Snake tongs

[Pazzy]

I was wondering what everyone thought of 'snake tongs'.. I know A LOT of people have caused injuries to snakes using them, but i have also seen people cause injuries to snakes using there hands and hooks. I see tongs as a tool and if used PROPERLY shouldnt have any trouble.?

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Popcorn anyone?

 

[Poggle]

I see some benefits and also some negative effects from Tongs. A gentleman by the name of Ian Nortan in Tasmania designed a great set of tong in which the part that applies pressure is made from Leather and the botte fixated piece is rubber base. I trialed this product on tigers, browns and other elapids. I found then to be safer and less invasive of the snake, it elimnated the pinch that some tongs have, although at the same time it is grabbing a particular area of the snake and if twisted when snake is in grip can still cause damage. I agree thought i have seen alot of people say they wont use tongs cause they can feel the snake better with their hands, and i have seen people do damage with hands and hook. I think what it comes back to is simply education on the handlers part! I have both hook pinner and tongs in my kits. Tongs if used safely can be quick and eliminate a hands on approach with some snakes. But i personally like hook and hand also.

 

[cadwallader]

What injuries have hooks caused?
i think the cheap tongs can caused injuries and mistakes with them can be easily made.
On the other hand im in favour of the Raptor tongs as its basically impossible to squash the snake

 

[Pazzy]

Thanks guys all good points. i am glad it hasnt got heated like i first thought (so far anyway)

 

[Jonno from ERD]

The Raptor brand tongs were something I investigated and although the idea is a positive one, they still don't eliminate the chance of injury. Unless you get the snake completely in the jaws, the tip of the jaw will crush the snake.

One thing you can't escape when using a set of tongs is the "mental" state it puts the snake in - there are absolutely no tongs on the market that won't make a snake feel restrained, and therefore overly defensive. Keeping a snake calm and playing on it's desire to escape is much easier, safer way of handling. Tongs make a new handler feel safe, but that's not 100% correct.

I must admit I seriously used a set of tongs on a wild reptile a few weeks ago...we had to remove a large Varanus panoptes from the bottom of a septic tank. There was no vegetation to place down there as a "ladder" and there was definitely no chance of me going down there! A set of Gentle Giants was used around the base of the animals tale and he scampered off to freedom. This is the first time in 10+ years of working with wild reptiles that I've had to use a set.

 

[Poggle]

The Raptor brand tongs were something I investigated and although the idea is a positive one, they still don't eliminate the chance of injury. Unless you get the snake completely in the jaws, the tip of the jaw will crush the snake.

One thing you can't escape when using a set of tongs is the "mental" state it puts the snake in - there are absolutely no tongs on the market that won't make a snake feel restrained, and therefore overly defensive. Keeping a snake calm and playing on it's desire to escape is much easier, safer way of handling. Tongs make a new handler feel safe, but that's not 100% correct.

I must admit I seriously used a set of tongs on a wild reptile a few weeks ago...we had to remove a large Varanus panoptes from the bottom of a septic tank. There was no vegetation to place down there as a "ladder" and there was definitely no chance of me going down there! A set of Gentle Giants was used around the base of the animals tale and he scampered off to freedom. This is the first time in 10+ years of working with wild reptiles that I've had to use a set.

The Raptor was the one which i was using in my description. They do give a flase sense on safety which is a huge concern. And the damage hand and hook had cause is happy go lucky catcher yanking snakes out of hides, you dont need tongs for that some people do it enough with bare hands. Like i said previously, gear aside it comes back to handlers more then anything. I am a fan of hand and hook cause it does reduce stress on the snake if you KNOW what you are doing.

 

[Mister_Snakes]

I tired a set of gentle giants on a placid RBBS once. There was no denying the snake reacted badly. I found it impossible to bear down on the snake with the tongs to a point where I actually had a hold of the snake, without feeling I was causing it injury. So I gave up and picked it up put it in the bag without any drama.
If someone you knew said hey, "mind if I try these tongs out on your snakes?" Would you let them?

 

[snakehandler]

Tongs are simply a tool that can be used in circumstances that require them, they have the potential to cause harm, particularly cheaper versions. We train people to use them, on rubber snakes, to get the feel of them, to enable a person to make a decision for themselves. They can cause harm and are NOT the solution to snake catching. I have used them on occasion on wild snakes, as Jono described, having no alternative on hand. We will only use and sell Gentle Giants, I have found them to be the safest in my opinion.

I have not heard of injuries with hooks, but certainly with pinning and tailing. It comes down to each person, each job and personal preference. Most people that I train will tell you they prefer hooks and tailing above all else!

