# Diamond Python with over 100 ticks on it.



## ozbrad (Feb 21, 2012)

I was walking my dog along a fire trail (Goonelabah NSW) when I came across this snake covered in ticks.
I'm actually not fond of snakes although I knew it was a non-venomous python so I tried to push them off with a stick and that just irritated the snake more.
I'm an avid photographer so I took heaps of pics and video.
The next day it was gone.

[video=youtube_share;pEIF4CT4RWM]http://youtu.be/pEIF4CT4RWM[/video]


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## grannieannie (Feb 21, 2012)

Oh my God the poor thing.....shocking !!!:cry:


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## JrFear (Feb 21, 2012)

should of called some one to help it! so sad!


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## TreeHugger (Feb 21, 2012)

Yeah.... Bad forum to post on if nothing was done to properly help the snake... There are quite large snake enthusiasts on this site!


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## JrFear (Feb 21, 2012)

uhh makes me sick but cant stop looking at it!
looks more like a coastal than a diamond!


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

Geh row ssssss!


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## grannieannie (Feb 21, 2012)

Maybe the best thing to have done to it was kill it....and put it out of it's misery....I doubt even if caught nothing could have been done to help it....it also makes me sick to look at it.....


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

I'm sorry but filming and photographing it without helping the poor thing... What the %*^$!?!?!?
That sort of infestation is a deathsentence for the animal, where as it could have been rescued and helped like the one from Stradbroke. If you were there with someone else one of you could have watched the snake while thge other called the RSPCA or WIRES people in Lismore. 

Of course it was gone the next day it's not going to stay on a walking trail forever. I just hope that someone else happened across it after you left and got it the help it deserved.


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## JrFear (Feb 21, 2012)

im sure if the ticks were all removed and got some well needed treatment it could of made a recovery!


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

grannieannie said:


> Maybe the best thing to have done to it was kill it....and put it out of it's misery....I doubt even if caught nothing could have been done to help it....it also makes me sick to look at it.....




Actually Grannie there was a thread a few weeks ago about a snake EXACTLY like this one found by a ranger on Stradbroke Island and it was taken to the wildlife hospital at the Gold Coast and is making a full recovery at last account although it is spending a little time in foster care first.


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

Assuming they are native ticks, why should anyone interfere?



Gruni said:


> I'm sorry but filming and photographing it without helping the poor thing... ***?!?!?
> 
> That sort of infestation is a deathsentence for the animal, where as it could have been rescued and helped like the one from Stradbroke. If you were there with someone else one of you could have watched the snake while thge other called the RSPCA or WIRES people in Lismore.
> 
> Of course it was gone the next day it's not going to stay on a walking trail forever. I just hope that someone else happened across it after you left and got it the help it deserved.


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

Those were not all native bush ticks, the big fat ones are clearly paralysis ticks. I don't know about where you are in the NT but they are rife in the Lismore area.


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## Coppersimon (Feb 21, 2012)

If the snake was taken and helped how many people would have said it was the wrong thing to do interfering with nature and all. Damned if you do damned if you don't.


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## ozbrad (Feb 21, 2012)

To all the complainers do you ever moralize the live animals you feed your pets? Are they less worthy of death. Would you pull a live wallaby off a python?
As gruesome as it was I was just documenting what was an extraordinary event.


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## Manda1032 (Feb 21, 2012)

we cause way more problems for animals than we fix


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## Poggle (Feb 21, 2012)

Could have been fixed. The one of straddie was rescued by a ranger and assisted, Paralysis ticks are not considered native therefor we as humans and carers will often interevene, if it is a natural cycle, we should prevent our selves from interefering but these forms of ticks are not natural.


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## Manda1032 (Feb 21, 2012)

that and it's a good deed, something to feel good about. helping a life no matter how little


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## 12-08-67 (Feb 21, 2012)

I think a majority of people would like to let nature takes it course but to possibley prolong and animals suffering/death by not offering help when it could have been so easy is hard to support (even on an education level). I could not watch the video


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## Norm (Feb 21, 2012)

Sorry everyone, I once rescued a bluetongue that was being attacked by a crow, maybe I should have let nature take its course?


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## Venomous1111 (Feb 21, 2012)

Poggle said:


> Could have been fixed. The one of straddie was rescued by a ranger and assisted, Paralysis ticks are not considered native therefor we as humans and carers will often interevene, if it is a natural cycle, we should prevent our selves from interefering but these forms of ticks are not natural.



Yeah it could have been fixed should it have been caught and fixed IMO no, everything needs to eat even a little much hated parasite like a tick..There are paralysis ticks native to Australia, there's over seventy different species of Acarina species in Australia this includes mites and ticks.. What form of ticks would you be referring too that are not natural? that doesn't make sense..


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

Poggle said:


> Could have been fixed. The one of straddie was rescued by a ranger and assisted, Paralysis ticks are not considered native therefor we as humans and carers will often interevene, if it is a natural cycle, we should prevent our selves from interefering but these forms of ticks are not natural.



Paralysis ticks are native along with a lot of tick species. I don't know what kinds of ticks are on that snake but if they are native i don't see any reason to save that animal. If it dies it goes back into the food chain which is a good thing.


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## Ramsayi (Feb 21, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> Paralysis ticks are native along with a lot of tick species. I don't know what kinds of ticks are on that snake but if they are native i don't see any reason to save that animal. If it dies it goes back into the food chain which is a good thing.



This is the second thread in as many weeks regarding heavy tick infestations on carpets.It's got me wondering that perhaps the animals in both cases are unhealthy in the first place?


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

Ramsayi said:


> This is the second thread in as many weeks regarding heavy tick infestations on carpets.It's got me wondering that perhaps the animals in both cases are unhealthy in the first place?



I assumed the same thing.


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## lavagirl (Feb 21, 2012)

What was the point in posting it in the first place or even joining here?

You say you dont like snakes but are happy to post upsetting pictures for those that do love them?


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## Ramsayi (Feb 21, 2012)

ozbrad said:


> To all the complainers do you ever moralize the live animals you feed your pets? Are they less worthy of death. Would you pull a live wallaby off a python?
> As gruesome as it was I was just documenting what was an extraordinary event.



You will find that the vast majority of keepers do not feed live prey items so please don't make broad,uneducated,sweeping statements like that.


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## JrFear (Feb 21, 2012)

Good point Ramsayi!
as horrid as it is to look at snakes and ticks have been living together for years in the wild and reptiles would of figured a way to get rid of them just like our captive ones do when they have mites by sitting in water!'
perhaps this snake was on its death bed already!?

still creeps me out! i would of removed them but thats just me!


