July 16 is World Snake Day. “This day of recognition was established to help people learn more about these misrepresented reptiles and to highlight the vital role they play in the balance of nature,” this is from the WildEarth.tv website.
When it comes to locals who own snakes we got in touch with Casey Fortuin (26) who owns; three Boa Constrictors, three Ball Pythons, one Corn Snake, one Milk Snake, and two Reticulated Pythons. Fortuin who has his Honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering also did courses through the African Snakebite Institute where he did the Advanced Venomous Snake Handling course, Snake Awareness and First Aid for Snake Bites course.
He also has a catch and releases permit from the Gauteng Department of Agricultural and Rural Development to catch and release wild snakes. “I’ve always been in love with reptiles ever since I’ve watched Jurassic Park, whenever I watched shows of snakes and they killed a snake I use to cry when I was a little boy. I always told my parents and grandparents that I want a snake one day. I got my first snake at the age of 22,” explained Fortuin.
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The first snake that Fortuin owned was the Ball Python which he still has. “Snakes don’t show affection, as long as you give them their space and you respect them there’s nothing to fear. I love them even though they bite me or strike at me sometimes, I still love them.”
Fortuin added that the worst bite happened last year when he took a bite to the head, thankfully he did not need any stitches. When it comes to catching and releasing snakes, Fortuin does call-outs in Ennerdale, Lenasia, and Eldorado Park.
“With winter season snakes seek shelter. The best advice that I give to people when it comes to keeping snakes out of their yards is to keep your yards clean. If your yard is dirty, it will attract rodents and that will attract the snakes, as long as there is a food source for the snakes they will come. When you encounter a snake, please avoid unnecessary confrontation. Keep an eye on it from a safe distance (about five meters away) until I or another snake remover arrives. It will make our job easier. I also advise people to send a photo of the snake to me so that I can also mentally prepare myself to deal with the snake.”
Fortuin’s permit allows him to catch the snake and then release it back into the wild, the ten that he currently owns are those that he bought. “The best starting snake for anyone I would say is a Ball Python because they are very chilled out. Corn snakes are also a good starter snake. Maintenance on a snake is not that bad, if you have a Ball Python you feed them a rat once a week or once every two weeks, sometimes they go on a hunger strike that’s what I call it.
My Ball Python didn’t want to eat for three months and that’s normal. You have to clean their spaces at least twice a week. The more snakes you have the more maintenance.” Fortuin also shared that his snakes eat thawed out rats. (defrosted rats).
“I would like to have my own reptile display room to show these wonderful creatures off and also just so that I can rise awareness to the community, we have a lot the older generation who spread these myth’s and people like to believe everything they see in movies about snakes and it is not true,” concluded Fortuin.
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