Husbandry Guidelines Broad-Headed Snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides Compiler – Charles Morris Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond Captive Animals Certificate III RUV3020R Lecturers: Graeme Phipps, Jacki Salkeld & Brad Walker 2009 1 Occupational Health and Safety WARNING This Snake is DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS CAPABLE OF INFLICTING A POTENTIALLY FATAL BITE ALWAYS HAVE A COMPRESSION BANDAGE WITHIN REACH SNAKE BITE TREATMENT: Do NOT wash the wound. Do NOT cut the wound, apply substances to the wound or use a tourniquet. Do NOT remove jeans or shirt as any movement will assist the venom to enter the blood stream. KEEP THE VICTIM STILL. 1. Apply a broad pressure bandage over the bite site as soon as possible. 2. Keep the limb still. The bandage should be as tight as you would bind a sprained ankle. 3. Extend the bandage down to the fingers or toes then up the leg as high as possible. (For a bite on the hand or forearm bind up to the elbow). 4. Apply a splint if possible, to immobilise the limb. 5. Bind it firmly to as much of the limb as possible. (Use a sling for an arm injury). Bring transport to the victim where possible or carry them to transportation. Transport the victim to the nearest hospital. Please Print this page off and put it up on the wall in your snake room. 2 There is some serious occupational health risks involved in keeping venomous snakes. All risk can be eliminated if kept clean and in the correct lockable enclosures with only the risk of handling left in play. These snakes’ fangs are small, venom quantity equally small, but recent clinical experience suggests these snakes could cause lethal bite if not cause many other health problems later. If you work with venomous snakes, it is your responsibility to make sure ahead of time that your doctor is up to date on the best and most modern ways to medically manage a snake bite. Some of the older protocols which are still officially on the books at some hospitals are definitely not the ones you want applied to your case. What is Snake Antivenom? Snake antivenom is an injection designed to help neutralize the effect of the poison (venom) of the tiger snake. It is produced by immunizing horses against the venom of the tiger snake and then collecting that part of the horse’s blood which neutralizes this poison. The antivenom is purified and made into an injection for those people who may need it after being bitten by a tiger snake. Tiger snake antivenom is also the appropriate antivenom if you are bitten by a copperhead snake, a rough scaled snake or a member of the black snake family. When is snake antivenom used? Snake antivenom is given to people who become ill after being bitten by a tiger snake. Not every one who is bitten needs to have the antivenom as some people have only mild effects from the bite, or none at all. However, some people can become extremely ill after being bitten and in these people it is essential to use an appropriate amount of antivenom to counteract the effects of the poison. Several people die in Australia each year from inadequately treated snake bite. Who should not have the antivenom? As there are sometimes unpleasant and dangerous reactions to the antivenom (See side effects of Snake antivenom), it should not be given to people who have no effects from the bite. However, as tiger snake antivenom can be an emergency life-saving product, it should not be withheld from anyone who needs it. Before you have tiger snake antivenom Before you have the injection, you should tell the doctor if You are an asthmatic You suffer from hay fever You suffer from any other allergies You have ever received injections containing horse serum (snake bite and other antivenoms) You had an anti-tetanus injection before 1974 You are suffering from any other illness You are taking any medicines and what they are You are pregnant You are breast feeding. When medicines are produced in animals and injected into you, it is always possible that viruses or other substances could be present in the medicine and cause an illness. These could be viruses or other infectious agents which have not yet been discovered. SIDE EFFECTS OF TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM As with any medicine, some side effects may occur. As the injection is made from horse serum, side effects occur more commonly in those who have allergies, particularly if they have ever had injections before which were also prepared from horses. Allergic reactions such as rashes, low blood pressure, wheezing and palpitations occur commonly. Headaches and fever are also common. Less commonly, localized swelling, muscle and joint pains, abdominal pain, vomiting, chest pain and blue discoloring of the skin can occur. These allergic reactions can be very severe and can cause death, but these complications can be treated by a doctor. 