Brave snake catcher

[crocdoc]

The guy is a moron. I've never seen anyone handle snakes worse than he does.

I've only ever watched a couple of Brady Barr programs and that was one of them - I watched it because I'd been to the very same snake cave in Indonesia that appeared in that program, a month before the program went to air. The guide we had was the same guide Barr used (he can be seen trying to help Barr after he first got bitten) and he told us about Barr getting bitten.

I can tell you that the cave itself is pretty foul - we were almost up to our waists in solid guano, the consistency of mangrove mud (easy to get stuck). Not as liquidy as in the youtube video. You could barely breathe from the ammonia, the humidity was 100% so everything was dripping, the surface of the guano was covered in cockroaches and tiny insects were hovering around our headlamps and being inhaled with every breath. We weren't coughing and spitting like Barr, though.

What really rankled me about the program, aside from his handling of the snake, was the fact that the guide did not even get a mention in the credits. They wouldn't have found the cave without him, wouldn't have got permission to go into the cave without him (he has to get permission from the locals) and he had no issues with marching into deep guano for his clients - all for around $15/day. And not even a 'thank you' credit. That's downright mean.

 

[Rainbow-Serpent]

Hahahahaha!!!!!! :lol:

What a big girly-sook!!!

 

[snakehandler]

When the situation calls for tongs it is always a last resort in which other techniques have not worked. You also need to take into account OH&S for situations such as confined spaces etc.

 

[porkosta]

Seen it before but funny as.... I think he had a bad bite.... lol thats to funny

 

[potato matter]

I knew he was a wuss, but this...

 

[redbellybite]

When the situation calls for tongs it is always a last resort in which other techniques have not worked. You also need to take into account OH&S for situations such as confined spaces etc.

I dont own tongs and never will,I know they claim to have the new type on the market and it is suppose to be non invasive on the snake ..but if you clamp down on any snake,to me you have put them in a defensive mode ,you only lift with a hook so no force is needed..I have had tight confined situations with snakes ,behind hotwater systems,underneath stoves,washing machines and inside a couch..some situations are a bit hairy at times but have always managed to get the snake out ,just cant see the use of tongs being used ,and what concerns me more is people that use them on a regular basis(I know you said you didnt so this is not aimed at you)get complacent and mistakes are often made .

 

[JasonL]

The guy is a moron. I've never seen anyone handle snakes worse than he does.
You havn't watched Wild Boys then The Jackass crew put on a real good wildlife show LOL...

 

[snakehandler]

People get complacent without tongs....ever removed a snake from a sewer pit....cannot physically get in...snake keeps sliding off the hook...diving under the surface.....there are times that they are needed...confined spaces for me are not behind fridges....they are confined work spaces where a person legally needs to have a confined work space permit...under buildings.....in ceilings.......or in the case mentioned above situations that will put my health at risk by entering the sewer pit. Running a business I have to adhere to the OH&S act as do my staff......I need to act in a responsible manner and ensure my staff do not endanger their safety by being forced to place themselves in spaces that they cannot work in safely.

When you have removed snakes from places where access to the pit area is not permitted but you can reach in....you watch the snake and attempt to hook but it doesn't work, you place the hoop and bag into the pit and try to flick it in but it doesn't work, then you will know the benefit of tongs...to state that tongs are the answer to safe snake catching is the ultimate mistake....they are a last resort tool that should only ever be used when all else fails or company policy dictates that it is the safest option for the handler......many industries do not see that the technique of hooking is all that safe due to the percieved lack of control, policies are usually made by people with limited knowledge.

 

[redbellybite]

Have been under buildings and in ceilings ,but dont underestimate an angry brown in a stove ,you are very restricted due to the fact the stove can not be pulled out that far especially gas hooked up ones ,there are many tight crevices that it can get into and 99% of the time the only thing facing you is the bitey end....our opinions may differ on the use of tongs,and am happy to stay at "the beg to differ stage" but shouldnt make out that one senario is worse then the other ..dealing with any snake can have complications and when encounterd with a venomous one the danger increases 10 fold..

 

[snakehandler]

We would love the luxury of non venomous captures......99% will be venomous for us....and your comment about dealing with snakes is exactly what I have been saying. Personally I would prefer not to use tongs, I discourage the use of them and inform people that they are not a safer technique, just an alternative technique.

