Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-11-08
WORLDS LARGEST
SNAKE FARM
RATTLESNAkE PETE AND HIS
WIFE CLEVER AT BAGGlNG
THE PESTS
Tease Poison From RattIers-secure
Ten Day-How Bites are Cured

bHdhe ldIul Ill tue WOTlu, consisting VI
nineteen sections of land, located on
the North Concho river, near Water
Valley, is owned and managed by
Charles N. Swinney, better known the
country over as "Rattlesnake Pete"
This farm ships annually 10000
snakes, birds and animals to all parts
of the civilized world. The business
office Of the farm was recently re-
moved from San Angelo to Water VAL
ley.
1t is needless to say that there are
sights worth seeing. No museum,
zoo or circus menagerie contains such
a variety as is kept at the famous
snake farm. The most interesting of
these reptiles, of course, is the pois-
onous rattler, which is seen in every
variety, from the black diamond to
the ground rattler. The side winder
and the valley rattlers are equally in
teresting. Hundreds of these are hous-
ed in boxes and seem to live in har.
mony, but when an intruder approach
es and attracts their attention by tap.
ping on the side of the box they join
in a chorus of warnings that create
such a din of noises that one can
hardly hear his ears. Before the rat
tiers sound warnings they coil and
prepare to spring; their heads are
hoisted and their tails are put to work
shaking the rattles.
"Rattlesnake Pete" and "Mrs. Pete"
4. ,a1, sr1t
ence as milady would her poodle, but
each is careful not to allow them an
opportunity to plunge their venomous
fangs into their flesh. "Pete" remov-
ed one of the largest black diamond
rattlers from its berth by lassoing it.
Once lassoed the. mighty rattler was
in perfect control. "Pete" drew him
close and with piece of white pine
board teased him until he became
vicious, striking the board with It's
large tusks, or fangs; the big snake
emitted blush fluid from the little
sacks back of the tusks that would
have killed man or beast struck II
Treatment" was not at hand.
The treatment used in case of rat
tlesnake bite by "Pete" is potassium
permanganate, which is kept close at
hand.
"Pete" and his wife, who used to be
"snake charmers" with a big circus,
have taken a contract to rid the Turn
er ranch of rattlers. The rattlers are
menace to the rancher, since they
kill many cattle, sheep, horses and
mules. Recently mule colt worth
s75 was killed by being bitten by a
rattler.
It's big job the Swinneys have on
their hands, but they are bagging IN
average of ten rattlers every day.
When they have as many as two hun
dred they haul them to San Angelo
and sell them to Mr. Rawson, of the
Rawson ranch, at 20 cents the pound.
Rawson who is a taXidermist, ships
them to show people and scientists
in the Eastern and Western markets,
realizing fair profit.
The snakes are not relieved of their
fangs and venom sacks before being
shipped. The venom is used to COM
pound a cure for tuberculosis; the oil
to compound cure for rheumatism
and chronic sore eyes, and the hides
are used, it is said, in the making of
cosmetics that will cure "bumpy"
faces, and the bones are used to make
toothpicks and the like.
The snakes brought in by rattle.
snake Pete are frequently kept for
months. This naturally leads one to
ask, what are they fed?"
Most any day pete" can be seen
feeding the reptiles. He buys rats,
mice and English sparrows from
small boys with which to appease the
hunger of the snakes.
While at the Rawson farm at San
Angelo the writer saw Mr.. Rawson
liberate probably twenty-five English
sparrows in box filled with rattlers.
The snakes that were hungry would
soon grab a sparrow, while in some
instances sparrows would perch them
selves on the head of a big rattler
whose nav was not aching for some
thing to fill the inner snake. No meat
or dead birds or rats are placed in che
boxes where the snakes are housed.
A snake will not eat any kind of food
unless it be alive.
One would naturally think the SAT-
est place to grab poisonous snake
would be close to the head, but pete"
has learned from sad experience that
1t is the best to grab them as near
the tail as possible. 1t is at best Il
hazardous business, and no life insur.
ance company will take risk on
person engaged in 1t.
Every kind of snake is seen on the
Turner farm, from the pretty garter
and thunder snakes TO the largest and
most venomous of the rattler and
moccasin species. The monkey-faced
owl, the ordinary crow, the mountain