Anyone watch Snake Wranglers?

[BoidKeeper]

It was one for 24hrs last week and my father in-law taped the whole thing for me!
Two things I noticed. One our very own Dr. Brian Fry was on there with his wife catching and milking sea snakes. That was very cool. He's a lot younger than I thought. I also didn't know he got tagged and spent 8 months recovering.
In his case the snakes he was catching and milking made sense to me because they are not available in the pet trade. Some of the other snakes though that were being caught are available in the pet trade. For example one guy spent two months trying to find Gaboons. Why not just stay home in the US and buy captive bred ones. Apparently the captive bred snakes yield better quality venom anyway. They showed one guy who milks snakes for a living and he has standing orders for venom.
So my question is why run through the jungles and rainforest to find and milk snakes that they could be buying on line?
Cheers,
Trevor

[Gregg M]

Hey Trevor...... I cant speak for the herpetologist that are out in the jungles, but for me there is nothing more fun (aside from jumping a 60 foot table top on my quad) than going out herping for a day....... I go to some prime rattlesnake sites just to catch them a take pictures..... And I dont milk them or even keep rattlesnakes..... What fun would it be to order a gaboon on line when you can be in the jungles of Africa looking for them and get paid for it at the same time???

[lostwithin]

maybe they needed venom of snakes from specific areas ? or there was questionable lineage in captive bread animals that they cannot risk having alter the results(ie. hybrids). I am just guessing here. as for the guy running around the jungle catching animals, why bother pay for the animals , there upkeep and liability when nothing stops you from running around getting them for free. (plus its way more exciting, not only for him but for viewers as well;) )

Devon

[dick visser]

Hello.

For scientific use there are many reasons to caching animals, lets say snakes, in the wild. They are not hunting for the venom only. There are more things to do when a real herpetologist is caching snakes in the wild. It is of a great scientific value to know where and how a snake is living in compare to the venom with venom of the same specie in other parts of the habitat.
Docter Brian Frey is milkimg a lot of snakes in the wild but allso snakes in captivety.

Greetings **** Visser.

[marisa]

Because who wants to get the specimen they want in a deli cup? It's much more rewarding catching something and observing it's natural behaviours in it's natural habitat.

I like Snake Wranglers and watch it if I catch it.

Marisa