# what do you do when there's a problem?



## Ayra (Mar 3, 2011)

So your inland Taipan's got a retained eye cap or mouth rot, what do you do? Do you just pin it down and get hands on? Get a vet to sedate/anesthetise it? Leave it and hope for the best? Just curious. Cheers


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## Kelfezond (Nov 20, 2010)

I would imagine you tube it and work very carefully xP

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2


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## southwest vipers (Jun 29, 2008)

I just pin mine. A tube isn't really much use if you need to work on a snakes head. It's a hazardous procedure, but fun!


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

southwest vipers said:


> I just pin mine. A tube isn't really much use if you need to work on a snakes head. It's a hazardous procedure, but *fun*!


A rather scary kind of fun, you nutter :lol2:

That being said you gotta do what you gotta do for your pets.


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## Ayra (Mar 3, 2011)

southwest vipers said:


> A tube isn't really much use if you need to work on a snakes head.


That's what I was thinking, there's not a lot of equipment that's much use when it comes to working on the head/mouth


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## carpyboi (Feb 4, 2013)

southwest vipers said:


> I just pin mine. A tube isn't really much use if you need to work on a snakes head. It's a hazardous procedure, but fun!


Rather you than me pal :lol2:


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

Ayra said:


> So your inland Taipan's got a retained eye cap or mouth rot, what do you do? Do you just pin it down and get hands on? Get a vet to sedate/anesthetise it? Leave it and hope for the best? Just curious. Cheers


You remove it. A snake is a snake is a snake.

But be careful.

:lol2:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

I've only ever had the problem once - on a juvenile (typical)... he was too small to pin and hold properly so I tubed him and used earbuds and viscotears to remove the cap as you would with a 'normal' snake. It was actually pretty straightforward, but it does wake you up some...


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## coldestblood (Jun 4, 2011)

Pinning them is usually the easiest way, but it means getting very close to the pointy ends. Vipers have large fangs, so extra care must be taken when holding one by the head. 

Some snakes are relatively simple to pin, but some can be a pain in bum. I tube the more tricky snakes first, and pin them as their head pokes out. It's still a dangerous procedure, but it stops them thrashing about. 

Once the snake is safely pinned,I remove it in the same way I'd remove one from a none venomous snake. Having to pin a hot is one of the most dangerous parts of keeping them, but it needs to be done. Chances of being bitten are slim (if you know what you're doing), but accidents happen.


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## AJ76 (May 24, 2011)

You would say that if a person is keeping Taipans, they are more than capable of looking after their needs.... Not many people in the UK keep them. 

But when pinning any venomous snake to administer health checks and meds you just follow the procedures you have set out for any of your animals and follow it to the letter. 


Tubes can be very handy for some stuff and as SWV says useless for others.


And if I am honest with you, if I took one of my Taipans down to the vet they would ask me to deal with it myself and give me the meds to take home.


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## coldestblood (Jun 4, 2011)

AJ76 said:


> You would say that if a person is keeping Taipans, they are more than capable of looking after their needs.... Not many people in the UK keep them.
> 
> But when pinning any venomous snake to administer health checks and meds you just follow the procedures you have set out for any of your animals and follow it to the letter.
> 
> ...


Out of curiosity, whats your taipan (and mambas) like to pin? The only elapids I've got any real experience with are cobras and a few death adders. 

Do you pin them as you would other hots, or do you tube them first? I've seen people use grabbers around the snakes head, but it looks very uncomfortable, and appears if it could harm the snake.


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## snakearms (May 19, 2008)

You could aways just keep venomoid snakes,perfectly safe,you could even let them bite your children in public....:whistling2:


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## southwest vipers (Jun 29, 2008)

coldestblood said:


> Out of curiosity, whats your taipan (and mambas) like to pin? The only elapids I've got any real experience with are cobras and a few death adders.
> 
> Do you pin them as you would other hots, or do you tube them first? I've seen people use grabbers around the snakes head, but it looks very uncomfortable, and appears if it could harm the snake.


