Comments on: Big Snakes Update

By: inland tipan

inland tipan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:28:02 +0000

I find all this quite funny to tell the truth, because i have 5 pet snakes and one is a 7-9 foot long diamond python and when u look at it most snakes at that length aren’t really that ‘fat’ the only real danger is is to young children and animals.

By: AlbertaSasquatch

AlbertaSasquatch — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:43:37 +0000

So what we really need is for a Sasquatch to kill someone and then the media will go crazy with it and sightings and reports will be coming in left and right…….Ok maybe we don’t want that.

By: petsnakes

petsnakes — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:34:45 +0000

The statistics tell the staggering story. Between 1990 and 2008 (that’s 18 years) constrictor snakes killed a grand total of 8 people in the United States. Hardly what one could call an epidemic, or even a concern. Even the US Fish and Wildlife service has said that the threat to humans in Florida is NEGLIGIBLE.

They simply do not hunt down people to kill. A constrictor will wrap something up for one for two reasons

1) It is going to feed
2) It feels threatened and it has no option to escape.

That young woman in VA Beach who was killed by her reticulated python was trying to medicate it. Alone. Something you absolutely never do with a snake over 6 feet no matter how much experience you have. In fact something similar has been the case in nearly all of the cases of a person being killed by a constrictor. There’s never been a verified consumption of a human being by any snake anywhere in the world.

It’s simple, hold the owners responsible for the damage their animals do just like you hold them responsible when their dog attacks someone. There is no good reason to have an organized vendetta against snakes. Like I’ve said before this is a matter of political capital for people like Senator Nelson and you can bet your last dollar he’s going to ride this mule for all he’s worth.

By: Bast

Bast — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:35:03 +0000

From my local area, last year: "Pet python blamed in Virginia Beach woman's strangulation," by Shawn Day, The Virginian-Pilot, October 24, 2008.

By: kentmcmanigal

kentmcmanigal — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:27:47 +0000

If someone’s pet escapes and causes damage or death the owner should be held responsible. Period. Dogs cause more problems than the “exotics”, yet no sane person advocates banning them. No sane person advocates licensing them, either, but “officials” have been allowed to force that on a lot of people in order to line their own pockets. To pass “laws” is never the solution. No government has the legitimate authority to regulate what people own. Once you cross that line, you get into government telling people what plants they can grow, what they are allowed to say to the elected officials, and….. never mind.

By: greywolf

greywolf — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:30:16 +0000

Loren:
these snakes are exotic animals they may be born in the states but the US is not there natural home. If people want to own these critters then they should have to pay an annual fee for a permit and document that the critter is properly cared for and kept in a secure cage. The penalty for not reporting a “lost” pet should be at least a $1000.00 fine. Any person turning one loose on purpose should go to prison for a long while..Look at the problem growing in Florida…not good and dangerous.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:18:23 +0000

It ultimately comes down to ratings and money, Loren. This type of imagined “danger” sells. So it’s milked for all it is worth.
Good post anyway.