Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone,

This for the most part will be targeted towards professional crocodilian handlers but I am up for info from anybody. I was wondering where most professional handlers get their handling equipment (poles, snout nooses, etc) from? I know most work for zoos and such, but is there a particular place that the zoos purchase from that is available to the public?

I am interested in getting a snout pole and a professionally designed guard pole. Any ideas on where I can get those, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Chris
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Chris Law
U.A.P.P.E.A.L. (Uniting a Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League)
Herpetoculture Element Representative

Chris,

Most handlers I know of, including myself, use relatively simple contraptions, such as pine and bamboo sticks as control/safety/capture poles, and use standard ropes/chords, as well as lariat-type ropes (the stiff kind, like those used on a farm for lassoing cattle and such). Some prefer to feed the ropes/chords through pvc pipe, varying in lengths depending on the circumstances, such as the size of the animal, the distance between captor and animal, ground and water conditions, etc.

Izzy
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Israel Dupont
Winter Haven, FL

Interesting....So no real "special equipment" is utilized. It's all done with real basic stuff. You mentioned a snout noose not too long ago when responding to some guy at a zoo that got nailed by a croc or gator. Is these made pretty much from the materials that you listed? Should the PVC pipe have any type of rubber cover over the ends or anything to prevent injury to the top jaw of the croc and the hard plastic?

Thanks for your time,

Chris
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Chris Law
U.A.P.P.E.A.L. (Uniting a Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League)
Herpetoculture Element Representative

Chris,

Regarding the PVC pipe, you could attached a rubber gasket or something similar, I suppose. To elaborate on that object's use, some handlers only use the pipe to assist in noosing the croc, then quickly pull the pipe off from the rope once the rope is securely on the animal. This practice minimizes contact with the croc.

Some handlers use it to keep the croc at a distance, using the stiffness of the pipe to assist. This, of course, would maximize the pipe's contact with the croc. This can be most dangerous, though. There are handlers who will NOT use this method, as a strong croc can thrash a pole out of the hands of two or more strong men and swiftly slap and pummel them with it, even while its jaws are closed shut by rope.

Izzy
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Israel Dupont
Winter Haven, FL