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## Ramsayi (Feb 21, 2012)

JrFear said:


> as horrid as it is to look at snakes and ticks have been living together for years in the wild and reptiles would of figured a way to get rid of them just like our captive ones do when they have mites by sitting in water!' perhaps this snake was on its death bed already!?



Yeah maybe natures way of hurrying the process along a bit.


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## Justdragons (Feb 21, 2012)

Ramsayi said:


> You will find that the vast majority of keepers do not feed live prey items so please don't make broad,uneducated,sweeping statements like that.



but they are live until we 'donk ' them or gas them. humane or not its still kill one to help the other survive. im sure people on the prize rat forums would have something to say to this arguement. i think the pictures were gross to but all a part of nature and all a part of the cycle of life. yes he could have saved it but he didnt, does it really deserve him to be drilled. i wonder how many people here wouldnt have know what to do either?? i wouldnt have.


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

lavagirl said:


> What was the point in posting it in the first place or even joining here?
> 
> You say you dont like snakes but are happy to post upsetting pictures for those that do love them?



I got a kick out of it.


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## Antanous (Feb 21, 2012)

Gruni said:


> I'm sorry but filming and photographing it without helping the poor thing... What the %*^$!?!?!?
> That sort of infestation is a deathsentence for the animal, where as it could have been rescued and helped like the one from Stradbroke. If you were there with someone else one of you could have watched the snake while thge other called the RSPCA or WIRES people in Lismore.
> 
> Of course it was gone the next day it's not going to stay on a walking trail forever. I just hope that someone else happened across it after you left and got it the help it deserved.



too bloody true to do nothing is horrid.


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

Isn't it interesting how varied the opinion is on this one yet _not one person_ posted and said the ranger should have let the snake die on Straddie? He was told what a great job he did.


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## Wrightpython (Feb 21, 2012)

Who says that the snake in question will die from ticks, once they have there fill they will release and in a month it may have no ticks at all, nature is cruel and if snake does die then it was not the fittest anyway, i for one would have helped it but only cause im a herpetologist by nature if the same thing was on a kangaroo i would have shot said kangaroo and not thought any more of it, have done it for wombats covered in mange and festering soars but a red bellied black snake thats been run over i helped get rehabilitated, You cant help every animal and someone who is not confident with reptiles shouldn't be condemmed for not helping


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## bellany (Feb 21, 2012)

Headlining on the human news - 'ozbrad was eaten by a shark and filmed by other humans in what was said to be an extraordinary event' 
we are all just animals in the end but hey I'm fine with you not being confident enough to help the poor animal (as I don't like nursing homes - theyre all going to die anyway why not let nature take its course? oh yeah thats right theyre people and thats vastly different), but you didnt need to put it on a herp loving site.. if you think it was an 'extraordinary event' maybe the photography sites would be better suited? oh and as for killing the rats so we can all feed our 'pets', if people didnt keep these pets, there would be no reason for the rats to be bred in the first place, so as much as its sad and sucks, they are fulfilling their life purpose, even if a human chose it for them. Better stop feeding your dog tho, don't want any animals to die prematurely because Chum is all that.


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## zack13 (Feb 21, 2012)

bellany said:


> Headlining on the human news - 'ozbrad was eaten by a shark and filmed by other humans in what was said to be an extraordinary event'
> we are all just animals in the end but hey I'm fine with you not being confident enough to help the poor animal (as I don't like nursing homes - theyre all going to die anyway why not let nature take its course? oh yeah thats right theyre people and thats vastly different), but you didnt need to put it on a herp loving site.. if you think it was an 'extraordinary event' maybe the photography sites would be better suited? oh and as for killing the rats so we can all feed our 'pets', if people didnt keep these pets, there would be no reason for the rats to be bred in the first place, so as much as its sad and sucks, they are fulfilling their life purpose, even if a human chose it for them. Better stop feeding your dog tho, don't want any animals to die prematurely because Chum is all that.



What makes you think the said snake was not fulfilling his life purpose? Strong survive weak die. He also isn't having a go at people for the rats dying he is saying things must die for others to survive so your silly dog comment was not needed.

People who weren't going to like this shouldn't have opened the thread, we all knew what has going to be in here. Also maybe the op thought the snake would be able to survive and was trying to show everyone how amazing they are and what they can survive with.


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## bellany (Feb 21, 2012)

so why did you open it and comment too? ive sat on this site for months and not said squat about any of the bickering that goes on here, so now i finally have a say and get shot down.. just like everyone else does, who cares? freedom of opinion is open to everyone, including the guy that posted it in the first place, so I didnt agree with it, and you didn't agree with me.. Lets all cry now, because having a forum where everyone agrees and nobody has a good debate or discussion is far more entertaining than hearing that all of us are unique, entitled to their own opinions and all here to learn something new and network.. I didn't ask you to agree with my opinion, or to read it, each to their own hunny


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## Poggle (Feb 21, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> I assumed the same thing.



I will thirdly agree with this. I found a sick EB last weak with multiple Paralysis ticks on it. Could be a way of nature speeding things up, never found a healthy one with infestation? Could snakes have natural anti bodies preventing them from attaching significantly?


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## zack13 (Feb 21, 2012)

bellany said:


> so why did you open it and comment too? ive sat on this site for months and not said squat about any of the bickering that goes on here, so now i finally have a say and get shot down.. just like everyone else does, who cares? freedom of opinion is open to everyone, including the guy that posted it in the first place, so I didnt agree with it, and you didn't agree with me.. Lets all cry now, because having a forum where everyone agrees and nobody has a good debate or discussion is far more entertaining than hearing that all of us are unique, entitled to their own opinions and all here to learn something new and network.. I didn't ask you to agree with my opinion, or to read it, each to their own hunny



I opened it because I was curious I knew what was going to be here though so didn't feel the need to bash the op. I also wasn't saying you can't have an opinion I was merely stating I think you misunderstood what the op was saying about rats and therefor the dog comment didn't really hold any significance. 

By all means have your own opinion and express it I'm all for that and I'm not crying at all I just thought it was a bit off base is all. I didn't mean to offend you and if I did I'm sorry.


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## GeckoJosh (Feb 21, 2012)

Poggle said:


> I will thirdly agree with this. I found a sick EB last weak with multiple Paralysis ticks on it. Could be a way of nature speeding things up, never found a healthy one with infestation? Could snakes have natural anti bodies preventing them from attaching significantly?



I think its more likely a healthy snake has the energy to rub them off more often


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## hrafna (Feb 21, 2012)

at the recent ahs meeting there was david vella discussing many reptile issues and showed a pic of an infested snake with ticks, said that there was def something wrong with the snake to let the infestation get that bad. a snake can live with/fight off a tick(s) so this animal obviously has something wrong with it and is most likely ear marked for death. all those complaining, i get where you are coming from, i really do, but nobody complains about documentaries showing death or disease! this is natures way, cruel, yes but that is the world we live in.


