There are plenty of specialty items built for outdoor adventurers who might have a different idea of a good time from the majority of us. One classic example of a really important piece of outdoor equipment that you absolutely want to be perfect if you need them are snake tongs.
Also going under related names of snake sticks, reptile grabbers, or snake grabbers, a good pair of heavy duty snake tongs is not only important for moving non-venomous snakes away from your garden, home, or where the kids play, but if you are going to be in any situation where you need to deal with venomous snakes, or even just some big ones and you don’t want to experience their bite, then you need to have the best tools possible. That means finding yourself one of the top rated snake tongs to make sure there’s plenty of space between you and those venom dripping fangs.
And while this should go without saying – it’s always best to leave snakes alone whenever possible and leave any necessary collection to the professionals. If you decide to handle this yourself do it smart, and you’re on your own using these tools – we’re not legally liable or recommending these actions to anyone. This is informational use only.
| Brand Name | Max Length | Avg Rating |
|---|---|---|
 IC ICLOVER 47 Inch Extra Heavy Duty Snake Tongs | 47 inches | 9.8 |
 Fnova 52 In. Professional Snake Tongs | 52 inches | 9.5 |
 Fnova 47 In. Professional Sanke Tong & Reptile Grabber | 47 inches | 9.2 |
 Fnova 47 In. Collapsible Snake Tongs | 47 inches | 9.2 |
 72 In. Extra Heavy Duty Snake Stick | 72 inches | 9.0 |
 47 In. Anrain Extra Heavy Duty Wide Jaw Snake Tongs | 47 inches | 9.1 |
 Tomahawk Deluxe Snake Tong with Super Tube | 72 Inches | 9.3 |
Table of Contents
IC ICLOVER 47″ Heavy Duty Reptile Snake Tongs
There are many highly rated heavy duty snake tongs on this list, but among all of them the IC ICLOVER 47 inch tongs stand out as being among the most popular. These tongs feature a wide jaw that allows maximum versatility in moving around an aggressive snake and getting a firm grip on a thick neck or part of the body while staying around four feet away, and even longer if your arm is extended while using the tool.
The serrated design on the upper part of the grabber’s jaw doesn’t hurt the snake or cut, but is designed specifically to allow for a solid grip on the snake even as it shifts its scales and moves to try to slither free. The rubber handle helps give you a solid grip to avoid dropping the tongs (and the snake as a result), something you definitely do not want to deal with.
Aside from having high marks for being incredibly well built and having a solid grip that doesn’t slip, these snake handling tongs have been tested with some large and heavy rattlesnakes as the ultimate test, and in those cases these professional level rattlesnake catching tongs pass with flying colors.
These come with some potential repair and replacement pieces, and a lifetime warranty backs up their craftsmanship on each and every one of these reptile catchers. There’s a reason these are the ones that consistently make the top of the list, and you’re not likely to be disappointed.
Fnova 52-In. Professional Snake Grabber
Featuring a wide jaw design and a heavy duty build that helps it handle even the heaviest of rattlesnakes, the Fnova 52 inch snake grabber is one of the top rated snake tongs out there, and for good reason! The spring loaded jaw allows for both speed and effectiveness, because when you’re going for a solid grip on a large diamondback rattler, you don’t want it slipping out and showing you just how angry it gets!
Made from an extremely strong and durable anodized aluminum alloy, this grappler stays strong and solid even at a full 52 inches away. With the largest snakes, every inch of space counts and this type of length, along with the proper protective leg gear, helps to assure your safety since you can work at a distance.
The smooth and wide jaws of Fnova’s reptile grip are designed for a firm grab while still minimizing the chance of hurting the snake (though not at the expense of the person catching them – safety of the human has to come first). This is a one piece snake grabber that is backed by a full 60 day money back guarantee as well as a two year general warranty.
These are right up there as one of the best available options around. If you’re looking for one of the absolute best snake grabbing tools around, you’ll be hard pressed to do better than Fnova’s offering.
