How to Safely Extract and Store Snake Venom

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Extracting venom from snakes—a process known as "milking"—is done in order to create anti-venom which can be used to save the lives of people who have been bitten by a snake. Milking snakes for their venom is inherently dangerous work and should only be done by someone with the proper training. It should also only be done in a biology laboratory that's equipped for handling venomous snakes. Milking a snake should never be attempted by an amateur without any training.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Lab and Collection Vial

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  1. This work is dangerous, and the last thing you'd want is to trip over a cable while handling a cobra. Once your lab is tidy, set up a tall metal rolling table to use as your workspace. Situate this away from any expensive lab equipment. Snakes tend to lash out and can break delicate equipment when you try to pin them down to a cold metal table.
    • Take the time to remove tripping hazards like power cords, lab equipment, tables, and any other workspace clutter.
  2. Take a sterile glass beaker and seal the top with plastic cling wrap. Use rubber bands to make sure the cling wrap stays taut. Then, stick a piece of masking tape on the collection glass and use a permanent marker to label it with the type of snake that you will be collecting venom from. If you are using the same vial to collect venom from multiple individual snakes, record the number of snakes you’re collecting from. Also mark on the masking tape:
    • A code number corresponding to each individual snake. This will allow you to keep track of which specific snake(s) produced the venom in a sample.
    • The names of the scientists and lab technicians involved in the extraction process.
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  3. In a situation where you're handling a deadly animal, it's best to be prepared. If someone is bitten by a venomous snake, you'll need to inject them with anti-venom immediately in order to stop the effects of the poison. Retrieve the anti-venom from its storage place in your laboratory and set it somewhere within easy reach.
    • Laboratories that work with venomous snakes should always have anti-venom on hand for every type of snake in their inventory.
  4. Choose items that will be difficult for the snake to bite through, including boots, a heavy flannel or denim shirt (or jacket), and jeans or other heavy work pants. Also be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands from potential snakebite. [1] These items could literally save your life.
    • While thicker gloves (e.g., made from leather) are more resistant to snake bites, they'll also reduce your dexterity.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Securing the Snake for Milking

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  1. Small plastic hide boxes can be installed on the side of the snake's enclosure and are a common fixture in biology labs that deal with any type of snake. Attach the hide box to the side of the main snake cage so the snake can crawl into the hide box. Snakes can be trained to enter this "hide box" through conditioning.
    • You can condition snakes to enter a hide box by placing food inside of the hide box when you want the snake to enter. The snake will be drawn to the food and you won’t have to handle a dangerous animal.
    • Avoid wiggling your fingers to lure the snake into the hide box. The snake could strike out and bite you.
  2. Once the snake is in the hide box, quickly pull it away from the main snake cage and shut the hide box door. Close the latch so that the door stays shut. Once the box is closed, you can safely remove it from the main enclosure and transport the snake to another location.
    • Shut the hide box door quickly, before the snake has a chance to turn around inside the box. If it’s angry, it could attempt to bite you through the open door.
  3. While the snake is in the box on your work table, insert clear, plastic restraint tubing into the port on the side of the box. The diameter of the plastic restraint tubing should approximately match the diameter of the snake’s body. If the lab doesn’t have the snake’s diameter measurement on hand, eyeball the snake’s diameter and add 1 ⁄ 4  in (6.4 mm).
    • So, if a snake is roughly 2 inches (5.1 cm) in diameter, attach a 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tube to the hide box.
    • The diameter of the tubing has to be large enough for the snake to enter without turning around. If the tubing you use is too large or too small, the snake either will be able to wriggle free from the tubing or won't fit inside.
  4. To coax the snake, fill a plastic pipette with water. Then, drop a dozen droplets of water through the small port in the top of the box. The droplets will surprise or annoy the snake and it will want to move away from them. Its only way out will be to exit the hide box and enter the tube.
    • Wait until the snake is near the end of the restraint tube before attempting the next step.
  5. When the snake is near the end of the restraint tube, quickly detach the tube from the port on the hide box and grab the snake's body at the base of the tube. A firm grip will keep the snake from moving forward too much or backing out.
    • The snake may try to wriggle free from your hands, so be ready to tighten your grip and grab the snake at any moment.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Collecting and Storing Venom

