[NHCOLL-L:2916] RE: Preparation of venomous snakes

[gregory.watkins-colwell at yale.edu]

Karen,
I know some folks use an ethanol soak following bug-prep of all specimens,
mostly to help ensure that the bugs are dead, but with other possible added
benefits.  I wonder if this might help denature any venom that would remain in
a hot snake, or any other dangerous product.

I know a curator who was once handling a Heloderma skeleton and pricked his
finger on the tooth and also got venomation symptoms.  Has anyone ever
collected these stories?  It would be an interesting thing to read.

Greg


Quoting "White, Rich" <RichW at thewildlifemuseum.org>:

> Karen,
>
> Yes, you do need to be very careful with venomous snakes, even with very
> old, dried and prepared specimens.  I once was handling a large
> collection of snakes which had been obtained from animal importers/
> breeders in the 1970's.  I was catalogueing and curating the lot in 1999
> or 2000, and was handling a bugged and dried skeleton of Jameson's
> mamba,  Dendroaspis jamesoni.  I pricked my finger on one of the fangs,
> and almost immediately began to have tingling and numbness in my hand
> and arm.  I went to the hospital, where they watched me for a bit.
> Fortunately, the symptoms abated fairly quikcly and they didn't have to
> try to get antivenon.  But it scared me into being much more careful
> with such material.
>
> Rich
>
>
>
> Richard S. White, Jr.
> Director
> International Wildlife Museum
> 4800 West Gates Pass Road
> Tucson, Arizona 85745
> 520-629-0100 extension 252
> Fax: 520-618-3561
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
> [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Karen Cebra
> Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 1:19 PM
> To: nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:2914] Preparation of venomous snakes
>
> Is there any danger posed to a preparator when processing venomous
> snakes?
> In the many years I have been preparing specimens, I have always used
> extra caution with such specimens. However, it would be great to know
> what the risks really are!
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Karen Cebra
> Human Identification Laboratory
> California State University at Chico
> kcebra at altair.ucdavis.edu
>