Babysitter kills pet snake...

[HeatherRose]

Heh. Yeah, I do read Dear Abby....


PARENTS HAVE HISSY FIT WHEN BABY SITTER KILLS PET SNAKE

Thu Sep 9, 8:01 PM ET

By Abigail Van Buren

DEAR ABBY: I am a 15-year-old girl who baby-sits for extra money. I baby-sat for a new family last week. After I put the kids to bed, I found a snake in the house. I was scared for the kids, so I grabbed a kitchen knife and chopped off the snake's head.



When the parents returned, I found out it was their pet snake that had escaped from its cage, and they were really angry. I feel terrible about it. Although I apologized, they won't talk to me when they see me in the neighborhood.


Should I write them a letter of apology or buy them a new snake? I don't know what the proper etiquette is when you kill someone's pet. -- RATTLED IN TEXAS


DEAR RATTLED: You reacted to what you perceived as a danger. What is unfortunate is that the couple for whom you were baby-sitting were so careless they not only failed to tell you they had an exotic pet in the house, but also compounded it by leaving without making sure the creature was securely in its cage where it belonged. You do not "owe" the family a replacement. They owe you an apology.

[LdyDrgn]

And here I was thinking that the girl should have had some knowlegde of snakes that pose a threat. She lives in TX for crying out loud... rattlesnakes galore. No matter where a person lives they should at least know what animals are going to be dangerous in that area.

Ignorance, sheesh! Although I agree the family should have made sure the girl knew about the snake and that is was secure in the enclosure.

[damzookeeper]

That's nutts, how could they be so irresponsible as to not let her know that they had a snake in the house! And it doesn't mention what type of snake it was, maybe it was a milk snake and she thought it was a coral. lol, you never know, maybe it was a retic and scared the crap out of her since she obviously knows very little to nothing about snakes. It's upsetting about the snake but I'm sure the girl feels bad enought without the idiot parents condeming her and casting her out of their home. I feel sorry for the girl, hope it makes her do some research and taught her a lesson.

[Collide]

lol my first reaction would have been to cover it with a bowl not cut its head off lol. zesh weird situation for sure.

[Samba]

My first reaction would have been to catch it and take it home!! LOL

I feel bad for the girl, she is young, and didn't know any better. While I also feel for the owners of this snake, they should have informed the girl of their pet.

I certainly would have been upset had it been my snake, but I definately wouldn't give the girl a cold shoulder. Poor thing...

[dank7oo]

For someone who possibly has a phobea ... she did the right thing. You guys are just a bunch of "experts" compared to the average person ... the right thing was done.

Jason

[Samba]

She could have called the parents... who would leave their children with a babysitter and not give a contact or emergency number?? She could have called an adult or something... it didn't HAVE to die! I understand she reacted out of instinct, and therefore, I forgive her. The owners of the snake should as well...

[HeatherRose]

I posted the article because I really didn't agree with the answer given (I rarely do :p )...I just can't see myself saying, "Hi, there's a BUNCH of snakes in my room," whenever someone new comes over...

And, chopping it's headoff was NOT the greatest idea, I think i'd be more afraid to do that than just throw something over it, secure it, and get the kids outside.

:rolleyes:

[cantil]

There was a strange article in a publication called pet products news recently about a pet food company in the states giving a reward to a dog which apparently "saved" two girls from immenent harm from an escaped three foot ball python. I'd break down with hysterical laughter if it wasn't so depressing. All I can picture is this little ball python cowering in terror.

[spidergecko]

Hmm, I don't know...

If someone killed my harmless pet, for any reason, I think I would probably be giving them the cold shoulder as well. I wonder what she would have done if the pet bunny got loose. Rabbit stew?

