I don't believe he just did that!

[Invictus]

He's pulling a Michael Jackson incident, except instead of dangling a baby off a balcony, he's dangling a baby in front of a croc?

[gonesnakee]

"IN THE MEANTIME AND INBETWEEN TIME, THAT'S IT ANOTHER EDITION OF CROC HUNTER" I too used to like watching him, but I have a real hero now Rob Bredl (sp?) aka barefoot bushman. he makes Steve Irwin not only look like an idiot, but a wimp in comparrison. Mark I.
P.S. Too bad Steve couldn't do a show where he dangles MJ over the croc pit LOL that I'd like to see, UMMMM pedophile for lunch!

[Linds]

He's done a lot of good, and has contributed his share of bad, but child endangerment is a bit over the top. Endangering yourself is one thing, but a baby is another. Of course the press is going to have a field day with it, and yet again puts herps/herpkeepers back in the press under the familiar negative light

[Neo]

Well Terri was giggling and Steve said he was under control and the baby wasnt harmed. I'd actually believe it when he said they had everything under control so i dont think the baby was in danger. I dont think steve did it to impress the crowds.. he just wanted to acustom his son to crocs.

edit: i might be contradicting what i said in my first post but this is after i saw those pics and quotes.

[sapphire_moon]

thats just wrong. He would never have had enough time to pull that baby up had the croc decided that he looked like that piece of chicken.

[Siretsap]

I personally wouln't do it with my kid, but I am not Steve. He was raised with crocs and all Australian wildlife. Would you have stepped on a venemous snake to pin it down when you were 4 or 6? You think he is weird doing those things around crocs, watch the Barefoot Bushman, now that is odd. But then again, reptiles act out of instinct, and with time you can know just what they will do and Bushman proved it many times. I do not see anything that wrong here, he knew what he was doing and I am sure if he tought for a sec the baby would be in danger, he wouln't have done it.

[Simon Sansom]

Rob Bredl is the real deal. Irwin's just a sensationalistic bone-head, and he's just proved it (AGAIN) in front of the world.

And yes, I remember Monty Krizen's show! Now THERE was a real herper.
Only saw it a few times, but I absolutely LOVED it. Hey, remember the big Rhino iguana with the spiked collar on that used to just sit there through the show? Awesome.

Cheers!

Simon

[Mustangrde1]

The actions in regards to what just occurred was careless endangerment of thier own child. If any qualified handler wants to go in to his animals padock that is his risk and responcibility.

The problem now comes in that he took an infant in with him causing some distraction to what he was doing. When dealing with dangerous animals your complete consentration is needed. Steve himself has had many close calls by himself and has been bitten on more than one occasion.

Had that croc made a unexpected lunge and Steve tripped and fell and dropped the infant then that croc would most likely had a free neo snack.

Yes many private parties keep large animals or dangerous ones! But how many would be so foolish to place thier own child at risk when it is unwarranted? I have always had a major problem with his free handling of venomous reptiles and now he places his own son's life in potential danger. He is a representitive to the world of the reptile community. His actions on Tv and Film many people could preceive to be how we all conduct ourselves. This is a danger to our rights to keep our animals.

Understandably someone will try and bring up Corwin, O'Shea , Marvin, and say look what they do! Ok I will look they use the proper tools for working with dangerous animals. Nor do they place other people in danger on camera in the publics eye. Steve would be a far better ambassador to the reptile community if he would simply start showing the proper respect for correct handling practices and safety equiptment.

[scalawag]

The fact that Irwin stated that he had the croc under control proves that he believe his own press releases. What an ego.Sure some animal CAN have predictable behaviour but ask anyone that works with animals, on camera and off(even Irwin himself) and I bet that everyone will say that animals don't always do what you want them to. Endanger yourself, fine endanger a 1 month old who has no choice, GIVE ME A BREAK. how can anyone justify this??? Crikey Honey, They Took My Kids

[MartinW]

I think Steve knows enough to be able to do that safely. I wouldn't be surprised if it's just as dangerous as carrying a baby across a busy road when you know what you're doing. Of course bringing a baby to meet a croc isn't really necessary whereas carrying a baby across the road might be at some times.

[BoAddict]

ok so this was stupid and dangerous, but how many of you smoke around your kids? or your kids are subjected to second hand smoke?
this is dangerous too but you dont see these parents being put under a spotlight for putting there kids in danger, how many times have you been driving and seen a car with kids in it and the parents smoking.
the big deal is only because he is on TV.

[scalawag]

So just because someone smokes, anthing goes in life. Yes officer, I know I was driving backwards, 110 mph, on the wrong side of the road, but hey, They have peoples smoking out there!!!

[scalawag]

We can't justify bad actions by pointing to another bad action. I think the comparative analogy has been M Jacksons dangling incident which is a closer analogy.

[Katt]

Bringing a baby into a croc enclosure sounds pretty stupid, but so does letting an 8 - 9 yr old kid hold the head of a burmese python.

I've watched this Rob Bredl, and maybe it's just the shows I've watched, but he's got a really rough way of handling snakes and lizards. Plus he flirts with the young girls too much.

These shows are really just to get us excited and stuff. I mean look at Fear Factor, the stuff on that show is just cruel, disgusting, and lame-o, but hey, it's TV, not the real world.

[marisa]

I like Steves show but doing this in front of ANYONE was just plain stupid. He has admitted as much now since the child welfare department was called on them.

Fine get your son used to crocs like your dad did, but do it in private.

Marisa