12ft (3.7m) python kills toddler

[lesofprimus]

Great post Chris....

 

[Soren]

Ummm riddick, I was a US Navy SEAL for almost 10 years man, I think I know what the capabilities of constrictors are....

I watched one eat a deer in a Starlight Scope once....

lol was about to mention that most special forces members know what s snake is capable of

 

[Colin1]

I usually hear that as the dog takes a chunk of my leg! In most cases it won't bite you if it considers you the Alpha member of its "pack". But again, there are idiots that own dogs. EDIT: Don't mean this as a putdown for you, Colin. I was referncing the majority of owners who get in trouble

Absolutely not taken that way Chris
you're more qualified than anyone on here to express such an opinion
I've no idea how dogs think, but I can't see them regarding me as alpha dog when I was 6'ish years old, more like a puppy of the alpha clan I guess and something they felt pack-bound to keep an eye on, so they generally put up with my crap (including being taken prisoner).

I don't know about snakes, I'm generally suspicious of exotic pets, most of them are just wild animals that got fashionable.

 

[syscom3]

Number of people killed by small dogs; none.

Number of people killed or terribly mauled by large aggressively bred dogs (like rottweilers and pit bulls); plenty.

Is a Boa a deadly animal? Yes. Its a reptile that does what reptiles are supposed to do.

Should everyone have a Boa? No.

Should Boa's be considered an invasive species (in North America) and be strictly controlled and the owners licensed? Yes.

 

[lingo]

You just have to use some brains and some common sense.


Unfortunately common sense is nowhere near as common as it used to be.

 

[Doughboy]

"Should Boa's be considered an invasive species (in North America) and be strictly controlled and the owners licensed? Yes. "

I agree with your post....but I don't even think you should be allowed to have a dangerous snake.

 

[Gnomey]

If properly kept there is no harm in having a dangerous snake, the same with any dangerous animal. There should be no need for any rules to prohibit there keeping as pets. The problems lie in the inability to sufficiently care for the animal and are the same for any dangerous animal be it a snake, a dog or a lion.

There should I believe be some regulation on the importing of them as well as checks to insure they can be kept humanely, these in theory would prevent the majority of the deaths and other injuries. At the end of the day why do we make a bigger deal about a small child being killed by a snake than a small child killed by dog. Both a tragic and both can be dangerous animals...

I fully agree with what both Chris's (Adler/Njaco) are saying as well.

 

[Colin1]

...At the end of the day why do we make a bigger deal about a small child being killed by a snake than a small child killed by dog. Both a tragic and both can be dangerous animals...

Because dogs are made dangerous by environment, 12ft snakes are dangerous by nature
And anyone keeping a lion needs to be slapped silly

 

[Clave]

I don't trust any animal.

 

[Marcel]

Because dogs are made dangerous by environment, 12ft snakes are dangerous by nature
And anyone keeping a lion needs to be slapped silly

Dogs are natural predators (being direct decendants from the wolves) and therefore potentially dangerous. The are made "domesticated" by (mis)-using the social behaviour of the wolfpack. Many people who don't understand how that works usually cannot handle their dog very well which sometimes leads to accidents and quit often to near-accidents.

I agree about the Lion, though.

 

[Colin1]

Dogs are natural predators (being direct decendants from the wolves) and therefore potentially dangerous. The are made "domesticated" by (mis)-using the social behaviour of the wolfpack. Many people who don't understand how that works usually cannot handle their dog very well which sometimes leads to accidents and quit often to near-accidents

Marcel
Man started his relationship with dogs by exploiting their social behaviour for hunting gains. In such a close working relationship, it is only natural that they should see in dogs' undying loyalty something closer to affection and thus reinforce the bond between them. As we got more modern (and tended to use supermarkets) it would be a little cold of us to eject our loyal, four-legged friends back into the wild - we've been around each other too long. I think the term 'mis-use' is a little harsh here.

The point I am going to close on is that with (in)appropriate conditioning a dog will indeed become a danger, in an inappropriate environment it will learn all the bad stuff, instead of the redeeming features we normally associate with pet dogs. A properly disciplined and cared-for dog is far less likely to turn out this way. So good environment, good dog; bad environment, dangerous dog - is that a fair statement?

