On-site
Venomous Snake Safety Training
Risk Management and Safety Education
Venomous Snake Safety Training
Venomous Snake Safety Training
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We offer in person and online courses designed to provide training and expertise to safely work with U.S. venomous snakes. These courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of your team.
Certified Course: The content in these courses were reviewed by experts with Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) and the Department of Defense. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a Venomous Snake Safety and Handling Certificate. Training topics include identification, natural history, encounter avoidance and safety, first aid and handling techniques. We will focus on venomous snakes in your area and tailor the course to your specific needs. Safety Standard- Our handling and manipulation techniques are designed for safety first. Our courses are known for an overwhelming amount of safety and attention to detail. All instruction areas are assessed prior to the workshop course for safety to course participants, instructors, the public, and snakes used. Reasonable methods to ensure safety will take place and constantly reassessed during our course. Our trainings follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Best Practices for Trainings. Location: Offered throughout the U.S.- at your location Developed for:
How do I sign up?: Give us a call (720-722-3237) or email us (hello@adaptationenvironmental.com) to schedule a course for your team Take Home: Venomous Snake Safety Manual |
Client: “We treated venomous snakes as a hazard. We worked with Adaptation to create a written protocol, and that alleviated a lot of fear for the employees."
Venomous Snake Safety Training for Agencies, Biologists, and ResearchersThis one-day training will cover identification, natural history, safety, first aid and manipulation techniques. We also cover research topics– trapping and removal, measurements, tubing, probing, transmitters, PIT tags, and snakebite emergency planning.
Give us a call (720-722-3237) or email us (hello@adaptationenvironmental.com) to schedule a training at your location. |
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Venomous Snake Safety for Animal ControlThis one-day training will cover snake identification and natural history, local regulations, trapping and removal, euthanasia/dispatch, museum and research deposition, public
safety and engagement. Give us a call (720-722-3237) or email us (hello@adaptationenvironmental.com) to schedule a training at your location.
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Venomous Snake Safety Training for Construction, Utilities, Energy and FacilitiesWe train construction and facilities workers so they can be ready if a snake encounter occurs on the job site. We will review identification to your local area, basic behavior of snakes- when and where are they most likely to occur. This course includes best practices for removal, relocation and release.
OSHA Standard 1926.21(b)(4) says that in job site areas where harmful plants or animals are present, employees who may be exposed shall be instructed regarding the potential hazards, and how to avoid injury, and the first aid procedures to be used in the event of injury. Give us a call (720-722-3237) or email us (hello@adaptationenvironmental.com) to schedule a training at your location. |
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Venomous Snake Safety Training for ZookeepersThis one-day training will cover safety and first aid, manipulation techniques, exhibit safety and planning, forceps, hemostats, tubing, probing, quarantine protocols, and snakebite emergency planning.
Give us a call (720-722-3237) or email us (hello@adaptationenvironmental.com) to schedule a training at your location. |
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On-site, online, or hybrid delivery
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Hybrid Delivery: This Venomous Snake Safety course will be delivered through an online module and an in-person class. We provide hands-on training and expertise to help professionals safely work with venomous snakes. Participants will be assessed with a written and skills test. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a Venomous Snake Safety Handling Certificate.
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General Training Outline*
I. Characteristics of venomous snakes of the USA or your region
III. Safety: Encounter Avoidance and Hazard Recognition
IV. First Aid
V. Handling Practice with LIVE Non-venomous and Venomous snakes
*The outline can be tailored to your organization's specific needs
- Rattlesnakes
- Copperheads
- Cottonmouths
- Coralsnakes
III. Safety: Encounter Avoidance and Hazard Recognition
IV. First Aid
V. Handling Practice with LIVE Non-venomous and Venomous snakes
- Tools, techniques, and manipulation
- 1-hook technique
- 2-hook technique
- 1-hook-and-tongs technique
- Containment and labeling
*The outline can be tailored to your organization's specific needs
Training Outcomes:
- Participants will recognize how to identify and mitigate encounters with U.S. venomous and nonvenomous snakes
- Recognize snake diversity at a broad and local level
- Identify what drives snake behavior
- Recognize trends and consequences of snake bites
- Recognize safety expectations with snakes
- Determine the best conditions for releasing a venomous snake
- Identify and utilize tools used for snake manipulation and safety
- Describe the Adaptation Safety Standard for Handling Techniques, Relocation, and Release
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC)
The Venomous Snake Safety Course material was reviewed by PARC and advances the mission of PARC. This specific training would promote the conservation of snakes, educate participants about snake biology, and facilitate snake conservation by minimizing negative human-snake interactions.
