Animal Planet - Promoting snake abuse?

The conditions can't have been ideal for all the animals, but I think they did make an effort, and people are right, the fact that he sat in there with 100 snakes including venomous ones and large constrictors and came out of there unscratched is good publicity for the community. That's what this community needs, especially right now.

Okay, so they were fed. That makes me feel a little better. Did they get any water?

However, so what it was climate controlled? So...you guys think it's okay to put a green tree python, an African Rock python, a green mamba, a Gaboon viper, and a rattlesnake all in the same climate/humidity for ten days? So many people on here get all upset because some people take their snakes to pet stores, saying it stresses the snake out too much. How about dumping a snake in a completely new environment (probably not the right environment) for ten days? What would you people say if someone on here put their ball python in an 80-degree tank with 80% humidity for ten days? I'm not saying this is exactly what the temp/humidity were, but there is no way they could climate control different areas of a one-room glass box to fit the needs of all of those snakes.

And I'm sorry, but this is not the way to educate people about snakes. It smacks of publicity stunt and "look how macho I am." What did that teach people? Yes, it might teach people that snakes don't come after people on purpose and they won't just attack without provocation, which is a good thing, but I don't think we need to be teaching people that venomous snakes are "not dangerous." They are quite dangerous. The vast majority of rattlesnake bites out here are from people harassing the snakes and generally being stupid around them. If you treat them with respect and don't threaten them, yes, they're fine to be around. But in one of the videos, he grabbed a Gaboon viper by the tail. This is a huge NO-NO for handling venomous snakes!! Quite frankly, it's stupid. What is that teaching people? And this guy claims to be a herpetologist...and yet he doesn't know that grabbing a venomous snake by the tail is dumb?

No, there are much better ways to teach people about snakes than to pull a publicity stunt just to make yourself look like a macho man.

And like I said, I will try to either get some paperwork from the vet showing the snake's condition, where the snake came from, what happened to the others, etc. I can't guarantee it, of course, but I think it's just as important what happened to the snakes afterward as during the show.

I don't like this stunt at all. I doubt very many people walked away thinking that snakes weren't so bad after all. This guy was going for the shock value to get people's attention and get them to watch his show. That's it. This is not a responsible way to act around venomous snakes. I have seen and participated in venomous reptile demonstrations (put on by professional organizations and zoos) and it is great to show people how snakes aren't out to kill people and what amazing and interesting creatures they are, but you also have to emphasize that they should be treated with respect, handled safely by professionals only, and given their distance. Tailing venomous snakes is very much frowned upon by all professional venomous reptile handlers. It is dangerous and sets a bad example. You get people to respect theses animals by talking about their unique biology and behaviors, and exhibiting them in controlled, calm, and safe conditions.

Also, no matter what, it is never healthy to put that many different species of snakes in one room. They are from all different parts of the world and carry different pathogens which could be transferred among them. These days in zoos snakes must be quarantined for at least several months before they are even allowed in the same room with other species, and then you must wash your hands and clean your instruments between all animals – they should never be directly exposed to one another. Also, many zoos test snakes for dangerous viral infections serologically before releasing them from quarantine. These sorts of practices put the snakes’ health first. Also, all these snakes have different temperature and humidity requirements and there is no way they could have met that for all of them.

I agree that this was a stressful environment for the snakes and if your goal is to make people less fearful and more respectful of snakes, I can think of a thousand better ways to do it. The snakes best interest was not in mind, the guy cares about his show and wants people to watch his show.

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Originally Posted by Aeries

The conditions can't have been ideal for all the animals, but I think they did make an effort, and people are right, the fact that he sat in there with 100 snakes including venomous ones and large constrictors and came out of there unscratched is good publicity for the community. That's what this community needs, especially right now.

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Yes Aeries, but there are better ways to do it where the snakes are put first! Many zoos have reptile demonstrations to educate the public that snakes are not evil animals and they do it while keeping the snakes in happy, pristine condition. Why should we be willing to compromise the snakes' health when there are win/win ways to educate and give the snakes the best care possible. There are alternatives to shock value!

if there are better ways to do it and its so easy then go out and do something. hes doing more for our community than a lot of people on here are so stop complaning. and yes the snakes did get water. they show them soaking the snakes and vets checking them out. they condensed 10 days into a one hour episode. so how much care and cleaning and exams do u think they cut out. prolly a lot. oh ya, and also did u see them eating. it looks like the snakes were ready for food to me. and did u see the rooms with the racks. those snakes looked pretty comfy

your quick on the guns tiger did you not watch the show he pulled a few snakes out of black boxed hides that where around the room so there was hides available for the snakes i told you that they mailed all the snakes to me and i choped em up and ate them would you believe me

[QUOTE=Chocolate1;1283045] This guy was going for the shock value to get people's attention and get them to watch his show. That's it. QUOTE]

Of course he is going for the shock value. Its TV they have to get that shock value in there in order to make people watch. How many people do you think would have watched that show if he would have locked himself in a room with 4 rattle snakes who were curled up in the corner and never moved. NONE. Sure he handled the snakes in a dangerous manner and sure the temp was probably not right for each and every snake there, but again how many people would have watched a 3 hour show of some guy standing there with a viper on the end of a snake hook telling us how dangerous they were. once again NONE.

They really do have to use the shock value to lure people in and then I think he did a pretty good job of telling people the truth about them. that you need to respect them and keep your distance, but these animals are NOT out to kill you.

Wow, I am very surprised that anyone on this site would be against what Donald Schultz tried to and did accomplish during that program. He goes through great lengths to bring attention to reptiles in a good way, and gets samples of venom from numerous animals, not just snakes for hospital and pharmaceutical research. All 100 snakes were accounted for and had plenty of areas to hide for the time of the program. Someone with the background he has, would never put himself in a situation where he is locked up with pissed off animals for that long.

I agree he might not have gone about this in the best way, but all things considered, he did the best job he could given the circumstances.

Yes it was shock value, this is after all television, but I have watched this show several times, and he did quite a bit of good as well. Granted the conditions might not have been ideal, but how many snakes are kept as pets in much worse conditions for months or even years?

This was, plain and simple, a way to grab peoples attention and prove snakes aren't maneaters. General media have people believing being in the same zip code with a snake means death. This guy proved you can be in close quarters with way more snake than most people will ever see in a lifetime, and nothing happens.

People are much more likely to watch a show featuring some lunatic locked in a box with 100 snakes than they are some boring documentary on how harmless snakes are. And if even a few people come away from it thinking that maybe snakes aren't so bad after all, that's more than mainstream media ever accomplished.

Gale

We watched or endured it and really did not find it entertaining or educational..We're also not real impressed by the newbie host either..
Maybe one day there will be real compassion and education on TV but it wasn't there..IMO..