Australian snake handler removes deadly parasite from pet snake
An Adelaide snake handler has performed life-saving surgery on one of his pets after it was infected with a deadly parasite.
Rolly Burrell from Snake Catcher's Adelaide, posted a video which shows him saving a Pygmy Copperhead by extracting a worm-like parasite with a razor blade.
WATCH THE RESCUE HERE:
Mr Burrell, who keeps dozens of snakes at his home, told The Daily Mail Australia he had been fascinated with reptiles since he was young.
In the video Mr Burrell can be heard describing the problem: “There's a bulge there under his skin so you have to give it a little nick under its scale”.
He says he’s already disinfected the tools and area, and makes a small incision under one of the snake’s scales.
Then he can be seen squeezing the snake as if he’s trying to pop a pimple as he tries to push the parasite out.
“I think that's it I've just got to get a bit of it out,” he says when he finally has success.
Much to the disgust of his wife who is filming, Mr Burrell then grabs the end of the parasite and pulls it out.
He told Nine News the parasite was about 15 cm in length, almost half that of the snake.
'Now that eventually will kill the snake over a long period of time,' Mr Burrell says.
“It's common for snakes to be prone to parasites, some cause internal problems while others like mites and ticks parasitize the skin and scales,” Mr Burrell wrote alongside the video.
When asked whether the snake would have been in pain during the extraction, he said it may have felt a little.
'”The snake would've felt it but I'm sure the feeling of that worm being out of him than inside him would feel much better,” he said.
National news break – May 15
