A story to amost die for.

SSSSnakes · 10-29-14, 07:28 PM

Last night I got a strange phone call from a young lady that was 17 years old. She asked me how fast a rattlesnake grows. I ask her why and she said she got a baby diamondback and wants to know how long it would take to grow to adult size. I asked her where she got the snake from, but she would not say. I asked where she was from and she said NJ. She asked how many crickets the snake would eat. I told her rattlesnakes don't eat crickets, they eat mice. And she said that the snake was to small to eat a mouse. I then explained that mice come in many sizes, from pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers and full grown mice. She asked where she could get these mice from, so I told here most pet shops have them. She them said thank you and hung up.

I told my wife about the call and said to my that this girl was going to get bitten.

The next day I got another strange call. The man asked if this was a place that sold reptiles. I asked him what kind of reptile was he looking for. He said exotics. I again ask what kind of exotic reptiles was he looking for. He answered rattlesnakes. I told him I did not sell any venomous snakes, because I live in NY and it is illegal. He then said my number was on his daughters phone. I asked if his daughter was from NJ and had a baby rattlesnake. He said yes. I told him about his daughter calling the night before and what she said. He then said that his daughter was bitten on the arm and was in the hospital from a rattlesnake bite. He said she was going to be OK, but he was trying to find where she bought the snake from. He said she had about 20 different phone calls to reptile shops in NJ and NY. I told him that she did not get the snake from me and that I do not sell any venomous snakes to the public.

I tell this story for only 2 reasons;

1- What kind of person sells a rattlesnake to a minor or any inexperienced person.

2- We all need to regulate each other to help prevent more laws be made. Lets all obey the laws and prevent things like this from happening to others. I hope the father finds the person who sold his minor daughter the snake and has him stopped.

Thank God she is going to be fine.

What we do does effect others, even if we do not want to believe it.

**EL Ziggy** · 10-29-14, 07:39 PM

Sad story but a good message Jerry. Thanks for sharing.

CosmicOwl · 10-29-14, 08:26 PM

The reptile business has a lot of shady people looking to make quick cash.

Mikoh4792 · 10-29-14, 09:37 PM

Funny, there is another thread going on where a person boasts about free handling rattlesnakes.

SSSSnakes · 10-30-14, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Funny, there is another thread going on where a person boasts about free handling rattlesnakes.

I guess this young lady learned the hard way to not free handle a rattlesnake. I wonder were she could have got the idea that it was OK. Are we examples to others, even if we don't want to be?

**Aaron_S** · 10-30-14, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

I guess this young lady learned the hard way to not free handle a rattlesnake. I wonder were she could have got the idea that it was OK. Are we examples to others, even if we don't want to be?

All the fricking time. It's why it's paramount to cross our "t's" and dot our "i's" when posting or talking to the public. Extra cautious when dealing with the public is always recommended.

IW17 · 10-30-14, 09:10 AM

Wow. Just..... Wow. I'd be curious if she actually bought the snake or if she caught one and then after being bit is saying she bought it to look like the victim. Don't get me wrong I'm sure there are plenty of scumbags out there that would put money before this girls life. But the first just seems more plausible.

pdomensis · 10-30-14, 09:53 AM

I know I'm just an intermittent poster here, but after reading this and a few other trending posts, I think this blog could use something akin to a mission statement, or at least a note on the mandatory reading, advocating responsible care and handling of herps. I imagine posts showing purposeful cruelty to animals are taken off the boards, but I'm starting to think that posts showing irresponsibility or blatant stupidity should be called out for what they are as well. These are just my opinions. I really appreciate this site, and I've learned a ton here. I'd like to see it continue in a meaningful and positive direction.

**EL Ziggy** · 10-30-14, 10:03 AM

Sometimes we learn what to do and what not to do by observing the actions of others.

SSSSnakes · 10-30-14, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IW17

Wow. Just..... Wow. I'd be curious if she actually bought the snake or if she caught one and then after being bit is saying she bought it to look like the victim. Don't get me wrong I'm sure there are plenty of scumbags out there that would put money before this girls life. But the first just seems more plausible.

Diamondbacks are not native to NJ, so she had to have got it from someone. Also in my conversation with her, she kept avoiding telling me where she got the snake from.

SSSSnakes · 10-30-14, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Sometimes we learn what to do and what not to do by observing the actions of others.

And other times we see what not to do and do it anyway, and learn the hard way. We always think it will never happen to me. I've been bitten once and had said the same thing, I'll never get bit.

**EL Ziggy** · 10-30-14, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

And other times we see what not to do and do it anyway, and learn the hard way. We always think it will never happen to me. I've been bitten once and had said the same thing, I'll never get bit.

Unfortunately some lessons have to be learned the hard way brother and some people never learn until it's too late.

**millertime89** · 10-30-14, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

1- What kind of person sells a rattlesnake to a minor or any inexperienced person.

2- We all need to regulate each other to help prevent more laws be made. Lets all obey the laws and prevent things like this from happening to others. I hope the father finds the person who sold his minor daughter the snake and has him stopped.

Thank God she is going to be fine.

What we do does effect others, even if we do not want to believe it.

I couldn't agree more Jerry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

The reptile business has a lot of shady people looking to make quick cash.

This is the unfortunate reality of the situation. For all of the amazing and responsible people there are probably just as many who don't care and all it just makes things harder for the rest of us.

**Aaron_S** · 10-30-14, 04:33 PM

As the other threads are closed I want to state that I'm against ANYONE, including the late Steve Irwin freehandling venomous snakes.

I recall many years ago people coming into the pet store I worked at as a teen and telling me "they now knew how to handle hots". I had to educate them in that usually those scenes are staged (snakes placed in fridges so they are less active) and that it isn't an appropriate method.

So yes, these people are great and bring a lot of people into the hobby. However, they still have marks against them in my book. I'm not nor have I ever been blind to what they do/have done.