They get it for free down here, some will offer so I take whatever "donation" they are happy with to cover a bit of fuel etc. I am afraid I do not know the magic price at which the clients shift from removal mode to shovel mode but I suspect it is a lot lower in rural Victoria than up where you are Barry.
Elapid relocation
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- aspidites ramsayi brachyurophis roperi cacophis squamulosus demansia atra drysdalia coronoides egernia striolata hemiaspis signata lampropholis delicata morelia carinata morelia spilota mcdowelli notechis scutatus oxyuranus scutellatus parasuta dwyeri parasuta flagellum pseudechis porphyriacus pseudonaja nuchalis pseudonaja textilis
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SLACkra
Very Well-Known Member
Yeah, but I probably undercharge. I mean the last few years I've basically been doing it while on holiday from university. For that little guy, given capturing him took a solid 15 seconds and I was technically still awake when they called at 2am I only charged $100. That photo is actually pretty rubbish, I've had the pleasure of having one of my friends who's also into snakes take a few pictures of a couple of the snakes I've caught this summer.
This was the first Eastern Brown I ever caught. Only about 40cm long. Found him under some tin roofing about 2m from a rather large and grumpy tiger snake. Suffice to say while being photographed he got a bit mad.
I'm a bit annoyed that we didn't manage to get a really good shot of him with his mouth wide open.
This was the first Eastern Brown I ever caught. Only about 40cm long. Found him under some tin roofing about 2m from a rather large and grumpy tiger snake. Suffice to say while being photographed he got a bit mad.
I'm a bit annoyed that we didn't manage to get a really good shot of him with his mouth wide open.
$NaKe PiMp
Very Well-Known Member
when you do it full time you can not afford to do it for "free" and if you want a professional service thats prompt and effective,you have to charge enough to make some what of a living,and not even a decent living at that,its purely for the love of it.
waruikazi
Legendary
Some of you guys should move up to Darwin. There is a contract from NTPWS waiting for you so you don't have to charge anything. Just be prepared to be busy!
I
imported_Varanus
Guest
Any idea what the majority of callouts would be, Gordo? I'm assuming Western Browns.
waruikazi
Legendary
The vast majority are golden tree snakes, keelbacks next, water pythons, carpets, childrens and then nuchalis. Vens only really accounted for about 20% of calls but browns were the most common ven on call out.
Hoplophile
Active Member
Its great when the Council offer snake removal as a service. I used to be the Altona City (Victoria) snakecatcher in the 1970's and 80's - the council would log the call I'd remove the snake (nearly all male tiger snakes - presumably because males are the dispersers) then I'd bill the council and they'd reconcile my bill against the call log. Individuals can rarely afford the removal of a snake and it's generally only a temporary issue affecting them anyway. I can't say I ever removed a "resident" snake from a backyard..they were all passing through so they are evreyone's problem, not just the person who has it in their backyard today.
By the way I attended a quite few that had resulted in pet deaths. A survey by the veterinary school (Melb Uni) showed that dogs were mainly bitten in spring during the day (when snakes were diurnal) and cats were bitten more frequently at night in the hottest part of summer when snakes became nocturnal. That was based on over a hundred bites presenting to the vet school clinic at Werribee over a ten year period. :shock:
By the way I attended a quite few that had resulted in pet deaths. A survey by the veterinary school (Melb Uni) showed that dogs were mainly bitten in spring during the day (when snakes were diurnal) and cats were bitten more frequently at night in the hottest part of summer when snakes became nocturnal. That was based on over a hundred bites presenting to the vet school clinic at Werribee over a ten year period. :shock:
Snake Catcher Victoria
Almost Legendary
Great info Hoplophile..very cool
reptalica
Very Well-Known Member
Great thread too. As much as I love seeing the pics, to me it's educational and gives me an opportunity to identify the vens by sighting the pics and knowing which is which. I am in Greensborough in the Diamond Valley and I know they get browns and tigers around here. We walk the dogs right near Plenty River and apparently am a good chance to spot one around here.
Believe me I am very much an amateur and the first to admit it.
Thanks snakeman and the forum population for these great insights.
Believe me I am very much an amateur and the first to admit it.
Thanks snakeman and the forum population for these great insights.
Snake Catcher Victoria
Almost Legendary
[video=youtube;TM_TtxUib4I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM_TtxUib4I[/video]
Yesterday, i was called out to remove this huge tiger snake from a ladies backyard.
