to ever need or consider wanting to use a pair.


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## moosenoose (Mar 19, 2008)

* Arrrrrr Jigger Me Timbers * 8)


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## Tatelina (Mar 19, 2008)

-Peter said:


> Sydney Wildlife call it a hook.
> Tongs have there application. Most people wouldn't tackle wild PNG tais without a pair.



The lady who did the Bondi rescue calls it a jigger!! Very confusing.


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

I have just looked at the midwest site, they call them all hooks.....I now will have to say it is a personal choice what name you call each item, just like an egg flip or fish slice, depends on who you speak to, what they have been told and the message is...there is no definite answer!!


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## Tatelina (Mar 19, 2008)

But the poll shows the preference from APS members...and if this is relative to the general herp community...wouldn't that mean that reptile publications and training courses should teach people the more widely accepted term? Just a thought...


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

Is APS representative of the Herp community?? Not all members of the herp community go on line, many reptile people I meet do not go on any forums!

Currently we use the term hook to describe products simliar to the one originally posted!


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## Tatelina (Mar 19, 2008)

That's why I said... _if this is representative_. But anyway.


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## JasonL (Mar 19, 2008)

Australis said:


> *snakehandler,*
> 
> It should also be added that this person was on her very first call out
> not to mention being on camera, would add to being a little nervous.
> ...



Bugger that! I never saw the episode, but thats crazy, TV film crews are a hundred times harder to deal with than elapids, I would of told them to bugger off.


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## wood_nymph (Mar 19, 2008)

that's a hook, i own that one, it's a hook what more can i say


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## JasonL (Mar 19, 2008)

TrueBlue said:


> I agree with jonno here as i dont like tongs in any shape or form. Ive had to catch and relocte snakes in just about evey situation you could come across and ive yet to ever need or consider wanting to use a pair.



But there are far less people willing to / able to tail snakes than there are snake rescues, and there are alot of snake rescuers that arn't into reptiles so much, and battle to even ID some species of snake, these people should never be taught to tail wild elapids, tongs are better than shovels.


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## snakehandler (Mar 19, 2008)

Tongs are only better if a person is trained to use them properly and the tongs are humane, I still see the pilstrum tongs for sale, which are well known to mutilate snakes!


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## redbellybite (Mar 20, 2008)

it is called a jigger ..........mine are made out of golf clubs with a piece of shaped thick wire (i dont know the tec name for it steel places would) my hubby welded the end onto the club , i have a fair amount of jiggers for all sorts of situations i have a long handle long neck question mark shaped except instead of being as round as a ? it is extended so it is flattened on the ground to pull up the snake,i do have a small ? one that looks exactly like a? for use in rbb in washing machines or getting bts gts off rafters i have a 7 shape for goannas i do have a pinner ,i have a short based U shape for the big pythons that wont co -operate just so i have some control to move the bugger and convince it to get in my bag ..like I said before if your experienced and licensed you use whats legal in your state ........we all drive cars ,but we all dont drive exactly the same but as long as its done safely we dont get booked ...same thing in a rescue situation......redbellybite


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## TrueBlue (Mar 20, 2008)

JasonL, the snake rescuers/relocators that you are refering to should NOT be relocating snakes, simple as that.!!!!


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 20, 2008)

Rob
In an ideal world, what you say would be true and preferred, however the reality is that many out back towns have little or no trained snake handlers for what ever reasons. So if we were rigid in a stance that only competent snake catchers should do snake relocations, then there would be simply too few, and at times nobody available in emergency situations where sometimes lives are at risk. However, even somebody with no training at all, would in my opinion would be at less risk of receiving a bite using tongs than attempting to tail or pin an elapid for the first time. The evidence is reflected in the absences of bites here in Port Hedland from the numerous elapid removals preformed by poorly trained and in most cases untrained people who do these jobs regularly over many years.


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## Ozzie Python (Mar 20, 2008)

Rob, those people who don't know how to tail elapids,like myself, can still safely remove a snake. Fact is if i can't remove it with a hook/jigger, i won't. Needless to say i would love to learn to tail, but at the moment it is good to learn how certain snakes move and react with a hook, only then with a bit more experience and knowing what to expect, will i be attempting to tail. 

Surely you would rather someone hook a snake into a bag rather than leave it to some bloke and his shovel, which would prob end up with a person in hospital and a dead snake just because someone can't tail.


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 20, 2008)

Now cme on now True Blue, argue with me son,...... argue with me, ........now you know you want to.