3 An illness consisting of a rash, swollen glands, joint pains and fever may occur about a week after the injection. Always tell your doctor if you have any unpleasant effects after receiving the injection. THE DOSE OF TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM The dose for both adults and children is one vial (3,000 units) which is considerably diluted and given slowly as a drip into a vein. The dose can be repeated as necessary. Your doctor will take precautions to counteract any allergic reactions if they should happen. OVERDOSE There is no information on overdose. WHAT DOES TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM CONTAIN? Tiger snake antivenom contains 3,000 units of antivenom in about 10 mL of liquid. Each injection also contains phenol as a preservative, sodium chloride and substances found in horse blood. The Australian Registration Number is Aust R 74895 HOW TO STORE TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM LIGHT AND STORED AT 2-8ºC (IN THE REFRIGERATOR). IT MUST NOT BE FROZEN. It should not be used after the expiry date. This information comes with each vial of tiger snake antivenom (CSL Limited, 2000) Personal Hygiene - Always wash your hands with hot soapy water after touching or cleaning up after any animal, after cleaning enclosures and accessories and after coming into contact with any area of the house where retiles are allowed to run free - Cover cuts and other open wounds before handling reptiles If a cut or wound becomes contaminated with dirt or if a reptile bite or scratch breaks the skin, wash the area thoroughly with warm water and an antibacterial soap, dry well and apply an antibacterial skin treatment - Do not out your hands near or in your mouth, or eat, drink, or smoke while handling a reptile or cleaning up after it - Do not kiss or put parts of a reptile in your mouth or share food or drink with a reptile - Keep reptiles and their cages accessories away from human food preparation and consumption areas, sinks and bathtubs, where infants are bathed - Do not use the kitchen sink, kitchen benches, bathroom sinks or bathtubs to bathe reptiles or wash their cages and accessories. Dispose of any waste water and fecal matter in the toilet, not in the bathtub or household sink. (NSW Department of Environment and Conservation). 4 Who Should Avoid Contact With Reptiles The following categories of people should avoid all contact, direct or indirect, with any reptile as the risks of serious, symptomatic infection with Salmonella is greatly increased. • Infants and children up to 5 years of age; some say up to age 8. • Anyone with HIV/AIDS or other immunodefiency disorders. • Anyone who has had transplant surgery and is on anti-rejection therapy. • Anyone who is on any drug which suppresses/alters immune function including: steroids, cancer chemotherapy, biological response modifiers and others. • Anyone receiving radiation treatment. • Women who are pregnant due to risk to the fetus. • Elderly, frail or people with poor nutritional status. • People subject to chronic infections. • People receiving or who have recently received antibiotic treatment. What to do to avoid becoming infected or becoming a carrier. • After handling any reptile be sure and wash hands with soap/hot water. •Wash thoroughly for at least 30 seconds: an antibacterial soap is preferable. • Keep reptiles out of kitchens and away from any surfaces where human food is stored, prepared or served. • Do not permit unsupervised handling of reptiles by children under 12 years old. • Do not handle any reptile or their caging materials with open cuts, lesions on ones hands unless such cuts are well covered with dressings; rubber gloves are recommended. • When washing reptile enclosures/accessories avoid splashes to face. • Disinfectant lotions pump sprays or similar products should be carried whenever reptiles are going to be handled in the field. (Stopford. F. 2004) Zoonotic Hazards People working with reptiles should be aware of Zoonotic Hazards. Zoonosis is diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. These can include: • Bacteria •Protozoa •Fungi •Viruses • Parasites, internal and external. Ways of contacting Zoonotic diseases are: • Reptile skins, feathers from feed animals. • Excreta (faeces/urine), bodily discharges, vomit. • A body part or sample taken from a reptile, eg, swab, blood or tissue sample. • Equipment or bedding that has been in contact with a reptile, eg, needle, hoop bags, jiggers and substrate. • During medical procedures, eg, blood, wastes, bodily fluids. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 8 2 TAXONOMY ......................................................................................................................................