Snake in Your House! Who Pays?

By Grant
Tuesday, October 30th, 2012

Just what value is attached to the removal of a problem snake is a contentious subject in South Africa.

On the surface the issue may appear simple. Some handlers charge, some don’t. However, in small ‘snake-catching communities’ there is more than meets the eye and these issues are often fraught with politics.

I would love to hear from both those that do and those that don’t catch snakes. You can help by providing comments at the end of this post.

On one hand there are snake catchers who will not think twice to get in their vehicle, drive a hundred kilometre round trip, only to move a snake 10 clicks away to the nearest patch of safe habitat - FOR FREE!

The thinking behind this is admirable; disarm a potentially dangerous situation and save the lives of both people and the snake. These snake catchers are conservationists at heart and would rather save the life of the snake by footing the bill than have it killed because someone didn’t want to pay the callout fee.

On the other hand there are snake catchers who will not attend to the callout without the guarantee of some form of financial compensation. The further the drive the bigger the ‘donation’.

The thinking here is that they are providing a life-saving service and that like any electrician or plumber for example, this is a skilled service which deserves payment. Petrol is expensive, catching a snake can take hours and not to mention the risk and medical bills should a bite from a venomous snake occur to the snake-catcher providing the service.

In the USA and in Australia paid snake catching services are common. In fact there are many a business which deal with a range of problem animals, all of which charge a fee calculated by the distance traveled and the amount of work required.

So what is different in South Africa?

I have always been on the ‘conservation’ side of the debate and have always caught snakes free-of-charge, refusing any donations that willing and thankful people have tried to bestow upon me. I have always felt that I am in this for the love and the passion and would rather see a snake rescued safely than hear of a snake being killed because there was a cost involved to calling someone out.

Considering the time and costs involved to snake-catchers, sometimes driving to many sites daily, (I’ve had up to six callouts in a single day) perhaps it is reasonable to ask a small fee - if only to cover the fuel costs. Or does a financial incentive lend itself to other sketchy behaviour by people who prey on peoples fears?

I’m not sure where to draw the line or at this stage how I feel. Perhaps this call is ultimately not up to those of us who catch snakes.

What really matters is what value anyone who would use this service would place on a professional (accredited and permitted) safely removing a venomous snake from your house or property?Would you be willing to pay and if so how much?

Please leave your suggestions, thoughts and comments below and please share this if you know of anyone who has used the service of a local snake-handler.

I would also love to hear your experiences, positive or negative, with problem snakes. Don’t forget you can upload and share all your latest sightings and request and ID on the snake sightings page.

I feel that the more input we can get from the ‘customers’ the closer we can get to a real working solution and service which not only conserves snakes and saves lives but doesn’t burn to much of a hole in the pocket of those which volunteer their skills and expertise.

Looking forward to your response!!

Go Social!

Grant

Field Officer at Endangered Wildlife Trust
Hi and welcome to the site! I'm a conservationist by profession, a wannabe herpetologist and the creator of Cape Snake Conservation. I believe that fear can be overcome and that balance between man and beast can be achieved. My mission is the snake.
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  • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

    So far this topic has generated some interesting responses.

    A number of people say that they would DEFINITELY pay for this service while some still feel that requesting payment would often mean a death sentence for the snake.

    Others feel that the service should be undertaken by government bodies, which is a valid point, but this is not always practical considering the work-load and lack of resources which these organisations have. Snakes are unfortunately not high priority.

    Another solution would be to have a dedicated fund, run by an independent NPO, whereby people - those that are willing and able - can give a donation. This money could then be used to compensate registered snake-catchers and those doing free snake-awareness and education shows; if only to cover the cost of fuel.

    What do you think? Is this practical? Possible? Fair?

