Handling a reptile is almost as simple as simply picking them up!

As it happens, for most people, picking up a reptile in a “random way” is actually better for the reptile and safer, than what a lot of so-called reptile handlers do.

You see in a recent 2009 study published by the snake man Raymond Hoser in "Australasian Journal of Herpetology", it was shown that pain is the main thing that makes snakes want to bite people.

In fact the majority of snake bites are caused after the handler has inflicted pain on the snakes.

Put another way, there would be no bites if the snakes were not attacked.

In the real world, an attack on a snake can be something as simple as holding it too tight, especially around the head or neck.

Alternatively it could be holding the snake’s tail from a point that causes strain on the bones and the like.

And before you say, you’ve seen snake handlers doing all this on TV, that’s where the problem starts.

These guys handle the snakes the wrong way and because they are on TV, lay people assume they must know what they are doing and simply copy them.

I’ve lost count of how many fools have died imitating Steve Irwin.  In fact when he got spiked by a Sting Ray that he’d attacked, I simply remarked “I am not surprised”.

What is perhaps most amazing is that Steve Irwin didn’t kill himself earlier from his non-stop attacks on snakes and other animals.

What this does tell us is that reptiles in particular are very tolerant animals and they will put up with a lot more stress and torment than people will credit them with!

We tell people this at every school reptile show, reptile parties in Melbourne, snake handling course and anywhere else we do wildlife education Melbourne or elsewhere.

Whether at, Melbourne reptile parties, school reptile displays, corporate displays, mobile reptile displays or kinda reptile shows, Snakebusters teach people a few simple words and phrases when handing any reptiles of any kind.

“Gentle” … that’s the big word – use it!

Be nice to the reptiles and they will be nice back.

It’s all that simple.

PS – And throw those sticks and tongs away!  They are not required for handling pet reptiles – it’s that simple!

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