What is the best way?

[Scales Zoo]

We are looking for a way to convey the message to our visitors that it is not acceptable for them to harass the prairie rattlers they see on the roadside, and at some of our tourist attractions. The native population is doing well here, and during the migrations they are often spotted on the roadsides at night, and sometimes during the day. Most of the visitors to our zoo ask where they can go to see rattlesnakes, as we do not have one on display in our collection.

We have had "herpetologists" visit from other provinces, states and countries, and some of them insist that they want to pick up and hold rattlers in their hands. I am running out of places to hide the bodies. Just kidding! I am however, lost for a good answer or lecture, as some of these people have their own venomous collections at home, and we do not keep venomous of any kind in our collection. It is a difficult positioin to be in, and I wonder if any of the pros on the forum have any good advice.

Thanks guys

[Piers]

As (I think) all reptiles have some protection here in Canada, just tell them its againts the law to harass them. If they ask were the dens are do what I do lie and say you don't know, that will cut the amount of whining from them with "I know what I'm doing" and "I won't take one".
unfortunatly this is a problem you will have always.
Piers

[Scales Zoo]

When it comes to average visitors, they do not get access to the densites. There are, however, professional hot keepers and researchers who visit as well, and we will occasionally extend the privelege of a densite visit. Most of these people conduct themselves in a professional manner, but in the case of the oddball who gets excited and wants to interact with the snakes on a hands-on level, we need to know how to deal with this without being offensive. Any advice will help.

Sheila and Ryan

[Mustangrde1]

Sheila and Ryan.

Unfortunately people are not always respectful of others wishes. I suppose a polite way of asking people to leave them alone would be to make it a policy of the area you work, that person are not aloud to touch or molest the animals in the natural habitat and anyone who does so will be asked to leave.

As to what they do in the wild and away from your facility unfortuantely it is beyound your control.The best advice for them is maybe to show the novices what a bite from a crotalid can and will do to a person" shock factore".

As to researchers and scientist etc. Use your best judgement if you feal the person might in anyway do something you would feal is unsafe or unethical just politely say you dont know where they are and leave it at that.

Hope that is of some help Scott

[Scales Zoo]

Thanks Scott,

we do not often meet hot keepers, and those we do meet conduct themselves in the most professional manner in regard to the rattlers. We have an independent researcher who does scalation counts and such, but we have known him for some time now, and have developed a bond of trust with him.

We do keep pictures of rattler bites, and the fact that there are black widows and scorpions in the same area as the rattlers often gets their attention. Seems we have an abundance of venomous species in this small area of Saskatchewan desert.

The land the densites are on are on private land inaccessible to the public, you would have to know where they were in order to get there. And I do not know if I would want to be caught trespassing out there, he has a big bull that keeps an eye on things, and you never know where he is until you can hear him coming. By then, you're in trouble, in more ways than one.
Thanks for the advice,
Sheila and Ryan