how do i make snake handling equipment?

Answer 1

You mean like a cage hook, feeding tongs, and stuff, or are you talking about field gear?

If you have basic metal-working and welding skills, you can fabricate most of these tools at home. Most snake hooks are basically old golf clubs that have been cut down. Then you just bendm, temper, and grind a metal bar to shape and weld it on.

For field work, you can find things at hardware stores and such that will work nicely. A buddy and I usually carried this in the field:
- The Claw- an old hay hook that was great for giving additional leverage on big stuff
- An old hoe that we cut the actual head off of and used the curved metal part as a 'field hook'. We did replace the heavy handle with a lighter one, then eventually with a golf club handle.
- A home-made loop tool made from a chunk of conduit with an L angle iron bolted to the end. One end of a piece of strong cord was tied off near the end, then a loop was left exposed, and the other end went up the tube to a loop for the user to pull on. A rubber furniture tip with a couple holes in it for the loop protected the tube end and snake. We MOSTLY used the hook part to help flip stuff. The loop tool rarely came in very handy- although it worked OK with skinks and other lizards.
- My favorite tool was a simple walking stick made of a young ironwood tree. The thing is tough as Titanium, and about shoulder length. I had drilled two small holes through near the tip and carried a couple reshaped angle irons and some nuts and bolts in my pocket. Normal walking stick when needed- pop on the angle iron and it was a powerful tool for flipping stuff and pinning snakes.

All ya need is an idea, some skillz, and some junk to play with!

Answer 2

http://www.reptilesource.com/?snake_handling

This site shows a lot of pictures and descriptions of snake handling equipment. Use a picture as a guide, and get some wire to shape, and go to town.

Answer 3

I get my stuff from here.

http://www.tongs.com/