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Speak Out: Where do you stand on “free handling” of venomous snakes.

173 opinions on this subject. Enter your opinion at the bottom of this page.
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psilocybe on 2003-10-29
Anyone see the Ripley's Believe it Or Not the other day about the "snake handler" who was free handing his cobras and one day a monocle decided to kiss him. His grandpappy was videotaping him foolishly trying to show to the camera, and the Ripley's audience was granted a fine example of stupidity at it's finest. He got tagged while carelessly returning the snake into it's sterilite tub, they videotaped the entire trip to the hospital, and in the hospital. He had to suffer 4 hours before getting any antivenin. By then, the venom had burned a hole through his belly (where he was tagged), and you could see clear through to his intestines. Ten vials of antivenin flown in from Venom 1 saved his life...and guess what, the next day he was back handling the very same snake that tagged him...free handed again...Ripley's made him out to be a hero of some sort, any respectable herpetologist would call him a moron. Sure Haast, one of the greatest herpetologists ever free hands hots, but he's been tagged well over 100 times, plus, he's been self innoculating for many many years. The next time this moron gets tagged, and he can't get the antivenin, he'll realize the price to pay for all his bravado.

Snakeman1982 on 2003-10-25
When you free handle venomous snakes you end up playing the odds game. Eventually you'll get bit unless you stop playing around. To all of you that think you have some "gift" that keeps you from being bit, wake up. It is true that you can "read" what a reptile is about to do but you can make a simple mistake and screw up quick.
Working with alligators over the years I have experienced a lot of close calls from my colleagues and I. And a few times I have seen some screw ups that ended up causing bites. Reptilian behavior might be relatively easy to predict and understand but it takes less than a split second for a dangerous reptile to defend itself and you might not have time to prepare for it. Any alligator wrestler or snake handler that tells you he hasn't been bit because he was too good, probably didn't do it very long, if at all.
I have free handled quite a few venomous pitvipers, only a few in captivity, and I can tell you that everytime you play an odds game you risk a lot and had better be prepared for getting bit. You might get away with it for a while but eventually if you keep doing it then you will get bit.
I am not saying for people to not do it, but think of this. Why are you doing it? and are you ready to get bit? Don't do this stuff to act cool and impress someone or yourself, to help prove your superior knowledge of snakes, or to save time. Be safe and don't put yourself in needless risk.
Finally, if you are going to brag about having some gift or excessive knowledge about free handling then don't do it with a captive specimen that hasn't seen the sun in years. If you wanna impress some of us who know snakes then go free handle a wild specimen, don't pawn us off some special skills you have by telling us about your experience with some docile captive bred junk, lol.

Anonymous on 2003-10-25
Other than the hook and tail method, if it's hot, I try not to touch it. Such a majority of envenomations from pets happen when "free handleing" that I feel it's rediculous and careless to our hobby to do so. I feel it gives a bad impression, saying that the only reason we keep hots is because it makes us all feel "macho" and risky.

Anonymous on 2003-10-12
I personally don't "free" handle venomous snakes. The closest I come is grabbing Rattlers is in the wild by the tail to keep them from escaping into the next brush pile or cactus clump. I don't even resort to that if I can contain them with whatever stick I happen to be carrying at the time, just so I can get a few photos. Anyone who does free handle Hots, it's fine with me and I wish you the best of luck. For me though, just the possibility of taking a hit from a Hot isn't my idea of a good time. I get enough of a rush just watching and studying my young Western Diamondback (13" long) through the glass of its aquarium.

hoip1chiggs on 2003-10-10
Hoip Chiggs here. Sometimes, late at night, when I'm all by myself, it's just me & my hots. And that's fine. I dim the lights, light up my deathmetal posters & lavalamps, & pick up my Hots. I turn the volume "up to eleven". Full DeathMetal. It's me & my Hots dancin around to Celtic Frost, Slayer, and friends. I got 3 rattlesnakes in my left hand, 4 pitvipers in my right. The way I move around, I'm like a Rockin Snake Handlin Reverand. U guys should see me. If you're walkin thru a forest and you see a trailer rockin, lights a flashin, don't come a knockin! It's me & my Hots. So go home and wash yer socks.
Later,
Hoip Chiggs

oxcan on 2003-10-07
check at pictures in "informacion venenosas" in www.serpientes.ws

oxcan on 2003-10-07
check at pictures in "informacion venenosas" in www.serpientes.ws

knightstalker13 on 2003-09-24
when i was 13 years old i met a kid who loved snakes like a fat kid loves cake. he had a ball python named "monte". she was the most delicate and sweet dispositioned snake i had ever layed hands on. sinse then i haven't had a fear of holding any type of snake. i think that if you have only the best intentions and you don't mess with thier natural habbitat then they wont strike you. i've held many snakes that would be warned against. if you don't know what your doing though, i wouldn't recomend any physical contact. thank you Ian. i'll always remember your teachings on snakes.- donna-

Anonymous on 2003-09-21
I had been a "freehandler" myself. I have several cb rattlers that I started handling with gloves and subsequently became quite tame. I could "read" them well enough to avoid the obvious. Then one day, working on a C. h. atricaudatus neonate which I had pinned loosely with a finger to apply some medication, I got fanged. 20 vials and 24 hours of intensive care later I've changed my opinion. BUT it is your body, your life and your choice. Remember, no one is immune and a brush with death is terrifying.

Anonymous on 2003-09-12
Snakes strike like a mousetrap.they are too quick to avoid, so free handling them is akin to russian rulette, if you take a chance a certain number of times the law of probability will eventually catch up with you.
We like you! Please, don't be stupid

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