"Puff Adder" loose in South Huron

[Cruciform]

Another snakes story in the London Free Press this morning.

Why do I get the feeling that snake owners in Ontario are going to be completely screwed soon if we don't organize.



---story begins---

Pssssssssst! Snake alert


APRIL KEMICK, Free Press Reporter 2004-07-27 02:05:05


Spooked South Huron residents on are the lookout for a metre-long snake, thought to be a dangerous puff adder. The black snake, with a diamond-like pattern on its head, was first spotted by a man in Oakwood Park north of Grand Bend on Saturday. Police have had at least two calls about the snake, which is believed to be a pet that got away, OPP said.

Others who haven't seen the serpent are glad they haven't.

"I don't think I've ever seen any (snakes) on the Oakwood property," said Mary Wright, guest services manager at Oakwood Inn Resort and Golf Club. "Maybe little grass snakes or something."

The puff adder, common in Africa and parts of the Mideast, is a venomous viper, but is commonly mistaken for North America's less dangerous Eastern hognose snake.

One man who found the snake coiled in his stairwell said it was aggressive and flattened its head when approached, a characteristic of the puff adder.

[HeatherRose]

Why do I get the feeling that snake owners in Ontario are going to be completely screwed soon if we don't organize

I have the same feeling, Mike :(

[Simon]

This is bad news....
and its going to screw over london even more~~

[Vengeance]

Any thoughts as to possibly organizing a responsible Ontario herper group to possibly shed some good light and good publicity on the herping community?

[Cruciform]

Maybe we should organize something for the show in September? A gathering of people from different communities who would be willing to start up herp/exotics groups in their areas, as branches of a central organization.

All we need is for people to start saying they're interested in starting something to get the ball rolling.




--edit for spelling error, content unaffected--

[Nicky]

well whatever you guys think up i'm in:)
Kayla

[bear24]

You guys better hurry. Or else the wildlife officials might surprise you with some stupid law like no snakes over 18" allowed. Best of luck.

[Cruciform]

We already have that in my city.
Nothing over 2 feet.

It's not actively enforced yet, just on the books. But they may decide to put it into action to make the city seem proactive in the media at some point.

[zappaguy]

anybody consider that maybe its a hognose

[Cruciform]

Yes, that's why it says it in quotes up above.

[Gary D.]

Flattened it's head like a puff adder, or a hoggie

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/1506EHognose02-med.jpg

and the puff adder
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/1506puffadder.jpg

I would recommend someone writing the paper who published this article and pointing out that the Eastern Hognose is by far the more likely culprit as it is indiginous to the area and demonstrates this behaviour. Herp TV can put too many ideas in the heads of the uneducated masses. The popular media is a herper's worst nightmare as has been demonstrated time and again.

GD

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Gary D.
Flattened it's head like a puff adder, or a hoggie

I would recommend someone writing the paper who published this article and pointing out that the Eastern Hognose is by far the more likely culprit as it is indiginous to the area and demonstrates this behaviour. Herp TV can put too many ideas in the heads of the uneducated masses. The popular media is a herper's worst nightmare as has been demonstrated time and again.

GD

That's the problem everyone recommends that some one else do it. Iff we all got off our asses and did it ourselves there would be better education for the masses. I'm guilty of this as much as the next person.

[Cruciform]

sent them a long letter, and offered to take in the animal if it's a hognose.

otherwise if it actually is a viper, does anyone know of anyone legally caring for hots in ontario that could be contacted?

Little Ray's has a gaboon, but I'm not sure what they have for room. It's pretty packed in there.

[Gary D.]

Sorry Lisa, but in my neck of the woods I am quite active with education programs and serve on the TARAS board as treasurer. In fact my letter to the Leader Times in BC regarding the RRR in Surrey was recently printed as well. There are lots of us out here who stand up for our hobby. Now if Mike could post the address of the paper I will gladly write them on your behalf.

GD

[Gary D.]

My appologies Lisa. In retrospect I did get a bid defensive there. Your point is quite true indeed. WE ALL need to do our part, not just the other guy.

[Cruciform]

It's the London Free Press in London, Ontario.

email: letters@lfpress.com

fax: 1-519-667-4528

[Cruciform]

And before people jump down their throats the reported *did* mention that adders and hoggies get confused.

They just forgot to mention that hoggies do roam these parts, and that they're *not* dangerous, as opposed to "less" dangerous as the article stated.

I'd rather have a hoggie chew on my face for an hour than an adder nip my toe.

[Matt]

sounds like a hognose to me.

[Stockwell]

Yes, this story sounds invented. It's probably a hog or even a Regius. I wonder who decided it was a Puff?? Rather interesting don't you think?? It's not like every herper is keeping Puff's and Joe public sure as hell wouldn't know a Puff from the magic dragon
This reeks of pure sensationalism. Perhaps the writer is a herper that knows just enough to jazz up a story.