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## CrystalMoon (Feb 21, 2012)

I am a constant interferer and am the first to admit it..... My first response was aarrghhh how terrible and shame on you OP for not helping, however who am I to judge? I am me and literally couldnt walk away however, I agree with many that ticks in the wild are a natural occurrence and logic does hint that there may well have been something wrong with the snake and the whole tick infestation was nature cleaning up the situation. I have never seen anything like that on a reptile before so thank the OP for posting the pics etc 
Kind regards 
Crystal


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## grannieannie (Feb 21, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Actually Grannie there was a thread a few weeks ago about a snake EXACTLY like this one found by a ranger on Stradbroke Island and it was taken to the wildlife hospital at the Gold Coast and is making a full recovery at last account although it is spending a little time in foster care first.



Really, gee I didn't think anything could recover from something as bad as that. Well, maybe someone could go looking for it and maybe find it again and rescue it....poor, poor creature.


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## Jeannine (Feb 21, 2012)

_I think a majority of people would like to let nature takes it course but to possibley prolong and animals suffering/death by not offering help_

*and what if this person had NOT seen the snake? its condition would not be known about so does that make its pain and suffering any less? 

for goodness sake do you honestly expect people who dont like snakes to go to the extent of picking them up and carry them to a vet considering they probably have NOTHING on them or in their cars what they can put a snake in and what if it had been a venomous snake? would you still expect them to take it to a vet oh and pray tell how were they suppose to put it out of its misery if thats the choice they had to take? nice big rock on its head several times till they were sure it was dead? ffs
*


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

zack13 said:


> People who weren't going to like this shouldn't have opened the thread, _we all knew what has going to be in here_. Also maybe the op thought the snake would be able to survive and was trying to show everyone how amazing they are and what they can survive with.



No we didn't. I thought it was going to be another rescue thread like the last tick one and was curious to see if it was the same area etc.


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## cwebb (Feb 21, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> I got a kick out of it.



hahaha you have really come to amuse me lately, random person


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## Reptilia (Feb 21, 2012)

Just a warning when dealing with animals that are infested with ticks. You are putting yourself at great risk of contracting a disease called 'lyme disease'. If bitten by a tick, it is possible that the bacteria can spread through your entire body and cause severe illness. If not treated early it can be fatal. There are also no tests available in australia nor is it recognised as being in australia until now.


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## kawasakirider (Feb 21, 2012)

Jeannine said:


> _I think a majority of people would like to let nature takes it course but to possibley prolong and animals suffering/death by not offering help_
> 
> *and what if this person had NOT seen the snake? its condition would not be known about so does that make its pain and suffering any less?
> 
> ...



I bet if the infested animal was a cute kitten that had a collar and had evidently escaped someone's yard to fall victim to ticks, you'd go off your head if the OP turned it into a Kodak moment, left it to die and posted the pics up.

I don't have an opinion on what the OP did. Maybe a bit heartless that he didn't call a wildlife carer to sort it out, but I don't blame a person who doesn't like snakes for not picking it up and ripping ticks off it.


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

This is retarded.

I hope the majority of you _*NEVER*_ go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy.

To the OP, thanks for posting. I enjoy nature at her best and her worst.


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## kawasakirider (Feb 21, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> This is retarded.
> 
> I hope the majority of you _*NEVER*_ go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy.
> 
> To the OP, thanks for posting. I enjoy nature at her best and her worst.



I once patted a pademelon that had its eye ripped out, leaving a gaping infected hole. It was very tame for some reason and let me pat it, so I guess I could have taken it to get help. But I didn't, like a baws.


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## myusername (Feb 21, 2012)

I think people on this website are way too sensitive; OP saw a wild animal in its natural habitat and left it alone. I thought one of the golden rules was to leave only footprints and take only photos, right?


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## JUNGLE-JAK (Feb 21, 2012)

Ramsayi said:


> You will find that the vast majority of keepers do not feed live prey items so please don't make broad,uneducated,sweeping statements like that.


and the reason we don't feed live food is to prevent injury to snake so dont start saying we are the ones doing the wrong thing.

thanks for that comment ramsayi


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## sunny_girl (Feb 21, 2012)

bellany said:


> so why did you open it and comment too? ive sat on this site for months and not said squat about any of the bickering that goes on here, so now i finally have a say and get shot down.. just like everyone else does, who cares? freedom of opinion is open to everyone, including the guy that posted it in the first place, so I didnt agree with it, and you didn't agree with me.. Lets all cry now, because having a forum where everyone agrees and nobody has a good debate or discussion is far more entertaining than hearing that all of us are unique, entitled to their own opinions and all here to learn something new and network.. I didn't ask you to agree with my opinion, or to read it, each to their own hunny



I think you took Zack13's comment way too personal. You're right, everyone is entitled to their own opinion including the lad you just shot down!


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## cwebb (Feb 21, 2012)

kawasakirider said:


> I once patted a pademelon that had its eye ripped out, leaving a gaping infected hole. It was very tame for some reason and let me pat it, so I guess I could have taken it to get help. But I didn't, like a baws.



A BAAAWWWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS haha yeah boi


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

I have been thinking about it a lot with all the different opinions i think the part that bugs me is that the op did NOTHING... I would not be upset if he said he ended the snake's suffering instead of getting it help. It's the idea it was left to linger, I know that is nature too but if you are in a position to do something about it you should. If I clip an animal with the car I pull over and end it, if I find a baby bird that has fallen out of it's nest and is too young to be cared for I don't leave it to starve to death. Not all animals can be saved and plenty suffer but it doesn't mean you can't intervene one way or another when you do see it. Just my opinion but I stand by it.


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## jordo (Feb 21, 2012)

lavagirl said:


> What was the point in posting it in the first place or even joining here?
> 
> You say you dont like snakes but are happy to post upsetting pictures for those that do love them?


I would think the point of the videos and photos was to document an interesting observation of nature. The pictures aren't upsetting at all, in fact they're informative to those of us with an interest in herpetology (that is the study of reptiles and amphibians).



Antanous said:


> too bloody true to do nothing is horrid.


