Aiden Vivian, aka the Riverina Snake Catcher, is set to have a busy summer. Photo: Supplied.
Catching snakes isn’t for the faint of heart, and up until a few years ago, it wasn’t for Aidan Vivian either.
It wasn’t until Aidan and his family moved next door to Tony ‘The Snakeman’ Davis, the former Riverina Snake Catcher, that he began to understand just how unique the reptiles are and why it’s so important they are relocated safely.
“The snake man here in Wagga was Tony Davis. He’s now retired, but he’s the one who actually sort of got me into it, because he’s actually a neighbour,” Aiden said.
“When we first moved into the street, we realised who he was, and we started chatting. He then used to allow me and the kids to go down and have a look at his snakes.
“The more we got to know him, the more the snake, reptile passion sort of grew.”
After developing his interest in snakes and talking to Tony, who was set to retire, the idea of Aiden becoming a snake catcher himself began to grow.
“He’s sort of hinted at that he was retiring when I was first getting into it,” Aiden said.
“In the last two years, he’s really spoken more about the snakes, and I’ve actually started listening a lot more and looking into the idea.
“After talking to him, I bought my son a python and then we just sort of started gradually thinking this is something that I could possibly do, not realising that was ever going to be as busy as what it is.”
Aiden has caught some of the world’s most venomous snakes, including red-bellied black snakes and brown snakes. Photo: Supplied.
With the idea inching closer to becoming a reality, Aiden travelled to Melbourne to attain his certification to catch and move snakes.
“In order to do the job, you’ve got to do a venomous snake handling course. So I did my course in Melbourne. There aren’t many people who offer the course, and the people who do live quite a fair distance away,” he said.
“I did my course with a man called Raymond Hoser, and then, once you do that, you just apply through New South Wales wildlife. There’s a little bit of mucking around, but eventually you get granted your licence.”
With his licence secure, Aiden was able to start his new career. Since starting Riverina Snake Catcher, Aiden has removed hundreds of snakes and reptiles from Wagga and the Riverina region, but admits the feeling of catching them never really changes.
“I’ll be honest with you; say, even five years ago, I was petrified. Would not have even dreamt for a second that I would pick up a snake, let alone have it as a job. So I’ve definitely appreciated them a lot more, understood them more,” he said.
“When I first see the snake, the old heart gets pumping, the adrenaline’s flowing.
“One job in Uranquinty sticks out in particular. I was told there was a snake underneath the family’s couch, and as I put my head down to have a look, my son told me to be really still because I almost stuck my head on it.
“As crazy as it sounds … it’s quite a fun little job to do, especially to catch it and then see it safely being relocated.
“You have to release them within 20 kilometres of where you find them, away from residential and built-up areas. So I take my snakes out on the road, not near Pomingalarna, where some others go.
“I like to keep them in an area that’s as close to their habitat but as far away from people as possible.”
With snakes more likely to pop up the closer summer becomes, the Riverina Snake Catcher said he will be working around the clock to safely remove any sneaky snake you may find.
To contact Aiden, reach out via his Facebook page The Riverina Snake Catcher or contact him on 0408 334 829.
well done big fella! View