Mamba record!

[Loslappie]

Just wanted to say those HEXARMOR GLOVES that ur holding this snake with........well they have been bitten through.

Its not impossible as said before, but if the glove is worn out it could very well fail.

[swazi]

Went on a call-out yesterday. Walked into the yard carrying my tongs and the glove and an ugly 300 year old dog, probably with its last tooth, bit the glove! And it made a hole! Not all the way through but the first layer is definately damaged. Can't risk using it again...Need to rethink using them at all.

[Mamba no 5]

Maybe you should keep wearing them as a extra safety measure but not rely on them?

[swazi]

mamba 5 I don't rely on them, actually I only use them every now and then but they do come in very handy when it's a difficult call-out. The other day we had to take a mamba out of a car bumper, only the tail was sticking out so we had no option but to pull it out - carefully. The GOP came in very handy.

[Mamba no 5]

How do the gloves affect your dexterity?

[hunter1]

I need a pair of these gloves next time I have to handle my mother in-law!

[Rob]

Will she would probably bite through them.

[swazi]

LOL hunter! Mamba 5 I do not use them with tongs, only use them to grab so dexterity is not an issue.

[yoson10]

Is their anywhere in South Africa that is free of ticks?...God Damn do I hate those bastards they are everywhere in the US( and in the world it seems) and are despicable animals.

[Bushviper]

Yoson it also depend on the seasons too. Some months there are more than in other months. You get very effective sprays that prevent ticks from biting you. Far better than getting tick bite fever.

[yoson10]

Is their any province/areas in SA where they are less common?( I assume they are unfortunately present everywhere in the country)


Also other than African tick bite fever what other stuff do/could they spread?

Doesn't it suck that big cats, bears, rhinos and large iconic animals in general are declining in population...but ticks mosquitoes and sandflies are expanding rapidly and growing in population? God this is a cruel unforgiving world that we live on!!!

The ticks are everywhere where I just moved to..it is ridiculous.. and hiking isn't even fun anymore because I'm afraid I am going to get Lyme.

Die Ticks lol

[Bushviper]

Yoson we do have one type of disease that is fatal but is very rare so I would not worry about it. Buy some tick repellent and you will be fine. You even get soaps you can wash your clothes in to help keep ticks away. Most african herpers get tickbite fever once or twice in their life and we survive.

[yoson10]

Yoson we do have one type of disease that is fatal but is very rare so I would not worry about it. Buy some tick repellent and you will be fine. You even get soaps you can wash your clothes in to help keep ticks away. Most african herpers get tickbite fever once or twice in their life and we survive.

Thanks for the info man...Just out of curousity...How badly are cobras, puffies and mambas that reside in your area affected by them? Which get the most/least infested with them?

[Bushviper]

In the wild in South Africa I have only ever found ticks on Varanus, Pythons and Chelonians. I have seen pictures of other snakes with ticks but I think these were badly kept captives. It is possible that some others do have ticks but I have never caught any myself.

[yoson10]

Thanks...And in your herping area which are the most common venomous snakes that you see and get call outs for?