Why? The options as I see it are:
1. Kill all the ticks (which have as much right to survival as the snake).
2. Take the snake into care which imo should always be the last option or never an option at all, note: this still envolves mass tick genocide.
3. Do nothing and let nature take its course. Sure... it looks like the snake will die, but as previously mentioned it's more likely it will die from an existing problem rather than the ticks. It is in no way beneficial for parasites such as ticks to kill their host and very rarely, if ever at all, happens.



bellany said:


> Headlining on the human news - 'ozbrad was eaten by a shark and filmed by other humans in what was said to be an extraordinary event'
> we are all just animals in the end but hey I'm fine with you not being confident enough to help the poor animal (as I don't like nursing homes - theyre all going to die anyway why not let nature take its course? oh yeah thats right theyre people and thats vastly different), but you didnt need to put it on a herp loving site.. if you think it was an 'extraordinary event' maybe the photography sites would be better suited? oh and as for killing the rats so we can all feed our 'pets', if people didnt keep these pets, there would be no reason for the rats to be bred in the first place, so as much as its sad and sucks, they are fulfilling their life purpose, even if a human chose it for them. Better stop feeding your dog tho, don't want any animals to die prematurely because Chum is all that.



Photography websites are more interested in the composition and artistic value. I don't think they'd like to see ticks on a snake. As I mentioned above I find the photos interesting due to the relevance to my labs area of research. If you're on this website to just help people name their pet bearded dragons perhaps you should avoid looking at threads that people like to share of their experiences in the field, as they will often include dead animals, predation and in this case parasitism.



waruikazi said:


> This is retarded.
> 
> I hope the majority of you _*NEVER*_ go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy.
> 
> To the OP, thanks for posting. I enjoy nature at her best and her worst.



Well said Gordo.


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## Australis (Feb 21, 2012)

Im just increasingly jealous ive never see an infestation this epic yet in person.


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## kawasakirider (Feb 21, 2012)

Gruni said:


> I have been thinking about it a lot with all the different opinions i think the part that bugs me is that the op did NOTHING... I would not be upset if he said he ended the snake's suffering instead of getting it help. It's the idea it was left to linger, I know that is nature too but if you are in a position to do something about it you should. If I clip an animal with the car I pull over and end it, if I find a baby bird that has fallen out of it's nest and is too young to be cared for I don't leave it to starve to death. Not all animals can be saved and plenty suffer but it doesn't mean you can't intervene one way or another when you do see it. Just my opinion but I stand by it.




I'm on the fence. If I personally hit an animal I'd kill it for sure, but that's because a car smacking into a deer at 80 clicks isn't exactly natural. I can understand how you'd feel bad for the animal, and that is why there are wildlife carers. If I came across that snake I may be inclined to rip the ticks off, but if I saw two wild animals fighting, I'd watch.


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

jordo said:


> 3. Do nothing and let nature take its course. Sure... it looks like the snake will die, but as previously mentioned it's more likely it will die from an existing problem rather than the ticks. It is in no way beneficial for parasites such as _ticks to kill their host and very rarely, if ever at all, happens._



Tell that to all the people who have had dogs, cats and live stock die due to paralysis ticks.


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## Wookie (Feb 21, 2012)

Ramsayi said:


> You will find that the vast majority of keepers do not feed live prey items so please don't make broad,uneducated,sweeping statements like that.



I don't get your point? Regardless of whether live fed or not, they die to feed the snake...


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

kawasakirider said:


> I'm on the fence. If I personally hit an animal I'd kill it for sure, but that's because a car smacking into a deer at 80 clicks isn't exactly natural. I can understand how you'd feel bad for the animal, and that is why there are wildlife carers. If I came across that snake I may be inclined to rip the ticks off, but if I saw two wild animals fighting, I'd watch.



I don't think there is any black and white answer Kwaka, I hate seeing animals suffer whether it is nature or not. I have watched animals fight and hunt but in a way I am finding hard to articulate this is in some way different to me. I spend plenty of time in the scrub as an observer and as a hunter so it is not as if I am a bleeding heart greenie.


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## Scleropages (Feb 21, 2012)

I'd like to see this Vid posted on a tick forum and see the replys....
As much as I like snakes, Ticks have a right to live as well people.


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## Wookie (Feb 21, 2012)

myusername said:


> I think people on this website are way too sensitive; OP saw a wild animal in its natural habitat and left it alone. I thought one of the golden rules was to leave only footprints and take only photos, right?



Amen. There must be a lot of greens supporters on this forum :lol:


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## Black.Rabbit (Feb 21, 2012)

What did you expect the OP to do? 

Pick it up? They are not a fan of snakes as it is, and why put themselves in danger when they may not know much about them. Plus when they tried to help, it only aggravated the poor snake. 

Call someone? What if they had no phone, no reception etc?

Run as fast as lightning to an accessible phone? Who is to say the snake would be where they found it? 

I honestly shake my head at some keyboard worriers who somehow predict the EXACT situation people are in and then slam them for 'not doing what you would do'. Get over yourselves. 

To the OP: Thank you for sharing these pics... as distressing as some cotton-wool people have found them, I appreciated seeing something that I have never seen before.


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## Dmnted (Feb 21, 2012)

This thread is on fire ! 
So do something or don't do something ?
Is the animal suffering ?
Is it going to die without intervention and is that the right thing to do ?
You all have your own opinion on these points but something to consider.

I have not read any literature that ticks cause paralysis in reptiles.
If you can point me to something that does, please do, I have been looking since the last thread on a tick infested snake.

From what I have read the issue to the snake is the *possiblity* of anemia with a large infestation.

Now, from what I know, ticks attach to the host for a maximumm of 10 days (adult female)
Larvae will blood feed for 4-6 days and Nymphs require a further blood meal for 4-8 days.

Here is a reference
Ticks

So based on that, every single tick on the subject snake will drop off in 10 days or less.
If this occurs and the snake does not come into contact with another area highly infested with ticks at the various stages of their lifecycle, and manages to escape anemia, it should recover fine.

The snake looks quite large in size so what are the chances of anemia?

Having a go at one another does nothing, understanding what is the right thing to do helps us all!
I'm not saying helping is not the answer but also, I'm not saying it is the answer.


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## longqi (Feb 21, 2012)

the worst I ever saw had 125 large ticks and loads of small ones
made complete recovery with zero dramas
fed within 24hours
have seen diamonds and mashies full of ticks virtually submerge for hours
dont know if you can drown ticks??
but they seemed to think they could


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## Inkage (Feb 21, 2012)

If you're such a supporter of nature and letting things be natural....Stop keeping reptiles in cages.


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## Darlyn (Feb 21, 2012)

Things die, ticks, snakes, wombats, people.

Just in case some people forgot.


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## Jeannine (Feb 21, 2012)

_I hope the majority of you *NEVER* go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy._

*i have MORE then half a brain thank you, one half of it tells me NOT to touch a snake especially if i have NO experience, NO pillowcase handy to put it in, NO snake hook to pick it up with, ive seen most snake lovers in this site tell non snake people,NOT TO TOUCH *

*honestly why cant you get it thru your half a brain that not EVERYONE likes snakes and if this is a snakes lovers only site i guess you better kick out all of those in here that have lizards huh and keep it to snake lovers only 

if i had come across an animal i was COMFORTABLE in handling that was so tick invested then YES i would rescue it and take it to a vet 

would you prefer i pick up a snake i cant identify and hold it in my hands while i drive to a vets? would you be happy with me risking MY life to save a snakes?
*


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## jordo (Feb 21, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Tell that to all the people who have had dogs, cats and live stock die due to paralysis ticks.