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## JasonL (Mar 20, 2008)

agree 100% Dave, but you don't have to isolate it to only outback towns, even around Sydney people seem to be hard to find at times, just because someone with a 4 foot snake rings WIRES, doesn't mean anyone will come and get it, usually a neighbour with a shovel will lend a hand though. In a world where it is still very much "the only good snake is a dead snake" I would rather see more willing and able people armed with tongs than 4 foot snakes cut into 1 foot segments, there is only so much time someone with kids or dogs will let a snake sun itself in their backyard.


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## NCHERPS (Mar 20, 2008)

I have never heard of the word 'Jigger' until I came to Australia and enrolled in a Wildlife carers course.
As with Tatelina, the instructor started referring to a standard hook as a 'Jigger'.
It amused me and I just put it down to an Australianism. LOL!

However, it appears that the name might just be a Wiresism! LOL!

I will always refer to it for what it is, a Hook!


Neil


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## -Peter (Mar 20, 2008)

NCHERPS said:


> I have never heard of the word 'Jigger' until I came to Australia and enrolled in a Wildlife carers course.
> As with Tatelina, the instructor started referring to a standard hook as a 'Jigger'.
> It amused me and I just put it down to an Australianism. LOL!
> 
> ...



or a Stopfordism


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## NCHERPS (Mar 20, 2008)

-Peter said:


> or a Stopfordism



LOL Peter!


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## TrueBlue (Mar 20, 2008)

ozzie python, a jigger/hook and a hoop bag are fine, its tongs that i dont like.

Yes Dave i do see what you mean, and the tongs that you describe do sound remarkably better than any other type on the market.
I just dont like them at all, and think that anyone that has to use a set of tongs to pickup or catch a snake are in the wrong job.
NPWS are promoting the use of these terrible things these days, so i blame it all on them. Its stupid and incompetent of them imo, as they are only trying to save their own butts in the long run.


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## -Peter (Mar 21, 2008)

TrueBlue said:


> NPWS are promoting the use of these terrible things these days, so i blame it all on them. Its stupid and incompetent of them imo, as they are only trying to save their own butts in the long run.


 
Which NPWS is that Rob? I haven't seen anything here to that effect. In fact I think NSW keeps its opinion to itself for insurance reasons. No recommendation means no comebacks.


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## Danda_Reptilia (Mar 21, 2008)

Jonno from ERD said:


> G'day Dave
> 
> I see the animal cruelty issue as only one of several problem with tongs - there are several others. Firstly, it can give inexperienced handlers a massive false sense of security, leading to complacency and a bite. Secondly, a stressed snake is never going to enjoy been clamped in a set of tongs, regardless of how gentle they are - you know how a snake reacts as soon as you put a pinner on the back of its neck or try and restrain it at all. Thirdly, I just don't see many, if any at all, scenarios where I would prefer to be using tongs over a simple hook and bag set up.




HI Jonno,

Trust me when I say that using the "raptor" advertised in the latest issue of RA does not give a handler a false sense of security, leading to complacency. I have been involved in a few of the training courses here in Tassie and you would be surprised at the number of trainees that won't tail (or handle) any snake, yet feel so comfortable in using the "Raptor".

I suppose if you look deep enough, any handling of wildlife has a degree of ethics/cruelty associated with it. 

Many a time I have preferred to use the raptor as opposed to pinning or tailing a 4ft aggravated copperhead. Personal choice and ability is the main issue.

As for the polled question.....personally a hook is a hook, a pinner is a pinner and a jigger is used for fishing.....however, cossies are bathers and trunks, so I feel it all depends on where you come from and what you have learnt and are used to.


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## TrueBlue (Mar 21, 2008)

Peter, most QPWS offices make relocators use them when they are being trained.

Danda Reptilia, imo those trainees should not be trained in snake handling and should maybe take up knitting or something less intimidating if that is the case, as they are definitley in the wrong job.
Ive kept and bred a number of copperheads over the years, and never had a problem with any of them, infact i find them to be fairly docile as far as alot of elapids go, same as tigers.


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## snakehandler (Mar 21, 2008)

Again it must be said, there are different circumstances which may require different tools, it is not always a matter of skill or ability, but safety. If a person is properly trained and uses the latest equipment there should be no harm with any technique. Incompetance leads to injuries to the animals, regardless of technique.


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## TrueBlue (Mar 21, 2008)

yes i agree, and its incompetence that makes people want to use a pair of tongs.!!!
If they were competent handlers they would not need to use them. Hook and hoop bag is all thats required imo.
Just as jonno has said, ive never been in a situation where i needed to use tongs and ive relocated snakes from just about every situation you could think of, safely, without harm to the snake, other people or myself.


