Weigh in on Rattlesnake Republic?

[Ryodraco]

I'm not much of a believer in online petitions, boycotting etc. However I think this could be an opportunity to potentially make a real difference. Seems this part of the animal planet website is currently open to people giving their opinions on the "controversy" of keeping this show on their network. Course it could just be a publicity stunt, given the show just started its second season, but at the same time it might be the closest we can get to giving input that people involved with the channel might actually read.

Weigh in on Rattlesnake Republic: Rattlesnake Republic: Animal Planet

Regardless of your particular feelings on whether all rattlesnake roundups are bad or not, I think everyone can agree a show glorifying the mass slaughter of wild animals for profit has no place on a channel that is supposed to support animals. It did my heart good to see that all 170 + comments so far have been against the show.

I apologize if this is the wrong place to put this topic. Be gentle with me.

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My own comment reads as this:

I grew up watching documentaries on snakes and other reptiles. Often times there was some sensationalizin­g going on, music and narration that made the situations more frightening or cruel than they were, but this was acceptable as the overall message remained positive and in support of the animals it was covering.

One thing these shows had in common was their treatment of rattlesnake round-ups. They did cover the various justifications for the practice, but the overall message was always that they were not truly regulated and did not serve the purposes they claimed to serve.

Above all those programs taught me the utter pointlessness and cruelty of the slaughter that occurs in the roundups. Hundreds, even thousands of snakes removed from habitats far from where they would ever bother humans, brain-damaged by toxic gasoline fumes, denied food, water, proper temperatures for great lengths of time, handled improperly, ultimately slaughtered, I could go on forever.

So the mere existence of this show on Animal Planet came as a shock to me, let alone it being renewed for another season. I don't see the point of boycotting the network or its funders as I doubt it would do anything and there are still good programs, but I do think those involved in deciding that shows like this air take a look back at those old documentaries and ask themselves if there isn't a less harmful way to get ratings, a way that doesn't run counter to everything the network stands for.

Heck, "Monsters Inside Me" is a good example of a show that manages to be educational and sensational at the same time.

[alexknott]

I don't believe out should be on animal planet either. I also don't believe in what they're doing. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are almost extinct in Louisiana due to similar circumstances

[RandyRhoads]

I don't need to read this, or care about it being inhuman, either way it's garbage. Most shows, even on previous credible channels, have become mindless dribble to entertain morons...

[Ridge Runner_20]

Complete crapola, period. As much as I love snakes and all things associated, I can't watch this garbage. It has all the educational and redeeming value of The Jerry Springer Show, and Animal Planet should be ashamed of themselves. This is the kind of nonsense that gives snakes a BAD reputation, as well as the people who enjoy and/or keep them. Other than that, I have no opinion on the subject...

RR_20 (Mike)

[snakeman2222]

yeah here in middle ga they tryin turn them into educational aspects instead of slaughters. they should do the same on the show. senseless killings are just that

[Falconeer999]

Animal Planet has been adding more and more of these anti-animal shows to their network. Earlier in the year they had a show with a former wrestler doing "extreme fishing" - he'd go out on an inner tube and fish for sharks or swordfish, take a jet ski out to an oil rig and fish for tuna, etc. Always killed the fish. In one episode he was using a trident to spear flounder and then throwing their bloody bodies around. Seemed contrary to the large majority of their shows which preach conservation and study (heck, even "River Monsters" while sensationalized, has never killed a fish - it's always catch and release).

This show is just as horrible. And now they have begun to throw in a person who is going to start preaching about conservation, but the previews (and couple appearances he's had on the show so far) make him look like not the best spokesman and the main characters do nothing but disparage him.

[Rickyrick]

Ok,

I live in and work in one of the communities in which the show is filmed.
Let me begin by saying that its just a show for entertainment only, as any tv show, no matter the subject.

I know some of the characters along with some of the production crew. No snakes are killed as a part of the show. The show is in no way affiliated with the roundups. Rattlesnakes are a big problem. Several people a year are injured by these animals. Hundreds of domestic animals such as, cows, goats, sheep, cats and dogs ect ect are killed and injured by rattlesnake bites. These snakes must be removed, it just a fact of life.

In addition to the characters, other locals were employed to help make the show. I beg u if you are gonna protest, please watch the show in its entirety before hand. You may not like the show, that's fine, but please note that the show hasn't had any killings and is not affiliated with, and to this date hasn't shown footage of any roundup.

Hunting has been around since the dawn of man, and will not go away.

I am not condoning any wanton waste af an animal. I find all animals fascinating and I do not hunt snakes. I love animals and the outdoors. If you feel the need to protest something, please know the whole story. This handful of guys aren't going to hurt the rattlesnake population, more snakes are killed on the road than are captured by thes guys. If these guys didn't remove snakes, the snakes would probably be hacked up by a property owner with a hoe or worse.

[infernalis]

Thank you kindly for chiming in Rick.....

[Falconeer999]

I've watched nearly every episode of the show and they always focus on the price of the snakes (from $2-6/pound usually), in addition with showing the skins hanging up and I've seen several shots of snakes being cooked. They may not show the actual killings, but it's no doubt about how the vast majority of them end up (they do talk about some of the larger ones, and albinos, being "trophy animals" to be sold at shows to collectors). They also show in every show a "stunt" being performed. Last night a guy was sealed in a glass coffin with 100 snakes for 5 minutes. Hardly the stuff of good snake handling.

I have no problems with the nuisance calls where they remove animals from farms, houses, etc. However, they almost always do so while complaining that it's taking time away from hunting them in far off locations (abandoned farms, abandoned rock quarries, etc.). On a couple episodes they've had to take horses to get to where they were taking the snakes from because it was so remote and definitely no threat of harm to any people or farm animals.

