The Exclusive Guru Push Stick
"Because sometimes all they need is a little nudge."
Many years ago I found that sometimes slight suggestion works a lot better than brute force. With that in mind I’ve been making a style of training rod specifically designed for snakes and other exotic reptiles. This is a simple design which I have found to be most effective on larger reptiles including large snakes and monitors. If you have the patience you can actually use this as a means of training your reptiles, it works especially well with less than pleasant reptiles, yet is non invasive and less stressful than "bull dogging" uncooperative reptiles about.
The design is simple it is a rod with large 1.56" fiberglass filled plastic ball on the end. I then added some comfort features such as full length PVC coat and a thick 4’’ long foam grip. You won’t find this design anywhere else; this is my own personal design that I have been using for years and now for the first time it’s offered to you only from The Snake Guru.com!
How it works:
As stated this is a training tool, and as such it does take some time and patience to get your reptiles to recognize what you are trying to get them to do. It is well worth the effort though and I guarantee once you’ve got them going on this you’ll wonder how you ever survived without one for so long!
For large snakes: Larger pythons and boas are sometimes known for extreme feeding responses. This can make those first few minuets on entering the enclosure a potentially hazardous first few minuets. Using the Push Stick, simply give your snake a gentle nudge on the nose or in the side, you will see an instant change in behavior they are now less interested in eating and more interested in whatever the hell it was that just gave them a little poke. With some snakes it actually may take a few well placed nudges (Most Retics and Anacondas) but they tend to get the point fairly quickly. What you’ve just accomplished is a type of training; it is an easy non invasive way to snap your large snakes out of "feeding mode" without actually getting close enough to them to be in any danger. The more consistent you are the better your results will be.
This same slight nudging can be used to get larger pythons to move along their merry way. This technique works especially well when trying to get a large "not so nice" snake to move for cleaning or any other type of maintenance you wish to do; again keeping you and your appendages out of harms way.
Use number two, is another one of my brighter moment ideas. At some point everyone sometime runs into the issue of a stuck on or unshed eye cap. On smaller snakes this normally isn’t an issue since they are usually easily restrained. But now say your 15+ foot reticulated python has shed and the eye cap has not come off with it. You could get a few of your friends and attempt to retrain the snake while trying to remove the eye cap, OR you can try this simple and easy method which again is noninvasive and may save you a limb and/or trip to hospital for stitches.
1. Take one piece of scotch tape and lay it "sticky side up" across the head of the ball end.
2. Take a second piece of scotch tape and wrap around the mid section of the ball end securing the 1st piece of tape to the ball end.
3. Roll the sticky part of ball across the affected eye. Usually comes right off but sometimes it may take a couple swipes.
4. You’re done! No blood, no stitches, no snake that wants to injure you. Simple, easy, effective.
*See diagram below for setup procedure*
**Before doing this procedure PLEASE make absolutely sure that it is an unshed eye cap! Removing the protective lens over the eye when it is supposed to be there will cause permanent blindness**
Large Lizards:
I have also found this to be useful tool in training larger lizards, especially in the initial stages where they are still defensive. Again this can be used simply to give them a little nudge as a reminder they are over stepping their bounds or it can be used as a distraction to draw their focus away from you and towards something else; as before it keeps you at a safe distance and is very non invasive to the lizard. The key to any reptile training is patience and consistency, this is simply a tool for you to use in your daily routine; it is something that they will come recognize as part of the routine and not a threat, if used properly.
I am sure you can find many other uses for this tool; I have listed the ones that I use it for most frequently just to start you off.
Push Stick Specifications:
- Tip 1.56’’ fiberglass filled plastic ball
- 36’’ overall length
- Wooden shaft, coated full length in heavy durable PVC (Wooden shafts are use incase the reptile tries to bite the "Push Stick" as wood will not cause damage to the mouth area or teeth.)
- 8" Non-Slip Rubber Grip
