OT: Venomous Snake Pics

[Eric]

Oh don't worry the fish and boat commission will pass bans so kids can longer keep frogs. That is the cause of the problem lol I just think some of the laws bans and restrictions are unreasonable. That goes for everything now adays government has there fingers to deep in our personal life's.

I'm hoping and praying they stay away from the exotic animal bans although they are trying so far people have stuck together in holding them off. J

Just recently they are trying to ban all boas and pythons is the united states. How much of a joke is that?

[Dentoid]

Great pictures Eric and rarely seen as well. Question, how do you get the snake to take a dead, cold rat. Don't hey hunt by heat and movement?

[Eric]

Well they are used to being feed rather than hunting. I do thaw the mice in hot water so they are not completely cold. then I use 2ft tweezers that look like something you would buy from Spencer's novelty store. most of the time all I have to do is put t in front of them some of the snakes have to be teased a little but none of them are problem feeders. The cobras go into a frenzy once they smell food so no trouble getting them to eat just open the door toss in and watch.

[Dentoid]

Can you get a video of the cobra eating!

[Eric]

I will let you know when I have them posted on U tube. I haven't got a camcorder at the moment but I'm borrowing a friends to make a few education videos. So I can get a few feeding on tape in the process.

[Eric]

Here's some interesting info on Venomous snakes. Now this is meant to be sarcastic toward high profile AR groups trying to ban all exotic animals in the private home. They are the ones trying to ban dogs breed by breed and take meat off our tables. I know it sounds like conspiracy theory but just watch the big Ar groups when they hit the news and read the articles they post on line. The don't think any animal should be in a cage. A quote from one of the big boy front men when asked if Captive breeding programs were OK for repopulating the wild population. The reply if we have destroyed their habitat so they can no longer survive in the wild it's our loss. Anyways enough of that. Here's the article.

According to the Animal Protection Institute (API) website and various news sources, 19 people were killed by captive reptiles in the USA between 1995 and 2008, which is just one and a half death per year. (API is an animal rights group opposed to captive keeping of exotic and wild animals). For captive big cats, the rate is one fatal mauling per year.
Wild venomous snakes in the USA kill 12 or less people each year. Wild alligators kill 2-3 people per year and injure many more.

No human fatalities were attributed to captive tortoises. One few weeks old infant supposedly died as a result of salmonella infection from captive turtle; two deaths were attributed to lizards. One fatality was blamed on salmonella infection supposedly contracted from a pet Iguana, second death was blamed on monitor lizards that were found in the house with their deceased owner. Out of the remaining 16 fatalities, 9 were caused by venomous snake bite and 7 by large constrictors.

None of these deaths were caused by reptiles at large. Instead, all victims were either individuals voluntarily on the property where the animals were kept, or were the owners themselves at their own homes. No members of the public have been killed by captive reptiles in USA since 1995.

Two deaths resulting from the venomous snake bites occurred during voluntary serpent handling religious services in the church, while the remaining 7 involved the owners at their own home at their own risk and discretion.

Two of the deaths caused by large constrictors occurred to the children of the snake owners, at their own home, resulting in the parents being rightfully charged with child endangerment, some also with reckless endangerment and involuntary manslaughter. The remaining five fatalities were owners themselves, whom have accepted and know extremely well the potential risk of their hobby (occupational hazard?).

It doesn’t matter if the child died as a result of an animal attack or by other everyday activity, like drowning in the pool. The parents are responsible for their children and other responsible owners of exotics should not be punished with unfair bans because of parental mistakes of others who just happened to be fellow exotic animal owners.

Now contrast the number of deaths to spinach in the last year (2006). According to the USDA, E. coli caused 199 infections, three deaths and 31 kidney failures nationwide. Add to this that fresh raw vegetables like lettuce, spinach, tomatoes and green onions were responsible for the illness or deaths of nearly 19,000 people nationwide over a five-year period.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, are responsible for 1,500 deaths each year, more than 75% of those caused by known pathogens, while unknown agents account for the remaining 62 million illnesses, 265,000 hospitalizations, and 3,200 deaths.

Furthermore, according to CDC study 1.4 million human Salmonella infections and an estimated 600 associated deaths occur each year in the United States. However, less than 1% of human Salmonella infections are caused by the “reptile-associated” serotypes.

