tell me you security tips...

[Steeve B]

Ha ha I bet your spectacled who’d score a perfect 10 on your evil scale, but the monitor is not a problem, fearless males are king of there territory they are protecting it viciously, what you need to do is get him out of there a little try using food or a water pool, something that he will associate with you as provider, you know a positive experience out of his domain. Water monitors adjust pretty fast to captivity, they will do what you want for food, long tweezers and a hook or a shield to protect you and this guy will follow you around, just make sure his not to hungry as to go ballistic on you, and everything shod be smooth.

We have big and dangerous pythons, now pleas peoples read this carefully before judging, glove are totally useless for these dangerous snakes, when we must handle them this is how I do it, I cover its head with a catchers mitt, with my other hand I grasp the neck I use all my 260lbs to hold it down while my partner immediately puts a thick condom over its head, as I release part of his nose from the mitt he puts the condom on then rapidly duck tape over it, we then cut an air hole and voila the snake is safe to handle, this may sound simplistic but as you know doing it is the hard part. We do this only the 2 of us but 2 extra guys are near by, but honestly I don’t think 4 is a crowd, I just hope to never miss this operation.

As for the caiman just lasso it and pin him down with a broom to close its jaws, then jump him and have someone secure his jaws. They are strong but not to overpower you, not at this size.
Kind regards

[Scales Zoo]

Thanks Steeve.

So what are you doing next weekend. I'd like you to come over and show me how to coax the big water monitor out of his cage with food. Somehow I don't think I could force myself to hold a rat (with tongs, sheild, face mask or what ever) to get this guy out.

The method might work fine, but I'd rather see you do it first. He is so fast he could take the rat when ever he wanted too. We've been putting all of his food in a tray, to avoid him rushing at the cage door when feeding. We have 2 doors, and he knows the differnence between the food door and the maintanance door (luckily) - By the way, all of the big snakes have 2 seperate doors that they seem to understand as well.

What we have done, is to wait until he is in his water pool and put a large peice of ply-wood over the pool. One of us weights it down, the other cleans the rest of the cage. The water pool is on a 2'' drain line - we can clean that without much problems. He doesn't mind me coming into his cage to clean the water tub - or do minor branch changes. He used to - he once chased me out of the cage in about 0.1 seconds.

As for the big snakes. I am near 260 lbs - and the big retic I mentioned moved me around the room with little difficulty.

I had thought about taping a sock or pillowcase over his head - but I'd have to practise for a while, riding the electronic bucking bull on setting 10, while taping a rubber boot that is covered in vasaline.

How does the condom trick work? When you cut the airhole, does that not compromise the strenth of the condom?

What brands are the toughest condoms?

Have you ever thought about doing a commercial for your favorite condom company? I can see it now - it would be the best commercial ever!


Ryan

[nhherp]

Has anyone thought of doing training with the monitors to get them to go into a trap box? I remeber seeing a segment on one of the TV shows where they were training Komodos to sound and sight cues. Monitors are very smart,alert animals, and this topic has alot of research left to be done. Fast ex.... start feeding him in a trap box. Use a bell or other distinctive nosie( I would think it would help to carry lots of vibration as opposed to electrical noise cues, in the segement they were using a bell, but monitors do have developed ears unlike snakes) to signify feeding time. At first move the food item around to create stimulation as well, then so on. If all goes well it may start entering the box on the bell cue alone. It would definately make work easier although if you talking about handling tolerations, it wouldnt help any. I dont work with any of the Varanidae, but have done so in the past. Just a quick post for the sake of posting.

[Steeve B]

Aim sure this can be don without problem, we have a small feeding pen with drain beside every big cages, I guess such a feeding box who’d work just as good. I will try this! Excellent post thanks.

[Steeve B]

Yes that who’d be the best commercial indeed ha-ha, before we cut air hole we duck tape over it, the reason we use the condom is 1 to save time 2 not to tape directly on skin, I here you about being tossed around, as soon as they know you have them it’s a race against coils coming at you, this why the condom you can slip them on fast and release the head to unwrap yourself. We use sheik extra large, but being married for 14 years aim not a condom expert, so my only suggestion who’d be don’t use those strawberry flavoured thin walled japans crap!

As for your monitors I rarely see such a monster be careful and work him slowly, I will visit you ASAP how can I refuse such a fun invitation, can the kids come along? Kind regards

[Snake Lady]

Scales Zoo
Can you elaborate on the whole condom thing cause it sounds like it would work and it seems to be a good method I am just wondering how to apply that on a large constrictors and how do you go about restraining it for the time needed.