A 12ft snake doesn't really respond to that, the fact that, even in a 'good' environment, it requires special enclosures and approved locks tells me that it doesn't really belong in your house. Would you buy a dog if it was constrained by the same safety measures?

I'll soften my stance, I can see Adler's point but you'll never see a 12ft snake in my house. Or a lion.

 

[sabrina]

I don't trust any animal.

Including humans. They're still the most dangerous animals out there.

 

[Njaco]

Marcel
Man started his relationship with dogs by exploiting their social behaviour for hunting gains. In such a close working relationship, it is only natural that they should see in dogs' undying loyalty something closer to affection and thus reinforce the bond between them. As we got more modern (and tended to use supermarkets) it would be a little cold of us to eject our loyal, four-legged friends back into the wild - we've been around each other too long. I think the term 'mis-use' is a little harsh here.

I agree with what you are saying. One other point.

The dogs we have today are nowhere near like the animals first befriended by man. Selective Genetic breeding has so watered down the basic canine that what we have now are trophy animals, designed for each and every whim that we want. Don't want a dog to shed on your new carpet? Get an engineered Chinese Crested. Want a dog that hunts ducks in water? Get a Chesapeake Bay retriever. Want to capture bear? Get an Akita.

Man has fooled with the genetic code of dogs for so long that what we have are thinned breed lines and sometimes mentally challenged animals. Back yard breeders add to the mix and we now have cross-breeds and mixes that in some cases should never have been combined. And most of these dogs wouldn't know what to do in the wild. So we have truly 'domesticated' an animal, much like cats - although they can fend more readliy in he wild. They depend upon us. There are no 'purebreds'.

oh, and AKC (American Kennel Club) is a joke. Papered dogs are useless. Just about every animal shelter that has a purebred surrenderd to them with papers, throws out those papers. AKC registered a cat a few years ago. I can think of better things to do with paper.

Now I need to compose my rant about stupid exotic pet owners, just as soon as I get this alligater out of the sewer

 

[Soren]

The point I am going to close on is that with (in)appropriate conditioning a dog will indeed become a danger, in an inappropriate environment it will learn all the bad stuff, instead of the redeeming features we normally associate with pet dogs. A properly disciplined and cared-for dog is far less likely to turn out this way. So good environment, good dog; bad environment, dangerous dog - is that a fair statement?

The same can actually sometimes be said about humans as-wel, although it doesn't apply to nearly the same degree.

 

[vikingBerserker]

IMHO no. Some dogs are "mean" due to their environment while some dogs that are from great environments and they are just "mean" period. - just like people. There is no one or the other.

Even for as long as we have bred dogs and removed them from their "wolven" roots, you will still see wolf characteristics today.

 

[Marcel]

Marcel
Man started his relationship with dogs by exploiting their social behaviour for hunting gains. In such a close working relationship, it is only natural that they should see in dogs' undying loyalty something closer to affection and thus reinforce the bond between them. As we got more modern (and tended to use supermarkets) it would be a little cold of us to eject our loyal, four-legged friends back into the wild - we've been around each other too long. I think the term 'mis-use' is a little harsh here.

The point I am going to close on is that with (in)appropriate conditioning a dog will indeed become a danger, in an inappropriate environment it will learn all the bad stuff, instead of the redeeming features we normally associate with pet dogs. A properly disciplined and cared-for dog is far less likely to turn out this way. So good environment, good dog; bad environment, dangerous dog - is that a fair statement?

A 12ft snake doesn't really respond to that, the fact that, even in a 'good' environment, it requires special enclosures and approved locks tells me that it doesn't really belong in your house. Would you buy a dog if it was constrained by the same safety measures?

I'll soften my stance, I can see Adler's point but you'll never see a 12ft snake in my house. Or a lion.

I dind't mean (mis)-using as mis-using but eh well, communication can be difficult sometimes
According to my wife (she's an animal-behaviour biologist) the wolf is still there in the dog despite the extensive breeding. As an owner you'll have to understand this one way or the other in order to handle the dog. So with dogs it's the same as with snakes: As long as you pay attention (in this case handle the dog well), it's no problem to have it as a pet.