Fnova 47-inch Professional Standard Snake Tong
Hey, when one company helps set the standard of excellence then we are going to give them their due props. We’re all about offering the best options and if the best choices for an important piece of outdoor gear like this come from the same company, then we are more than happy to bring attention to all of them. Especially when it comes to equipment you’d be using to grab a hold of a large venomous snake. The 47 inch tongs are also among the top rated snake grabbers available on the market, and these deserve their spot on our list.
The grip is solid, though if you tend to have real sweaty hands you’ll want gloves (and why wouldn’t you be wearing gloves in this situation anyway?) but the stainless steel mechanism is designed to open easily, grip firmly, and will hold even the most angry and wriggly of large snakes. The main tube is made from a special aluminum that can hold up to stress, weight, and pressure making it ideal for use in these types of tools.
There is a 2 year warranty on these snake grabbers in addition to a 60-day no questions asked money back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose from trying them out if an old pair isn’t working out, or if you’re looking for an obvious upgrade from less reliable snake hooks.
Fnova 47 Inch Professional Collapsible Snake Tongs
While similar to the other 47 inch tongs that Fnova produces that are just one space up on this list, this is the best design we’ve found for collapsible snake tongs. The length might be the same, but the design obviously has to be different to guarantee the same level of strength and support from a foldable set as you would get from reptile tongs that are designed with one solid bar or piece as the mainstay.
The rubber non-slip handle is a popular feature to make sure you’re not worrying about grip while handling a large and irate rattlesnake, copperhead, or other venomous snake you might be dealing with. The center tube is easily fixed at full length with a solid and reliable lock that will make absolutely sure that this tool stays in fully functional shape when you need it so you have that reliable distance between you and the pissed off snake.
The silver polish finish comes from the use of high grade stainless steel that was used in putting together this top rated and important tool, while the collapsible design makes it easy to pack, move, and transport safely. That’s a pretty good deal the whole way around.
72″ Extra Heavy Duty (two piece) Snake Stick
The EXHD snake stick is a very heavy duty model, and while it comes in multiple sizes, we’re focusing on the 72 inch as this consistently gets high marks for really long reach while not getting “too long” the way the 84 or 96 inch models can for all but the largest and strongest of individuals.
Built out of solid metal and materials to create a snake tong that is going to hold up no matter how big or heavy the snake. In fact, the stainless steel tubing is a full 30% thicker than most models on the market to make sure that the EXHD holds up when being used with even the absolute largest and heaviest of the venomous snakes you might run into.
There’s no question that extra bit of weight feels reassuring when you’re dealing with a particularly large diamondback rattlesnake or an especially fat copperhead.
The one minor complaint some people have is that the heavy duty materials do mean a heavier weight, and when you are using tongs by holding them away from your body, and then picking up a snake you don’t want to get close to, that’s a genuine concern especially if your upper body strength isn’t great.
While we give the stamp of approval to the 72 inch ones, you can get them in 7 different sizes including:
- 25 inches
- 40 inches
- 52 inches
- 60 inches
- 72 inches
- 84 inches
- 96 inches
This is a heavy duty snake stick you can rely on!
Anrain 47″ Snake Catcher Wide Jaw Handling Tool
Anrain is a relatively new name compared to the others on this list, but even though they are the new guy on the block, so to speak, but the early reviews from those who were brave enough to try out a new brand of snake catcher have all come back with stunningly good reviews.
It seems like Anrain has passed their first few tests with flying colors!
Using a serrated jaw design that has both the upper and lower parts of the jaw with small serrated pieces to increase grip, this design has been created to create a firm hold on any snake with the wide jaw design while also being designed to be less harmful for the snake, as well. The design combines materials, the right amount of grip and pressure, and weight to make sure the snake can’t wriggle free while at the same time making it far less likely that it can be hurt or hurt itself. Effective and humane option.
These extra heavy duty Anrain wide jaw tongs are an exceptional design and we have little doubt that they will continue to earn their place on this list as more and more snake handlers become familiar with the design and quality of construction.
