“There is no such thing as snake repellents or anything else that can keep snakes away.”
Gideon Vorster, a local snake handler, says he fully agrees with a statement from the African Snake Institute warning the public of the use of snake repellents.
If you encounter a snake in your yard, Vorster said you should stay as calm as possible.
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“As crazy as it seems, snakes are more scared of you than you are of them! A snake’s first instinct will always be to escape. The only reason for it to attack or strike, is because it feels threatened by you and will defend itself if you try to kill it.
“If you see the snake, make sure that you know where it is and where it is going.”
He further stated taking a picture of the snake and calling a snake handler or rescuer, is one of the best ways to have a snake safely extracted from the premises.
With almost five years of experience in working with snakes, Vorster along with Raymond Reese of Pest Control Pro and Richard Max Radue of Maxims, try their best to assist with rescuing snakes in Modjadjiskloof and
Tzaneen despite the fact that they all have full-time jobs. Vorster added that in order to to keep a snake as a pet, or sell snakes, one needs to get a permit from the Department of Agriculture.
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“If you are found without a snake permit, you will be given a fine or possibly even face jail time,” he explained.
To contact Vorster for any queries with regards to snakes, call or WhatsApp him on 082 704 1814. Or contact Richard on 083 288 7164 and Raymond on 083 258 5537.
