Best hook for small snakes?

[moonchild]

I think I want to invest in a hook, silly as it may seem as I only have a docile little male hognose who is pretty much incapable of inflicting harm to me. Still, I like the idea of using a hook to get him used to handling time vs. feeding time. Don't relish the thought of him latching on and "envenomating" me by mistake.

Is this a good choice? Big Apple's Pocket Hook Makes A great gift (http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-POCKET-HOOK)

I figure it seems adequate, and it seems pretty cheap. I also plan to get more snakes in the future and it seems like this could probably be used for a lot of small to medium species, or babies/juveniles.

[Mikoh4792]

I got mine from aestoney.

Polycarbonate Snake Hooks | Animal Equipment by Stoney (http://www.aestoney.com/snakehooks.html)

[marvelfreak]

Collapsible hooks suck and always break way to easy. They are just a accident waiting to happen. Had my Jungle x Jag on one as a baby the thing broke in half he fell hitting the floor hard. If your going to use a hook for the safety of the snake always use one that's solid.

Check out the 18" hooks on this site. Reptile Husbandry and Stainless Products (http://www.reptilebasics.com/husbandry-stainless)

[jpsteele80]

Collapsible hooks suck and always break way to easy. They are just a accident waiting to happen. Had my Jungle x Jag on one as a baby the thing broke in half he fell hitting the floor hard. If your going to use a hook for the safety of the snake always use one that's solid.

Check out the 18" hooks on this site. Reptile Husbandry and Stainless Products (http://www.reptilebasics.com/husbandry-stainless)

Thanks for the info on that, I've always wondered about the Collapsible hooks and if they were any good, now I know not to buy one.

[FWK]

I use an old wire coat hanger that I straightened out a bit for the small critters. Plenty strong and it was free.

[aaron_cg]

Look up how to make one with a golf club. If you don't have the JB weld already, Wil l cost about $10. That's what I have been using for a few years. Still have my original.

[millertime89]

Collapsible hooks suck and always break way to easy. They are just a accident waiting to happen. Had my Jungle x Jag on one as a baby the thing broke in half he fell hitting the floor hard. If your going to use a hook for the safety of the snake always use one that's solid.

Check out the 18" hooks on this site. Reptile Husbandry and Stainless Products (http://www.reptilebasics.com/husbandry-stainless)

Chuck hit the nail on the head. Most collapsible hooks are junk. I've got 4 different sizes from RBI and they've all held up great.

[IW17]

Midwest tong 24" hook is what I use. It's the perfect size for home use. Very sturdy, and good for all snakes up to several pounds.

[IW17]

Look up how to make one with a golf club. If you don't have the JB weld already, Wil l cost about $10. That's what I have been using for a few years. Still have my original.

This. I have several that were made over the years and all have held up well. I hear people say they don't trust them or they're not strong, but I have no problems with any of mine. I'll lift a concrete block with any of them.

[millertime89]

I've used the golf club ones before, work great for the bigger snakes. Too big for the smaller ones though.

[moonchild]

Hmm, okay -- thanks for the input, everyone. The Big Apple telescoping hook actually has some good Amazon reviews, so I thought the quality would be solid. The Zoo Med one has godawful reviews, so I'm going to stay far away from that for sure. The wire coat hanger is a good idea, thanks FWK! I just don't really feel like spending $25+ on a hook right now when all I have is one tiny snake.

[aaron_cg]

That was my thought too. If you get a free day, go to goodwill and pick up a golf club for like $3, then all you need is an utility hook that they sell at Walmart for about 97¢.

I have hooks from 18 inches, to 4 feet. And I have used them for hots and pulling big constructors out from there cage. 7 hooks and total cost less than about 10 hours of work, and less than $50.

The key when making then is to be patient. For your hook, any grinding, sanding, etc... Get it done first. Then, you mix your JB weld, and insert the threads into the shaft. Once in, let it sit still for about 20 min, then rotate 180° and let it sit another 20 min. Typically at that point, it's pretty much solid. Then, you put it up and don't touch it for a week.

That's what I did and I have hooks that are a few years old that are still holding up strong.

In my opinion, saving money where you can is the way to go. As long as it is safe for you and the animal. That just means I have more financial resources should I need them for my animals.