Don't know if i can post this here or not, But i thought it was intersting

This place is about 45 min from where i live :O

Deadly Viper Missing in Crawford

BUCYRUS -- An African snake whose venom can kill an adult in 15 minutes remained missing Tuesday evening, the Crawford County Sheriff's Department said.

Phil Gallant, 43, of 1940 Brokensword Road in Lyken Township, reported a Gaboon viper was stolen from his home early Monday morning.

The poisonous snake, about 12 inches long and tan and white, was in a small white plastic container.

Bucyrus police searched a South Sandusky Avenue residence Monday, but the snake was not found.

Police said the only bites they know of in the case are from a dog.

Gallant was bitten by a dog Monday morning when he went to the residence to confront a man he believed had taken the snake, police said. Gallant's hands and head were injured and he was treated at Galion Community Hospital. The dog owner was served a confinement notice.

Officer Ralph Grubel said the dog jumped into a fight between Gallant and the man he accused of taking the snake.

Gaboon pit vipers live in the rain forests of Africa. Its venom can be fatal to an adult within 15 minutes, according to the sheriff's department.

On Feb. 7 Gallant was bitten by one of the poisonous snakes he keeps in a climate-controlled building at his home. He was taken to Bucyrus Community Hospital then flown to a Cincinnati hospital where he was treated with antivenin. Gallant has 60 to 70 snakes, most of them nonpoisonous. largest is a 140-pound Burmese python.

Gaboon Viper

http://img204.echo.cx/img204/8529/gaboonviper9se.th.jpg

3' fangs!

Pretty snake though, regardless.

(I'll move this to general herp since e's not a python)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

(I'll move this to general herp since e's not a python)

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Thank You, I was not sure where i would put it...Now i know for future refrences :)

Marvelous snake! One of my favorites in the venemous category. Leave the Gabby alone and it will return the favor :D

Let me get this straight .... 4 months ago this guy gets bitten by one of his pet rhino vipers and now he's lost one of his pet gaboons?? FANTASTIC!!

Makes me proud to call myself a herper and be lumped into the same group with a complete moronic screw-tard like this. NOT!

I can almost see the PETA nut jobs making up posters with this guys picture on it as I type this.

This is exactly the type of person that is going to cause everyone to lose their snakes!!!

If anyone happens to run into Mr. Gallant, give him a nice big loogie in the eye for me! ;)

(ok, so that about uses up all of my outrage for the week! ... smooth sailing for the next couple of days :neener: )

-adam

THUMP <---sound of me shoving Adam off the soapbox to make room for me next

I'm very sorry this man got bit and got a snake stolen, I'm more sorry for the community that has someone in it with snakes with such potential for harm and apparently keeps them in a manner that someone else was able to access and steal one.

I won't assume this keeper is negligent but I think anyone keeping hots or very large species should be responsible to the community in general and set up proper measures to ensure their snakes are secure at all times. This only protects the rights of us all as something like this can get people up in arms and most don't know the difference between a viper and a corn snake.


~~Jo~~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

(ok, so that about uses up all of my outrage for the week! ... smooth sailing for the next couple of days :neener: )

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....I am running low on outrage myself. Ditto on everything Adam said...ha ha...that was easy :) thanks Adam

can one person even take proper care of 70 hots?

Good point, though we'd never consider having hots in our home I would think it would just be common sense to have another person there in case of emergency. I watched a very interesting program on tv about venom harvesting and in that case, they not only had a second person on hand they also put on a badge that identified the type of snake they would be handling and the appropriate anti-venom (each clip on tag was kept on each snake's tub until the snake was to be handled, then the handler clipped it to their shirtfront). Smart idea in case the EMT's need fast info to relay ahead.


~~Jo~~

I live about 15-20 miunutes from Bucyrus.

Dito on what Adam said.. thanks for saving me all that typing Adam.

Unfortunately, it is ppl like this, who are likely not all that responsible, who make thier fellow herpers look bad. I know of several townships in this area that have laws against keeping hots and even boids and other herps and exotics because of things like this that happen when one is not being completely thoughful of thier housing/keeping of different species than you would normally find in a household. Let this serve as a reminder to all out there who do keep herps/exotics that we must be thorough in our keeping practises, even to the point of locking up our collections for not just thier safety, but others who come to our homes/businesses where the animals are kept and the community around us. Just one slip up- and it could ruin it for everyone.

I do not keep any hots, nor do I plan on it because I do not feel I have what it takes to care for a poisonous snake. But I do take all precautions to protect my collection from ppl who come into my house, and I protect those who come into my house from my collection. I say this because, even though I have never been bit by any of my reptiles, it does not mean they will not bite the unsuspecting person/child who comes over. All my enclosures are secured with locks and cannot be entered unless you have the keys.