# Looking into getting a Gabby but got a question



## carpetviper (Jan 12, 2007)

Im looking at getting a gabby eventually but what I what I want to know is it possible to buy antivenom to take to the hospital with you as I dont think they will have it in stock.


----------



## Declan123 (Dec 29, 2007)

i think you can, but its real expensive...also goes out of date really quickly...
Best just go to the hospital, the Guys Poison unit, will do the rest


----------



## jaysnakeman (May 10, 2006)

dont think so, but gabby av is kept at the school of tropical medicine in liverpool SAIMR polyvalent i think it is


----------



## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

I don't know if you could buy direct from the manufacturers/distributors. I don't think they would sell direct to the public. It's a fallacy that you have to have your own antivenin to keep hots. It has a limited shelf life, is very expensive and you wouldn't know how much you required in the event of a bite. You'd be best off taking your appropriate first aid measures, informing the hospital and getting someone to take you there. There are stockists of antivenin in the UK, two hospitals, one in London and one in Liverpool. I think the major zoos have stocks for their hots too. Rest assured, they would get antivenin to you ASAP if you got tagged


----------



## carpetviper (Jan 12, 2007)

I know its not required but I thought it might be a responsible thing to have handy rather than have to wait for it being picked up and they might not even know what to give you if you react badly to the bite quickly. But if you have it ready it can be administered a lot sooner.


----------



## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

The thing is, you shouldn't put yourself in a position that might require antivenom. i know accidents happen but with the correct equipment and handling, a bite is not too likely. having antivenin on site would be costly and may subconsciously lead to improper handling.


----------



## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

tbh a hospital is very unlikely to know what to do if you get rushed in after being bitten by a gaboon, thats why you need envenomation protocols and phone numbers of people to call that know what they are doing ie the people from Liverpool school of tropical medicine.

People have still died from gaboon venom even after antivenom and hours have passed, its not a nice snake to get tagged by.


----------



## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

far better to get an elapid.................that way, if you get tagged, and if you survive, at least some doc won't have either cut a limb/digit off or sliced your arm/leg all the way open and you won't have lots of hospital appointments for debriding necrotic tissue and resulting skin grafts. Vipers are bad ju-ju


----------



## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

Planning on it biting you already? :lol2:


----------



## jaysnakeman (May 10, 2006)

stuartdouglas said:


> far better to get an elapid....at least some doc won't have either cut a limb/digit off or sliced your arm/leg all the way open and you won't have lots of hospital appointments for debriding necrotic tissue and resulting skin grafts. Vipers are bad ju-ju


check these pics out of a naja kaouthia bite
Warning


----------



## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

jaysnakeman said:


> check these pics out of a naja kaouthia bite
> Warning


nasty as ****, tbh I wouldnt want to get bitten by any hot but I would rather lose a digit and have to take trips to hospital than lose my life.


----------



## knighty (Feb 27, 2008)

those pics look awful!!!!

best not to get bitten by any hot IMO, everyone reacts different to venom, might take an hour to kill me but only 2 minits to kill some one else.


----------



## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

stuartdouglas said:


> far better to get an elapid.................that way, if you get tagged, and if you survive, at least some doc won't have either cut a limb/digit off or sliced your arm/leg all the way open and you won't have lots of hospital appointments for debriding necrotic tissue and resulting skin grafts. Vipers are bad ju-ju


Dont mean to be funny but that is very poor advise, an Elapid for a first snake is not a good choice. I know of a certain person in the UK who got nailed by a large elapid and now has no thumb, many Elapids also can still cause tissue damage.

also as already said keeping A/V is not a good option as local hospitals wont have a clue how to treat you, if you were to take your A/V along with you, this also goes against the advise of P Warrell.

There was another occasion in the UK where sombody got bitten and to cut a long story short due to the hospitals low level of knowledge a certain person nearly lost their arm but after the profesionals stepped in they were treated accordingly.

That wasnt meant to sound stroppy but after speaking to many keepers and profesionals to get my step by step bite protocal in place i feel i should speak out as i wouldnt want somebody to have a bad experience.

my advise is to know who to contact, understand exactly what to do in the event of a bite and have all relevant information at hand, we have some of the best snake bite doctors in the world located in the UK.

But most of all keep safe and never meet them


----------



## knighty (Feb 27, 2008)

what is the proper protocal if you get tagged, apart from piss your pants and cry for mum! :lol2:


----------



## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

pythondave82 said:


> Dont mean to be funny but that is very poor advise, an Elapid for a first snake is not a good choice. I know of a certain person in the UK who got nailed by a large elapid and now has no thumb, many Elapids also can still cause tissue damage.


That was meant to be tongue in cheek.......sorry if it got taken as serious advice.


----------



## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

knighty said:


> what is the proper protocal if you get tagged, apart from piss your pants and cry for mum! :lol2:


basic what to do?

secure the snake, ring an ambulance, wrap your arm with a compression bandage, grab the envenomation protocol, unlock the front door and sit and wait with your arm (assuming thats where youve been bitten) lower than your heart and try and stay calm, that is what I would do.


----------



## knighty (Feb 27, 2008)

what is "envenomation protocol"?

sorry not know much about DWA, find them fascinating though..... maybee, just maybee one day


----------



## glidergirl (Nov 27, 2006)

Tut Tut Tut Si!! Ringing the ambulance is the priority, your back up handler can secure the snake, you then administer any first aid. Nothing should stop you ringing for that ambulance, what if you lose consciousness after 2 minutes? Those precious 2 minutes you could've rang for help, if you're on your own you're screwed! Ring the ambulance FIRST!!! : victory:


----------



## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

there you go, fixed it:whistling2:


----------



## lee-travis (Jan 10, 2008)

normally get it from the liverpool school of tropical medicine. Think you can buy it but its $$$$$.


----------



## Eric (Feb 26, 2007)

glidergirl said:


> Tut Tut Tut Si!! Ringing the ambulance is the priority, your back up handler can secure the snake : victory:


Honestly how many of you guys have a second handler on hand? I rarely have a second handler present. If I got tagged it would be self sacrifice the snake would get secured first off. Then I would go through the motions. I have a phone in the room actually it's the only phone in the house and is never used since we have cell phones the house phone is only to have INTERNET access. so it wouldn't take long to secure the snake then call. I am curious how many of you always have a second handler present. Also is this a requirement? If so I know you could only answer that question one way.


----------



## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

I dont have a second handler present when I work, I have a back up handler to help me out if I need him, and advise me, but I dont have someone there working with me, I do always have a phone in the room though.


----------



## wba6745 (Jan 11, 2007)

i always work alone but my wife is always in when i handle mine and she knows exactly what to do incase of a bite,also birmingham toxicoligy unit keeps antivenom for all the hots at west mids safari park so i would'nt have anything that they have'nt got that was particularly dangerous


----------

