• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

What Are Some Tips I Can Get On Working With Cobras?

Word of advice? "Don't"

You should only be handling venomous species under close supervision of experianced people, IMHO. There is no advice to be given online that is comparable to the in-person advice of a experianced handler.
 
Research which local hospital either has or can get flown in the antivenin the fastest.
 
Make sure the area is clean/uncluttered.
The room should be escape proof.
Have more than one hook on hand (sucks if you drop/toss it, and don't have another).
Eliminate distractions, as much as possible.
Keep a large empty garbage can (with lid) on hand, just in case you need to quickly secure an uncooperative snake.
Make sure you have, and are competent with, the appropriate tools.
FOCUS - stupid mistakes are just that...stupid. Don't get careless.
 
hhmoore said:
Make sure the area is clean/uncluttered.
The room should be escape proof.
Have more than one hook on hand (sucks if you drop/toss it, and don't have another).
Eliminate distractions, as much as possible.
Keep a large empty garbage can (with lid) on hand, just in case you need to quickly secure an uncooperative snake.
Make sure you have, and are competent with, the appropriate tools.
FOCUS - stupid mistakes are just that...stupid. Don't get careless.
Click to expand...

I keep 3-4 hooks in arms reach so when it climbs the stick I can lay it down and pick another up. I also treat a one foot snake as though he can tag me from 1 foot away. I have to get my venomous lis befor i can get one too.
 
Not directly related to cobras but i hear south american cribos behave damn near the same without the whole risk of being bitten by a hot snake.
 
Venomous act like venomous. Each snake will act different. you can learn hooking skills from some nonvenomous but to say you trained with a nonvenomous and now ready to tackle a hot is not so smart.

Baby cobras tend to be wet noodles and do not hook well at all. You should find a person to work with. There is not much you can learn by reading when it comes to handling hots. Husbandry you can learn a ton but handling not so much. you can learn what tools to use and that is about it.

Also many species of cobras act different. Just a very very general question.

Also are you sure the zoo will offer you the AV they usually only carry enough for their workers if bit. So if you are bit and use their AV and then one of the keepers are bit you used what they needed. I would talk to them about maybe you donating some funds for them to keep more on hand.
 
Gary O said:
Venomous act like venomous. Each snake will act different. you can learn hooking skills from some nonvenomous but to say you trained with a nonvenomous and now ready to tackle a hot is not so smart.

Baby cobras tend to be wet noodles and do not hook well at all. You should find a person to work with. There is not much you can learn by reading when it comes to handling hots. Husbandry you can learn a ton but handling not so much. you can learn what tools to use and that is about it.

Also many species of cobras act different. Just a very very general question.

Also are you sure the zoo will offer you the AV they usually only carry enough for their workers if bit. So if you are bit and use their AV and then one of the keepers are bit you used what they needed. I would talk to them about maybe you donating some funds for them to keep more on hand.
Click to expand...

I agree with Gary.

Working with a mentor is strongly suggested.
 
yes that is very true about cribos...close relative of the eastern indigo which is known to be a very smart snake and they grow to be very large 7+ ft or something im no expert...not a cheap snake but u can get a pair for like 500-600 $
 
Good advice all around but everybody says the same thing......"work with a mentor"....
yeah well....if some of us could find one it would be helpful but the problem is either nobody with a "hot" license wants to be bothered helping somebody or most of the ones who will "train you" only want free labor.........I have been looking for a long time but thats all I find....I found one guy who says he is will to mentor me but I have been waiting months for a call.
so my advice to the OP is this..........try to find a mentor (you already stated you have a mentor), be very careful as this is a very fluid hobby and you must never think you have nothing else to learn and if you want to practice with a non venomous than yes, Indigos, F.W.Cobras and also yellow rat snakes (chicken snakes) really anything thats fast skittish and bitey........
good luck and stay safe
 
MiamiCracker said:
Good advice all around but everybody says the same thing......"work with a mentor"....
yeah well....if some of us could find one it would be helpful but the problem is either nobody with a "hot" license wants to be bothered helping somebody or most of the ones who will "train you" only want free labor.........I have been looking for a long time but thats all I find....I found one guy who says he is will to mentor me but I have been waiting months for a call.
so my advice to the OP is this..........try to find a mentor (you already stated you have a mentor), be very careful as this is a very fluid hobby and you must never think you have nothing else to learn and if you want to practice with a non venomous than yes, Indigos, F.W.Cobras and also yellow rat snakes (chicken snakes) really anything thats fast skittish and bitey........
good luck and stay safe
Click to expand...