[Rickyrick]

I assure you that to this point the show has not had any association with the roundups.

In tv shows dealing with animals, shots are prearranged. That means that the rescue the animals shows with animals in neglected and abusing environments....means that the animals are not helped until after the lengthy filming process has taken place-probably over a few days. Those shows are more concerning to me than Rattlesnake republic. It is not the worst show as far as animal treatment is concerned in my book. Hog hunters, swamp people, duck dynasty and others show animals being killed on air.

Believe it or not, the terrain depicted is exactly like one of the ranches I work on.

I even heard that one of the snake handlers refused to film because the weather was too hot for the snakes.

I'm not distracting from your concerns, just giving another point of view.

[Ryodraco]

It'd be one thing is the snakes were shown as a resource that needs to be managed and treated properly, but the whole premise of the show seems to be that the snake's only worth is monetary, and that otherwise they are a dangerous pest.

And I doubt any individual hunter or even group of hunters could have an adverse effect on a widespread species as a whole, but the fact remains that the show encourages wasteful practices and negative stereotypes of snakes.

Course I welcome any other mitigating facts that you could give, like the show condemning rattlesnake roundups, condemning the use of gasoline in rattlesnake hunting (even if you believe it doesn't pollute the habitat it still damages the snake's brain), and having characters show a real admiration for the creatures.

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by Ryodraco

It'd be one thing is the snakes were shown as a resource that needs to be managed and treated properly, but the whole premise of the show seems to be that the snake's only worth is monetary, and that otherwise they are a dangerous pest.

And I doubt any individual hunter or even group of hunters will have an adverse effect on a widespread species as a whole, but the fact remains that the show encourages wasteful practices and negative stereotypes of snakes.

It's never about one group of hunters but that mentality is what causes so many problem. People say well I only take a few but they forget that other are another1000 people saying the exact same thing. Before you know it the animal is endangered.

[Rickyrick]

Use of gasoline has been prohibited as a means of hunting snakes. It is no longer allowed. Also, in the past, snake hunting did not require a license, now illegal to hunt them without a license.

Public land in Texas is almost non-existent. That means you can't hunt without landowners permission and that equates to a substantial fee paid by the hunter.

These hunters are few, hunting is either for monetary reasons or recreation. Lots of things are done for monetary reasons. Hunting is part of human history. Humans damage the environment. No one stops driving their cars, eating, wearing clothes, posting to the Internet and goes and lives off of the land. The tv that you watched the show on, the computer you posted to this forum on damaged the environment more than a handful of snake hunters ever could.

In Texas we half to kill wild pigs by the scores and pile them up, all due to human error. Pigs love to eat rattlesnakes. This ain't Disneyland. This is real life. The show is only a dramatization, that's it, nothing more.

Who hunted the snakes and other pets that u have living under glass? How much power do the lamps heaters and filters use? Are they truly better off for being captive?

Items made of hides and fur are way more environmentally friendly than all of the synthetic stuff that replaces it.

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by Rickyrick

Use of gasoline has been prohibited as a means of hunting snakes. It is no longer allowed. Also, in the past, snake hunting did not require a license, now illegal to hunt them without a license.

Public land in Texas is almost non-existent. That means you can't hunt without landowners permission and that equates to a substantial fee paid by the hunter.

These hunters are few, hunting is either for monetary reasons or recreation. Lots of things are done for monetary reasons. Hunting is part of human history. Humans damage the environment. No one stops driving their cars, eating, wearing clothes, posting to the Internet and goes and lives off of the land. The tv that you watched the show on, the computer you posted to this forum on damaged the environment more than a handful of snake hunters ever could.

In Texas we half to kill wild pigs by the scores and pile them up, all due to human error. Pigs love to eat rattlesnakes. This ain't Disneyland. This is real life. The show is only a dramatization, that's it, nothing more.

Who hunted the snakes and other pets that u have living under glass? How much power do the lamps heaters and filters use? Are they truly better off for being captive?

Items made of hides and fur are way more environmentally friendly than all of the synthetic stuff that replaces it.

So how much stick do you own in that show?

[millertime89]

Originally Posted by Rickyrick

Use of gasoline has been prohibited as a means of hunting snakes. It is no longer allowed. Also, in the past, snake hunting did not require a license, now illegal to hunt them without a license.

And yet, both still happen...

Originally Posted by Rickyrick

In Texas we half to kill wild pigs by the scores and pile them up, all due to human error. Pigs love to eat rattlesnakes. This ain't Disneyland. This is real life. The show is only a dramatization, that's it, nothing more.

and yet, people still see the need to hunt and kill indigenous species that are eaten by an invasive when the populations of the native is already in decline, how smart is that?

Originally Posted by Rickyrick

Who hunted the snakes and other pets that u have living under glass? How much power do the lamps heaters and filters use? Are they truly better off for being captive?

The breeder when he pulled the eggs from the snakes that he has raised from eggs. Or, in very rare cases for the majority of people that own snakes now-a-days, a "farm" owner in the country where the species originates from. Perhaps you should learn a little about that process before spouting off about it.
Re: power for lamps, heaters, and filters, depends, my personal collection uses 72 watts

Originally Posted by Rickyrick

Items made of hides and fur are way more environmentally friendly than all of the synthetic stuff that replaces it.

You won't get any argument from me but there's a catch, this is only true when the animals are collected in a somewhat humane manor(that's a stretch in the best cases) and euthanized in a similar manor. I have no probably with hunting as long as the entire animal is used and the process isn't crueler than it needs to be.