[Scales Zoo]

One trick that had entered my mind was to build a catch box, and use it to trap him. I am certain he would enter the box for food. I use a catch box on all of our large pythons when i am working alone - less stress for the both of us. One snake in particular is very smart, he actually seems to think things through, and once tricked, he remembers. He only has to do a bad thing once to learn from it. I was trying to get him to enter the catch box so I could clean the cage. Everything went well until he had only 2 feet of tail to pull into the box. As I reached in to follow the tail into the box with a towel to plug off the hole in the box, I noticed his long tongue flicking out of the hole. Realizing the potential accident, I abandoned the idea and closed the door to the cage. He stuck his head out of the hole and perched himself on top of the box, with the remaining 15+ feet of him still inside the box. He actually seemed to be mocking me...STUPID HUMAN! You are going to have to think of something else, what are you going to do now? I am not falling for such tricks, I am an old snake, and smart, too. You can do better than this, I dare you!
Rotten snake stayed like that for 3 days. Fortunately I am more stubborn than he is, and took his water away. In a few days he was thirsty enough to leave the box so I could retreive it.
Funny about this snake, he is fine until you touch him. He can be worked around quite safely as long as there is no physical contact. Touch him, and the fight is on. Quite the A-hole. You can toss a blanket over him, and he will only poke his head out so he can watch you. He is not sneaky like the burms, they are so friendly and curious that you have to watch for them sneaking up on you. He just likes to be aware of what is going on.
It has been interesting working with him. I used to do a lot of horse training, and worked with the wildys they captured off a military base. These horses had never seen people before, and when they did they were being chased, herded, separated from the security of the herd, and shipped off to a new home. Some people made huge mistakes with these creatures, risking life and limb - one gentleman lost 3 fingers to a mare who had just foaled overnight when he reached down to pet it - she had no idea he was not a predator. Given a chance, these horses were a pleasure to work with, very honest about bucking and kicking ( I was the recipient of both ) and once they learned to see you as a source of food, and later, freedom to go exploring on trail rides, they were the most predictable mounts I ever worked with.

Steeve, we would love to have you as a guest! Bring out the family, and spend some time in the living desert we call home. The rattlers and bulls are emerging from the dens now, and should be out in full force by mothers day.

Sheila and Ryan

[Scales Zoo]

I can see this may get confusing. The post right before this was made by Sheila, hence the "Sheila and Ryan" - this one is by Ryan - hence the "Ryan and Sheila".

Anyways Steeve - I am going to go buy some "super large, very strong" condoms. If I don't get to try them with a snake, I will at least have the fun in buying lots of "wooly mamoth giant condoms" from every store I see!

To snake lady - I am not the one who knows how to get a condom on a large snakes head. Steeve can take the credit for that inovation.

I can see - it will soon replace "pin the tail on the donkey" as a favorite kids birthday party game. "get the Sheik condom on the giant mean snake" will be sure to be a new birthday party favorite. Use lubricated condoms and it would be more like a "catch the greased pig contest".

I guess for those people who don't live in a back woods kind of hick place, as we do, may not be so familiar with the "greased pig contest" - but let me tell you - it is as much fun as "wild cow milking" contests. I am not joking - both of these contests are practised in this area of Saskatchewan from time to time.

As far as the water monitor goes - he is not the gentle giant that I had hoped to grow. We got him when he was over 4' long - the guy who had him since he was small must not have worked with him much. He also is very protective of his large cage. I trust him more than Sheila thinks I should - but he and I have come to some what of an understanding. I do minor cleaning in his cage - and he doesn't run at my face with an open mouth (any more).

Some times he even stays on his favorite branch while I drain and scrub the pool.

I am very glad that the retic we kept is tame. She is currently 20' long and 225 lbs - and she doesn't mind me taking her out of her cage. The big male we had we named "boots" - because every time I had to deal with him - all I could see was all of the nice pairs of cowboy boots he could make.

I am glad to have had the opportunity to learn "hands on" a bit about working with very large and mean pythons - to gain respect, but also to cull some fears I may have had.

Suddenly the 12' african rock seemed like a cute little baby snake again.

Ryan

[Steeve B]

Ryan, may I suggest a little bit of subtlety, they may be consequence for you to enter stores and ask for extra large condom for your python.
This may lead to total ban g, or scare the cashier, or worst expose you to unwanted extra marital situation.


Anyway this tread was about safety and I believe this is a grate way to close it, be safe have fun and thanks for all the replies AWSOM
Kind regards