James Snake Rescue

13/02/2024

Everything you need to know about antivenom

08/02/2024

A recent video has gone viral – showing a man holding a small, yet highly venomous Vine Snake in his hand, which he has misidentified as a Python. He calmly allows the snake to bite him and chew on the back of the hand. Vine Snakes have fangs that are situated quite far back in the mouth, and ideally need to chew in order to envenomate. We are awaiting further details on the outcome of this bite – there is no antivenom for the bites of these snakes and treatment is symptomatic. There have been no deaths in Southern Africa, but larger species in central Africa have caused human fatalities. In a case of serious envenomation from a Vine Snake there is no guaranteed treatment and supplementing blood and platelets may not be life-saving.

More info on the Vine Snake here: https://bit.ly/49L5PsD

21/01/2024

Available weekday from 17h00.Weekends and public holiday 24hours.call out fee applicable. Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards welcome.

20/01/2024

15/01/2024

The subject of snake repellents comes up very often and despite good evidence that there is nothing known that repels snakes...

08/01/2024

This one is huge! Big news in the herpetology field. Professor Rick Shine et al have scientifically proven the hundreds of millions of dollars (just in one region) saved by farmers who choose to keep mice-eating snakes on their farm rather than killing the helpful snakes. They robustly demonstrate the very minute risk of snakebite for farmers, contrasted heavily with the immense economic benefit they receive via markedly less crop damage from mice (remember the mice plague in NSW, Australia a few years ago??).

Free paper here: http://tinyurl.com/yp87xksb

31/12/2023

Happy New Year to all my amazing clients and followers. I wish you all a prosperous 2024! Remember to contact me on 0828713244 should you require a snake to be removed. Available weekdays from 17h00.Weekends and public holidays 24hours.

08/12/2023

30/11/2023

The learner was bitten by a black mamba at the Grade 12 school camp, which was held in preparation for the 2023 examination.

29/11/2023

The green mamba was rescued by snake handler Jason Arnold who could tell that the snake had recently laid eggs based on the excess skin on her body.

28/11/2023

Its summer and the warm, wet weather gets the Stiletto Snakes (Atractaspis bibronii) on the move. They emerge at night and often move about in jerky movements. Please note that this is a venomous snake and cannot be handled safely in any manner. If you pick one up you will get bitten! Its venom is potently cytotoxic causing severe pain, swelling and subsequent tissue damage. There is no effective antivenom for its bite and doctors will treat for pain and eventually may have to remove some necrotic tissue.

10/11/2023

The neck region and belly of a Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica) from Pretoria, Gauteng. The belly is often a salmon pink to orange colour but may also be a mother-of-pearl colour. The dark bands or blotches in the neck region may extend onto the body. The overall body colour is light to medium or dark brown, often with dark skin between the scales visible. This snake is highly venomous with a cytotoxic venom.

06/11/2023

Contact me if you require a snake to be removed from your property. Available weekdays from 17h00 and all day weekends and public holidays. Call out fee applicable.

21/10/2023

The notorious Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is often said to be the deadliest snake in the world and with good reason. It is a large and active snake that will move quite fast with as much as a third of its body off the ground.

21/10/2023

Puff Adder (Bitis arietans arietans) striking during the practical session of our venomous snake handling course.

29/09/2023

Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) from the southern Sperrgebiet, Namibia. Highly venomous.

25/09/2023

Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis). Appears to have a smile. Highly venomous.

19/08/2023

The African Snakebite Institute (ASI) said small black snakes are found across Africa and are tricky to learn to identify. The danger lies in the fact that most species are harmless or mildly venomous, but can be easily confused with the venomous stiletto snakes.