Once bitten… and snake lovers keep coming back for more
THEY say a dog is a man’s best friend. But not for Simon Keys and his girlfriend Siouxsie Gillett. Reptiles are what they consider friends and they’ve been keeping them as pets for more than 20 years. The pair are snake catchers, and star in Snake
City, soon to air on Nat Geo Wild. The third instalment of the reality show that is shot in Durban and surroundings, follows Keys and Gillett as they go about removing snakes from under beds, in factories and even car engines. Even though many snakes are deadly, these two seem to enjoy the thrill.
The series came to be when Keys started his snake-catching business in Durban and a documentary company found out about it and made a pilot show. It was so popular that it went on for a second season and the third is in production.
“We find ourselves in tricky and dangerous situations. We’ve had a few close calls with black mambas, which when threatened, will just want to deliver the famous ‘kiss of death’. On the Nat Geo Wild website there is footage of us in our kitchen removing a recently captured black mamba from a snake bag to put it into a tank. However this snake flew out of the bag and nearly bit both of us – it’s very scary,” said Keys.
The two own a reptile sanctuary in the UK, where they are originally from.
Keys has been catching snakes for about 12 years and Gillett two.
The pair have also been bitten numerous time.
“We get bitten daily by non-venomous snakes, but I was bitten by a Copperhead snake twice, famous in the US, while in South Africa, there was no anti-venom and I was in excruciating pain. Apart from taking a few painkillers I had to ride out the pain. Siouxsie was bitten by a night adder during a capture. An anti-venom was not needed but the pain and swelling lasted a week,” he said.
The show brings excitement and suspense. On season three expect to see lots of huge black mambas, other new species and loads of funny moments.
“We are amazed at where snakes end up – even after years of doing this – so this will definitely shock viewers,” Keys said.
The show also aims to educate people about snakes.
“We have seen an improvement in how people deal with snakes in their homes and workplaces. They are calling snake catchers rather than dealing with it themselves. People have also been coming up to us to say that thanks to our show they have learnt how to identify snakes. The show has seen a change in attitude, which we are pleased about,” he said.
And if you’re wondering about what happens to the snakes after they’re caught, they’re either kept by Keys and Gillett in a tank in their home (if it is a “medical case” as in the reptile is injured) or they are released into the wild.
“If we do release them then the release site must reflect the snake’s behaviour, diet and habitat. Forest Cobras, Mozambique Spitting Cobras and Herald snakes need to be released near ponds because they are frog feeders. Deadly snakes are taken out of town and released far from people’s homes into their natural habitat. People comment that they do not understand why we release deadly snakes, but we are putting them back in the bush where they belong.
“Humans have encroached and knocked down their habitats. so it’s no wonder why they end up in people’s homes. And people often forget that we need snakes around us – if we didn’t have snakes, we would be overrun with rodents,” said Gillett, who is also a creature wrangler and has done work for the Harry Potter movies.
She said some common mistakes people make when faced with a snake was hitting and killing it.
“Killing it is so dangerous and unnecessary. The person can end up bitten or even killed by the snake. Most snakes just want to get away. Security companies/armed response do not deal with snakes – in our experience they shoot the snakes and walk off, not checking to see whether the snake is dead. An injured snake is understandably an angry snake. If you can call a security firm then you are just as able to call a snake catcher.
“Finally, no so-called snake deterrent products work (that is Jeyes Fluid). Don’t waste your money,” she said.