Haindling vens

[m.punja]

I also feel no matter how 'experienced' the ven handler is, they cannot full predict what a ven may or may not do. It would only take a flash of a second to strike out. That is why I reckon older as they are in control of what dangers they CHOOSE to put themselves in.

Not even the most expeienced driver is safe on the road fay but they don't think twice about putting there kids into there car.

 

[aliveandkicking]

Do you have kids m.punja?

 

[m.punja]

nah mate

 

[aliveandkicking]

your thoughts may change a little once / if you do.

 

[wizz]

i do and i do not like butting him in the car!! .....i would rather but a mulga in his lap ....and he is 2 weeks old

 

[Australis]

nah mate

Not that you know of.. :lol: :shock:

 

[m.punja]

do you keep elapids aliveandkicking?

Also I grew up playing on jungle gyms all the time, didn't know Australia had a different name for it, it is what we all used to call them. Anyhow, I meant any tall play equipment.

I was going to say that Austy

 

[redbellybite]

Wizz congrats mate didnt realise you became a daddy a few weeks ago
now I will have to send you a big 600metre roll of bubble wrap just so you can keep him nice and safe now ....

 

[JasonL]

I think parents should keep all kids at any age away from elapids, that way only the really ballsy ones with an infactuation with the deadlier herps will go against their parents advise and do it anyway, some will be unlucky but others will grow up to be great elapid people (just for the political correct group). I believe it needs to be done one snake at a time, starting on whips and RBBs ect only moving up when the kids gets enough balls to do so. I don't think giving a placid large elapid to you kid does anyone any good. It all about risk, and how much of it your willing to give balanced on the experience you have on hand.

 

[aliveandkicking]

Nah mate. Not allowed to keep them in the ACT but as a bloke who has spent the best part of 30 years in the bush doing what kids (little kids and big kids) do in the bush I know what I'd rather my kids do. I won't keep elapids but thats because I don't really have any interest in keeping them. If I want to see some I'll go for a walk. There are plenty of Browns, Blacks, Tigers and Coppers around home. I'll teach my kids about them and their importance and even encourage them to get into the hobby but I wouldn't thrust a ven in their face.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

There's no real correlation between the putting them in the car/letting them play on playgrounds/letting them ride motorbikes stuff and letting them handle venomous snakes. Kids (primary school age) get nothing from physically handling venomous, and are at no disadvantage from delaying their handling until they are atleast teenagers.

 

[m.punja]

I'm not trying to make an argument over it. There is no way to answere the question. From my understanding the question is based on captive elapids so is best answered by experienced keepers. Until you keep elapids you don't understand what captive elapids can be like.

 

[m.punja]

Jonno, they are all preventable actions people choose to put kids in that can result in serious injury or death.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

But they are actions that kids benefit from, and the risk is acceptable when compared to the benefit. There is no benefit to kids handling venomous, but there is a risk - so obviously the risk outweighs the non-existant benefit.

 

[m.punja]

But they are actions that kids benefit from, and the risk is acceptable when compared to the benefit. There is no benefit to kids handling venomous, but there is a risk - so obviously the risk outweighs the non-existant benefit.

What if that kid lives in a house full of venomous snakes? Couldn't he benefit a little from understanding them a little more. I understand there could be some pretty bad concquinces involved if said elapids weren't house correctly.

Besides, even if they do benefit from the examples I gave there are much safer forms of doing all them activites with the same benefits. Maybe not the showering one but hygine is needed so despite the risks it is something that is needed to be done.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

The only thing you learn about handling venomous snakes, is how to handle venomous snakes...there's plenty of other reptile stuff for underage kids to do...

I am all for not wrapping kids in cotton wool, but frown upon recklessness...

 

[m.punja]

like i said earlier jonno i dont think there is any simply answere for the question. There a 100's of kids that shouldn't ever handle elapids but under extreme circumstances then I think it can be done so in a safe manner. Every persons opinion is there own though. If you had kids Jonno and they were really interested in getting involved with the elapids what age would you start to let them have a handle here and there and start giving them pointers?

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Hey mate,

Probably around the start of high school? I don't have kids, but I have two neices that I see all the time. The other day I was photographing a Red Belly in the front yard, and as I was walking inside, the youngest (7 years old) reached out to touch the bag it was in. She has been raised around venomous snakes, has been out herping with me, watches me in the snake room while I'm cleaning/feeding etc, wrangles pythons all the time and has had it absolutely drilled into her not to touch anything unless I tell her to but she still tried. She just doesn't understand the consequences of what happens if someone is bitten...

The big question is, WHY?

 

[redbellybite]

This debate could go on and on with the 'all for its" and "the all against its" ...
probably best put this one in the BEG TO DIFFER box and leave it at that

 

[elapid66]

stupid thread me thinks