If you think wild and domestic animals should have a similar human involvement then try putting a bowl of cat food infront of a snake and see what happens, maybe then you can leash it and walk it around a park while it pees on all the bushes. We have a responsibility to animals we take into our care but I can assure you that snake with or without ticks wants nothing to do with you.


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## waruikazi (Feb 21, 2012)

For someone with more than half a brain that peice was worded very confusingly. 

Sorry i don't understand. Are you saying that people should interfere with nature doing its thing or not?



Jeannine said:


> _I hope the majority of you *NEVER* go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy._
> 
> *i have MORE then half a brain thank you, one half of it tells me NOT to touch a snake especially if i have NO experience, NO pillowcase handy to put it in, NO snake hook to pick it up with, ive seen most snake lovers in this site tell non snake people,NOT TO TOUCH *
> 
> ...


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## bellany (Feb 21, 2012)

I dont remember when I posted a thread asking people to name my dragon for me but meh... seriously this site is way too emotional some times..


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## Darlyn (Feb 21, 2012)

Okay, I'm a bit tired tonight but Jeannine I think you and Waruikazi agree?


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## PMyers (Feb 21, 2012)

TreeHugger said:


> There are quite large snake enthusiasts on this site!



I, and my prodigious gut, resemble that statement!


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## Darlyn (Feb 21, 2012)

PMyers said:


> I, and my prodigious gut, resemble that statement!



Maybe you should attach some ticks and it would shrink the problem : )


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## Gruni (Feb 21, 2012)

jordo said:


> If you think wild and domestic animals should have a similar human involvement then try putting a bowl of cat food infront of a snake and see what happens, maybe then you can leash it and walk it around a park while it pees on all the bushes. We have a responsibility to animals we take into our care but I can assure you that snake with or without ticks wants nothing to do with you.



Thank you for completely missing the point. 

The quote said that host animals do not die from ticks using them. I know several people whose pets and live stock have died for that very reason as the toxins lead to heart failure. Therefore it is reasonable to expect 'wild' animals would suffer similar effects from hosting significant numbers of paralysis ticks. It was _not_ a comment on husbandry needs or practices.


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## Dmnted (Feb 21, 2012)

Inkage said:


> If you're such a supporter of nature and letting things be natural....Stop keeping reptiles in cages.



Inkage, I'm not sure it you are referring to me but if so, I lean towards letting things take their natural course however, I do agree with people rescuing animals which have been caught in human made natural traps like bird nets around their garden. 
My post was more to encourage thought on the natural occurrences on reptiles in the wild and whether interference is necessary.

On another note, I also think there is a place in this world for reptiles which are captive bred and kept.


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## Darlyn (Feb 21, 2012)

Actually Jordo
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/black-snakes-eating-catfood-159173/

Pretty sure there is no leash tho


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## Poggle (Feb 21, 2012)

gone way off topic. i understand everyones debate, remeber all eveyone has different views and ideas.


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## raywise (Feb 21, 2012)

Scleropages;2139411
As much as I like snakes said:


> Wow, I totally disagree with this. I reckon ticks are the most useless, non beneficial parasite found in the wild. I hate the mongrel things. What purpose do they serve?


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## Jeannine (Feb 21, 2012)

*ill try a little better seeing as it was confusing

everyone is going on about how this person should have 'helped' the snake, pray tell me exactly how they should have done this?

you had someone out in the bush obviously without the equipment needed to do a rescue so come on how was she/he suppose to do it? 

we are also told NOT to interfere with mother nature yet everyone is abusing this person for NOT doing exactly that,in this case i would definitely NOT interfere because i personally am not comfortable around snakes if i had encountered it in my yard i would have contacted the snake handler but not if i was out in the bush 

also why should someone who is NOT use to handling snakes or simply doesnt like them put their own life at risk? this person stated they 'knew' it wasnt a venomous one but why take a chance, they could still get bitten, right?

mm i think perhaps i read Waruikazi comment wrong and a re read i see what they were saying so yep i agree with them, i read it to mean the opposite 

ive exceeded my pain threshold and not reading correctly

im still curious as to how and what exactly 'some' members of this site expected this person to do about the snake? also if they should have humanely dispatched out can someone tell me how they should have done this? after all not everyone carries a euthanasia box in their car or a knife, or should they have got a large stick and just kept hitting it until they felt it was dead? or perhaps dispatch it by hitting it on the head with a large rock until they were sure it was dead? although its pretty obvious good old mother nature had another purpose in mind for this snake and if this member had never come across it no one would have been any wiser
*


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## turtle (Feb 22, 2012)

Quite often snakes in the wild are actually infested with ticks. There are extreme cases like this one. This snake more than likely has had these parasites for quite some time with no I'll effects. If you want to be Mother Teresa, just go to FNQ and spend your time taking ticks of wild snakes. After the 10th snake you come across with ticks, I'm sure you would be over it.

Dan


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## Bel03 (Feb 22, 2012)

Scleropages said:


> I'd like to see this Vid posted on a tick forum and see the replys....
> As much as I like snakes, Ticks have a right to live as well people.



There is a tick forum?? :?

This thread is confusing.......even for people like me who do actually have a brain.....at least half anyway!!  Yes, ticks are gross, yes that snake looks terrible........but the amount of times i have seen people be told off for interfering when they should have let 'nature takes it course', to people now slamming the op for not interfering........make up your mind people!!


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## Scleropages (Feb 22, 2012)

raywise said:


> Wow, I totally disagree with this. I reckon ticks are the most useless, non beneficial parasite found in the wild. I hate the mongrel things. What purpose do they serve?



Everything has it's place.


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## nonamesleft (Feb 22, 2012)

myusername said:


> I think people on this website are way too sensitive; OP saw a wild animal in its natural habitat and left it alone. I thought one of the golden rules was to leave only footprints and take only photos, right?



I have never heard that before, but i think it's spot on.


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## LillyJaneee (Feb 22, 2012)

I find it sickening that you could just stand there and video the poor thing while the ticks were sucking the life out of it! is it that hard to call the RSPCA? It may be a part of nature but watching an animal suffer is just wrong.


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## Bel03 (Feb 22, 2012)

LillyJaneee said:


> I find it sickening that you could just stand there and video the poor thing while the ticks were sucking the life out of it! is it that hard to call the RSPCA? It may be a part of nature but watching an animal suffer is just wrong.