I've pinned them in the usual way. The most difficult time I had with an elapid was force feeding a small Malaysian coral snake. Aspidelaps are awkward to deal with as well. 
The green mambas ( viridis) are unhook-able. Unless you want it to shoot up the hook. They're really fast. A grab stick and tubes are used for these. I expect the easiest way now is to use Hexarmour gloves and just pick them up. 
How you manage your snakes depends on what you're comfortable and confident with. What could possibly go wrong?


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## AJ76 (May 24, 2011)

I just fart in the room and anaesthetise them......


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## AJ76 (May 24, 2011)

coldestblood said:


> Out of curiosity, whats your taipan (and mambas) like to pin? The only elapids I've got any real experience with are cobras and a few death adders.
> 
> Do you pin them as you would other hots, or do you tube them first? I've seen people use grabbers around the snakes head, but it looks very uncomfortable, and appears if it could harm the snake.


I have a good technique for pinning my Taipans.


Mambas (Angusticeps) are trickier. 


At the end of the day I only EVER pin and restrain my snakes when absolutely necessary. 


Usually that is for health issues ( not just to show people their fangs like some other [email protected] ) 


The issue you face and have to be prepared for is that you can be the slickest handler there is, but sometimes only a set of M1's will do the trick.


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## PDR (Nov 27, 2008)

Hmmm, I'm in a bit of a unique situation... I'm constantly handling and pinning venomous snakes (mainly for venom extractions) so I guess I do find it very easy.... from the tiniest baby saw-scale viper to adult king cobras... nothing really phases me. I don't use tongs ... all handling is done with snake hooks and "jigger" pinning tool. 

Probably the trickiest species I've dealt with have been cape coral cobras due to there smooth scales and head shape.


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## AJ76 (May 24, 2011)

PDR said:


> Hmmm, I'm in a bit of a unique situation... I'm constantly handling and pinning venomous snakes (mainly for venom extractions) so I guess I do find it very easy.... from the tiniest baby saw-scale viper to adult king cobras... nothing really phases me. I don't use tongs ... all handling is done with snake hooks and "jigger" pinning tool.
> 
> Probably the trickiest species I've dealt with have been cape coral cobras due to there smooth scales and head shape.


Hi Paul


I think most of the people that keep the quickest of elapids are not phased by them, but there is that curve ball that pops up every now and then that takes you a little out of your comfort zone... 


Alex


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## Tim Hallam (Aug 17, 2010)

*eye cap removal*

here's a picture of Myself removing eyecaps from a newly acquired King Cobra,he had been in Captivity for some time but his previous owner must have been wary of getting hands on. he was THE most aggressive King Cobra I've ever come across, absolutely psychotic that was until we removed his retained eyecaps there were three from one eye and two from the other his partial blindness must have been very stressful he behaved impeccably after this .
The guy restraining him is of course the late Luke Yeomans , you can't see in any great detail unfortunately but the tube is a soft flexible rubber tube which allows for more maneuverability at one point we also used a rigid tube just over the end of his nose to keep his mouth shut to give me better access .
This king Cobra went on to be Luke's favourite Male, Goldie and has now sired at least three clutches of offspring 

cheers Tim


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## berbers (May 29, 2010)

Tim Hallam said:


> here's a picture of Myself removing eyecaps from a newly acquired King Cobra,he had been in Captivity for some time but his previous owner must have been wary of getting hands on. he was THE most aggressive King Cobra I've ever come across, absolutely psychotic that was until we removed his retained eyecaps there were three from one eye and two from the other his partial blindness must have been very stressful he behaved impeccably after this .
> The guy restraining him is of course the late Luke Yeomans , you can't see in any great detail unfortunately but the tube is a soft flexible rubber tube which allows for more maneuverability at one point we also used a rigid tube just over the end of his nose to keep his mouth shut to give me better access .
> This king Cobra went on to be Luke's favourite Male, Goldie and has now sired at least three clutches of offspring
> 
> cheers Tim


Thanks for sharing, i saw goldie shortly before Luke died and at his full size he was the most impressive animal i've ever seen!


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## berbers (May 29, 2010)

sorry to take off topic but here's a pic of adult goldie!


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