[bistrobob85]

Haha, good one, Mike! I think that the girl had some reason of being frightened : she lives in Texas and there are some pretty venomous snakes around there that could be quite harmful for her and the children. Being young and not knowing about snakes, she probably did the most desperate action she could have done to save the children... If i was the snake owner, i would still be mad at the babysitter but the only thing that we could blame here is the ignorance of the girl or the irresponsibility of the keepers...

phil.

[Artemis]

Im kinda surprised chick had enough nerve to actually lop its head off with a kitchen knife. That takes a a pretty close ranged attack. Most people who find snakes in their house whack at them with something blunt that doesnt require them to get close to the snake.

It is sad for the snake, but I still blame the owners. If their snake was able to escape, and the babysitter didnt even know they had a pet one, then how can they blame her? A 15 year old girl cant be expected to be a wildlife expert, either. She did what she thought was best, and it isnt her fault.

[leoncurrie]

I think the owners are the ones to blame. 100% I also think the girl an excellent job of looking out for the childrens saftey. If the owners were stupid enough to leave a 15 year old girl alone with the pet snake and not tell her.... Kinda gives you an idea of what there parenting skills must be like.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I think the parents are dumb@sses if they blame her one bit. What would they have said if the DIDN'T have a pet snake and she just let it go on it's way? What if it <b>was</b> a hot?

I can very easily put myself in the parent's shoes and <b>I</b> would feel bad for the snake and the girl, then I would give myself a kick in the groin for being such an idiot.

[dank7oo]

That right Tim. Kick your groin - LOL

Jason

[Enter]

yea but did they not tell her they didnt have a snake ahhhhhhhh

[Brent Strande]

I can completely understand how the girl reacted... if I saw a spider... any spider, I would've crushed it ASAP! There is something that completely unnerves me about them and I don't know ANYTHING about them, so how would I know if it was dangerous or even a type kept as a pet.

Remember people... snakes AREN'T a commonly kept species and there are many people who know very little about them, and have ZERO desire to know anything about them.

[Kury]

I agree that is was the parents fault. If I were the babysitter... well, actually, I'd be pretty sure it wasn't venomous or wild, just because of where I live.

But still, if there were a creature I didn't know anything about, and it was "potentially" dangerous, I think I'd be freaking out and worrying about the kids too.

And really, that's totally irresponsible not to tell her they had a snake- maybe they thought she wouldn't babysit with a snake in the house because she was too girly! Lol, but she had the guts to chop its head off.

In the end, the parents were stupid. The girl was reacting normally, and did a good job of it. I hope the snake had no pain, though if she did as good a job as it sounds, I doubt that's an issue.

[snakehunter]

Id take out the baby-sitter! too many humans anyway, just thinning the herd as some say!





hahahahahahahahaha j/k.......?

[concept3]

i have to agree with the people who put no blame on the girl. And Samba, she wasnt about to waste the time making a phone call, possibly leaving the snake out of her sight to dissapear, and threaten the kids she was taking care of. Of course anyone of us would have probably handled it diffrent but that is because everyone on this sight knows 100000000000 times more than the average person about snakes. My grandma still thinks my ball python is going to eat me LOL.

[noname]

The poor girl just acted on instinct. The parents should have let her know they kept a snake, and more importantly, should have been more responsible in caring for it, to ensure that it wouldn't escape. Just because she lives in Texas, doesn't mean she's guaranteed to know which snakes are harmful, and which aren't. The majority of the population is quite uninformed. With that said, she must have some powerful instincts, in order to cut off the snake's head. I don't even have the guts to kill a spider, so I'd likely throw a bowl on top of it, and call someone. Anywho...as far as I'm concerned, if we are pointing fingers, it should be at the parents.

[Samba]

If I was really scared of snakes I'd probably not even get close enough to it to decapitate or cover it. I'd pobably just get the kids and leave. Use a neighbor's phone.

[Murse]

Bottom Line... a responsible herper should have secure enclosures.

[Artemis]

and make sure people in charge of their children and homes for a time know that those animals are there and they needn't be afraid of them.