Durban - Durban snake catcher Jason Arnold has removed a massive black mamba from a home in Brindhaven, north of Durban.
Reaction Unit SA’s Prem Balram said they were alerted to the matter at a home in Fairview Drive on Sunday afternoon.
“The homeowner contacted RUSA after he discovered the reptile under a vacuum cleaner in his passage. On arrival, reaction officers identified the snake as a black mamba. Professional snake catcher Jason Arnold arrived shortly thereafter and removed the highly venomous snake from the home," he said.
The reptile will be released at a later stage.
Last week, IOL reported that another snake catcher, Sarel van der Merwe, retrieved a massive black mamba from a home in Gamalakhe on the KZN south coast. He said he had been trying to retrieve the snake for over a month.
Van der Merwe has also urged people to keep their properties clean.
“Guys, please keep your place clean so that you don’t get rats that call for snakes,” he said.
Durban snake catcher Nick Evans offered the following tips on what to do when bitten by a snake:
– Do not cut around the bite site to let the venom bleed out, it does not work.
– Do not try to suck the venom out, it does not work.
– Do not try any electric shock treatment, for obvious reasons.
– Do not chew the bark of a cashew nut tree.
– Do not try to capture or kill the snake and take it to hospital with you, as this can result in another bite.
A photo will help, but if you can’t get one, it is by no means a death sentence. Doctors will treat you symptomatically.
IOL