It took me 2wks of daily phone calls to get the RSPCA to attend an address where a small dog was locked in a tiny cage starving, i dont think they would have been in a hurry to help this snake.


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## Poggle (Feb 22, 2012)

Bel711 said:


> It took me 2wks of daily phone calls to get the RSPCA to attend an address where a small dog was locked in a tiny cage starving, i dont think they would have been in a hurry to help this snake.



Agreed


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## PMyers (Feb 22, 2012)

LillyJaneee said:


> I find it sickening that you could just stand there and video the poor thing while the ticks were sucking the life out of it! is it that hard to call the RSPCA? It may be a part of nature but watching an animal suffer is just wrong.



Have you ever tried calling the RSPCA to help an animal that is not viewed by the majority of the public as either cute, fluffy, or newsworthy? I'm sure their lip-service would sound admirable, but their absolute lack of action would probably surprise you.


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## Ramsayi (Feb 22, 2012)

PMyers said:


> Have you ever tried calling the RSPCA to help an animal that is not viewed by the majority of the public as either cute, fluffy, or newsworthy? I'm sure their lip-service would sound admirable, but their absolute lack of action would probably surprise you.



RSPCA aren't in the business of dealing with wild animals,much better to call Green Peace.


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## Wookie (Feb 22, 2012)

raywise said:


> Wow, I totally disagree with this. I reckon ticks are the most useless, non beneficial parasite found in the wild. I hate the mongrel things. What purpose do they serve?



What purpose do WE as humans serve? We are detrimental to the environment and kill more animals than ticks do.


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## JackTheHerper (Feb 22, 2012)

Everyone stop having a ******, He could have helped but he didn't, it happens alot, humans are not perfect, i would hate to get a bad rep from this post, but why pick on someone you don't even know?


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## BrownHash (Feb 22, 2012)

Bel711 said:


> It took me 2wks of daily phone calls to get the RSPCA to attend an address where a small dog was locked in a tiny cage starving, i dont think they would have been in a hurry to help this snake.



The RSPCA don't really do this type of work, they only go for soft targets, which means they are set up to help domestic animals mis-managed by people. In a situation like this you would take it to a vet and they would then treat it and pass it onto a Animal Rehabilitator or Sanctuary that deals with this sort of stuff. 

However, I have no qualms with the way the OP handle the situation and I very much doubt that they are loosing sleep over it either.


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## Wrightpython (Feb 22, 2012)

LillyJaneee said:


> I find it sickening that you could just stand there and video the poor thing while the ticks were sucking the life out of it! is it that hard to call the RSPCA? It may be a part of nature but watching an animal suffer is just wrong.



Obviously you have never had ticks on you otherwise you would know they do not cause pain and therefore the animal was not suffering. Native animals get native parasites and allow it looks ugly the snake will be fine by the way they were engorged they have been there for a while and if they were really irritating the snake would have been rubbing itself red raw which by looking at its nose you can see it has not done. The ticks will fall off over time the snake will shed and all will be fine. They have lived together for thousands of years and this would not be the first or last, if ticks killed every animal they sucked on there would be no animals left in the aussie bush. On a side note has anyone ever caught wild snakes and not had ticks on it


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## Cockney_Red (Feb 22, 2012)

cwebb said:


> hahaha you have really come to amuse me lately, random person


Probably looking at that avatar.....


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## PMyers (Feb 22, 2012)

Ramsayi said:


> RSPCA aren't in the business of dealing with wild animals,much better to call Green Peace.



Second sentence, revisited. If it's not newsworthy, they wouldn't get in on the action either.


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## Gruni (Feb 22, 2012)

I have had time to get over my initial reaction and after hearing more about snakes reactions to ticks I am more ok with it. I would be curious to know from a herp vet why mammals dies of heart failure with paralysis ticks but snakes can cope with so many.

Also interesting looking at the truth of things with the RSPCA and the ad they ran a few years back 'All Creatures Great and Small' which featured a python with a bandage around it... BHP from memory.


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## Bel03 (Feb 22, 2012)

BrownHash said:


> The RSPCA don't really do this type of work, they only go for soft targets, which means they are set up to help domestic animals mis-managed by people. In a situation like this you would take it to a vet and they would then treat it and pass it onto a Animal Rehabilitator or Sanctuary that deals with this sort of stuff.
> 
> However, I have no qualms with the way the OP handle the situation and I very much doubt that they are loosing sleep over it either.




Im confused, RSPCA dont handle cases such as the one i was calling them for, or in regards to this snake? If in regards to this snake.......that was my point, they wouldnt be interested.


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## waruikazi (Feb 22, 2012)

The majority of snakes i encounter up here don't have any visible ticks at all. Boat load of skin worms though.



Wrightpython said:


> Obviously you have never had ticks on you otherwise you would know they do not cause pain and therefore the animal was not suffering. Native animals get native parasites and allow it looks ugly the snake will be fine by the way they were engorged they have been there for a while and if they were really irritating the snake would have been rubbing itself red raw which by looking at its nose you can see it has not done. The ticks will fall off over time the snake will shed and all will be fine. They have lived together for thousands of years and this would not be the first or last, if ticks killed every animal they sucked on there would be no animals left in the aussie bush. On a side note has anyone ever caught wild snakes and not had ticks on it



It is only the exotic animals that haven't got a tolerance to native paralysis ticks.



Gruni said:


> I have had time to get over my initial reaction and after hearing more about snakes reactions to ticks I am more ok with it. I would be curious to know from a herp vet why mammals dies of heart failure with paralysis ticks but snakes can cope with so many.
> 
> Also interesting looking at the truth of things with the RSPCA and the ad they ran a few years back 'All Creatures Great and Small' which featured a python with a bandage around it... BHP from memory.


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## Wrightpython (Feb 22, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> The majority of snakes i encounter up here don't have any visible ticks at all. Boat load of skin worms though.
> 
> 
> 
> It is only the exotic animals that haven't got a tolerance to native paralysis ticks.



Im in NSW coast and every reptile ive relocated has had ticks of one form or another good to here the NT isnt as bad as down here. Ill trade you some ticks for freshies


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## IsaHerpLvrs (Feb 23, 2012)

As sad as it is its nature,although if that was me id have called wires or someone to try and get it some help even if all they could do was put it too sleep atleast it wouldnt be suffering......just my opinion :|


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## LillyJaneee (Feb 23, 2012)

To everyone who replied to my post > Yes i have called the RSPCA on multiple occasions and they are hopeless... guess i spoke before i thought.. It is horrid how an organization that is supposed to "help" animals do so little.. Its just sad how this poor snake was getting sucked dry.



