How To Transport a Snake

Living with Wildlife presenters travel all over Australia to conduct courses and give demonstrations which involve live snakes. To allow him to carry live snakes with him without incident on his travels, he has developed a special technique for (catching) containing and transporting venomous snakes, which others may find useful.

1. Use a low profile clear plastic food container with a snap-on lid.
2. Cut a hole of about 50mm diameter in one corner of the lid (a larger hole for heavier-bodied snakes).
3. Make a door of heavy plastic (so it doesn't bend) larger than the hole and pop-rivet it to the edge of the lid near the hole.
4. Fold some paper and place it on the bottom of the container.

5. Make sure that the door closes snugly near the corner of the lid.
6. Ventilate the lid and sides of the container as necessary, ie drill small holes.

7. The night before you travel, after safely removing the snake’s usual hide, move the door of the plastic container so that the hole is open and place it in the snake's cage: in the morning the snake will have found its way into the container for security. This works because snakes are secretive and prefer to hide where they can feel something firm around their body - the container simulates a crack in the soil, the burrow of a rodent, a space between the rocks, etc.

8. When moving venomous snakes by means of public transport (eg by air), seal the lid with tape and bands, then label the container appropriately; then place it in a non-crushable locked or screwed box (and label it with your permit, etc).