Camp Fire Chat # 3
More about Snakes
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You might get the impression that I am fascinated with snakes, no I am not Gringo. In chapter VII, of my book, entitled spiders, snakes and fly-fishing I have extensively covered snakes, snakebites, first aid and emergency procedures if you are injured in the bush.
But I wanted to know, learn and practice the handling of snakes (with the proper tools).
Only in Tasmania do all snakebite victims receive the same anti venom and there is no need to capture the snake (at an obvious risk to the capturer) and take it with you to the hospital or medical centre for identification.
But when we travel to the mainland in our motor home, and stay in remote areas, things are different. A snake is NOT a snake is NOT a snake. Snakebites from different species require a specific anti venom, although some anti venoms cover a range of species. In any case, as with a spider bite, the first question in the hospital will be “what type of snake was it” or “what did it look like”. It was long and thin, is usually NOT sufficient to get the most suitable and effective anti venom.
So I went to one of Ian’s snake handling training courses.
Ian Norton and Jane Guy from the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston Tasmania are the Tasmanian experts on snakes. They conduct a course “Practical Application of Snake Management and Safe Handling”.
These courses are tailor made for people who come across snakes in their professional duties, like Parks and Wildlife officers, customs quarantine officers, council workers/gardeners etc. In my course was a girl (nowadays referred to as a female person – God help us) who goes horse riding a lot and encounters sunbaking snakes from time to time and would like to know how to manage any problems.
Ian gave the class a good overview on snakes, their habitat, and their habits.
Under Jane’s watchful eye we applied first aid bandages on one another. With Ian’s assistance Jane showed us how the snakes are ‘processed’. That entails measuring, weighing, microchiping, sexing (don’t even think about it) and more. Later we were all invited to handle snakes with the proper tool of course. That part was entirely voluntary you were allowed just to look without being called a ‘wimp’, a ‘sook’ or a ‘pussy’.
Ian also conducts courses to assist people with snake phobia in the same way as some airlines assist people with a phobia for flying.
It would be interesting to combine the two, which meant the ‘air phobians’ worry about the snakes and the ‘snake phobians’ worry about being on a plane. Interesting concept, doubtful if it ‘takes off’ (excuse the pun).
If you feel you’ll benefit from a “Practical Application of Snake Management and Safe Handling” course or a course to conquer your phobia of snakes, you should contact Ian Norton of the QVMAG (sorry I didn’t make that up, that actually stands for Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery) in Launceston Tasmania.
Ian answers his phone on 03 6323 3765 when he is not playing with his snakes.
And if he is playing with his snakes you can get him on his mobile on 0407 951 437 if he is in range. If he is not in range, try his Fax: 03 6323 3770. If his fax is out of paper, and the fax memory is full, you can always e-mail him on Ian.Norton@qvmag.tas.gov.au or gondwana@vision.net.au
If he hasn’t got his computer switched on, don’t despair, there is more than one way to get rid of your phobia, just call Jane Guy, for a starter she is better looking than Ian and the men find it initially hard to keep their eyes off her. That all changes when she releases the first tiger snake out of the bag.
Jane answers the phone on 03 6323 3763, MOB 0408 233 756 and her e-mail address is: Jane.Guy@qvmag.tas.gov.au
Both Ian and Jane have a dot phobia, so don’t forget to put a ‘.’ (Dot) between their first and last name of the e-mail address, or you end up the creek without a paddle in a rubber raft with a barbwire fence across the water downstream of you.
But wait, there is more! NO, not a set of steak knife handles or a picture of Madonna. If you have a snake in your computer or behind your fridge and you’re concerned about the cat, the kids, the budgie or the granny (not necessarily in that order); you can call the Reptile Rescue Hotline. In Tasmania the Reptile Rescue Hotline Telephone # is 04 0756 5181 in other states the number varies and maybe “Nature Conservation” (not Nature Conversation) is able to help you. If you know the Reptile Rescue Hotline in YOUR state, let me know and I will put it on this website.
This might just be the last on snakes Gringo.
If you would like to contact me for comments or contributions click here: thetroutwhisperer@bigpond.com