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[Mcdowelli]

Overseas there are problems with people cutting snakes up to remove the venom glands without having any real veterinary knowledge. One person did this last year here (no prizes for guessing who) and did some pretty dodgy work with them. They also claimed that they were the first venomoids in Australia, which is incorrect. There are venomoids here, which have had the operations performed legally by qualified vets. As far as i am aware NPWS make no distinction between snakes which are venomoids and are not, so therefore to keep a venomoid snake you would still have to qualify for a venomous licence.

Personally, if this operation is performed by a vet, i do not have much of a problem with it. I do have a problem with someone who shall remain nameless strapping snakes down to a table with nails and rubber bands and pulling out the venom glands, for the purpose of being able to free handle a bunch of tigers, red-bellys and browns in order to show off during his snake shows.