Quote:
Originally Posted by Will0W783
If you "understand" the consequences of freehandling too well (because you've been bitten before), then why do you continue to engage in such reckless, dangerous behavior?
It really saddens me that this forum has come to this- I used to be impressed by the other keepers on here and enjoy coming to the forum to learn/share knowledge/chat with others. There is not a large venomous community on this forum, but if the general consensus of the other hots keepers on here is that freehandling is ok, then I do not wish to associate myself with them. I just hope that your showboating doesn't result in any other keepers getting themselves killed......
|
I don't know if the general consensus here is that free handling is OK, but I do not think it is OK. I agree that it is a completely unnecessary risk. Although to be perfectly frank I would have little issue with freehandling were it not for the rabid, supposedly animal-loving, human-hating groups that will use any reptile related incident to further their own twisted cause (PETA, HSUS, etc.). To each his own I'd say, I'd even have a bit of morbid curiosity to see the aftermath of the inevitable bite. Unfortunately in today's world the consequences of such a bite reach far beyond the physical damage sustained by the idiot who took the bite. It is the keepers responsibility to observe not only their own safety (not to mention to protect his/her family and friends from the bereavement/disability of a loved one, particularly if said loved one was a provider) but now the safety of the herpetoculturist hobby as a whole. But with all that said he is not, as he stated, breaking any laws. Indeed we are trying to avoid more laws here, eh? It is a catch-22. As long as our hobby is persecuted by misguided, uneducated zealots it would be unwise to appear as reckless, uneducated thrill-seekers ourselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 54bogger
Now if you don't mind I'd like to get back to what this thread is all about, MY EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLER'S!
|
You invited this conversation when you called Willow out for a comment posted on another thread.
P.S. I do not think tailing a snake with a hook to support its body or pinning the animal to hold it by the head is freehandling. Freehandling has been illustrated perfectly in this thread already, holding the snake by hand in such a way the handler has no control of the animal and hands or other body parts are within easy strike range. There are no limits to the possible scenarios that could result in a bite. If a bird flew overhead and its shadow spooked the snake the bite would be instant and entirely unavoidable.
Hybrid Mode