I would not classify a False Water Cobra as a non-venomous snake. They are rear-fanged and have the potential of delivering a serious bite.
 
MiamiCracker said:
Good advice all around but everybody says the same thing......"work with a mentor"....
Click to expand...

Just an observation. May not be valid, but I thought I'd put it out there-

You have very few posts. I don't know from the snake mentor community, but I've helped my share of people along the way.

If you maybe posted more, and hung in chat a few evenings a week, you might run into someone.

Also, it might be a two way street. You say that potential mentors only want free labor. It certainly would be taking advantage of you if you were asked to clean snake cages and never got ANY help. Yet, look at it this way. I imagine mentoring venomous might be a careful, time intensive apprenticeship and after an evening of helping you, if the mentor still has to clean cages it isn't so much to ask that you pitch in.

A long time ago there was this movie called The Karate Kid, where the old Sensai mentored a young grasshopper. I recall that some of the preparations required of the youngster seemed unrelated to his goal, like the request to wax the old man's car, yet later in the movie the same muscles developed by waxing were helpful in the karate moves.

Likewise, cleaning cages of venomous might not be so unrelated as you think, I'm thinking that a lot of care and thought goes into even the most mundane chores when working with critters like these.

Good luck, hope you find someone to help.
 
Ok first and foremost....I AM NOT TROLLING OR STARTING AN ARGUEMENT.......

that being said......I dont think the number of posts I have should have anything to do with anything...(I understand the whole meeting more people and that)......
I didnt say all potential mentors I said most of the ones I have met.
I dont mind helping and I expect to ...but when (and this has happened more than once)
I get to the mentors house and they already have all the snakes (including non-venomous) in temp. cages so I can get right to cleaning and then go in the house and watch TV while I clean and then when i'm done cleaning they basically throw the snakes back in their cages all the while acting like they are talking to a 5 year old....(and this has happened a few times) well then you can just take your "help"and stick it.
Cleaning cages has nothing to do with learning how to handle venomous snakes.......there is no correlation what so ever with cleaning poo and making sure you dont get tagged.
cleaning tells you about the snake its self like where it like to hide, bask, what branch it like more than the rest and so forth but nothing to do with actual handling. and as for the Karate kid reference.....really.....again nothing to do with what I was talking about...and Grasshopper is not from The Karate Kid it's from Kung Fu with David Carradine. and again cleaning cages will not teach you anything about handleing a snake. unless your the one removing it or returning it.
I have had venomous before I have over 20 years expierence but I have never had anybody "sign off" so I can get my VRL (I live in Florida) I know what i'm doing, I have never been tagged (knocking on wood), but I would still love to find somebody who would be willing to help me get it done but again mostly what you find is what I said in my o.p.
sorry for thread jacking but its one of the most annoying subjects.
 
MiamiCracker said:
Grasshopper is not from The Karate Kid it's from Kung Fu with David Carradine.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the correction, it has helped me understand this thread, and your situation, a little bit better.
 
i would not really want to mentor anyone. people love to sue everyone and what happens if you get bit by their snake? than they have to pay hospital bill and maybe someone decides to sue also than its a big mess for the mentor who was trying to help out someone.

now i think its bs to say they will mentor you, have you clean cages while they go in and watch tv. they should remove the snake while you watch, maybe from 2 cages and while the snakes are in the holding container you both clean a cage. than you watch them put the snakes back. that way you see how its done, before you take one out.
 
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