Tomahawk Deluxe Snake Tong with Super Tube
Tomahawk might not be as big a name in the snake grabber business as Fnova, but that doesn’t mean they’re wet behind the ears! The Tomahawk company has been making a wide range of traps, tongs, hooks, baits, nets, and other important tools for capturing and containing wild animals since 1925.
This is a company with a very distinctive niche, and their snake tongs have come to our attention thanks to the recommendation of a friend of mine who used them and was very happy with the results. I knew he was a desert rat but didn’t know he was a snake wrangler – the things you learn.
Back to the tongs: this is a versatile snake handling tong featuring a heavy duty anodized aluminum tube that holds up to weight and pressure even when using a larger model to increase that distance – this aluminum will never crumple no matter how big that desert rattler! The cast aluminum jaw gives a solid hold on any snake while the handle is an easy-grip pistol style.
Available in 7 different lengths all the way out to 72 inches (the 60 inch model is the one that is pictured) this provides another exceptional heavy duty option that is great for outdoor enthusiasts, ranchers, or anyone who needs a home tool for this sort of thing. Safe and humane tool to remove snakes without harming them.
Even Professional Wranglers Still Take Additional Precautions
Aside from making sure they have high quality snake grabbers that give them the necessary distance to stay out of a striking rattlesnake’s range, you will notice professional wranglers still take additional precautions to protect themselves. While distance and the right tools are crucial, sometimes mistakes or mis-judgement can happen and that’s why it is so important to make sure you have the proper back up protection against snake bites.
This mainly focuses on having one (or both) of two important pieces of anti snake clothing: snake proof boots and snake proof gaiters. There’s a reason we have focused on both of these topics with entire blog posts, and the links are bolded to make it easy for you to jump over there if you need to know more.
Snake Proof Gaiters
These or a good pair of snake proof boots that go up to the knee should go without saying when it comes to handling venomous snakes, even with a good snake grabber. These snakes can be surprisingly fast, and it just takes one bad grab that misses, some slow reflexes, and suddenly your lower legs are in danger.
Another layer of protection isn’t just a nice way to buy more peace of mind, but it is a necessity if you really want to make sure you’re safe while dealing with rounding up, moving, or removing rattlesnakes or copperheads (or any other snakes for that matter) from where you don’t want to be seeing them. You’re never going to be sorry for being over cautious but you will be kicking yourself when giant medical bills come in if an accident happens and your aim is off – but the snake’s isn’t. Protect your legs.
At the end of this blog post is a video showing a guy grabbing a pretty sizable rattlesnake with his tongs and notice despite the experience, equipment, and confidence that he is still wearing those protective anti snake bite gaiters.
Snake Proof Boots
A good pair of snake proof boots can work very well in lieu of gaiters, or depending on the fit, even with them. These boots are designed specifically to help protect you from a potential venomous snake bite and Lacrosse, Chippewa, and Danner are just a few of the big names currently in that field.
The link to our nearly 5,000 word review of all the major snake boot brands (and our picks for the best ones) can be found a little higher up but if you aren’t going to wear protective gaiters when handling venomous snakes then at least make sure you wear the boots.
In Conclusion
Hey, I have an enormous respect for individuals who round up snakes as a side gig or the professionals who need the heavy duty tools to remove a large and potentially dangerous venomous snake, but this is thoroughly a “NOPE!” thing for me. However, there’s no question that I want any professionals taking care of this issue for me to have the best equipment. If you’re going to be dealing with snakes, don’t try to go Crocodile Hunter on them and use your bare hands – have the right equipment to stay as safe as possible throughout the process. Then good luck and happy hunting, I guess.
Great live video of capturing a 6 foot rattlesnake
*Legal Disclaimer That Shouldn’t Be Necessary But Is: We just want to make clear that this post is for informational purposes trying to provide the best information about the tools that happen to be available. We are not encouraging people to go capture snakes, we’re not encouraging people to play with snakes, we’re not encouraging any reaction in regards to snakes. This post is for informational purposes only and if you decide to go tackle a five foot rattlesnake and get royally screwed up, that’s on you, not us. Not legally liable. Respect the snakes, do your homework, and use this post for what it is: an informational source and nothing more.