Yesterday, i was called out to remove this huge tiger snake from a ladies backyard.
snakerelocation
Active Member
So how do you cover the cost of fuel, public liability insurance, life insurance etc..... I do relocation full time, and have to pay for the things like insurances, advertising (vechicle signage, google paid adds etc) and fuel etc..... and it cost a heap, i am proberly one of the cheapest around this area, and certainly dont make a living out of it, especially when you have to do rehabilation work with injured wildlife- sure the vets do their part for free ( try finding one that is comfortable with a 7 foot brown tho) but the rest is off my own back, and sometimes can be quite costly.
I agree with you mate it does make it hard when people are doing it cheaper or for free. I remeber a little while ago in my area a wild life group got a person their DMP and allowed the to do the call outs for "free". Made it hard for the more experienced people.... He didnt last long though when he was confronted with larger browns and RBBS
I have a good vet that as long as i am with the snake he will work on it no matter what it is 
dragon170
Well-Known Member
I live in the same area as Baxtor and I understand what he is talking about. I do the relocation because I love the snakes but still charge for my services, just enough to cover costs etc. I have found out here that just too many people that don't even ring out here and will go out of their way to kill a snake. most of my jobs are businesses as the can't afford an incident with their workers. If we charged the $100 + dollars that some people charge in the bigger areas we would not get called at all as joe blow hero would find a shovel and kill it. I know of a hospital in our area that gets them killed because they refuse to pay anything to have one removed, would of thought trained professionals would know better espically as they no longer carry anti venom as they also decided that this was to expensive.
I
imported_Varanus
Guest
You wouldn't happen to live in Horsham at all would you dragon? The problem sounds familiar.
dragon170
Well-Known Member
about an hour or so south lol
maybe they should be reminded of the legalities with kills snakes?
Snake Catcher Victoria
Almost Legendary
When I took a friend to Frankston hospital in 2002 with a copperhead bite,
they didnt think I knew what a copperhead was and wanted to see the body of the snake.
I said, no worries, its out in the car, ill get it for you..Its not dead though
They said i should kill the snake and i told them what i thought of that suggestion.
They decided to take my word for it when they realised who I was and what I do and even then,
i had to talk them through the protocol for snakebite.
You'd think these hospitals and the doctors who work there would be a lot more aware of snakebite procedure..
I watched as the doctor tried to find a vein, missing 6 times before letting a nurse do it.
I said, ill go down to Frankston Station, find a drug user, and he will to hit in the vein in one shot.
they didnt think I knew what a copperhead was and wanted to see the body of the snake.
I said, no worries, its out in the car, ill get it for you..Its not dead though
They said i should kill the snake and i told them what i thought of that suggestion.
They decided to take my word for it when they realised who I was and what I do and even then,
i had to talk them through the protocol for snakebite.
You'd think these hospitals and the doctors who work there would be a lot more aware of snakebite procedure..
I watched as the doctor tried to find a vein, missing 6 times before letting a nurse do it.
I said, ill go down to Frankston Station, find a drug user, and he will to hit in the vein in one shot.
ABSOLUTE CRACK UP. I have had this issue before. I had acall out where a lady was bitten by a Tiger Snake in Tasmania, she was bitten on the bum when taking a pee in the bush in her camp toilet. Luckily snake was stick in there and i bagged it and took it to the hospital. They tried to tell me it was a red belly. My response....... -_- "just so you guys are aware for future reference there are no red bellies in the wild in Tasmania". There response "are you sure because we have seen so many like your snake". "Well this is a tiger snake", "oh, well my bad"...... hospital staff give you such a postivie and confident outlook :S
snakerelocation
Active Member
I understand fully, but one thing to consider is your public liability, if you dont make money you have no insurance, have no insurance and if something goes wrong, as it can well do, you loose everything, yes your right about not wanting them killed, im the same, and thats the reason why i do carrer work, it can be really dangerous... (isnt that right baz) but at least the only person that is doing it is me, dont have to wory about insurance then right.... wrong..., what happens if someone busts into my place and gets done by an injured eb...
I've made the comment before, you guys are too cheap. Call a plumber or sparkie (i'm one) and see what it costs you for a call out.
I had the relocator out a year ago. We didn't catch the snake but he gave up an hour of his time (not including travel) and I slipped him $200 as he left. He tried to give some back but I wasn't having it. It's a specialised service to 99.8% of the community and should be renumerated as such.
I had the relocator out a year ago. We didn't catch the snake but he gave up an hour of his time (not including travel) and I slipped him $200 as he left. He tried to give some back but I wasn't having it. It's a specialised service to 99.8% of the community and should be renumerated as such.
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