    • Vard Aman

      For me, catching a snake and releasing it back into the wild is reward enough in itself. Money doesn’t really come into it because it’s something I’d do regardless - “snake therapy” ;-)). However, if people want to make a donation to cover petrol, or just because they believe I deserve something, I won’t say no if they insist (and some actually do insist, which is quite nice of them :-P).
      On the other hand, I do feel a little miffed when I get called out for “a snake on the property” and the property is filled with heaps of clutter with and snake to be found anywhere.

      How would such an NPO be run? Something to bring up at the next CRC meeting perhaps…

      • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

        Precisely what I was thinking Vard. If we could run a fund through an
        organisation like the CRC then there is a possibility of having a
        centralized account that people can put money into.

        Then all of
        the registered and permitted catchers could submit monthly forms with
        details of kilometres, snakes translocated, landowner permission and
        photographs. Not only would this provide an incentive to get permitted
        but we would be able to supply this information to CapeNature for record
        keeping and monitoring.

        It is “snake-therapy” Vard, and it is admirable to do it purely out of goodwill but for many of the catchers that I’ve spoken to it gets to a point where there is a real strain on personal finances.

  • Pingback: New Cape Snake Conservation website & news of W Cape Rinkhals sightings | The Scenic South()

  • najanivea

    The bee guys have for years been telling us for years that we’re insane to remove snakes for free, especially something that could potentially kill us; they charge R300 - R800 to remove a hive, and then get to keep the hive…interesting

    • Vard Aman

      The bee catchers have a slight advantage over us as their callers are less likely to think they can solve their problem for free by hitting the hive with a spade. ;-)

      • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

        On one hand this is true Vard; if someone calls an electrician or a plumber there is usually a problem which they cannot fix themselves. When it comes to a snake, sometimes there is an easy option - the chop.

        But to be honest this idea that people would rather kill a snake than pay is to my understanding unproven. What I’d like to find out is what the people who would use the service think and so far most of them say that they should pay.

        It would also be useful to find out why they pay in Australia and the States and whether or not people feel the same about killing rather than paying.

        • Vard

          How about setting up some kind of public survey, like in shopping malls, etc, with a few simple and quick questions… something like:

          If you find a snake in your house / on your property, would you:
          A - try to deal with it yourself
          B - call a snake catcher
          If the answer is A, then:

          - Would you be willing to call a snake catcher if you knew the service was free?
          or if the answer is B, then:

          - Would you be willing to pay for their services?
          and
          - If yes, how much would you think would be a reasonable fee?

          It might give us a very vague idea on what public opinion would be. I’d be happy to do some footwork if you reckon this is a worth a shot.

          • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

            Vard that is actually a great idea. Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll look into it further and get back to you.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      That’s a good point, and it’s not only the bee guys. All over the world the guys catching snakes charge for this service.

  • John Belyeu

    Not being personally involved with snake catching(maybe”snake rescue” is a better discription for all involved…snakes & humans?) as most of the commentators here seem to be, as I read the article the comparisons to bee catchers came foremost to my thoughts. Bee catchers are also either “bee keepers” themselves or associated with one. This means they not only charge for the service, but get the “value-added” benefit of “free” new stock and it’s eventual commercial gain, or on selling this “commodity” straight-out. Again, please excuse any ignorance on my part here, but Is there no scope for “value-add” in the snake catching scenario vis-a-vis venom “milking” or extraction for anti-venom and the so many other medical uses that seem to be being researched lately? This of course is presuming that many or most of the snakes needing rescue are of the venomous(dangerous to humans) type…

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Hi John. you’re spot on. Snake rescue is a better term. Snake-catchers is a term adopted from our Western World cousins the USA and Australia. ‘Snake rescuer’ creates an entirely different and more conservation-like image in the minds eye.

      Whether or not the snake is venomous is often anyone’s guess until the snake is reached but you make a valid point regarding the potential extraction of venom for commercial purposes.

