5 Snakes most likely to slither into your Mzansi home, myths busted and facts: “Stop with the Jeyes Fluid”
Snakes are out in full force now that it is summer in South Africa, and citizens do not love the uninvited visitors they are getting in their homes. So, Briefly News sat our knowledgeable and humorous snake and reptile fundie down to bust some myths and get the facts.
PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel!
Source: UGC
Mzansi people are not the biggest fans of snakes despite living on a continent where snakes roam freely, and it is more likely that you’ll encounter a few in your lifetime. That is precisely why you need to educate yourself, and Briefly News is here to help you do just that.
Snake and reptile expert answers some critical questions
Ralph Riggens from Ultimate Exotics answered some questions that will help us better handle an encounter with a snake and even possibly save a life – snake and human!
Mzansi is filled with many highly venomous snakes like the black and green mamba, puff adder, boom slang, the Cape and spitting cobra, and many more. However, many are nonvenomous and harmless snakes too.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Five most common snakes a Mzansi citizen will find in their home
We constantly read about black mambas in people’s homes because it makes for exciting news and not because they are the most common snakes in your home. Ralph explained that out of the five most common snakes to come into a house in SA, only two are venomous and require someone bitten to get medical attention – what a relief, right?!
“The five most common snakes found in and around homes, in no particular order would have to be – brown house snake, spotted bush snake, herald snake, night adder (venomous) and Mozambique spitting cobra (highly venomous). I reside in KZN but this list should apply to most provinces.”
Things that attract snakes into your home and what to do if you encounter one
Ralph clarified that snakes, like all animals, including humans, only enter spaces that are not theirs when they search for food. Things like geckos and frogs are out of our control and generally only bring snakes into your property and not your home, but one thing you can keep under wraps is clutter.
“Food! Rodents, frogs and geckos are the main attraction for snakes in homes. Untidy property, overgrown gardens, clutter, rubble and firewood piles attract prey items and in turn make the perfect hunting ground for snakes! Keeping your home tidy and clutter-free will help in keeping snakes out.”
Myth busted by the professional: Jeyes Fluid does not keep snakes away from your home, “it just smells funky”.
Call your local snake catcher if you come in contact with a snake and have no knowledge or can’t be sure you know what type of snake it is. Ralph urges people to live in peace with snakes and use the resources at their disposal to save themselves and the snake. Education is critical, but if you are not clued up, use the professionals!
“If you are afraid or have no knowledge of snakes it would be best to contact your local snake catcher to assist with removal. The best advice I can give is once the snake catcher has been contacted, try your best to keep your eyes on the snake, this avoids an unnecessary-out fee and also guarantees removal of the home invader. There is really no clear way to identify venomous to non-venomous snakes, a good snake book or poster is always a useful tool!”
The widely feared and highly venomous black mamba snake
We all know that panic strikes when you say black mamba in almost anyone’s company. These gorgeous but deadly snakes are among the most feared in Mzansi, so we got the lowdown from the professional.
The reassuring part is that black mambas are pretty chilled unless bothered and seem to want to keep their distance from humans just as much as we do from them.
“Black mambas are one of Mzansi’s most feared snakes for good reason, they are extremely fast, alert and they pack a really powerful neurotoxic venom. However, they will never harm a human without cause, a mamba will only become aggressive and do its best to fend for itself when it feels threatened (cornered with no escape route, chased or injured).
“Black mambas feed mainly on smaller mammals – rats, dassies and even domestic cats, they will also eat birds and poultry. Black mambas are found anywhere where these prey items are in abundance, near gorges, valleys and indigenous bushes. In Durban there are a few areas where mambas are commonly encountered, however, they will avoid human confrontation as much as they can.”
If a black mamba bites you or anyone, staying as still and calm as possible and getting medical attention immediately is essential. The person needs to be taken to a hospital with a poison unit that has antivenom. If you live where black mambas are commonly seen, finding the closest hospital that keeps the antivenom is best. This goes for any snake bite from a venomous snake.
What got our snake and reptile expert passionate about these slithering critters
Ralph grew up on a farm and was always around snakes, reptiles and other animals. Being able to look past the fear most have of snakes and reptiles, Ralph can see their beauty.
“I started my passion for reptiles as most kids do with a dinosaur obsession. Growing up on a farm I would catch, keep and observe different bugs and reptiles, the obsession grew and I have always kept and bred some sort of reptile throughout my life.
"I joined a good childhood friend about seven years ago at Ultimate Exotics, we now run the most successful breeding facility in the country and produce snakes and other reptiles on a commercial scale, we also wholesale reptile supplies and products to pet stores countrywide.”
Thankfully Ralph himself has never been bitten by a venomous snake as he follows the necessary protocols and urges others to do the same. Ralph dreams of a day when humans and snakes can live in harmony, and he believes that educating people brings him closer to that dream every day.
“Snakes are feared throughout South Africa, across different cultures, there are so many myths passed down through generations and this fear is created. The short and sweet is that we are destroying the habitat for snakes due to our ever-increasing population and by doing so we are more likely to cross paths with them in built-up areas.
"My biggest wish for humans and snakes to coexist is just to educate people about the fact that there is nothing to be afraid of once you understand these amazing reptiles.”
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
