# Gauntlets



## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

Where can I find some cheap decent gauntlets?

Ive seen the Hexarmor ones for sale on ebay for £55, any more at the £20 mark?

Even better anyone got an old pair?

I know its only for a Falsie but its all good practise.

Cheers Guys


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

Welding gauntlets from Halfords?


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

Personally I hate gauntlets, they are awkward and cumbersome IMO


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

I agree with Si. There's no point using them at all. They don't improve your handling skills, they simply make you complacent. You have no control at all.
Plus I wouldn't trust any of them to stop a bite from a large, determined viper.
Oh, and I ask you this:
The gloves may protect your hands, but what happens if the snake bites your arms?
Not trying to be funny mate, but learn how to hook properly and forget gloves.


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

I'll re-phrase that. Hexarmour or similar gloves are useful if you wish to use one provide the snake with a moving target while you photograph it with your free hand. Other than that, don't bother mate.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

Whosthedaddy said:


> Welding gauntlets from Halfords?


Thought about this but how do they stand up to punctures?



SiUK said:


> Personally I hate gauntlets, they are awkward and cumbersome IMO





terciopelo_dave said:


> I agree with Si. There's no point using them at all. They don't improve your handling skills, they simply make you complacent. You have no control at all.
> Plus I wouldn't trust any of them to stop a bite from a large, determined viper.
> Oh, and I ask you this:
> The gloves may protect your hands, but what happens if the snake bites your arms?
> Not trying to be funny mate, but learn how to hook properly and forget gloves.





terciopelo_dave said:


> I'll re-phrase that. Hexarmour or similar gloves are useful if you wish to use one provide the snake with a moving target while you photograph it with your free hand. Other than that, don't bother mate.


This is what I thought. Whilst I have no intention of getting a DWA snake and certainly not free handleing it, I would like to know how to handle a snake with great hulking gloves on - just in case.

Would you recommend not bothering? Do you guys simpley tube and hook?

Terciopelo - The arm thing is what i thought of, also how many times do you see face strikes in the snake section.

Ive got my hook so may just stick with that.

Bless its only for a falsie to not even some elapid :whistling2:


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

skimsa said:


> Thought about this but how do they stand up to punctures?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Stick with your hook mate. Your hook is your friend. Gloves are for photographers. Ask those same photographers if they use the gloves to put the snake where they want it. I'd bet the answer is no.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

terciopelo_dave said:


> Stick with your hook mate. Your hook is your friend. Gloves are for photographers. Ask those same photographers if they use the gloves to put the snake where they want it. I'd bet the answer is no.


Will do then hook it is. Any particular brand youd recommend or just anyone that fits?


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

skimsa said:


> Will do then hook it is. Any particular brand youd recommend or just anyone that fits?


You're the one who has to use it so get a make that fits. You can't really fault midwest.
Alternatively, build your own. Give it the weight distribution / manouverability you favour.


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

gloves are for goal keepers and wicket keepers......and woosie brummies......lol
But as dave and si have said hook is far better i used to free handle my falsies for years when i had them but if you can get to grips hooking them its far far better and the bigger they get the easier they are to handle


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

leecb0 said:


> gloves are for goal keepers and wicket keepers......and woosie brummies......lol
> But as dave and si have said hook is far better i used to free handle my falsies for years when i had them but if you can get to grips hooking them its far far better and the bigger they get the easier they are to handle


Lmao woosie brummies, come to the centre and say that :Na_Na_Na_Na:.

No problem, ive got a hook coming with her so i can get back into using one. Want to get her nice and calm now whilst shes little, so when shes 8ft shes not launching at my face


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## 50%man50%biscuit (Mar 17, 2009)

It isn't when you're handling them that its an issue, its when you're feeding them. Mine are like pogo sticks on crack at feeding time. I thought my Indigos were mad feeders until I got my FWC's :2thumb: 

My FW's are not handled regularly but are calm and well behaved when they are, they just seem to relax and take it in their stride.

HMHB


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

50%man50%biscuit said:


> It isn't when you're handling them that its an issue, its when you're feeding them. Mine are like pogo sticks on crack at feeding time. I thought my Indigos were mad feeders until I got my FWC's :2thumb:
> 
> My FW's are not handled regularly but are calm and well behaved when they are, they just seem to relax and take it in their stride.
> 
> HMHB


Thats good to hear.