      The main concern here, however, is obviously the well-being of the snake and we wouldn’t want to encourage the commercial exploitation of snakes for their venom alone. However, if this was undertaken through an organised NPO whereby certain registered handlers were permitted to milk relocated snakes ‘once-off’ then perhaps the income generated from this could be entrusted in a fund dedicated to snake rescue, research and education.

  • Stephen Cox

    Charge for petrol plus R50.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Thanks Stephen. For those that can afford it that certainly seems like a reasonable price, especially if it is something life-threatening.
      Although we take every precaution to rescue a snake safely there is always a risk attached. If petrol is covered then there is more money for beer, if you’re the guy in the picture above. But a more sensible option may be a good medical plan.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jaques.vyver Jaques Van Der Vyver

    what it comes down to is that as a nature conservation authority, capenature or city of cape town themselves should be the ones implementing animal rescue operations here in the Cape. Private persons shouldnt need to be the ones doing the rescuing at their own cost, whether the guys doing it enjoy it or not. Just because you love the animals is also bad reasoning. Try asking a vet to come after hours to your house and see if he does it for free because an animal is sick or injured. For many guys they are able to go out and help with removals during the day, but many have jobs which they cant just drop and that together with the rising costs of fuel etc do mean that payment for what is a very dangerous task is not too much to ask. Most of the guys that charge do not ask ridiculous amounts of money, and when you consider one or two hundred rand compared to the thousands in hospital bills which the handler must carry if he gets bitten it puts everything into better perspective.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Jaques thank you for this, you raise some valid points.

      I agree that in an ideal world, the government organisations you mention should be the ones to carry out this service. However in reality this is a difficult task, not only due to limited resources but unfortunately due to the perception of snakes in general.

      People would much rather donate/ spend money on the warm-and-cuddly than the cold-and-slimy. This leaves not only a financial void but a void in the number of people needed in each area to cover such an operation.Which is possibly why snake rescue, internationally, is primarily a private affair.

      Be that as it may this still doesn’t deal with the subject of this discussion, payment. And to be honest I see your point. The risk, costs and time given by us providing the service are all high and if something goes wrong, or even if it doesn’t, we bear the burden. In this light asking for a modest payment does seem reasonable.

      At the end of the day if someone cannot pay we still have the right to choose help them regardless, it doesn’t have to mean that we will not go if one gauges each call on its merit.

  • luke

    Even though a service is provided when removing snakes, i wouldn’t feel right charging someone for doing something that I find so interesting and enjoyable, however saying that, for longer journeys it would be appreciated if some money was donated towards petrol costs.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Thanks for the feedback Luke. There is no question that it would be up to the individual to gauge the ‘cost’ of the callout. For example a slug eater in the same neighborhood might be treated differently to a puff adder 50 kilometres away. Just as you might decide to voluntarily remove a snake from a scared Mama’s house in an informal settlement or accept a donation from a willing party in Bishops Court.

      What might also make a difference is the frequency that a person removes snakes. 2 callouts in a year might just be a fun outing but when this increases to a few per day at great distances apart then this starts to eat not only into your pocket but into your time as well.

      It is interesting and enjoyable to rescue snakes but so is making art or music. Not many artists I know of give their work away for free to strangers because they enjoy making it. How many carpenters or horticulturists give their products away for free? Not that we are creating a product mind you, but we are providing a service which in some cases, saves lives.

  • Fiona Smith

    Interesting points raised.Think the idea of a survey is a great one.The point about bees being more difficult to dispatch also valid.As witnessed in my years of animal welfare/rescue work,there will always be those who do not see animals as ‘worth’ saving and will not feel obliged to pay but you’ll probably find that most people will be happy to.I do feel that costs should definitely be covered,anything over that means determined,regardless of the level of danger the snake poses.Definitely agree that it should be referred to as snake rescue-completely different perception and therefore hopefully attitude.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      It would be great if costs were covered but of course not everyone can afford it. So far, the majority of people that I have spoken to have said that they would be happy to pay and many think that they should pay.