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## Bombie (Mar 21, 2008)

*hooks and jiggers*

parks and wildlife are a government agency, why does it come as a surprise to anyone that they are going to recommend the safest method to cover themselves legally! can you imaigne the liability insurance if they were going to teach new people to tail a taipan or eastern brown on a 1 or 2 day course!!!!

i realise the injury element as far as the snake goes, but at the end of the day as someone already mentioned you have to put human life first and foremost over the snake. 

and as far as stressing the snake goes, i am pretty sure holding a 5 or 6 foot brown by his tail is not going to be the most comfortable thing in the world for him either, just as much as having your neck pinned to the ground and then being head grabbed wouldn't be a barrel of laughs. 

the reason we need snake catchers is to reduce the risk element of people coming into unnecessary contact with dangerous snakes, and also to reduce the need for people tio take out the old shovel! a slightly stressed snake released from a set of tongs is still better than a dead snake!

i understand the comments from some of the more experienced catchers here, but i disagree when they say if you cant tail a snake you should take up knitting as someone put it. if i had a large brown in my house around my little girl, i would rather see an available catcher come out and remove it with tongs than have no-one come out at all!

anyway, thats my thoughts for the moment,
bombie


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## Danda_Reptilia (Mar 21, 2008)

TrueBlue said:


> Peter, most QPWS offices make relocators use them when they are being trained.
> 
> Danda Reptilia, imo those trainees should not be trained in snake handling and should maybe take up knitting or something less intimidating if that is the case, as they are definitley in the wrong job.
> Ive kept and bred a number of copperheads over the years, and never had a problem with any of them, infact i find them to be fairly docile as far as alot of elapids go, same as tigers.



Thanks TrueBlue for suggesting that I am not an experienced handler or catcher and therefore should take up knitting....despite the fact that I am State coordinator for Reptile Rescue and have a registered display business.

Maybe I should take up a less demanding hobby like couch potato?????????????

PERSONALLY, I assess each situation on its own merits and catch and remove the errant snake in the safest way possible for myself.....whether that be "raptor", "hook", "tail" or whatever other way I feel fit.


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## Tatelina (Mar 21, 2008)

snakehandler said:


> Incompetance leads to injuries to the animals, regardless of technique.


As does complacency when people fall into a false sense of security when using tongs.


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## snakehandler (Mar 21, 2008)

Tongs do not set up for complacency, inexperience, incompetance and a poor attitude are resposible for complacency. I have seen very complacent people hooking, tailing, pinning and using tongs, they have got themselves into trouble, not the technique. Tongs are not the answer to all handling, tongs are a useful tool. More importantly good training and a common sense apporach are much more important, again regardless of technique.

Watch the complacent attitude of some of the TV personalities, what gets them into trouble?.....is it the tool in their hand?????


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## snakehandler (Mar 21, 2008)

TrueBlue, its not incompetence, nor lack of experience that has a person choose tongs over other techniques, its personal preference. Just like tailing, pinning or hooking. Although it may seem to some that this is an easy way out, perhaps there are other mitigating circumstances which are in play which we do not know about. I do not say tongs are the only way to go, infact far from it.


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## NCHERPS (Mar 21, 2008)

snakehandler said:


> TrueBlue, its not incompetence, nor lack of experience that has a person choose tongs over other techniques, its personal preference. Just like tailing, pinning or hooking. Although it may seem to some that this is an easy way out, perhaps there are other mitigating circumstances which are in play which we do not know about. I do not say tongs are the only way to go, infact far from it.



I agree with you in regards to circumstances, Hugsta and I once got a call out to a brown snake stuck down a 20 foot deep hole.
When we got there the snake was clearly visible, floating on some polystyrene in the middle of the hole with 4 foot of water below. We had to climb down, which was hard enough, then reach over with the tongs and grab the snake before depositing it into a hoop bag. 

It was not an easy task, but one we could not of done without the use of the tongs.


Neil


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## -Peter (Mar 22, 2008)

TrueBlue said:


> Peter, most QPWS offices make relocators use them when they are being trained.


 
That prodded my memory, some years back a parks worker in QLD died after being bitten while using tongs as recommended by his employer.


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## snakehandler (Mar 22, 2008)

Do we need to count the number of deaths from all other techniques too? As I recall he was using short pilstrum tongs, for a very big snake, as has been mentioned several times, it comes down to using your brain, evaluating a situation and deciding on an appropriate technique.

I can give stats on so many things including the dog which gives the most number of bites: The Labrador !!!

