Hots in public

So, I am at my local reptile store the other day. I like the place and I've always had good dealings with them but they were doing something the other day that really made me question their thinking. They have hots at the store and I always enjoy looking at them. I actually use their hots to help me teach my kids about the animals that you leave alone. Anyway, I was there picking up rats with my kids when I heard a telltale rattle. Turns out these guys had "sectioned off" the hot area with a few chairs and were messing around with a rattlesnake. My kids were very interested and I had to restrain them to keep them far enough away from the activity. I would have not though twice about it if there were not kids in the store. A rattlesnake that I can see and hear is not generally something I worry about but my kids being in the store as well as other people's at the time concerned me quite a bit. I did not say anything to anyone at the store but I got my rats and got my kids out of there ASAP. I don't think I will be taking my kids back in there. Anyone think I am overreacting?

I think it depends on the age and maturity of the kids. I would not bring my nephews. They wouldn't be mature enough.

Perhaps the store has a set schedule when hots are handled, and you can avoid it during those times?

i can't advise as to the normalcy of that, since hots are illegal here. But I didn't think twice at Hamburg expo with hots in deli cups.

It's a touchy thing, with children involved. I just don't know.

I don't know of any store owners crazy enough to remove a hot snake from its enclosure during business hours when just anyone can walk in the door; that's a recipe for disaster. A few chairs do not provide an adequate barrier or restraint. Required cleaning and feeding is done after hours when the door is locked.

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

I think it depends on the age and maturity of the kids. I would not bring my nephews. They wouldn't be mature enough.

Perhaps the store has a set schedule when hots are handled, and you can avoid it during those times?

i can't advise as to the normalcy of that, since hots are illegal here. But I didn't think twice at Hamburg expo with hots in deli cups.

It's a touchy thing, with children involved. I just don't know.

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Yeah, these two kids are my youngest at 5 and 6. They definitely move first and think about it later.

I think k it sounds nuts. I have had at least one hot in my collection for the last ten years and have yet to even let my children near any. My room stays locked at all time and the tubs stay closed when children are in the room. I don't even remove the security clamps that keep the tubs from shifting when children are present. You didn't over react at all. There is almost as much eductaional value with the snake secured in its inclosure. The only added value would be letting your littleones see what happens when people ignore nature's alarms and.keep "playing" with the rattle snake. Just my thought. I would have been slightly upset

Seeing a hot in the field is different than in a captive setting in the sense that the snake is free to go the other way to escape. In a closed area that otherwise passive snake is suddenly appearing to be aggressive

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I don't know of any store owners crazy enough to remove a hot snake from its enclosure during business hours when just anyone can walk in the door; that's a recipe for disaster. A few chairs do not provide an adequate barrier or restraint. Required cleaning and feeding is done after hours when the door is locked.

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This is what I thought as well. I was shocked that an owner would allow this during business hours. Maybe he didn't know. I didn't see him in the store that day. They have stuff that is "fast" too. I didn't wait around long enough to see if any of those got taken out.

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Originally Posted by chilliscale

I think k it sounds nuts. I have had at least one hot in my collection for the last ten years and have yet to even let my children near any. My room stays locked at all time and the tubs stay closed when children are in the room. I don't even remove the security clamps that keep the tubs from shifting when children are present. You didn't over react at all. There is almost as much eductaional value with the snake secured in its inclosure. The only added value would be letting your littleones see what happens when people ignore nature's alarms and.keep "playing" with the rattle snake. Just my thought. I would have been slightly upset

Seeing a hot in the field is different than in a captive setting in the sense that the snake is free to go the other way to escape. In a closed area that otherwise passive snake is suddenly appearing to be aggressive

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We often run into things where I live just walking around on the trails. I even have had a coral snake and a couple rattlers find their way inside over the years (these I relocated away from people). I always try to teach the kids that if you don't mess with them, they don't mess with you.

That's the best thing to do. I don't live anywhere where we have hots but we frequently make trips go go field herping and I do the same. In your own home is entirely up to you but in a public place is just foolish. Thanks for sharing your story. 2 of my kids won't even try to catch wild snakes but our youngest girl who is 5 would catch any creapy crawly she sees so education and knowing that all snakes aren't OK to touch is a course every parent should teach

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Do you keep.any hots?

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

This is what I thought as well. I was shocked that an owner would allow this during business hours. Maybe he didn't know. I didn't see him in the store that day. They have stuff that is "fast" too. I didn't wait around long enough to see if any of those got taken out.

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I would have a conversation with the owner. If he wasn't there then the employees may be doing this without his knowledge or consent.

If he has any sense and he didn't know he should poop red building blocks upon hearing the news, as I doubt his business liability insurance will cover that level of stupidity.

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Originally Posted by chilliscale

Do you keep.any hots?

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Not for any real duration of time. I know enough to be able to get one from point A to point B without damage to myself or the animal. Maybe that will change when I retire but a few of my kids are too young right now and then there is the fear that I will be out of town for an extended period of time and there will be no one to take care of any issues that may arise. My wife is not cautious enough to help. She loves the snakes, but has managed to get herself bit by a ball while feeding and forgotten to close tubs. These are just not things you can do with hots.