      Of course there are those that would definitely not pay but these are often the ones who don’t see any value in snakes anyway. We probably seldom hear from this type as the snake is dead and buried before it is given a second thought.

      I believe that in general the calls that we do receive are either from people that have some level of concern for the snake while others may be concerned primarily with their own, or their families, safety. Either way there is value in the service provided.

      Thanks for the feedback!!

  • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

    Views from Australia courtesy of http://www.snakebusters.com.au

    Grant, thanks for the e-mail.

    I was in Cape Town a few years back catching snakes -loved the place!

    Anyway, I used to do volunteer snake catching for years, but in the end couldn’t afford to keep going.

    Several factors played on this, not least a war declared on me by a corrupt government, leading to my financial ruin.

    We charge money to catch snakes, which equates to enough to cover the cost of fuel and a standard hourly rate. About half callers refuse to pay and we don’t come.

    In your country, you’d find the richer will pay and the masses won’t.The best advice I can give in terms of fees is try it out and see if it works.

    As you know, the snakes themselves are effectively worthless, especially in Capetown, where there are so many!

    Cape Snake Conservation

    Hi Raymond

    You’re spot on about the divide in terms of who can pay and who cannot which may be what differentiates our countries in terms of this service. A donation system is possibly a better option then giving those who use the service a choice.

    I’m not sure that I share your sentiments regarding our snakes being worthless on a regional level. We are finding that many species are becoming locally extinct in our
    Cape Metro nature reserves which has an obvious effect on ecosystem integrity. Most of these proclaimed habitats have become severely fragmented so once a species is lost from a site there is no way for natural recruitment to take place.

    Although none of our species are globally threatened, on a local scale there is a lot of work to do. For example on the flatlands of Cape Town there are no Bitis armata,
    B.arietans or Hemachatus haemachatus left as far as we are aware. Of course there are plenty in other areas but in the City we have to consider ecosystem integrity.

    Snakebusters

    Also, cities everywhere are rats#%t ecologically.

    Noting the world is likely to have double the number of humans in 100 years, one must realistically “write off” a lot of currently fragmented populations of wildlife,
    including snakes …

    In describing snakes as “worthless” I mean in the context of locally abundant species such as Cobras, Herald Snakes, House snakes, Boomslangs and the like which form
    the staple for your local snake catchers and cope fine around the altered city fringe habitats. Demand for these is at best limited.

    The only realistic long term solution for all the wildlife is for people to stop over-breeding.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      This is really valuable input and I thank Raymond for kindly taking part in this discussion.

      To add, we must always remember that we have a unique situation in our City in that many of our habitat types are endemic and with some of the highest floral diversity on a global scale. This means that if we do not try to conserve these gems of biodiversity they will, and are being lost, forever.

      Of course whether it is even possible to stop this or at best slow it down may be a losing battle considering human population growth as Raymond rightly mentioned.The snakes then could be “written off” however, it is unknown what
      effect this will have on the functioning of these ecosystems.

  • [email protected]

    I am the unofficial snake rescue co-ordinator for the W/Cape and have been doing snake rescue for about 30 years. Even though I do what I do for the animal humbly request a petrol donation.
    I do not believe that a donation request is offensive because as a volunteer I will be out of pocket for someone else’s problem. There are certain cultures that believe that my assistance is somewhat mandatory 24/7 free of any charge.
    I believe that we should be compensated by CapeNature as this organization is incompetent and unavailable but demand our compliance. We pay this organization to exist through our taxes but are legislated with the threat of legal action for none compliance with outdated legislation.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tanya.dutoitheald Tanya Du Toit Heald

    Hi All!

    This discussion has progressed since I last read the article and the comments are greatly appreciated!

    As a conservationist and a registered, LEGAL snake catcher it was a difficult choice to make. I made the decision to charge a standard call out fee, but only after approaching the IDP (Integrated Development Planning) and was told in no uncertain terms, “JUST DON’T DO IT!”