If a person is not capable of handling a snake with a variety of techniques then they run a risk of being bitten, to only be able / confident to do one technique that would result in a fail from our courses, and we have failed many people including licencing bodies staff in more than one state, we have even failed some who have handled every animal present, but did not satisfy my staff with their ability!


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## TrueBlue (Mar 22, 2008)

I still dont agree with them and dont belive that they are needed, no matter what excuse you can come up with, infact imo they should be baned.

NCHERPS, in that situation you could quite easily have just scoped it up in the hoop bag, very simple indeed, and still no need for a pair of those disgusting tongs.


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## NCHERPS (Mar 22, 2008)

TrueBlue said:


> I still dont agree with them and dont belive that they are needed, no matter what excuse you can come up with, infact imo they should be baned.
> 
> NCHERPS, in that situation you could quite easily have just scoped it up in the hoop bag, very simple indeed, and still no need for a pair of those disgusting tongs.



LOL Trueblue!
Well you really had to be there to appreciate the task at hand, and a hoop bag alone wouldn't have been possible in this situation imo.
It was an extreme example where I felt tongs were needed, but I can see that you aren't and won't be persuaded by any examples.:lol:

Cheers Neil


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## TrueBlue (Mar 22, 2008)

huh, but if you could climb down with a pair of tongs you could of just as easily climbed down with a hoop bag, same difference and heaps easier.


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## snakehandler (Mar 22, 2008)

Some people like ford, others holden, others toyota......if the animal is not injured with the technique used then it is a sucessful snake job! Why does technique have to matter...as long as the snake is not injured or unduely stressed......yes tongs stress animals, so does incompetant "first" time handlers trying to hook a red belly......we can argue this all day...no one will conceed ground, its like hitting your head against a brick wall.

IMO you should not judge another person until you have lived a day in their shoes....no two situations are the same, no two jobs are the same....no technique is perfect!


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## voodoo (Mar 22, 2008)

I always keep a set of tongs on me when ever i go on a call out, just as a back up. I beleive all catchers should have a set, as long as they cause no physical injury to the animal.

My catchers kit consists of -
1- V shaped hook for elapids
2- U shaped hook for pythons
3- lge and small hooped catch bags
4- Pinner
5- a set of Midwest gentle giant tongs and I have attached foam padding to the top and bottom. 
6- 3 PI Bandages
7- torch, 
8- and spare undies 

Cheers
Dee


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## dpeica (Mar 22, 2008)

I wouldn't even know how to use tongs. All you need is a pillow case.


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 22, 2008)

dpeica
I would love to see you try and catch and bag up a 7 foot taipan armed with only a pillow slip.


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## dpeica (Mar 22, 2008)

No worries


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## itbites (Mar 22, 2008)

*LOL LOL ..:shock: *


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## BIG RYANO (Mar 22, 2008)

dpeica said:


> I wouldn't even know how to use tongs. All you need is a pillow case.


 
Dpeica, you must of went to the same snake catching school as a mate of mine.


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## -Peter (Mar 23, 2008)

dpeica said:


> I wouldn't even know how to use tongs. All you need is a pillow case.


 
We'll have a chat about that soon.


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## arielle (Mar 23, 2008)

its a hook. If most people call it a hook then thats what it is. Things like that annoy me for some reason.


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## Reptilia (Mar 23, 2008)

It doesnt matter what tool you choose to use, the snake will always be stressed. First of all, safety of the handler should always be the number one priority. The tool you use should be the safest for the handler in that situation. Second thing is to minimise the stress of the animal. If you can easily guide a snake into a bag instead of using tongs then obviously that is the best choice. If your trying to catch a snake down a drain and the only tool you have to get it out is a pair of tongs, which saves you from having to get into the drain and pin, bag, hook the snake in such a confined space which is unsafe, then that is the best choice. Common sense is all you need when dealing with any snake, be it venomous or non venomous.

Cheers, Lance.


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## PilbaraPythons (Mar 24, 2008)

I used to be a bit of a maniac and have in the past at times bagged up highly venomous snakes on the spur of the moment with no equipment and even caught a decent sized wild adult Taipan without anything including a bag. This doesn’t make me competent,, this makes me a bloody fool who was very lucky. These days I like to think I have grown up a bit and I try my best to do any venomous snake captures in a clinical responsible safe manner. Any body who thinks using just a pillow slip is the best way to pick up a wild Taipan over safety equipment, has his hand on it.


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## kensai (Mar 29, 2008)

Looks like the old standard american hook, probably good for vipers, next to useless for elapids.
a more triangular hook works better.


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