Our Safety Standard
Our courses are known for an overwhelming amount of safety and attention to detail. All instruction areas are assessed prior to the workshop course for safety to course participants, instructors, the public, and snakes used. Reasonable methods to ensure safety will take place and constantly reassessed during our course. We coordinate with local hospitals and first responders to ensure safety and awareness for the day of our course in case their involvement becomes necessary. There have been no bites or close-calls in over 10 years of delivering this course around the U.S. However, every participant will be instructed to contact “911” in case an incident occurs. NOTE: Our courses will not take place if a threat to safety occurs (e.g., inclement weather that may risk a power outage or risk to first-responder personnel).
Our methods for handling and manipulation are not your "Hey, dude- hold my beer" type methods. We do not teach methods you see on TV, because to be honest- our methods are not for TV. They are boring, they are safe. We operate with safety first, always. The tools we use maximize safety while maintaining snake comfort.
Our methods for handling and manipulation are not your "Hey, dude- hold my beer" type methods. We do not teach methods you see on TV, because to be honest- our methods are not for TV. They are boring, they are safe. We operate with safety first, always. The tools we use maximize safety while maintaining snake comfort.
Who should take a wildlife expert training?
Are you a professional who works near or directly with reptiles and amphibians? Everyone can benefit from one of our trainings, especially:
- Wildlife Professionals and Biologists, Botanists, Archaeologists
- Military
- First responders (e.g. law enforcement, EMS, firefighters, FEMA)
- Construction/Facilities Managers and Workers
- Energy Workers
- Wildlife Control Operators
- Zoos
Our instructors are researchers, zoologists and wildlife biologists. Joe, the owner of Adaptation and lead instructor, was trained in captive husbandry with venomous snakes in the zoo setting. Since then he has worked in wildlife research and education. Our courses are taught by instructors that have first hand experience with venomous snakes in the field. We have 10+ years experience radio tracking rattlesnakes to inform managers on rattlesnake activity, den and hibernation location, determine habitat usage and monitor encroachment. Our trainers prioritize safety in all courses.
Past Clients
Adaptation has taught our U.S. Venomous Snake Safety and Handling Course for military entities, wildlife and state agencies, energy companies, zoos, construction and community associations.
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Check out this video created for the Department of Defense:
What our course participants are saying:
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"This was a great training and will be extremely helpful to me in the field! Thank you!" - Sean
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"Excellent course, recommend for all first responders" - Laura
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"The course was very interactive an actually being able to go hands on was very helpful." - Jordan
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"Hard to overstate value of live- snake handling- excellent experience!" - Deborah
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"Very safe instruction with the snakes. It was helpful to get multiple practice rounds in. Great training!" - John
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"I really enjoyed the course and feel a lot more confident handling snakes. Thanks!" - Saul
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Meaningful conversations in wildlife management and human-wildlife conflict cannot effectively take place until initial safety concerns are addressed. In the U.S. approximately 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes (CDC) each year. While deaths are rare, lasting injuries are more common such as amputation or permanent disabilities. Snakebite envenoming can be controlled through preventative measures. Workers come into contact with venomous snakes while on the job and often receive little to no training in dealing with this risk management situation for their safety and others. Even though leaving a snake alone is usually safest for people and snakes, circumstances arise too often where a trained worker is needed to mitigate a potential conflict from escalating further.
Our courses are DIFFERENT because we teach and focus on risk management, and this resonates with who we train and their institutional policies. After all, we have families, children, coworkers, and pets that we want kept safe from potentially dangerous encounters. This is the only course designed by professionals and for professionals.
Our teams provide snake removal and exclusion services, and when possible we relocate rattlesnakes with land manager permission. We also conduct research on public and private lands, such as radio-telemetry and mark-recapture (via PIT-tags) of relocated rattlesnakes in the Denver metro area and Pueblo. It’s also important that we ask homeowners a short series of social sciences questions at every snake removal to gauge their knowledge and attitude about rattlesnakes. Aside from our own research in conjunction with local partners, our work also contributes to our partners’ efforts such as with venom toxicology at the University of Northern Colorado.
Our courses are DIFFERENT because we teach and focus on risk management, and this resonates with who we train and their institutional policies. After all, we have families, children, coworkers, and pets that we want kept safe from potentially dangerous encounters. This is the only course designed by professionals and for professionals.
Our teams provide snake removal and exclusion services, and when possible we relocate rattlesnakes with land manager permission. We also conduct research on public and private lands, such as radio-telemetry and mark-recapture (via PIT-tags) of relocated rattlesnakes in the Denver metro area and Pueblo. It’s also important that we ask homeowners a short series of social sciences questions at every snake removal to gauge their knowledge and attitude about rattlesnakes. Aside from our own research in conjunction with local partners, our work also contributes to our partners’ efforts such as with venom toxicology at the University of Northern Colorado.