Rescuing Snakes

 1. Most important thing is their IDENTIFICATION, since you will be finding the snakes from residential areas. They are generally hiding under the cupboard or in kitchen or bathroom in darkness. If you cannot identify the poisonous from the non-poisonous ones then a bite can be fatal.

 2. Once you have learned to identify them, always try to rescue the non poisonous by the tail, if it is big one like the rat snake. If it is smaller specie like a green keel or a wolf snake, catch it in the middle portion. Do not allow the snake to jerk with may result in breaking of the spinal cord and ultimately result is death.

3. Keep the snake away from your body and do not make any sudden movements. Also do not make any movements in from of it. It cannot see at the backside beyond a certain degree and therefore, it is safe to hold it from back. Put it in a cloth bag preferably cotton one without any holes or it will be out before you realize it. Tie up the mouth of the bag tightly, since snakes keep on poking at loosely tide mouth and get out or poke at a small hole and make it big enough for it to escape. Check the mouth of the bag does not have the head of the snake since most of them try immediately to get out.

4. Old Trick : For the poisonous, once keep a stick. When you see the snake, place the stick just behind the jaw. The stick should be perpendicular to the ground on the jaw and the pressure should be just enough to restrain the snake. IF too much pressure is applied then the animal may die due to suffocation as the windpipe is situated there. After the animal is restrained carefully pickup the snake from just behind the jaws. Your grip should be firm enough so that the animal does not turn or else it will turn and bite you. Turning is the one way for it to escape. Then ask some one to get a cloth bag turn it inside out and put your other hand into the bag and from the backside of the head, hold the snake in the bag in other hand and close the bag on the snake. Most of the snakes will immediately try to get out. So put a stick in the bag in the ground closing its mouth to avoid getting bitten and tie the mouth of the bag firmly. Keep it away from the body and remove it to safe place and release it as early as possible.

5.  New Trick : After years of experience of Snake Rescue, I have learned a new Trick of handling a Venomous Snake. It is my assumption that despite of being familiar with the Snakes, most of the Snake Rescuers are afraid of getting bitten. Main thing in handling a Snake is converting our Fear into Respect for them. My logic is that all the Snakes, after coming out of the Egg, have been constantly in touch with any kind of Solid Surface i.e. Earth or Tree. When you lift the Snake in your hand, about 50 percent of its body will be in your hand and the rest of it will be suspended in the air. Naturally, nobody likes to be hanged upside down !  The snake will look like turning back up to your Hand, but you don't know its natural reaction of bringing back its body to the hard surface of your where its rest of its body is. We, out of fear react and in turn get bitten ! I have learned to handle the Cobras and Kraits without help of the Hook or Tong. To some extent I have experimented with those ill natured Russell's Viper also and god forbid me I have never thought to try it out with Saw Scaled ! and I never intend to. I must accept that, I was constantly cajoled into being sensible and never to touch any snake without Hook by my well wisher Capt. Suresh Sharma. When I sent him my Picture with Cobra which is on this Site, I put following Subject line : " Jute padne wali Picture ! " Coming to the point, The wisest trick I can now give is to handle any Venomous Snake only with a Hook. What I do now a days is just Identify the Snake, if it is venomous, I life it into my Imported Hook and Put it into a " Dibba " containing a rag. Catching a venomous Snake is the easiest way to get bitten !

Take care that you do not keep the snake in direct sunlight  or heat or closed room because a little heat or closed room because a little heat will instantly kill them and all your risk and efforts will be in vain.  

Releasing the rescued Snake

 1. Identify the snake first, whether it is poisonous or the non poisonous.

 2. It is very important whether it is a water snake or grass snake or one living in arid areas.

3. Always remember that a snake should be released in its own habitat. If you are not aware of its habitat, it would be best to release all the snakes near water and trees to enable them to safer places.

4. Always release snakes in the night to give it the cooler part of the day. They will also have plenty of time till the morning to move to proper place. Always release snake away from human habitation else you will be confronted by humans thinking every snake in their area was released by you and you are responsible for every snakebite death in their area.

Wish You all the Best !