 

[redbellybite]

We would love the luxury of non venomous captures......99% will be venomous for us....and your comment about dealing with snakes is exactly what I have been saying. Personally I would prefer not to use tongs, I discourage the use of them and inform people that they are not a safer technique, just an alternative technique.

well yes its true living in QLD we do get the "luxery" as you worded it of catching non vens BUT then again we also have the "luxery "of claiming the top of the list venomous snakes to ...taipans and eastern browns arent really relaxing play toys now

 

[Kris]

rbb, we all know you don't like tongs. In some cases tongs can be used in ways that are less stressful to the snake than pinners, hooks etc etc. Like the other bloke said- in a sewer/oil trap/tank is a perfect example. How many times are you going to try and hook a snake and have it slip off the hook over and over before you think that you have stressed the animal out? or please tell us how you would go about getting a snake out of that situation? If you think a hook would work perfectly you have never tried to actually do it before. Ok, maybe for a python or an adder, but to use a hook on a brown would be pretty useless in most cases.

I have used tongs once in 9 years of legally holding a dmp and at the moment don't own a pair. at the time I used them the snake was not damaged at all and remained placid- it was a Common Brown just over 150cm. But they do have their place if YOU know how to use them corectly.

Anyway, this thread is about Brady Barr- not some cool snake tamperer that free handles White Crown Snakes that detests tongs.

If I were him I would have probably screamed like a pansy too- and would have definately been worried about that soup he was standing in infecting the wound.

Kris.

 

[snakehandler]

Redbellybite you have a bit to say about tongs and other issues....I'll put this call out then....provide proof that gentle giant tongs not pilstum tongs, damage snakes, reliable, factual proof that can be verified...I am constantly asked to justify the use of tongs...people claim they are barbaric.....we can provide the study done to show that there is no damage done by people trained to use gentle giant tongs......132 cases were studied prior to us even recommending their use for handling in certain circumstances.....132 cases where no damage was evident. This will be discredited by many as it will be assumed that we did the study to endorse the tongs...truth be told we did the study to investigate if they are damaging and if so to petition for tongs to be banned or if they showed no evidence of damage then we would utilise them.

What proof is out there that Gentle Giant Tongs (not pilstrum tongs) are damaging to snakes....

ps. we also have eastern browns in Victoria

 

[PilbaraPythons]

This tongs debate always gets raised and I have to say that I am surprised at the amount of negativity towards there use. Sure there are models of them that have injured snakes with improper use but the raptor brand ones are great and are very unlikely to cause injury.

The fact remains in remote areas where there is little or no snake handling training, these tongs prove invaluable and the alternative is often dead snakes or major hazards left in the work place.

I must confess that as a person who has only ever tailed large elapids without jiggers, I was reluctant to ever use one. I decided to purchase and try the raptor because of a past situation where all tools were to difficult to use down a deep shaft and after trying it out on a few fast moving western browns in the wild, think they are absolutely fantastic.

For all you other old school snake catchers out there that can't think out side the circle, I suggest you give this brand a try.

 

[Kersten]

You're not the first "old school" snake catcher who I've heard mention that PP. In fact I bet RBBB would be surprised at some of the old school-ers (and die hard anti-tong folk) who do use them....maybe even people she knows

 

[Kris]

or newbie look a me,look at me, look at me types

I've been meaning to get a set for the "****, I wish I had a set of gentle giant wide clamp, snake friendly tongs" for when I do get a callout that requires them. You never know when you may need them. So far I've been fortunate enough not to need them. But no doubt the call will come.

Kris.

 

[Kris]

Kersten, that would never happen- tongs are bad mmmmkay.....

 

[snakehandler]

PilbaraPythons, there are several groups that are willing to travel to teach handling skills. the biggest issue in your case is the fact that WA have very strict laws relating to bringing reptiles into the state, this restricts many operators to venture into WA......I know that if I had a reliable person in WA to work with the situation would be different.

 

[Frozenmouse]

Just incase you missed it he said he had a BAD BAD BITE ha ha ha . ps what were the farting noises hope they werent him

 

[redbellybite]

I do know of some "old school handlers that have used the gentle giant tong"...I still dont agree with the tong method due to the fact like I said you clamp down and the snake goes into a defensive mode ...you dont with a hook, it lifts the snake not clamps..that is my issue ,snakehandler said about sewer situation ,as I have never had to do a sewer ,I cant comment on what I would do ,but I have been under buildings and in ceilings ,and yes you can and do get eastern brown snakes found in ceilings..and have only used my hook and bag ..I am yet to meet anyone that gets complacent with a hook when on a callout ,but have met a few catchers that use the tongs that have said ,they wouldnt use the hook due to themselves not trusting their reflex's and they even admitted that they get a sense of security using the tongs ..one bloke wanted me to show him how to use the hook with a ven ,as he said the snake is pretty calm untill I clamp down then it goes crazy..that was coming from someone that had a set of the gentles..so if he can recognise that as a user ,then it only makes my point even clearer ..use what ever you like ,but I dont have to agree with it ..and Kris what do you mean "a hook on a brown would be pretty useless in most cases"...