The CDC study also reported that in the wild, the colonization of Salmonella in iguanas and toads may be related to the eating of feces, which typically contaminates food and water; insects, soil, and pond water have all been shown to carry Salmonella. In the home, reptiles and amphibians might acquire Salmonella from being fed undercooked chicken or meat or by contact with household dust, all of which have the potential to contain Salmonella.
News reported that 23-year-old pregnant woman in Missouri fell ill after purchasing live rats and mice to feed her pet python. No salmonella was isolated from the culture of the snake feces, and the rodents and their cages weren't available for testing. The woman's prematurely born baby also had salmonella and was in intensive care for 56 days before going home.

What this means is that many captive reptiles might not be the primary source of infection, they got infected by their food, raw chicken, eggs and vegetables, the same food their human owners ate.

No one is advocating banning fresh vegetables or eggs, even though they are a greater threat to public health and safety than reptiles. Considering animal rights groups advocate vegan and vegetarian diets, it seems a little hypocritical to advocate banning captive reptiles in the name of public safety when advocating a diet that causes far more risk to health and life for the general public than any captive reptile.

The odd of being killed by a captive reptile is therefore extremely low. With the current US population being 297,618,284, with one death occurring every 13-14 seconds, this translates to approximately 2,440,000 US deaths per year. With this in mind, the alleged threat of captive reptiles being a public safety issue seems ridiculous with the yearly odds of dying by captive reptile being one in 198,412,189 equaling one and a half fatalities per year.


You have a better chance of winning the lottery Jackpot (1 in 13,983,816, all six winning numbers selected) or even the elusive Mega Millions Lottery jackpot (1 in 175,711,536), than being killed by a captive reptile (1 in 198,412,189). But you must visit someone with a captive reptile to get those odds. Now compare that to deaths by escaped captive reptiles….hmm, can’t find those numbers since nobody ever died as a result of captive reptile running loose. Animal Rights groups claim to want more regulation and/or banning ownership of reptiles in the name of public safety. The odds just don’t add up.

[rlcline76]

I had several turtles growing up. I'm OK, no major illnesses to report. None of my friends got sick from them either.

[Eric]

My favorite part "No human fatalities were attributed to captive tortoises" All I could picture is this 300lb tort plowing over some guy like a car along with many other humerus scenarios. Just the tought of a tort killing someone is to funny they are such docile creatures.

[rlcline76]

It would be a slow death.

[Eric]

Yes it would LMAO

Well I'm out of here for this evening. Night Everyone!

[naperenterprise]

Beautiful Gaboon!

I have many reptiles as well... Nothing venomous...

Where do you live in PA?

Do you go to the Hamburg shows? Or the Western PA shows?

I lived in Philly for the past 9 years and went to Hamburg often...

Now I live near the Burgh and go the a show in Mars, and Cheswick, PA.

Cool pics!!

[Eric]

I live near the Pa Maryland border. I never miss A Hamburg show highlight of my month normally especially during the winter months. That show is about 2 hours from me. I hear they have a venomous show up near Pittsburg now adays but I don't go since the vendors normally leave hamburg and go straight there rather get first dibs.

Well lets see some pictures of these critters.

[naperenterprise]

Well Like I said I went to Hamburg just as you did... every month...

Now that I moved back to Pittsburgh I find out the "Sexy Snake Girl" is in Hamburg all the time, and that show is ROCKING!

Your not missing anything at all in Pittsburgh...

Its getting a little bigger and better, but Hamburg's much better.



















This is about half of the critters here

[Eric]

The sexy snake girl your not missing much but hey to each their own. I have seen alot of other women at the shows that could take her title easily course their not walking around in mini skirts in 20 degree weather selling calenders.

Just not impressed by her but hey to each their own.

Anyways those are some cool snakes. Is that a burm or Rock in the big cage with the girl? I'm having a real hard time identifying that snake really undecided what it is but don't wanna run the list lol. Very nice looking.

Now for the other half. I'm a picture junkie.

Here's a few shots of my first cobra. It's a monocled also I got scared of it being semi new to venomous and completely new to cobras had it a year. Everyone told me not to sell it but I did and now regret it.









He was one of the best looking monocled I have ever seen also a great hooder. Looking to get a few more albinos soon. Thinking about trading the Albino WDB in on a pair of babies.

The Black Pakistan Cobras I got recently are also awesome they are some of the best hooders I have ever seen. Really what you expect a cobra to act like alot of my cobras about 5 out of 8 have to be persuaded to hood.

[naperenterprise]

Yes that is a burm, my sister decided to get into the tank for a short visit...lol

Thats a very pretty cobra above.
I never got into venomous, im to afraid of my daughters getting near them...



























Burned out on pics yet? lol