Snakes around the neck?

[Kettennatter]

In the Ohio incident in 2006 there was no indication that he was feeding. Oddly enough, boa and the burm were in the same enclosure. There were speculations that something caused him to pass out, but there is no way to know.

[MoreliAddict]

Originally Posted by Wildside

That also seems like an avoidable situation. I'd like to know how these victims were going about "trying to feed". How can you mess up something as simple as throwing the prey in and shutting the door? Honestly, if this concept is too hard to grasp then they should have stuck with smaller snakes.

Regarding the NYC story:

It was a 13 foot Burmese Python.

The victim was found at about 1:30 PM on October 9th by a neighbor lying in a pool of blood with the snake coiled around his torso in the hallway of his apartment building. He was pronounced dead at Jacobi Medical Center. An ambulance crew removed the snake from the victim and it was taken to the Bronx Zoo.

This attack may be a feeding related incident as a live chicken was found nearby, still in the box. Williams was apparently getting ready to feed the snake, out of its cage.

Thirteen Foot Burmese Python Kills Owner

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

Regarding the NYC story:

It was a 13 foot Burmese Python.





Thirteen Foot Burmese Python Kills Owner

Well there ya go. Feeding a 13 ft. burm out of it's cage... DERP!

[MoreliAddict]

Originally Posted by Wildside

Well there ya go. Feeding a 13 ft. burm out of it's cage... DERP!

I know right!

What's the convenience to that??

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

I know right!

What's the convenience to that??

Creative suicide?

[StudentoReptile]

Originally Posted by Wildside

Sometimes feeding alone is unavoidable, still if the snake is in a proper enclosure one should be able to open the door toss in the prey and then shut the door without any risk of being killed by the snake.

I respectively disagree. There is NEVER a situation where you are alone with the animal, and you HAVE to feed it right then. It's a snake! It can wait! Give me an example that contradicts this.

I do concur that proper caging is paramount, but when you dealing with any animal that strong, and that unpredictable, safety and responsibility takes precedent. The snake can always wait a few more hours or even another day until you have a another person around to call for help in case there is an accident. It's just good sense.

Same applies for crocodilians and venomous.

[Kettennatter]

The larger point is that these stories circulate through the news, and are a reason we're facing new legislation limiting what we are allowed to do. Any stupidity that is publicized in any form only amplifies that dynamic.

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

I respectively disagree. There is NEVER a situation where you are alone with the animal, and you HAVE to feed it right then. It's a snake! It can wait! Give me an example that contradicts this.

I do concur that proper caging is paramount, but when you dealing with any animal that strong, and that unpredictable, safety and responsibility takes precedent. The snake can always wait a few more hours or even another day until you have a another person around to call for help in case there is an accident. It's just good sense.

Same applies for crocodilians and venomous.

Sure here's an example, The other night I thawed out 2 jumbo rats for my biggest boa. When I went into the living room to ask my old man for help with feeding her, his response was "GFY". The rest of the people in this house are under the age of 7 and were already in bed.

So was I supposed to just let my f/t rats sit and decompose until the next day? I'm sure that would've been healthy.

Throw them out and have my snake remain hungry until the next time I can make the 35 mile trip to the pet shop for rats they probably don't have?

I suppose I could've ate them myself to avoid wasting $15. I mean it's only $15 but in this economy it's also just a little over 3 gallons of gas. Which I need to get to the pet shop so it's actually be more like a waste of $30 or more.

Anyway my snake is in a proper enclosure therefore I managed to feed her by myself and live to tell you about it.

[MoreliAddict]

Originally Posted by Wildside

Sure here's an example, The other night I thawed out 2 jumbo rats for my biggest boa. When I went into the living room to ask my old man for help with feeding her, his response was "GFY". The rest of the people in this house are under the age of 7 and were already in bed.

So was I supposed to just let my f/t rats sit and decompose until the next day? I'm sure that would've been healthy.

Throw them out and have my snake remain hungry until the next time I can make the 35 mile trip to the pet shop for rats they probably don't have?