 

[Njaco]

Viking and Marcel: that was a point I forgot to make. There is still some wild, i.e., the 'pack' mentality - within dogs to this day. They still maintain some instincts from ages long ago.

 

[lesofprimus]

Anyone ever see a pack of wild dogs running deer in the woods???

I have, and have killed several of them in the process.... Pack behavior is still found in the common dog....

 

[vikingBerserker]

Well, the Dynamic Dumbass Duo have been charged:


Mom, Man Charged In Tot's Python Death - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando


Mom, Man Charged In Tot's Python Death
2-Year-Old Strangled By 8.5-Foot Burmese Python

POSTED: Monday, August 24, 2009
UPDATED: 6:40 pm EDT August 24, 2009



Charles Jason Darnell and Jaren Ashley Hare.
OXFORD, Fla. -- The mother of a 2-year-old girl who was strangled by a python, along with the mother's boyfriend who owned the snake, were arrested Monday in connection with the girl's death, according to Sumter County sheriff's officials.

Jaren Ashley Hare, 19, and Charles Jason Darnell, 32, were arrested on charges of manslaughter, third-degree murder and child abuse in the death of Shaunnia Hare, who was killed in July at her Oxford home.

Hare turned herself in to police Monday afternoon, and Darnell was already in jail on unrelated drug charges. Both are being held on $35,000 bond.

Last month, Darnell woke up at a residence in the 1500 block of county Road 466 in Oxford, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Orlando, to find Shaunnia being strangled by his 8.5-foot pet albino Burmese python, according to Sumter County sheriff's officials.

Investigators said there were several bite marks on the toddler. A medical examiner determined that she died from asphyxiation.

"Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby," Darnell said in a 911 call.

Emergency workers could not revive the girl.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission removed the snake from the home. A 6-foot boa constrictor was also inside the house, but it did not escape its terrarium.

Darnell did not have a permit to keep the snake as a pet, deputies said. According to snake expert Scott Hardin of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Burmese python owners must have a license to keep the snake as a pet. The license costs $100 a year and mandates specific caging requirements.

"Law enforcement with the assistance of the FWC is going to investigate this case further to see if there is any kind of game violations or any other misconduct," Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.

Hardin said the Burmese python is a popular pet because it is considered to be more docile than other snakes. He said the risk of a human attack is low, and attacks typically involve the snake's owner or immediate family.

The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday's death, at least 12 people have been killed in the United States by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

Matt Harrison, a Critter Control employee who has worked with pythons for more than eight years, said the animals are extremely strong.

"A 12-foot snake is kind of like having a truck sitting on your chest. They have enough power not only to asphyxiate you, but to break bones as well," said Harrison, who added that stabbing a python would not force the animal to release its prey.

Harrison suggested throwing alcohol down the snake's throat or running hot water over it to get it to release its prey.

Harrison urged owners to be careful with pet pythons.

"Most (of) the time, as long as you're careful, you don't have anything to worry about, but occasionally, they can turn on their owners," Harrison said.

Harrison said attacks tend to be a feeding response, but he said it is important to keep cages secure and safe, especially when there are children in the house.

Harrison speculated that there are probably more pythons in Florida than anywhere else in the United States.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pythons are a nonnative species to Florida, although some Burmese pythons have been found in parts of Florida.

An invasion of giant Burmese pythons in South Florida that made national headlines last year was "rapidly expanding" and expected to reach Central Florida, according to a University of Florida study.

"There's no part of this state that you can point at and say that pythons couldn't live here," researcher Frank Mazzotti said. "They're capable of incredible movement -- and in a relatively short period."

Most of the pythons were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild, he said.

Anyone who comes across a python is urged to call wildlife officials at 888-404-FWCC. For more information about pythons, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

[B-17engineer]

Okay, have been reading this thread and I have had a snake for many years, donated because it was getting a bit much for my family (size and not having enough time to let him out) , but I had a little brother in the house who was 2 at the time and an older brother who was 7. Now my dad wasn't opposed to it because HE knew if he was cautious with it there wouldn't be a problem. The snake didn't bite my little brother, myself or any of my family. I have just recently gotten a dog and I've been bitten plenty of times.

Snakes are like humans because, when they get REALLY stressed out, they can snap sometimes. If you can avoid this and be cautious with the snake, well you are a qualified owner.