 

[Pazzy]

Tongs are simply a tool that can be used in circumstances that require them, they have the potential to cause harm, particularly cheaper versions. We train people to use them, on rubber snakes, to get the feel of them, to enable a person to make a decision for themselves. They can cause harm and are NOT the solution to snake catching. I have used them on occasion on wild snakes, as Jono described, having no alternative on hand. We will only use and sell Gentle Giants, I have found them to be the safest in my opinion.
I have not heard of injuries with hooks, but certainly with pinning and tailing. It comes down to each person, each job and personal preference. Most people that I train will tell you they prefer hooks and tailing above all else!

that was pretty much what i was thinking so gentle giant ones seem to be the best. and other ones should be thrown away or used to feed snakes you dont want to get bit by

 

[mysnakesau]

Popcorn anyone?

Geez, its easy to pick the sensitive topics discussed here when someone is offering popcorn.

I use tongs. I have had one bad experience with them - due to my lack of experience, but I learnt a huge lesson from that and have used them successful since. Very first time I used them was when I was called out to a rural property to catch a red belly from the persons yard - they live in red belly country, no fencing and their house very close to surrounding bushland. But, I went out to catch this gorgeously large red belly and was using my hook and tongs. But what I did not notice was the people's dog come up behind me and ran in and grabbed the snake while I had it securely in the tongs. This made the snake so angry, its mouth wide open and latched onto my snakebag as I tried to get him in there. What should have been a simple catch and relocate turned into rescuing a very badly injured red belly. I handed him over to a more experienced snake handler who never gave me feedback as to it's recovery. But I can imagine that the animal would have died, or been put down. So now that I've learnt to speak out and tell ppl to lock their dogs away, I have never had an issue since,. But also since then, I rarely take snake calls in rural areas anymore. Too far to travel for the snake to be long gone by the time I get there, and besides, they should expect to see snakes and learn to live with them if they want to live in rural locations.

 

[snakehandler]

I use the pilstrum tongs to feed my crocs, remove food from enclosures and offer food to some animals. I think I have used Gentle Giant tongs in the wild maybe twice or three times, I have used them a great deal on rubber snakes. Also we used them extensively in Pakistan with the vipers and cobras under advisement from Dr. Bryan Fry. Some of these snakes were euthanized afterwards for collection of body organs for scientific research.....we looked at the internal organs, ribs and searched for bruising and found no evidence of damage.....I have never used any other type of tong as I had never found any that I trusted!

 

[Tassie97]

i was about to make a thread but searched first! was looking at the raptors look ALOT nicer than the metal ones that look like rubbish grabbers!

 

[-Peter]

I have tongs and use them regularly. They allow me to hold the rat well away from me when feeding the more food orientated critters but seriously when required they can be of great assistance as a fallback or as an OHS requirement. In which case training and practice is a necessity.

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

I use my tongs to tip out the snake bag I filled without using tongs. This is necessary because my wife does not love me enough to sew big red tags on the corners of my snake bags. Oh, I also use them to turn snags on the bbq. I just prefer the control you get with them over the standard "poke and roll" method you get with a fork.

I am presently looking at modifying my tongs to use as a doggie pooper scooper, but then I will have to tip my snake bags out bare handed... a scary proposition. Would be nice to have a one-handed, spring loaded pooper scooper though.

 

[Fuscus]

...This is necessary because my wife does not love me enough to sew big red tags on the corners of my snake bags. ...

My wife doesn't love me enough to sew snake bags - period. Fortunately I've learnt to sew and sew shoelace loops into the corners of the bags

 

[-Peter]

Snake_Whisperer, just sew diagonally across the corners. This creates a safe tag to use when touchingbthe base of the bag, one each corner. Also makes sliding snakes out for release much easier.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

The bags i make have the safety corners sewn in as peter said..They work very well to.
One size fits all hoops, or can be custom made.
Double stitched with built in safety corners and draw string.
Deep enough to keep the bouncing eastern brown in.
Aussie made with Aussie materials.
These bags are now being used by snake catchers in Australia, Africa and now to India.
Woohooo.
Want to see a vid of my bags and sticks in action..ssssnakeman's Channel - YouTube

Oh yeah, say no to tongs

 

[-Peter]

Everyone should be able to sew. I did a Fashion Technology certficate to learn sewing and patternmaking years ago along with a welding certificate and a clerk of works(the only one I didnt finish but should have). Gotta love TAFE.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

I learned to sew from a guy who lived next door to me in Adelaide.
He (Bill RIP) learned to sew during his 27 years in a the South Australian prison system.