Wrightpython said:


> Obviously you have never had ticks on you otherwise you would know they do not cause pain and therefore the animal was not suffering. Native animals get native parasites and allow it looks ugly the snake will be fine by the way they were engorged they have been there for a while and if they were really irritating the snake would have been rubbing itself red raw which by looking at its nose you can see it has not done. The ticks will fall off over time the snake will shed and all will be fine. They have lived together for thousands of years and this would not be the first or last, if ticks killed every animal they sucked on there would be no animals left in the aussie bush. On a side note has anyone ever caught wild snakes and not had ticks on it



Just because i said it was suffering doesn't mean im implying the pain is from the ticks themselves, what is cruel is the fact that they are sucking out its blood, and everyone knows you need blood to live, many animals die from tick infestations. ive seen it and its not nice. Fair enough that it happens all the time but you don't actually see it all the time, and personally if i saw it, i would help it.


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## Poggle (Feb 23, 2012)

When i was in Darwin a couple of years ago i found the same thing gordo... had to go herping on my honey moon  Was surprised to see little to no ticks, but work infestations, blew me away :S. Same with Townsville there was a higher worm infestation then where i am now, of course though ecology and nature settings play a huge part in this, what can survive where etc. To show the power of a tick, i had a calf go down to a paraylis tick, yet i got an echidna the other day with like 22 paraylis ticks and no real effect.


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## n3xia (Feb 23, 2012)

After reading this entire thread, I'm leaning towards the 'let nature take its course' approach. However, the comment about rescuing wild animals caught in fences, traps etc got me thinking. Humans have been affecting the course of nature for centuries. What about all of the snakes that have died as a result of human impact on their environment (indirectly or otherwise)? Maybe it would have been the right thing, had the person been experienced enough, to help the snake; to make up, in a small way, for the ones who haven't died of natural causes.Also, if there was a bit more punctuation in this thread it wouldn't have taken me so long to read it. People are more likely to pay attention to you when you write stuff that reads easily, y'know.


JAKO66 said:


> and the reason we don't feed live food is to prevent injury


Or maybe coz it's illegal? Inhumane treatment of animals and all...


Black.Rabbit said:


> I honestly shake my head at some keyboard *worriers*


This made me giggle :lol:


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## bracey91 (Feb 23, 2012)

Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble I'm right and your all wrong rabble rabble


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## Poggle (Feb 23, 2012)

bracey91 said:


> Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble I'm right and your all wrong rabble rabble



can i be right also ??


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## bracey91 (Feb 23, 2012)

I'll throw in some jelly and we can all have a friendly wrestle over it


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## Cockney_Red (Feb 25, 2012)

I am a self confessed de-ticker


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## mmafan555 (Feb 26, 2012)

Gruni said:


> I have had time to get over my initial reaction and after hearing more about snakes reactions to ticks I am more ok with it. I would be curious to know from a herp vet why mammals dies of heart failure with paralysis ticks but snakes can cope with so many.
> 
> Also interesting looking at the truth of things with the RSPCA and the ad they ran a few years back 'All Creatures Great and Small' which featured a python with a bandage around it... BHP from memory.




Because snakes are probably more resistant to neurotoxins in general( even through their is GREAT diversity in resistance to different neurotoxins)...They certainly seem to be with other venomous snakes. Their was a study I had seen a while ago involving "medical tests" conducted by humans in the 19th century involving dogs being forcibly bitten by cobras and pythons being forcibly bitten by cobras....All 37 dogs bitten died and I think only only 10 of the pythons died( out of like 30) and most had no effects at all.


As for ticks...They don't really seem to pass on pathogens to humans very often in Australia...so be thankful....Something like 50 percent of all deer ticks in Massachusetts are infected with Lymes Disease or something which is just absurd...and the rates for lymes disease in the northeast US are very high..... Glad I wasn't a big hiker when I lived in the North east.



Ramsayi said:


> This is the second thread in as many weeks regarding heavy tick infestations on carpets.It's got me wondering that perhaps the animals in both cases are unhealthy in the first place?



Or perhaps the warmer temperatures are allowing for increased tick populations?


[video=youtube;Rsd2i-qFHK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsd2i-qFHK4[/video]

Atleast they don't commonly spread human disease in Australia like they do in other places..




raywise said:


> Wow, I totally disagree with this. I reckon ticks are the most useless, non beneficial parasite found in the wild. I hate the mongrel things. What purpose do they serve?



Their doesn't need to be a "purpose" for things to survive...Thats just a human myth because we don't want to admit that this is a completely random world with no outside force or spirit or meaning that controls anything....A tick has no more purpose than that parasitic worm that lives in a frogs throat....Things don't exist because "they must serve some purpose" that is an absurd fantasy created by humans to sofen the harsh realities of this planet.... they exist because they A.) are good at what they do and B.) they want to exist....It's very much like capitalism...ticks found a survival niche and are good at it....so they survive...But theirs no need for their purpose or survival just like theirs no need for any other parasite(or creature) for that matter.



waruikazi said:


> This is retarded.
> 
> I hope the majority of you _*NEVER*_ go into the bush. Leave it for the people with half a brain to enjoy.
> 
> To the OP, thanks for posting. I enjoy nature at her best and her worst.



Human beings ARE part of nature...So that whole we must never interfere with nature argument is retarded....because we are every bit a part of nature as any dog or snake or tick is.

So either the op wants to interfere or not....I won't pass judgement on him because he has no obligation to do anything...Is a snake going to help him if he was covered in ticks...to weak to stand up and seek help? No...so it is not his obligation to help it and especially since he doesn't even like snakes.

I personally like snakes so I would have done something or called....but I won't pass judgement on the op and like people have said he may have thought it was venomous etc....Even through in reality a human life is no more/less valuable than a snake or anything else....self preservation is still the law of the land....and their is an evolutionary drive to protect your own life above everything else.



jordo said:


> It is in no way beneficial for parasites such as ticks to kill their host and very rarely, if ever at all, happens.




That is just completely not true...Parasites in some instances very frequently kill their host....especially if the end goal is to exit the present host and enter the next....Disease such as African Trypanosomiasis and Visceral Leishmaniasis have nearly 100 percent untreated fatality rates....Some soft ticks inject a toxin that can always lead to the death of the host..

It is in many cases very beneficial for a parasite to kill/sterilize it's host and some of the worst diseases known to many kind are parasitic diseases


Good reading on "parasitoids" parasites that are highly likely to kill their hosts..You should read up on it.....

