Venomous stuff

[Alexahnder]

IMO no one should feel 110% confident when handling elapids. It tends to be the people who become very complacent who become bitten. Anyway elapids are certinly not 'pets'. they are wild animals and some have the capability to kill humans. Although the antivenom for australian snakes is pretty good it is possible to have an allergic reaction to it. This can actually be worse than the effect of the bite.

I know the american company 'Midwest' has made 'snake proof gloves'. I have heard that there has been alot of difference between the quality of different batches. IMO gloves should not be solely relied on but used as extra protection. i feel it is up to the person to make the decision whether they feel more comfertable wearing glove while handling elapids.

Most of the time when i have handled elapids it has been totally chance encounters, mainly when i did not have hooks or other tools. I have in the past relied on nearby sticks to bag eastern browns. (i was at a friends house and my friends dad was about to kill them). That being said i always carry a bandage in my pocket where ever i go.

Just my opinions

Alexahnder

 

[peterescue]

What sort of gloves do people wear when they handle their snakes?
Peter

 

[africancichlidau]

I don't, I like the natural feel And besides, I have a clean snake

 

[Guest]

Kevin I wasnt stating that in America and Canada that 'hots; is a cowboy term there, I am just saying that if this term began to be used here it would be macho-man(or woman ) stuff. I must say you guys have a lot of courage handling dangerously venemous snakes, I have handled about 5 different species and 2 probably wouldnt kill me, but I was scared! real scared, and wont be doing it much until i get more experience with handling snakes.

 

[westaussie]

Anyway elapids are certinly not 'pets'. they are wild animals and some have the capability to kill humans.

Horses also have the capability to kill humans. More people are killed in Australia by horses than venomous snakes !!

Yea I keep elapids.
Some of us work with venomous snakes - but alot more people work with horses or electricity.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Greebo]

You're preaching to the choir dude!

 

[peterescue]

While you all discuss the semantics of venemous snakes. Unless you have them as part of your occupation; ie research, exhibition or conservation; they are pets.
Sorry.
Peter
ps anyone forthcoming on the gloves or are they embarrassed.

 

[Alexahnder]

you can get gloves from the site www.tongs.com . It is an american company but i'm guessing the freight would be pretty expensive

 

[almaron]

The term hot is often used here to note an elevated state of danger, not just an elevated energy state of matter. It is often used to indicate that a gun is loaded. Electricians use the term to indicate that a wire or circuit is energized. The word live is interchangable in both those examples. In military and police lingo it usually describes a geographical area, ie: a "hot-zone".

It would be a natural use, and probably the most appropriate in American English, to become a shortened and widely recognized term for venomous snakes (or any other animal or plant for that mater). It isn't perceived as macho or anything here.

If it would be perceived that way in Australian English, naturally any Aussie using it should be ostracized and assumed to be suffering from a small penis complex.

 

[Slateman]

I am with you Almaron. When my kids was small and come close to danger as boiling water or heater, we always told them Hot as a warning that they can get hurt.

 

[almaron]

Lol.

 

[Slateman]

And again when me and my mate see good loking women, we say that she is hot. That is enough warning to stay a way from her. Maximum danger to get hurt.
That is why I am always curefull arownd beautifull Nicole.