Gregg M
03-27-04, 12:26 PM
Family dice death for 3 weeks
17/10/2003 09:57 - (SA)
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Alberto and his slithery pet. (Charles Pullen, Die Burger)
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Port Elizabeth - A family cheated death for almost three weeks as they cuddled and kissed a deadly 1.5m boomslang.
The Zimmerman family from Algoa Park were under the impression their slithery pet was a harmless house-snake.
Arnold Slabbert, a snake expert who went to photograph the reptile, burst the Zimmerman's bubble and said they were extremely lucky to have come out unscathed.
Lynette Zimmerman said her husband found the snake at the Coega site where he was working.
He and a friend caught the reptile and put it in a box. He then gave it to their 10-year-old son, Alberto.
Before long, the boy was spending hours playing with his new pet. At times, the snake was allowed to roam the house and Lynette said she let it to lie on her chest.
Eventually both father and son would kiss the snake on its head and even put its head into their mouths.
Slabbert said a boomslang's poison was so deadly that if it bit a rat, the rodent would be dead within two minutes.
He said the snake had probably not attacked the family as it was pregnant, which would have made it less aggressive.
17/10/2003 09:57 - (SA)
Print article email story
Alberto and his slithery pet. (Charles Pullen, Die Burger)
Related Articles
Slithery souvenir
Vera Schoeman
Port Elizabeth - A family cheated death for almost three weeks as they cuddled and kissed a deadly 1.5m boomslang.
The Zimmerman family from Algoa Park were under the impression their slithery pet was a harmless house-snake.
Arnold Slabbert, a snake expert who went to photograph the reptile, burst the Zimmerman's bubble and said they were extremely lucky to have come out unscathed.
Lynette Zimmerman said her husband found the snake at the Coega site where he was working.
He and a friend caught the reptile and put it in a box. He then gave it to their 10-year-old son, Alberto.
Before long, the boy was spending hours playing with his new pet. At times, the snake was allowed to roam the house and Lynette said she let it to lie on her chest.
Eventually both father and son would kiss the snake on its head and even put its head into their mouths.
Slabbert said a boomslang's poison was so deadly that if it bit a rat, the rodent would be dead within two minutes.
He said the snake had probably not attacked the family as it was pregnant, which would have made it less aggressive.