My current thoughts on feeding are either

a) Throw a mouse in there, slam the viv shut as fast as possible and cower behind the sofa till the slaughters over

b) very very very very very very very very long tongs and a very very very very very very very verysmall gap


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## 50%man50%biscuit (Mar 17, 2009)

Don't slam any doors shut, you _will_ catch a tail or worse. Just have a hook handy and if it flies out of the viv just put it back in. A calm approach to feeding is always recommended. I have two in a viv, which makes the situation a bit more mental, they kind of wind each other up, but with just one you will soon see that feeding isn't such a mare. 

HMHB


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## hysteria_uk (Nov 28, 2007)

skimsa said:


> No problem, ive got a hook coming with her so i can get back into using one. Want to get her nice and calm now whilst shes little, so when shes 8ft shes not launching at my face


I always thought that was the reason people got FWC's, for their attitude.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

50%man50%biscuit said:


> Don't slam any doors shut, you _will_ catch a tail or worse. Just have a hook handy and if it flies out of the viv just put it back in. A calm approach to feeding is always recommended. I have two in a viv, which makes the situation a bit more mental, they kind of wind each other up, but with just one you will soon see that feeding isn't such a mare.
> 
> HMHB


Nah dont worry i wont really :2thumb:

Im pretty steady with snakes, so just need to improve my hook control



hysteria_uk said:


> I always thought that was the reason people got FWC's, for their attitude.


Most people but not me, i just really like them :mf_dribble:


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## bloodpython22 (Feb 19, 2010)

as dave and that have said leave the gloves and just hook and tail it . gloves restrict you in every way unless to protect while taking close pics or as some people use while feeding echis and that


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

skimsa said:


> Lmao woosie brummies, come to the centre and say that :Na_Na_Na_Na:.
> 
> No problem, ive got a hook coming with her so i can get back into using one. Want to get her nice and calm now whilst shes little, so when shes 8ft shes not launching at my face


 lol i used to work the doors in brum in the 80's so i have first hand experience:whistling2:

the bigger they are the calmer they get though as i have said i used to free handle mine when they were big untill a friend of mine got nailed and ended up in hospital and i got nailed and had a bad reaction.......twice:whistling2:


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

leecb0 said:


> lol i used to work the doors in brum in the 80's so i have first hand experience:whistling2:
> 
> the bigger they are the calmer they get though as i have said i used to free handle mine when they were big untill a friend of mine got nailed and ended up in hospital and i got nailed and had a bad reaction.......twice:whistling2:


Doubt much has changed to be honest.

Dont tell me that, fingers crossed im one of those people who dont react badly. Actually if we're crossing fingers lets hope i never get tagged


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

Have you seen the bite on youtube to YouTube - Jaguar Adventure with Nigel Marven - Snake Bite

and here is a link to what happend after filming Nigel Marvin responds! - sSNAKESs : Reptile Forum


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## DavidR (Mar 19, 2008)

Gloves such as hexarmours are unnecessary for false water cobras which lack a pressurised delivery system, thin gardening gloves would work just as effectively. Even if a tooth were to pierce the gloves the venom will be absorbed by the material. I've never attempted to use gloves with fwcs of any size, a hook is far easier.

David.


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

Hey gorgeous, 

We have used both gauntlets and gloves with the Beauty. Gauntlets when we first got her - she tagged something like 20 times on first handle (I was in the kitchen, weeping). Now we use just one glove purely until we get her out and sorted.

The glove is used to fend off attack, if you like (that sounds dead dramatic!) and the other hand is for control. She will have a very good huff and strike at the glove (which she seems to recognise) and we find it very effective. But yes, CUMBERSOME.

Not the same breed but just defending use of a glove.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

Repta said:


> Hey gorgeous,
> 
> We have used both gauntlets and gloves with the Beauty. Gauntlets when we first got her - she tagged something like 20 times on first handle (I was in the kitchen, weeping). Now we use just one glove purely until we get her out and sorted.
> 
> ...


You bloody woman put the idea in my head with your horror snake tales lol.

Im sticking with a hook, if i get bitten its my own fault for being to crap


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

skimsa said:


> You bloody woman put the idea in my head with your horror snake tales lol.


I scared him with my lady parts. He'll never be proper DWA.