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  1. Do this as the head of the snake emerges from the restrain tubing. Use 1 hand to tighten your grip just as the snake's head is protruding out of the restraint tube and, with the other, hold the snake at the base of its head. With your hands positioned behind the snake's jaw, you can lightly squeeze the jaw to force the snake to open its mouth in preparation for biting the venom-collection jar.
    • Keep your hand only about 1 in (2.5 cm) behind the snake’s head in order to keep its fangs away from your body.
  2. At this point, your snake is probably pretty agitated about being stuck in a tube so it shouldn't be too hard to provoke a bite. Let the snake lash out and bite the collection vessel so that its upper jaw is over the plastic wrap and its fangs leak venom out into the collection vessel.
    • The snake should only strike when it's about 3–5 inches (7.6–12.7 cm) from the collection vessel. If it's any farther, the snake could strike the edge and break a fang.
  3. The snake's fangs will continue to drip out venom for at least 15-20 seconds. So, keep the snake's head firmly pressed against the lip of the glass beaker this entire time so that no venom leaks out. Lightly massage the snake's head to induce it to produce more venom. [2]
    • Don't exert too much pressure; just press hard enough that the snake's fangs are extended and held in place in the collection vessel
  4. The water that you dropped into the hide box should have evaporated before you allow the snake to re-enter. If it's still wet, ask someone else in the lab to use a clean towel to wipe up the small puddle of water, since you’ll still be holding the snake at this point. Then, keep one port open for the snake's reentry to the hide box.
    • Most hide boxes have removable lids to allow for easy cleaning and drying.
  5. Since the snake's head is already near the end of the tube, it is often easier to let the snake progress forward. Return the snake to the hide box by allowing the snake to crawl through the port head-first. Keep your hands at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) away from its head while it returns to the box, and relax your grip so it can move easily.
    • Once the snake is back inside, close the port using a pen or other long object. You don't want your hands near the open port of the hide box.
  6. Unlock the box and slide the door open to allow the snake back into the enclosure. Once the animal is out of the hide box, quickly seal the snake enclosure shut and return the hide box to its storage location.
    • If you're milking multiple snakes, at this time you can start the process over again by drawing another snake into the hide box for the purpose of being milked.
  7. Look for a small amount of venom at the bottom of the container. This is the substance you'll need to freeze. Remove the rubber band and plastic film from the lid of your glass beaker, and place a lid on top. Make sure that the markings on the side of the beaker (detailing which snake was milked into the vial) are still legible.
    • Depending on your snake-milking schedule, do this either after you've finished milking 1 snake or after you've finished milking several (if you labeled the collection vial before you began to extract the venom).
  8. The venom should be frozen at a temperature of −20 °C (−4 °F) or colder within an hour after extraction. Venom can be stored in this way for up to 1 month.
    • If you're milking multiple snakes, you can pour the venom from each individual snake into separate freezable beakers at 10-minute intervals. This will prevent the already-harvested venom from sitting at room temperature for too long.
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  • Question
    After lyophylization of snake venom, can I keep it in a -80 degrees Celsius freezer?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can. This will help preserve the structure of the peptides present in the venom.
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  • Question
    Do I need to take any extra precautions handling different snakes, such as spitting cobras?
    Community Answer
    Yes. A spitting cobra is able to spit its venom into your eyes and other places. Take precautions such as wearing goggles.
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  • Question
    My stored venom has turned into a white precipitate. What is it, and is it still harmful?
    Community Answer
    Remove it as soon as possible, as the precipitate can produce toxic fumes and cause someone to become unconscious.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Metal lab table
      • Glass beaker
      • Plastic cling wrap
      • Rubber band
      • Masking tape
      • Permanent marker
      • Restraint tube
      • Hide box
      • Latex or leather gloves
      • Plastic pipette
      • Water
      • Freezer-proof beaker
      • Safety goggles (optional)
      • Assistant (optional)

      Tips

      • If you'd like to learn how to milk venomous snakes, you can get proper and full experience through undertaking a program with the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) or by working with a private zookeeper. [3]
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      • Hide boxes are useful and versatile within the context of a snake-handling laboratory. For example, they can be fitted with capped ports for administering anesthesia or installing a clear plastic restraint tube for handling.
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      • If you're new to handling snakes and extracting their venom, it's a smart idea to work with an assistant in the lab. An assistant can provide a much-needed second set of hands when you're trying to coax the snake from 1 box into another or carry the hide box around in the lab.
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      Warnings

      • Milking venomous snakes is a dangerous practice that should only be done by a trained professional. This article is meant as an informative guide for people who are interested in the process of safe venom collection and storage.
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      • Snakes such as the Mole vipers or Stiletto snakes ( Atractaspidinae ) have fangs that rotate laterally out the sides of their mouth and therefore can't be grabbed safely from behind the head.
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      • If you're milking spitting cobras, be sure to wear eye protection so you don't get venom in your eyes. The biology lab should have a pair of safety goggles that you can wear.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/g561/how-to-make-anti-venom-why-the-world-is-running-out/?slide=2
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/bou3UbDUveM?t=85
      3. ↑ https://www.environmentalscience.org/career/snake-milker

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