[Lisa]

MIKE: indian river, plus there's a few hot keepers around. To the best of my knowledge I can keep hots where I am but I have no intrest in puff adders.

GARY D: Wasn't accusing you, just everytime something hit's the media some one always posts "Some one should write them". Immagine if EVERYONE wrote them. Something good might actually happen. It's the same as voting, immagine if everyone voted, and extrapolating on that immagine if those that felt they could do a better job actually ran.

[cantil]

Idle curiosity, why would an african viperid be "commonly" mistaken for a hognose. That implies that many people are living with the impression that, a) their ranges overlap (across and ocean), b) their endemic to both africa and canada or c) they've been introduced. Are people seeing these snakes in close proximity or are they implying that hognose indulge in some sort of puff adder mimicry. Where are lay people getting into situations where they have occasion to mistake puffs for hoggies.

[Cruciform]

cantil, all good questions. I think it's because of the hoggie's mimicry. Since some puff and do 'bluff strikes' when threatened.

Any articles I've read on them have brought up the mistaken identity thing, but they might all just be getting the info from a single source and not quoting it.

I pointed out to the newspaper that they can seem aggressive when threatened but it's bluff, and no matter what if people don't have a positive ID, they shouldn't handle the snake under any circumstances, as the wise folks in the venomous forum have pointed out many times.

I think someone's bucking to ride the excitement over the exotic animal bans, and decided to stir up a little more controversy by saying someone "lost" a "venomous" snake. Maybe it's really a legit story, maybe not.

Probably not going to see much good come of it though.

[Optimus Prime]

I read that this morning and I was like damn even more bad press. This is really gonna suck cuz london has crap by-laws as it is :(

[ChristinaM]

Originally posted by Cruciform
Maybe we should organize something for the show in September? A gathering of people from different communities who would be willing to start up herp/exotics groups in their areas, as branches of a central organization.

All we need is for people to start saying they're interested in starting something to get the ball rolling.


You can definately count me in. We should get a London/Area group going. I'm no good at starting things ( other than ***** LOL ) but once involved is a diffrent story.

I'll be at the show in Sept....will be bringing Simon with me. I know of a couple other Londoners that would do what they can. Mike, email me if you come up with anything :) or need any help with whatever.

[Cruciform]

I'll see about setting up a forum at my hosting provider, and we can put up invitations to join it at pet shops in our areas. See how many herpers there are in the vicinity that we don't know about :)

[Simon]

Originally posted by Cruciform
I'll see about setting up a forum at my hosting provider, and we can put up invitations to join it at pet shops in our areas. See how many herpers there are in the vicinity that we don't know about :)

Put me down on the list~
I'll be willing to help out too~~

[Joe]

Im about an hr away, but if there is anything I can do let me know!

[Gary D.]

Here is the letter I wrote in response...

I have to write and voice my displeasure with the atricle "Psssssst! Snake Alert". While the article did present predominantly factual information in a professional and unbiased manner, I have to question the underlying purpose of the article. The article is based on the report of one unidentified man which thought it might have been a puff adder, and subsequent sightings of what was believed to be the same animal. No where has the animal been positively identified and as such is simply unqualified speculation. In essence this article is nothing more than sensationalism and gossip.
For the sake of the residents of the area I feel it is in the best interest to expand and clarify the information presented in the article. For this purpose alone I hope you print this letter or a follow up article.

"The puff adder, common in Africa and parts of the Mideast, is a venomous viper, but is commonly mistaken for North America's less dangerous Eastern hognose snake." "One man who found the snake coiled in his stairwell said it was aggressive and flattened its head when approached, a characteristic of the puff adder."

While in essence this is correct, it is not entirely accurate. As the two species do have similar markings and behaviours, it is reasonable that the two could be confused, but this is not a common misconception as each exist on completely separate continents. In addition the Eastern Hognose snake is infact a completely harmless, indiginous inhabitant of the South Huron area which also displays a flattening of the head and neck in a defensive posture. A simple internet search for 'Eastern Hognose snake images' will demonstrate this many times over. Although it is remotely possible that the snake is an escaped exotic species of viper, it is infinatley more probable that it is merely a local denizen looking for a meal. People should be reminded however, that no one should ever pick up a snake without a full and knowledgeable identification of the animal, nor any other wild animal for that matter.


Gary D.

[beagle]

I just sent the London Free Press a letter myslef too. I am from Northern Ontario and would diffently want to be part of and help in an organization for us herpers. I will be at the show in Sept. and hope to see soem of you there.

[ChristinaM]

should we post in the Reptile Clubs/ Societies and see what kind of interest we can get going for a southwestern ONT. group?

how bouts I just do it anyways :)

[Cruciform]

Things have been somewhat hectic (not even time for Doom3, argh), but I'll try to have some sort of Southern Ontario forum site up shortly. :)

[dank7oo]

That really blows.

Jason