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

what ever happened to real reptile keepers.....there all girly Shirt-lifting pansies 

ive never used gloves in mylife....while some may protect your hands from a bite, they make things harder to do and thus you can get tagged in other areas.

a FWC isnt excalty deadly but yes a hook should be used ....until your confident enough to use a hook wihtout gloves then i would suggest you dont get a rear fanged speices.

as for the " how many bites do you see to the face"....well in 18 years of keeping and working with over 6000 different snakes each year that come in via imports i can say ive been tagged in the head,neck and arm a few times...

this whole "lets you gloves" thing is abit daft.....when i was a kid my granddad taught me how to advoid bites by locking me in his garage with a 8ft wc BCC and a pillow case....his method of teaching was the more you do soemthing wrong the quicker you learn to do something right


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

wildlifewarrior said:


> this whole "lets you gloves" thing is abit daft.....when i was a kid my granddad taught me how to advoid bites by locking me in his garage with a 8ft wc BCC and a pillow case....his method of teaching was the more you do soemthing wrong the quicker you learn to do something right


I can't really comment on the debate going on. I've only pkayed with a few rear rangs and i've always prefered the hooking method. I've never played first hand with the front fangs. Just keep practising with the hooks and it will come in the end. 

The really purpose of the coment is to go, :no1: thats the best teaching method ever and :censor: mental. 

Jay


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## snakekeeper (Oct 29, 2008)

I have to admit I have used gloves in the past but never for my venomous snakes. I tend to use gloves when I have to tend to our adult Burmese and Reticulated pythons and even then I only wear one glove so I have the other hand available for more flexibility. As most have advised, the hook is the best method for handling venomous snakes, although I am sometimes foolishly guilty of using the 'grab and worry later' technique on our rear-fangs. As for front fanged snakes, I wouldn't dream of using gloves as I know I will be tagged. Gloves restrict and make handling a lot more difficult and I am also paranoid that they could be punctured fairly easily. I also use gloves when handling my helodermas, but again I don't use the bulky ones, just normal gardening gloves.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

Repta said:


> I scared him with my lady parts. He'll never be proper DWA.


Bahahahaha so true, i dont want any of your scary snakes anyway.



wildlifewarrior said:


> what ever happened to real reptile keepers.....there all girly Shirt-lifting pansies
> 
> ive never used gloves in mylife....while some may protect your hands from a bite, they make things harder to do and thus you can get tagged in other areas.
> 
> ...





snakekeeper said:


> I have to admit I have used gloves in the past but never for my venomous snakes. I tend to use gloves when I have to tend to our adult Burmese and Reticulated pythons and even then I only wear one glove so I have the other hand available for more flexibility. As most have advised, the hook is the best method for handling venomous snakes, although I am sometimes foolishly guilty of using the 'grab and worry later' technique on our rear-fangs. As for front fanged snakes, I wouldn't dream of using gloves as I know I will be tagged. Gloves restrict and make handling a lot more difficult and I am also paranoid that they could be punctured fairly easily. I also use gloves when handling my helodermas, but again I don't use the bulky ones, just normal gardening gloves.


Noooooo its not that. Just wanted to explore all handleing methods.

Ive got her today and i got a hook. To be fair shes calm as a corn so not worried


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

wildlifewarrior said:


> this whole "lets you gloves" thing is abit daft.....when i was a kid my granddad taught me how to advoid bites by locking me in his garage with a 8ft wc BCC and a pillow case....his method of teaching was the more you do soemthing wrong the quicker you learn to do something right


The operative phrase here is that this was *his method of teaching *which, presumably, became your method of learning. Each to their own.


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

With all due respect to the poster who tried to defend glove use with a beauty snake, sorry, but you're missing the point.
There shouldn't be any need to fend off an attack. You should be able to negate it with correct handling technique. 
If you're using a piece of leather etc to do the work for you then you learn nothing.
The debate still rages over the ability of a false water cobra to inflict a dangerous bite, either due to potency of venom or delivery system, but the fact remains that they are venomous and should be treated as such. If you're relying on gloves to handle them, you have the wrong snake.


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

I borrowed a friends Hexarmor gloves and tried them the other week when i had a retained eyecap on a cobra. i found them ok but i did start to loose the correct grip and found they had no feel for what is going on.


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

terciopelo_dave said:


> With all due respect to the poster who tried to defend glove use with a beauty snake, sorry, but you're missing the point.


Well I wasn't defending, per se. I was retelling a story of my experience with gloves. I just get a bit annoyed when the use of a glove is pooh poohed as a pussy option.

I never intend to get venomous and I take sensible measures to ensure I don't get bitten. 

That is all.


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## paraman (Oct 27, 2007)

DavidR said:


> Gloves such as hexarmours are unnecessary for false water cobras which lack a pressurised delivery system, thin gardening gloves would work just as effectively. Even if a tooth were to pierce the gloves the venom will be absorbed by the material. I've never attempted to use gloves with fwcs of any size, a hook is far easier.
> 
> David.


 
As David says hooks are the way to go. there is little or no feeling when gloves are worn and falsies are suprisingly fast, if you grab them a bit too hard in an attempt to restrain then that is a surefire recipe for a bite. 

