Boomslang capture!

Earlier in the year I was called out to a nearby pineapple farm for a snake in a tree. When I arrived, workers and staff were gethered around the tree to keep an eye on the snake. The snake started moving as we approached the tree, so we lost sight of it! Luckily, my good friend Jamie, who was with me at the time, spotted the snake. It was a beautiful big female Boomslang!

Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) are the most toxic species of snake in South Africa. They have a very potent haemotoxic venom (affects blood), which causes severe internal bleeding. However, it is fortunately a very slow acting venom, taking up to 24-48 hours to show serious symptoms, so you have some time to get medical attention!

Boomslang are quite unusual, in that they are one of the few species of snake that are sexually diamorphic, which means you can visually tell the difference between males and females. Males are green and black in KZN, (the colour varies in other parts of the country), while females are brown. They are fairly easy to identify, with their large round eyes and short blunt head.

This female Boomslang was playing hard to get. She climbed right to the top of the Palm Tree. We got a very long ladder and placed it against the tree. I climbed up, while Jamie kept an eye on her. She was out of reach when I got to the top of the ladder. I waited a few minutes, and luckily she started moving down! The wind must have forced her to move more into the tree. I was able to grab her with the snake tongs and get a good grip behind her head, while trying to keep my balance on the ladder! Luckily it went smoothly and no one was hurt. Some of the petrified workers faced their fears and felt the snake while I was holding it safely.

It's always fun to catch a snake up a tree!

For snake removals, call me on 072 8095 806

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