Some worksites insist on the use of tongs, no hooks allowed so in some cases you may not have a choice. Use the tongs or watch the snake get killed.
Not much of a choice as far as I'm concerned.
By old school I'm going back a bit longer than 25 years, I started keeping herps including vens in the 70's. Doesn't mean anything though as things were done a lot differently in those days and a lot has been learnt since then.
i always use tongs for any snake nonven or ven, better then the chance of getting bit