Rear fanged they may be but those fangs are below the eye and their eyes are near the the front of the head. Fwc's are easy to hook etc and you can keep your fingers clear of the bitey end. Feeding time is when you need to be careful. My falsie is as gentle as a kitten but when theres food around I wouldn't trust her one little bit, as soon as there is a trace of food scent she goes mad and constantly strikes at the glass, the viv,decorations in fact anything she can. The trick is to judge when its safe to slide the glass and get a rat in without risk to her or me.


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

Repta said:


> Well I wasn't defending, per se. I was retelling a story of my experience with gloves. I just get a bit annoyed when the use of a glove is pooh poohed as a pussy option.
> 
> I never intend to get venomous and I take sensible measures to ensure I don't get bitten.
> 
> That is all.


nothing wrong with being a pussy.....after all you are what you eat: victory:


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

wildlifewarrior said:


> nothing wrong with being a pussy.....after all you are what you eat: victory:


I can't believe you eat kittens! Bloody heathen, I hope you wore gloves!


Oh, wait, I get it... :whistling2:


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

Repta said:


> Well I wasn't defending, per se. I was retelling a story of my experience with gloves. I just get a bit annoyed when the use of a glove is pooh poohed as a pussy option.
> 
> I never intend to get venomous and I take sensible measures to ensure I don't get bitten.
> 
> That is all.


Sorry but I get a bit annoyed when DWA keepers are called into debate then questioned for not agreeing. 
If you need gloves to handle something then you aren't good enough to own it. Plain and simple. End of. Subject dealt with.


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

terciopelo_dave said:


> Sorry but I get a bit annoyed when DWA keepers are called into debate then questioned for not agreeing.
> If you need gloves to handle something then you aren't good enough to own it. Plain and simple. End of. Subject dealt with.


Whoa! Ease it back, please. I haven't questioned a DWA keeper, nor would I. That's jolly offensive. 

As with any keeper I have tools that I use in my hobby as DWA do, I'm sure. I've NEVER questioned a DWA owner. Why would I? They are in an entirely different league to me.


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

Repta said:


> Whoa! Ease it back, please. I haven't questioned a DWA keeper, nor would I. That's jolly offensive.
> 
> As with any keeper I have tools that I use in my hobby as DWA do, I'm sure. I've NEVER questioned a DWA owner. Why would I? They are in an entirely different league to me.


Sorry, could just be me being touchy. All I'll say is that in 23 years of keeping snakes I have never used a glove. Don't intend to either.


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

terciopelo_dave said:


> Sorry, could just be me being touchy. All I'll say is that in 23 years of keeping snakes I have never used a glove. Don't intend to either.


I'm not judging, you don't need to explain yourself.

My only point; the original post was in reference to gloves. I have responded in kind with my experience with gloves.


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

Repta said:


> I'm not judging, you don't need to explain yourself.
> 
> My only point; the original post was in reference to gloves. I have responded in kind with my experience with gloves.


Sorry, my bad, shouldn't have had a go at you. Recently the trend on here was to bash DWA keepers. Guess I got all defensive when I didn't need to.
Dave


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

terciopelo_dave said:


> Sorry, my bad, shouldn't have had a go at you. Recently the trend on here was to bash DWA keepers. Guess I got all defensive when I didn't need to.
> Dave


I never would, promise.  Thank you.


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## terciopelo_dave (Jun 1, 2007)

Repta said:


> I never would, promise.  Thank you.


 My bad. I'm really much nicer than I seem. I'm just quick to react.


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

terciopelo_dave said:


> Sorry but I get a bit annoyed when DWA keepers are called into debate then questioned for not agreeing.
> If you need gloves to handle something then you aren't good enough to own it. Plain and simple. End of. Subject dealt with.


i have to admit for alot of keepers who are less confident gloves can be useless.

you need to remember most non venomous snakes are more touchy and moody rather than just savage.
Its sort of like a school bully, the more you fear them the more they bully....but the more you stand up to them the more they leave you alone.

and if your one of these people whos scared of being tagged then wearing a glove installs confidence into the keeper and can help them selfs off better.
I mean if your hand is shaking and jittering infront of a snake then it knows your scared and will try to tag you....but when you have gloves on the same snake could bite your face off but because you believe it cant hurt your hands now you have protection on it makes you deal with the situation much better. Overtime the gloves can come off as the keeper grows in them self and gains there own confidence.


i dont use gloves and never have...and i deal with everything from small snakes to 16ft wc ones on my own pretty much...i just use a python hook.

but i can see the need for them for many keepers: victory:


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