free handling elapids

[waruikazi]

The problem i have with people free handling elapids, like Hoser wether they are voided or not, is kids (like i was) who see it will think hey can go out into the bush and pick up any old snake they see and it wont bite them.

 

[m.punja]

true, I got no problems with people free handling. But if you are going to do so you should be very, very careful as to who is around and what sort of impression it will make on these people. I remember at the start of the year my younger brother had a friend around, I was stuffing around in my rep-room and had out a juvi eastern tigersnake holding it in my hand while I did stuff in it's tub and my brothers friend said, 'ohh how cute, can I have a hold now while it's little and harmless so I can tell people I've held a tiger snake.' I didn't even know she had walked into the room, after I laughed at her comment I told her that it could still put someone in a grave. Nowdays, if I am to do such things I ake sure I know who is in the house and where they are first but I don't make a big habbit out of it

 

[Chris1]

cheers for that aslan, well old mate bob is now my new hero. hows the olive eating the hybrid

and check out the size of that goanna!!!

 

[waruikazi]

Don't get me wrong i'm sure there are circumstances where free handling is required and i am not against keeping elapids. I am currently working on upgrading my lisence so i can get to death adders. But even if the handler doesn't become complasent, people around them can and that can cause big big problems.

 

[Ramsayi]

http://www.macherps.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=238
what is on the snake - just curious :lol:

That looks like bird netting thats cut into the poor thing. A lot of rescues are carried out because of that stuff.

 

[Chris1]

ouch.

 

[salebrosus]

That looks like bird netting thats cut into the poor thing. A lot of rescues are carried out because of that stuff.

No, the snake was nearly beheaded by some wire. The black stuff hanging from the snake is the cotton used by Bob to sew it's head back on. I think Bob left it on to prove the point that an animal that was suppose to die/be euthanased could be saved. It is now a healthy and happy Brown Snake.

Simone.

 

[Ramsayi]

No, the snake was nearly beheaded by some wire. The black stuff hanging from the snake is the cotton used by Bob to sew it's head back on. I think Bob left it on to prove the point that an animal that was suppose to die/be euthanased could be saved. It is now a healthy and happy Brown Snake.

Simone.

Fair enough.Rough old suturing but as long as it did the trick.

 

[salebrosus]

Fair enough.Rough old suturing but as long as it did the trick.

LOL yeah it is pretty rough but yep, it did the job. That snake always seemed very placid, but i promised John Cann i would never handle a Brown Snake and to this day i haven't. I know if i broke that promise i'd come a gutser for sure.
There was a thread ages ago by pugsly where he showed his afternoon photos from a visit to Bob's. Alot of people got uptight for him showing them-probably why many won't post pics like that and not wanting to set bad examples etc for younger people- do what i say and not as i do.

Simone.

 

[dansfish4tea]

Just out of curiousity, do you also want to swallow cyanide pills?

no i jst want to pat a taipan
i bet a lot of ppl handle them every now and again

 

[Kali7]

The problem i have with people free handling elapids, like Hoser wether they are voided or not, is kids (like i was) who see it will think hey can go out into the bush and pick up any old snake they see and it wont bite them.

Yeah I was one of those kids too. And? This tip-toe-the-kids-might-copy culture is sick. Its a convenient way of ignoring proper education and proper parenting guidelines. If you don't want your child to see such things, then don't take them to places where they can.

Voided elapids is a great opportunity to explain to children animal cruelty, how it can be utterly misrepresented as education, its pointlessness, and to be wary of people capable of committing such acts.

 

[waruikazi]

Yeah I was one of those kids too. And? This tip-toe-the-kids-might-copy culture is sick. Its a convenient way of ignoring proper education and proper parenting guidelines. If you don't want your child to see such things, then don't take them to places where they can.

Voided elapids is a great opportunity to explain to children animal cruelty, how it can be utterly misrepresented as education, its pointlessness, and to be wary of people capable of committing such acts.

Ok i guess i'm wrong. My primary school friends and i must have been the only kids to ever imitate someone we saw catching a brown snake on TV and my friends must have been the only kids to get bitten in the process.

C'mon, do you work with kids? When you were a kid did you ever go and 'make beleive' that you were doing the things you saw on TV etc?

It's not tip toe around the kids and it is not sick. It is not ignoring proper education, free handling can encourage mis-information about the safety of elapids and encourage complacency. AND i said absolutely nothing to promote the use of voids.

 

[mrboajangles]

a woma i have had for a long time, from hatchie has never struck or bitten me!! the other day while holding this woma it bit me!!! the shock that it actually bit me totally covered the pain!!! Luckily it didnt inject any venom, it was a dry bite!!! The moral.... no matter how placid a snake might be there is always a good chance it could bite you!! So in my opinion its not a good idea, but nor is riding a motorbike on the road right??

 

[baxtor]

If one pays tax, pays health insurance, does not seek publicity if one gets bitten, takes full responsibility for free handling vens, accept the possibility of grevious injury or death, then all the negative opinions from all the conservatives and "wiser than thous" are utterly irrelevant.

I object far more strongly to individuals telling others what they can or can't do. Don't like it, don't do it. Simple.

Ride that bike, freefall off a high mountain top, climb that slope, risk getting bitten. Accept responsibility. IMO it is not the risk takers that are litigatious or blame-mongers, but rather those that must live in a confined space with confining rules. Go play god within your own space, leave mine and like minded people's alone.

written much better than I ever could but my thoughts exactly

 

[Jill]

I didn't think Woma's were vens. Wasn't there discussion recently that they might get reclassified to a Class 1 in NSW?

 

[baxtor]

I didn't think Woma's were vens. Wasn't there discussion recently that they might get reclassified to a Class 1 in NSW?

I think there is a bit of tongue in cheek in the woma comment

 

[mrboajangles]

I didn't think Woma's were vens. Wasn't there discussion recently that they might get reclassified to a Class 1 in NSW?

Yeah sorry, they are not venomous, I was just being silly, usually a very friendly python!!

 

[m.punja]

Yeah its the beardies that are venomous

 

[beesagtig]

Yup, gotta watch out for those Blueys aswell, more venom in those fangs than could kill a horse!

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Im with kali and baxtor, what you do in your own home is your business.If you get bitten, its your own fault and you go to hospital,,,or not.
When you post pics in a forum of yourself handling a ven you can surely expect to get a lot of people to have issues with it.
Most of these people will say 'it brings the hobby into disrepute' and' you are setting a bad example for the next generation.'
Simple solution, dont post the pics...