    As I do this full time, it has become increasingly difficult to cover expenses which I feel should not be carried by an individual when the service benefits so many. Local governments know what number to dial when there is a problem, yet don’t want to assist with the burden of keeping a vehicle on the road or the snake catcher alive should they get bitten.

    I also feel that snake catchers should not underestimate their value or the service they provide. 3 children were bitten by Cape cobras during one season all from Chatsworth Primary (Malmesbury) due to the parent’s insistence that snakes should be killed. I did snake awareness with those kids two years in a row and no further incidences were reported since. However, the cost of doing the education was placed squarely on my shoulders (which I have and will continue to do). Not only is this saving lives but also maintaining the biodiversity of an area.

    I receive calls from profitable businesses, schools (both private and government), various government departments and police stations. All who work in those facilities get salaries that can cover their daily expenses. What will happen to those who do this type of work full time if they do not charge? What will end up happening to the snakes that have been injured or are ill if the snake catchers can not afford to provide the necessary medical treatment?

    In an ideal world, we would all be able to provide the service free of charge, but this is not an ideal world and the reality of the fuel price is hitting us all extremely hard. It may be time to up the ante and call ourselves professionals!

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Fantastic comment Tanya. Well done for going the whole way and checking every option available. I think most of us do this out for passion not money, but passion certainly doesn’t fill the petrol tank.

      In other developed countries like the states and Australia they are professionals. And it’s not all bad, rigorous guidelines for data collection, permits, rehab and release could be set in place and submitted to CapeNature for rights to operate.

  • Rahul

    I have experience rescuing snakes in India and had done it for a while when i was a student. The way I went about it was, after i rescued the snake, I told them that we have a fixed charge, and explain to them why we charge (basically gas, then maintaining them after rescue for a few days and releasing them back into the wild). And I just say that, this is our fixed fees, if you can pay its great, if not pay as much you can. I have had some people pay nothing, some double the amount of the rescue charge. So, it balances out and people who want to pay and don’t want to pay are both happy. I think it is okay to take some charge to keep continuing the work, especially if you are a student. And if you force them to pay, they won’t call you the next time, and probably kill the snake.

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Welcome Rahul! I think that this might be the best suggestion yet. It covers all bases; if you say it’s free you build expectations and cut yourself short but if you force someone to pay it creates a negative impression of the snake handler and is likely to cause future snakes to be killed.

      Your method justifies and subtly states that the service should be paid for while at the same time demonstrates that service is in the best interest of both the snake and the people involved. People like to be given the option and never want to be taken for a ride. This is probably why those that have, are happy to give more - they feel that your service is genuinely of value and that you are not only there for the money.

  • http://rosannapbrost.tumblr.com/ Blacky

    Living in Canada I have never heard of anyone needing to call in someone for a snake rescue (we really only have one venomous species and those are endangered rattlesnakes,) but if I was ever in a place where I needed someone to come in, I’d pay them. I’m an artist and I’d feel extremely insulted if someone did not pay me for my time! After all, I need to eat too and though I enjoy my art it is still a job. Just because you LIKE something does not mean that you should not be paid for doing it! I went to university for this and spent thousands of dollars - and even if I hadn’t done that, skills like mine are not common. And isn’t it the dream of everyone to have a job that doesn’t feel like one? A job that doesn’t make you groan and say “UGH, WORK!” or “Grosss, Monday!” I’m sorry, but I’m a skilled tradesman here, as are you, and we deserve compensation for our time, materials (in your case, fuel, medical stuff, tools and snake food,) and skills.

    On the other hand I do feel you about how people are less inclined to save snakes than any other animal. I’d rather see a snake (or bee for that matter,) rescued and given another chance than killed. These animals are far more valuable than most people realize and I commend you guys for all of your hard work saving their lives. Anyway, that’s my two cents on the subject!

    • http://www.capesnakeconservation.com/ grantsmith

      Great comment Blacky - thanks!

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