snake catching tools - West Australia

[desbromilow]

A mentioned in another thread, I relocate snakes at work ,and in my local community. I have a kit of tools I use for this.

Snake relocation equipment
My kit consists of a few pieces of equipment…
1) A 90L clip top plastic rubbish bin, with appropriate signage, a rope to secure the lid, and it stores some of my equipment.
2) A deep v hook (I carry 2)
3) A tong (I have 2 types - normal, and micro)
4) A hoop bag
5) Carry bag including appropriate first aid bandages (pressure immobilisation bandages)
6) Miscellaneous “helps”



The bin (item 1) and the tongs are commercially purchased. The tongs are reasonably expensive (in Australia) but are a valuable part of the catching technique which I was trained to. I salvaged and repaired one set of tongs, and purchased my other when I re-certified recently.
The carry bag (item 5) was salvaged, but could easily be home made. This bag carries my hooks, my tongs, and the first aid bandages (never used - hopefully will stay that way)
Everything else is home made and the assorted pictures and sketches should explain how they were made.

The hoop bag is essentially a frame made from 25 x 3mm (1” x 1/8”) mild steel flat bar, bent to shape, and bolted to a handle made from 25mm (1”) metal conduit (EMT). Overall the tool is 1300 mm long, so I made the handle “foldable” by constructing a joint which allows the handle to fold 180 degrees. In use, a sleeve of “next size up” conduit is slid down over the joint to keep the handle rigid. In a storage mode, the sleeve is pulled up away from the hoop, and the handle can then be folded to reduce the overall length of the tool to ~650mm.
Sketches SK 1, SK2, and SK 4 outline the concepts in the construction of the hoop bag tool, including how the bag is attached to the hoop. (Velcro is all “on the outside” so the snake cannot use it to gain traction, or catch scales)


SK 5 overviews the bag – made from double layer black drill cotton, and fitted with Velcro for attaching to the hoop. The bag is also sewn with double rolled hems (similar to jeans) and fitted with green loops at the base, and red ties at the top. The loops were sewn in with a forced "half twist" so they couldn't lay flat - this makes it easier to catch the loop with a hook in use. The traffic light colours remind me to be hand safe when there is a snake in the bag. “No skin to scale” is one of the golden rules in training – this includes if there is flexible/ permeable material between skin and scale.
When stored, the hoop bag is folded on itself, and the loops and ties are used to secure it all as one tidy package.


The v hook tool (aka deep V hook) is essentially a salvaged golf club, with the head sweated off the tapered shaft, and then a stiff wire hook attached. The heads of the golf clubs I‘ve found are all attached via a tapered socket which matches the taper of the shaft tubing, and some type of glue in the socket. Some gentle heat (yellow flame, not blue) and a tap from a hammer and the head falls off. I then make a shouldered sleeve (brass or steel) which is a light press fit in the end of the shaft, and has a bore to match the galvanized HD fencing wire I use for the hook (around 4mm). refer to SK 3 for overview. I press (thump) the sleeve into place, then centre punch the wire a few times in the first 30mm and then tap that into the bore of the sleeve. The centre pops deform the wire from a slip fit to a light press (hammer) fit. Then I bend the wire into the V shape and trim the length. I then hammer and file the end of the wire so it forms a flattened shallow ramp about 1mm (1/16”) at the smallest, with a rounded end. This is useful for getting under the snake without hurting it.


Other miscellaneous tools include;
a) a couple of dark towels (one in the bin, and others is a carry bag) – the one in the bin is for the snake to hide under once it there – it makes them feel safe. The others in the carry bag is for blocking exit paths, or directing the snake
b) A headlamp torch
c) Can of generic flyspray – this has uses for encouraging a snake out from under a fridge, or other large obstacle
d) Snake gaiters - protex makes gaiters which cover the lower leg for protection against fangs up to 18mm (~3/4”) in length. I made my own version using layers of yoga mat foam, backed with 3mm PVC sheeting. I rarely use these in a domestic relocation, but have used them for more rural relocations, or offered the use of them to “the helpful home owner which shows up wearing shorts”


Using the tools…
NOTE this is NOT an attempt to train anyone on how to catch snakes – get trained by a professional – please. (they use real snakes, not pieces of rope )
Method 1 (preferred by my trainer) get a head of the snake and use the hook to lift up the snake’s body at around the 1/3 of length mark. With your other hand, use the tongs to grab the body at the other 2/3 of length mark and fully suspend the snake in the air. Place the snake in the container (rubbish bin). Retract tools safely.

Method 2 – hoop bag – place the bag so the hoop presents in the snake’s direction of travel and is open (hard against the ground). The snake will usually start to enter the bag, but may stop part way in. I light tap on the tail with the hook will encourage further movement. Once ~60% of the length is in the bag, lift the bag so the snake drops into the bottom of the bag. Use the hook in green loops to twist the suspended bag to close the top. Use the red ties to close the twisted bag – at NO POINT let the bag touch your body or hands – the snake could bite through the bag, and some venoms work via contact with skin.

After releasing the snake/s at a safe location (away from people, livestock, etc) I will wash my tools to remove any venom, or other contaminants.

if you have any questions about the tools, sing out.