warm water to start-my husband has drug a big burm from the snake room to the bathtub(too big for pitcher of water)-and we have pored warm water from a pitcher we keep in the room. then if that does not work a spray of Listerine in the face will work almost everytime. last resort would be alcohol or liquor. I am not trying to scare someone who wants a large snake but bites do happen-we have had a couple of bites but nothing major and we have never injured one of our burms in getting them to let go.