Parasitoid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

African trypanosomiasis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Visceral leishmaniasis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## waruikazi (Feb 26, 2012)

mmafan555 said:


> Human beings ARE part of nature...So that whole we must never interfere with nature argument is retarded....because we are every bit a part of nature as any dog or snake or tick is.
> 
> So either the op wants to interfere or not....I won't pass judgement on him because he has no obligation to do anything...Is a snake going to help him if he was covered in ticks...to weak to stand up and seek help? No...so it is not his obligation to help it and especially since he doesn't even like snakes.
> 
> I personally like snakes so I would have done something or called....but I won't pass judgement on the op and like people have said he may have thought it was venomous etc....Even through in reality a human life is no more/less valuable than a snake or anything else....self preservation is still the law of the land....and their is an evolutionary drive to protect your own life above everything else.



When talking about the landscape and biodiversity, by the definition of the word, we stopped being part of it when we ceased to live primitively.

But either way, when we start interfering with 'nature' we start to change it. Usually for the worse.


----------



## TreeHugger (Feb 26, 2012)

n3xia said:


> After reading this entire thread, I'm leaning towards the 'let nature take its course' approach. However, the comment about rescuing wild animals caught in fences, traps etc got me thinking. Humans have been affecting the course of nature for centuries. What about all of the snakes that have died as a result of human impact on their environment (indirectly or otherwise)? Maybe it would have been the right thing, had the person been experienced enough, to help the snake; to make up, in a small way, for the ones who haven't died of natural causes.Also, if there was a bit more punctuation in this thread it wouldn't have taken me so long to read it. People are more likely to pay attention to you when you write stuff that reads easily, y'know.Or maybe coz it's illegal? Inhumane treatment of animals and all...This made me giggle :lol:


Trying not to comment on this thread because I am insanely pro-helping wildlife and am realy opinionated on this!!! However here goes, I gave in...This comment is COMPLETELY RIGHT. Sure, natural selection is a key feature in the evolution and health of fauna throughout the world, but we have created such a huge negative impact on nature, that we NEED to pick up the slack and make little contributions to try and even the scale the best we can. Sure, this snake may have already been on death row before these photos were taken, but in saying this, a wildlife carer may have been able to right this and release a healthy snake who is able to breed again and produce offspring. Honestly, I am a environmental science student, at the moment finishing my degree and have done so many courses on animal rehab, biodiversity and conservation... WE ARE COMPLETELY SCREWING UP OUR PLANET AND FLORA AND FAUNA by even by the smallest of changes to a environement. I just wish everyone was as educated/aware and MOST people on this sight (that's why we congregate on here because we are all nature lovers and love our reptiles for one...) Something should have been done about this snake. end of story. Everyone has their opinions, fair enough. OP wasn't comfortable coming into contact with this snake, or calling someone about it.... understandable to a degree, but maybe after reading the comments posters have entered on this thread... I think that he IS more aware now... and might think twice before walking past another snake or reptile in a state like this..., and has probably made others reading this thread think twice also. GOOD HAS BEEN MADE. So lets hope, because of this snakes sad story, we take another step toward leveling out the field with nature. Sorry N3xia. My punctuation has held me back though my education years.... I can except its pretty bad, so sorry.


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## mmafan555 (Feb 26, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> When talking about the landscape and biodiversity, by the definition of the word, we stopped being part of it when we ceased to live primitively.



Yeah you could argue that and I could argue against it and we would both be right to an extent. I just dislike when people try to separate us from nature. It's irritating and a very dangerous way of thinking imo. If the planet goes down then we ultimately go down with it...and when people separate us from other animals it leads people to believe that this is not the case.



waruikazi said:


> But either way, when we start interfering with 'nature' we start to change it. Usually for the worse.




Yes that is usually the case...But like I said I'm not convinced that "everything has a purpose" and all that jibe...Just seems like typical human wishful thinking...So I'm not that adamantly against making some modifications to the environment but thats another discussion....I see ticks to be for the most part worthless and I'm not just saying that because I'm afraid of getting Lymes Disease or something....They seem to take an awful lot from the ecosystem and give little/nothing in return which sadly seems to be a very successful survival strategy considering the fact that parasitic animals outnumber non parasitic creature on a 2-1 basis...

To bad humans are the only creature that can fathom the issue of suicide...Wouldn't it be nice if 1/2 of ticks thought their life was just not worth living 
.


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## waruikazi (Feb 27, 2012)

mmafan555 said:


> Yeah you could argue that and I could argue against it and we would both be right to an extent. I just dislike when people try to separate us from nature. It's irritating and a very dangerous way of thinking imo. If the planet goes down then we ultimately go down with it...and when people separate us from other animals it leads people to believe that this is not the case.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



In the context of this conversation i don't think you would be right. 

What about population control? An animal with a heavy infestation won't be in a good position to reproduce.

Or reducing the snake's predation. Think about the time of year ticks are most common, this coincides with animals reproducing and raising their young. Maybe they knock the predator down a level so it doesn't take an unsustainable number of prey items.


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## serpenttongue (Feb 28, 2012)

Wrightpython said:


> On a side note has anyone ever caught wild snakes and not had ticks on it



Yes. Every snake I have ever caught (which is hundreds) has been tick-free. Perhaps I live in an area where ticks aren't very prevalent?


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## krait (Mar 3, 2012)

I used to enjoy letting my spotted sun itself on the grass in the backyard, not so sure that's a good idea after seeing these pics!!??!?


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## Magpie (Mar 3, 2012)

Of course, taking the snake or killing it would both have been against the law. No problem with that though right people? Break the law when it suits you?


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## mmafan555 (Mar 21, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> In the context of this conversation i don't think you would be right.
> 
> What about population control? An animal with a heavy infestation won't be in a good position to reproduce.
> 
> ...




Yeah but ticks go for everything...It's not like they target snakes or just predators anything....they go for literally everything...Hell I've even read about Crocodiles having ticks...So they are not just knocking down the predator....They are knocking down everything ( Just ask that Moose in the video I posted) and I don't think it's to much to ask for some revenge!!! Like I said it's not just me being a selfish human.....name me 1 animal that enjoys the existence of ticks 

Ticks being most common has to do with the warm climate right??? I think thats just a coincidence because nearly all biting bugs go away in the winter and then come back with a vengeance in the summer....I don't think I have ever gotten a mosquito bite in the winter...and probably 1000+ in the summer.

There a better ways for population control and the population will control itself in most instances anyway.(excluding when there is negative human impact!)

I don't think anything exists for a purpose...I just think Nature fills blank ecological niches and animals take advantage of them and the successful animals survive and the others die out...I don't think their is some magical spirit power holding it all together or any of that crap...Once again another excuse for humans to avoid the reality of an obviously random world.

And by the way...I just realized this...Since Ticks basically go on every land creature....and barely anything eats ticks...Does that make ticks the real king of the jungle??? Move over Lion, Elephants, Crocodiles and Bears....all of them "lose" to ticks...We have a new king of the beasts!


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