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adamanteus · 03-01-2007, 09:10 AM

Not quite "in the field" but close......

One Saturday night, a few years ago, just as I was getting ready to go out and "hit the town"

I had a call from the police to say that a guy had found a 2 foot snake in his luggage on returning from holiday in South Africa, and would I please go get it.

I turned up at his house armed with a snake-hook and a large bucket with a snap on lid. He directed me upstairs and said the offending ophidian was hiding in a cardboard box full of computer parts. When I opened the box I couldn't see a snake at first, there was a printer and a jumble of cables, wires and scart leads. I had to lift the printer out, which was awkward because of the wires, and there underneath it, all coiled and ready to strike was a juvenile Cape Cobra (Naja nivea)!

To my horror the printer had stuck as I lifted it, so I was lifting the box too. Also, the wires were plugged into the printer and the snake was entwined in the wires. I couldn't drop the printer without crushing the snake, nor could I lift it out quickly and cleanly.

I stood totally still, not even daring to breath and after a few seconds the snake relaxed a little, so I was able to pull the machine clear leaving the wires trailing into the box.

I then had to disentangle the animal from the cables using the hook. Deadly spaghetti!!

As I lifted it out the snake was going wild, striking out in every direction, Cobras are so fast and supple it was like trying to pick up water on the hook. It might have been easier if the animal had been a bit bigger, but then again he would have had a longer reach.

I was able to persuade him to wrap the front of his body around the hook and then with my free hand I took his tail and, pulling slightly to encourage him to pull against me, I managed to drop him into the bucket.

I took him home and put him in an empty viv. Then I got the shakes!!

At that time he was the only Cape Cobra in the UK, so I knew there was no antivenom in the country.

He was a fascinating snake. I kept him for about 18 months. During that time he settled really quite well and stopped going "hoody" (except when I lifted him out to clean up). He was really inquizitive and never stopped searching his vivarium for a way out, checking every tiny hole in the air vents and the edges of the glass doors. Pretty unnerving really, even though I had complete faith in the integrity of the viv.

03-01-2007, 09:10 AM	#19 (permalink)
adamanteus Moderator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cheshire. (Near Manchester). Posts: 9,055	Re: In the field Not quite "in the field" but close...... One Saturday night, a few years ago, just as I was getting ready to go out and "hit the town" I had a call from the police to say that a guy had found a 2 foot snake in his luggage on returning from holiday in South Africa, and would I please go get it. I turned up at his house armed with a snake-hook and a large bucket with a snap on lid. He directed me upstairs and said the offending ophidian was hiding in a cardboard box full of computer parts. When I opened the box I couldn't see a snake at first, there was a printer and a jumble of cables, wires and scart leads. I had to lift the printer out, which was awkward because of the wires, and there underneath it, all coiled and ready to strike was a juvenile Cape Cobra (Naja nivea)! To my horror the printer had stuck as I lifted it, so I was lifting the box too. Also, the wires were plugged into the printer and the snake was entwined in the wires. I couldn't drop the printer without crushing the snake, nor could I lift it out quickly and cleanly. I stood totally still, not even daring to breath and after a few seconds the snake relaxed a little, so I was able to pull the machine clear leaving the wires trailing into the box. I then had to disentangle the animal from the cables using the hook. Deadly spaghetti!! As I lifted it out the snake was going wild, striking out in every direction, Cobras are so fast and supple it was like trying to pick up water on the hook. It might have been easier if the animal had been a bit bigger, but then again he would have had a longer reach. I was able to persuade him to wrap the front of his body around the hook and then with my free hand I took his tail and, pulling slightly to encourage him to pull against me, I managed to drop him into the bucket. I took him home and put him in an empty viv. Then I got the shakes!! At that time he was the only Cape Cobra in the UK, so I knew there was no antivenom in the country. He was a fascinating snake. I kept him for about 18 months. During that time he settled really quite well and stopped going "hoody" (except when I lifted him out to clean up). He was really inquizitive and never stopped searching his vivarium for a way out, checking every tiny hole in the air vents and the edges of the glass doors. Pretty unnerving really, even though I had complete faith in the integrity of the viv. __________________ James.