I suppose I could've ate them myself to avoid wasting $15. I mean it's only $15 but in this economy it's also just a little over 3 gallons of gas. Which I need to get to the pet shop so it's actually be more like a waste of $30 or more.

Anyway my snake is in a proper enclosure therefore I managed to feed her by myself and live to tell you about it.

The loss that you're refering to here is the monetary loss from wasting the rat. That has nothing to do with the snake itself.

I'm assuming that snake is healthy, if it is, it could skip a day, a feeding, even a month with no ill effects...

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

The loss that you're refering to here is the monetary loss from wasting the rat. That has nothing to do with the snake itself.

I'm assuming that snake is healthy, if it is, it could skip a day, a feeding, even a month with no ill effects...

It could! But the bigger point is I'm not about to waste $30+ when it's possible for me to feed my snake all by myself because I'm not a complete idiot.

[MoreliAddict]

Originally Posted by Wildside

It could! But the bigger point is I'm not about to waste $30+ when it's possible for me to feed my snake all by myself because I'm not a complete idiot.

I agree, and personally I don't think feeding a snake like that alone is too dangerous, call me a daredevil. lol

I think the point that we're all trying to get at here is that it's irresponsible to buy something like a Burm, or a Retic, without having access to someone to accompany you regularly for feedings...

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by MoreliAddict

I agree, and personally I don't think feeding a snake like that alone is too dangerous, call me a daredevil. lol

I think the point that we're all trying to get at here is that it's irresponsible to buy something like a Burm, or a Retic, without having access to someone to accompany you regularly for feedings...

I can agree with that for the most part, but still **** happens. That's why you gotta have an enclosure and feeding practices that make it virtually impossible for the snake to grab you instead of its prey. It's basic safety, the same thing as having smoke detectors.

[cossiecraig]

Great thread this 1 so i'll throw my 2 cents in ,first and foremost when you see this pic .......please for the love of God ignore my moustache ok......it was about 19 yrs ago lol......to the topic in hand though this pic was took of me and Kara purely for memories ,here she was approx 13 ft and again approx 125 Ibs .....big girl forsure ,i had it took as i knew she was going to get to a point where i couldn't physicaly hold her on my own .
what you don't see in the pic is that there was 3 grown men in the background should things get out of shape ,which they can and could've ,on the whole though i don't agree with holding big constrictors around your neck as some have allready said here regarding newcomers thinking it's okay if they see a BP or Corn snake for example ...........again i want too make this pic clear it was purely for me to have that memory of her .....i loved her very much and she was a very tame girl ,always fed in the viv and never turned a meal down from piglets,to rabbits,to hares ....she loved them all .

[StudentoReptile]

Originally Posted by Wildside

I can agree with that for the most part, but still **** happens. That's why you gotta have an enclosure and feeding practices that make it virtually impossible for the snake to grab you instead of its prey. It's basic safety, the same thing as having smoke detectors.

Even then...what if the snake grabs you and nicks an artery? I know we're talking freak accidents here, but still...an freak accident is still an accident. You're alone in the house, bleeding out all over the floor, the snake is hanging out of its cage and slowly escaping.

Don't want to lose money on wasted thawed out rats? Got a unhelpful significant other that just told you to "GFY"? Maybe find someone who IS willing to hang out and be your helper. Buy them a burger or make them a sandwich for their troubles. Again...there's ways to circumvent all those excuses in order to be safe and responsible.

Wildside, I'm not trying to pick on you personally. Just showing folks there are alternatives to taking even those small risks.

[Kettennatter]

Originally Posted by Wildside

I can agree with that for the most part, but still **** happens. That's why you gotta have an enclosure and feeding practices that make it virtually impossible for the snake to grab you instead of its prey. It's basic safety, the same thing as having smoke detectors.

The problem is that there is no virtually imposible. If things go wrong it is usually during or after feeding. Any adverse reaction to the feeding may cause you to handle the snake. I've seen anything from snakes trying to feed on themselves to attacking their reflections. I've seen snakes trying to ingest items other than their food, and I'm sure I'm not thinking of situations stupid enough. (Falling while opening the enclosure, etc)

The key here is: Feeding the snake at a specific time really isn't that important.