RETRIEVING an agitated 3,6m black mamba from under a bed is all in a day’s work for Terence Whittle of Pure Venom, a snake and reptile park in Izotsha.
He is often called out to deal with deadly scaly creatures that have strayed unwittingly and uninvited into local homes or gardens. At the moment he is particularly busy as it is the height of `snake season’.
“From now until the end of March snakes are very active as they are eating as much as possible before they go into hibernation during the winter months,” he explained.
Capturing the black mamba was a tricky operation. On Sunday last week, he was contacted by a Murchison resident who had found a snake in his bedroom. The man had immediately slammed the door shut and had made an emergency telephone call to Terence.
The snake, it appeared, had been just as scared of the rightful owner of the bedroom it had claimed. In its panic, it had overturned furniture and scattered articles around the room. Enter Terence, who now had to find the snake amidst the chaos it had created. After carefully searching in more accessible corners, Terence gingerly moved the bed and found the mamba curled up in a corner.
“Black mambas are Africa’s deadliest snake. Their venom is neurotoxic. That means it affects the nervous system. It is highly toxic and is quick acting,” he explained.
The green mamba is also venomous but, according to Terence it is less aggressive than its black cousin and has a quiet, retiring nature. “You are unlikely to come across these snakes. They are arboreal, which means they live high up in trees. About the only time they come to earth is when their prey drops on the ground,” he said.
However, he was recently called on to catch a green mamba. It was 2,1m in length, large for this species and the biggest green mamba he has seen for many years. He estimates that the dangerous but beautiful creature has taken about 10 years to reach its impressive size.
Terence has some advice on how to deal with the threat of snakes during this, the snake season.
“The golden rule is to leave all snakes alone. They are just as scared of us as we are of them. And remember, very few snakes are poisonous,” he said.
When walking in the wilds keep your eyes on the ground. Don’t step over a log or similar obstacle on a path. Step on top of it first and check there is no snake on the other side.
“If you do come across a snake, don’t turn your back on it. Keep watching it and retreat slowly,” he said.
Snakes are deaf so making a noise will not scare them away. However, they will pick up vibrations so it is a good idea to walk with a stick.
“The tapping vibrations would alert the snake to your presence. A stick would also be useful should you need to flick a snake out of your way,” he said..
If someone is bitten by a snake he or she should be kept calm and taken to hospital as quickly as possible.
“Shock can be a big problem. Even if bitten by a non-poisonous snake a person can react very badly out of fear,” Terence pointed out.
Terence will always try to assist callers who have a snake problem and who telephone him at 039 6850704 or 082 4928256. Very often he can identify the species over the telephone and advise accordingly if the caller can provide a good description of the snake’s colour, length, thickness and any markings. Callers can also email photographs of the snake to Terence at info@purevenom.com.
If he needs to travel to help with a snake situation he charges a R200 call-out fee to cover fuel and other costs.
