close calls with big snakes

[atothej09]

This has been one of the best and most interesting threads I have read in a long time. Some real good stories here.
I will leave further educated, and aware.
Thank you to all contributors.

 

[longqi]

We have a fixed rule that nothing over three metres is ever handled unless two staff are present
Nothing over five metres without three staff present

Scrubbies are strong but nothing compared to the same length retic/burmese
That is simply because of the length to weight ratio
Wild caught retics above four metres are just so powerful it is almost unbelievable
I have had to train a few now and I must admit to being very very conscious of what could happen by accident
I had one with three coils around my arm and the bruising took two months to go away and hurt like a mongrel
One good thing about a big retic is that they really tell you they are going to bite so you can usually avoid it
In virtually every case it is self defence on the snakes part
I honestly dont think they were ever trying to eat me

I have to go to Kalimantan next week to play with a big wild caught one
Will try to get some photos or video to show you the power of these guys

 

[Snakewoman]

Here is a man who is lucky to be alive after an encounter with a reticulated python:

Watch Anatomy Of A Snake Bite: Python Tactics Online - VideoSurf Video Search

 

[Tassie97]

wow that is an interesting vid does that mean he killed the snake?

 

[mje772003]

We have a fixed rule that nothing over three metres is ever handled unless two staff are present
Nothing over five metres without three staff present

That is a great rule to follow longqi

 

[Snakewoman]

wow that is an interesting vid does that mean he killed the snake?

It sounds like the maintenance man killed the snake with the hunting knife. Lou must have panicked before he grabbed the snake's head, most times when you grab their heads they coil, its the last defense they have, and a very powerful one at that.

 

[longqi]

99% of predators attack snakes from behind and to the head neck area
That is why we never attempt to touch the head of any wild caught retic
[if he is going for you hard it is a different matter]
{but they seldom really try to bite, it is usually just the open mouth 'tag' that they use]
They just hit with open mouth and try to get away most of the time

 

[Fantazmic]

after reading your reply Jonno i am so sad so sorry for your loss....... such a sad sad story and the sad thing is the snake would ahve had a 'moment' and such a sad accident to have happened

i have been sharing the stories from this thread with my sons....especially this idea that the scrubbies coil hands first and then squeeze the chest.

Something my sons asked and I am wondering if someone with experience could answer....they wondered if you threw yourself to the ground.....with the full force of your weight....could you injure the snake enough to make it let go of you ? Or does it happen so quickly and you are so shocked that you wouldnt have a chance to do that or think to do it ?

we have atherton and tully jungles here and still have a rule....not near necks....even so I have said to my sons their lives are more important than the snakes.........though i doubt my jungles would ever get big enough to give a life threatening squeeze.....like the scrubbies or olives

Thanks in advance such a sad but interesting thread

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Fantazmic,

I highly doubt that falling to the ground would stop a snake the size of a large Olive or Scrub. They specialise in eating large, strong prey items.

Prevention is better than cure. Your jungles wouldn't pose much of a risk (although even a small Morelia could easily cause someone to black out if it wrapped around their neck, but this would be highly unlikely), but it's always good to be safe.

 

[Fantazmic]

Yes my son just realised the snake is trying to 'take you down' so that probably wouldnt work.

 

[ToadCountry]

Yep the scrubs seem to be very smart .My girl watches you as you walk past the cage as if sizing you up .She would love to get the cat .The cat walks past the cage and scrubby is right beside her following .If there was no barrier between them the cat would have been gone long ago .

That made me laugh......could just see your scrubbie sizing up the cat !!
Up here in Cairns.....cats go missing alot.
They are such stalkers, and have a primal food-driven intelligence that amazes me.
Nice Snakes Joemal !!

 

[Norm]

A bloke I know had a big python, I think it was a coastal, tighten up around his neck. Luckily he had a couple mates there and they got it off just as he was blacking out.
He told me when I first got interested in getting a snake, no matter how much you think you know your snake don`t ever put it around your neck.

 

[Fantazmic]

this is what i have told my boys.....never around the neck....we tend to get the snakes out in the evening when they are awake and as a family while we are watching telly......and I think that is the safest way.....

 

[newbie1991]

first of all i am very sorry to hear about your loss Jonno and thank you for sharing.
i recently bought my first coastal python, it is only a yearling but it did not take me long at all to realise the power and strenght it has, i once had trouble unwrapping it off my arm after it turned my hand blue and gave me pins and needles, i would hate to imagine the strenght of a full grown python no matter the species. It definatelly taught me to be causious and be safe and not to let my guard down.
Its also great forums like this that educate newbies like me and others on how to safely care for their reptile/reptiles so thatks guys .

 

[HypnoticSlither]

Do big constrictors ever constrict humans with the intention to consume, or is it merely an attempt to obtain warmth/ hang on? I couldn't imagine a scubbie would consider making a meal of an average adult (could they? I've only got a little spotted).

the other day while looking at pics on the net i found a site and it shows a ascrubbie eating a kangaroo !! so i would not be surprised. i was shocked

 

[HerpMad]

Perhaps I'm going to get flamed for this but wouldn't it help if you had a cattle prod with you in case the worse came to the worse and you couldn't get unwrapped?

Those things give a huge boot when discharged and are easier to get hold of (purchase) than a tazer.

lol, sounds like a reasonable idea.. but cattle prods and jiggers send electrical impulses thru the muscles tensing them even more... wouldn't want to boot a scrubby that was wrapped around my neck and make it pop my head off... plus the added bonus of the current flowing into me aswell

 

[kawasakirider]

This video is AMAZING. I am in the middle of it at the moment, so I don't know what happens the whole way through, but this HUGE retic let go of Austin Stevens just because its bottom jaw was hooked on his pants, he should have bought a lotto ticket.

[video=youtube;79fND0COYlA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79fND0COYlA&feature=related[/video]

 

[longqi]

This will give you some idea of what a decent size retics head looks like
This one was a relocation near Palangkaraya in Kalimantan

 

[Snakewoman]

That's one massive snake! Very impressive.

 

[saximus]

This video is AMAZING. I am in the middle of it at the moment, so I don't know what happens the whole way through, but this HUGE retic let go of Austin Stevens just because its bottom jaw was hooked on his pants, he should have bought a lotto ticket.

I've seen that before. Call me sick but I kinda would have liked to see it grab him properly so we could see how he dealt with it