kids and snakes

[sarahbell]

just wondering if iny of you guys have small children and weather you let them handle your snakes and what age did you let them?????????

i have a ten month old i know shes too younge yet but its something that has been bothering me

thanks sarah

[gbskda]

I have a 2 yo girl, I let her handle my childreni every now and then but I keep a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't hurt the snake as they don't know they strength at that age.

[africancichlidau]

I had a one year old a few years back and I used to let him handle my adult scrubbie and the scrubbie is still OK. Never did find out where the kid went though

[almaron]

My 4 and 6 year olds handle them sometimes, but only with me keeping close eye on them. No problems so far.

[lutzd]

Take a llok at this brilliant picture of Stretch's youngun : http://www.aussiepythons.com/modules...view_photo.php

I'd say it's ok, depending on the temperament of your snake - nut watch them like a hawk(sorry Hawkeye). Kids have a habit of grabbing what they want!

Maybe Sretch can give us a clue as to how she handled things? :

[grahamh]

That is a great photo - look at the interest in those eyes and that confident little smile forming.

[sarahbell]

haha african

[James]

In Michael Jackson’s book its ok

[stretch]

When my kids handle a snake I am always present. My kids range from 2-12yrs and they all understand that you cannot grab. The 4 older kids are really confident holding a snake and Bailey (22months in the pic) just adores it when there is a snake crawling over him.

Being that Bailey is a reincarnation of the devil himself, we were EXTREMELY careful when letting him touch any snake. A little ones reaction is to grab when they want something, and to throw away when they are finished! As long as you teach the child to be ever so gentle, you will not have any problems. We held baileys fingers out to start with, to prevent him from grabbing Charlotte too tight. he soon learnt after doing this a few times that that was how you keep your hand when you hold them (When you are a little kid that is!) and now he offers out his arm wheneever I hold cleo. It is pretty cute.

Bailey is fast as fast, but when he is in the presence of a snake he is all quite and actually sits still! He loves them.


Most kids will realise pretty quick that a snake is not a toy and will give it the respect it deserves. Also monkey see monkey do. Kids watch you all the time, handle the snake the way you would want the kids to handle the snake.

My only unanswered question is this. How do you teach a little child, that the snake in the tank is a good snake, but the stipey one outside is not. Beng that Bailey is a big outdoors kid, and that he adores snakes, how do you let them know that ones outside are not ones you try and pick up?

[westaussie]

I am a single father and have worked with reptiles for over 15 years, as a result my son has been around snakes his whole life, even "helping out" dad on our daily reptile removal service.

Here is a photo of him 16 months old -

http://www.aussiepythons.com/modules...view_photo.php

To help you out with your question stretch.
Luke has always been taught that he can only hold special snakes that dad lets him hold. He has had it drummed into him never to touch a snake if he see's one outside.
He is now 4 years old & can confidently identify - tigersnake , dugite ,
death-adder , carpet , bluetoungue , bobtail & bearded dragons. He still knows that he is not to touch anything that he see's outside, even though he see's me handling them everyday. ( Just in the same way he see's me drive a car but knows not to jump in the drivers seat , turn the key & give it a go!)

He knows the drill - Q " what do you do if you see a snake ?"
A " leave it alone"
Q" then what do you do "
A "go tell dad" (or mum)

I believe that all children should be taught these words from an early age. In the event of a kid seeing a snake in the backyard or in the bush , then these words will come back to them. Kids are eager to impress their parents & show them what they have learnt, therefore leaving the snake alone & running off to tell you all about it.

after that it goes - Q "what did you do when you saw the snake?"
A "I left it alone"
Q "then what did you do ?"
A "I come & told you!"

After that you immediately rush them off to your nearest ice scream shop & buy them anything they want.

note None of our snakes will bite a human unless it is forced to defend itself. If left alone all Australian snakes will retreat , biting only as a last result when all else fails.


www.westaussiereptiles.com.au

[grahamh]

Well Westaussie - that sounds like good advice - great picture - I wish I was introduced to snakes when I was that small - i'd be an oldbie by now.

G

[sarahbell]

thanks for your help guys i feel much better now

[Greebo]

I used to keep children but I found they are very expensive to feed.
Eventually I had to release them into the wild.

[Fangs]

ahhhhhhhh kids,
they could probably cut down on your snake food bills.would you need to put them in the freezer for a while to slow em down a bit first though?

[africancichlidau]

Nope! Just get a faster snake