Snakehandler bitten by snake - serious brown snake bite this week

NOT SNAKEBUSTERS!

 

Release dated 9 March 2010

 

Snakehandler bitten by brown snake today had tormented the snake in order for him to be bitten twice on the face. The news today of another novice snake handler getting a near fatal bite from a Brown snake does not come as a surprise.

The so-called victim, a 35 year old amateur, had recently completed an ill-conceived “snakehandling” course taught by a novice snakehandler who had recently purchased a business name and licence to operate.

The company owner had no meaningful experience with snakes and should not have been doing his allegedly nationally accredited snake handling courses.

This is not the first such serious snakebite incident and will not be the last.

There has been a rash of cases where newly licenced demonstrators have been carted off to hospital in ambulances for snakebites, in some cases after being bitten while in the middle of a demonstration. Behind a lot of these serious bites has been the illegal use of metal "Tongs", as used by novice snake handlers, which cause injury to snakes and as a result provoke the snakes into biting their attackers.

Furthermore, in Victoria, it is now illegal to demonstrate venomous snakes in public places including schools and events (with or without killer tongs) unless the snakes have been surgically devenomized, vet certified as same and micro-chipped, thereby removing risk to either handler or the public.

Only Snakebusters use vet certified surgically devenomized (venomoid) snakes.

We are the only company satisfying legal criteria to own these snakes and able to legally demonstrate venomous species at schools and elsewhere.

Persons considering live reptile demonstrations for events, schools or elsewhere should take the recent near fatal snakebites of novice snake handlers associated with rival demonstrating businesses as a warning against dealing with newly licenced outfits that may put either themselves or their customers at risk or break the law to demonstrate venomous species in public places, including schools.

Worksafe have also indicated that they will prosecute any businesses that put staff or public at risk, as would occur if demonstrating venomous snakes that are not surgically devenomized.

Recently a number of unexperienced and newly licensed reptile demonstrators have touted for school and shopping mall business, usually making false and exaggerated claims about their alleged expertise, quoting considerably lower prices to “get their foot in the door” and simultaneously defaming Snakebusters to shore up their own relative positions.

Among the false claims are that the Snakebusters “venomoids” have regenerated venom – they don’t, and that the Snakebusters snakes are somehow illegal – they are not!

Three shopping malls who took a punt with these novices (three different companies) doing shows minus deadly species, all found crowds severely down and complaints up.

Besides the lack of the crowd trumping snake and reptile shows associated with Snakebusters, the novices also generally failed to allow the public the right to hold reptiles, including snakes, crocodiles, etc, as is standard at Snakebusters shows. 

“Hands on reptiles” (exclusive to Snakebusters) became “Hands off” as the public were only allowed a fleeting touch of a snake who’s head was held in a “death grip” by the handler.  Hence people failed to return to the malls after seeing the rival demonstrator’s just once.  This same inferior performance is seen at schools who have taken a punt with these inexperienced outfits.

One mall in Melbourne’s north that has had Snakebusters twice in past years, averaging 200 people to each twice daily show, was stunned when in the recent holidays, crowds for a novice act averaged just 25 per “show” by the end of the week.  Even at half the cost of Snakebusters, that mall, was effectively ripped off by the cheaper company.

Only Snakebusters has “Snakeman”, Raymond Hoser, internationally regarded herpetologist, author of 9 books, discoverer and namer of numerous species and so on, giving students face-to-face contact with a world-leader in his field, as opposed to a novice who may have bought a business name a year back and then makes false and unsubstantiated claims of expertise.

Today, Snakebusters director Raymond Hoser, said “It’s after events like the recent near-fatal bites and poor quality shows at events, malls and schools, that people appreciate the quality, expertise and reliability of Snakebusters. … people trust Snakebusters and for good reason.”

“Only Snakebusters are “zero risk”, not just in terms of safety, but also in terms of giving a good display.

Snakebusters are alone in the reptile demonstrating industry in that they have a zero safety incident record and with devenomized snakes can guarantee safety at all times.

Snakebusters do not use TONGS to attack and handle snakes and condemns the illegal and cruel use of these devices by other novice snake handlers.

Snakebusters are alone with deadly snakes (that are legal for shows), crocodiles, lizards, frogs, etc, and anything else is only half a show.

Please note that Snakebusters are always heavily booked and so it pays to book early to secure Snakebusters.

Further details Snakebusters (Raymond Hoser) 0412 777 211

www.snakebusters.com.au

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