Thoughts on Ralph Davis' newest controversial youtube video?

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Originally Posted by loxocemus

more experience than any vet u have ever met? no gloves, sewing needle and sewing thread, poor hygiene, no pain relief of any kind, u really need to find a new vet.

i can see why u would think i have a peta opinion on racks, it just shouts itself from the thread, well it would if u weren't the only person to bring it up.

ed

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I have read all your post, haha and no offense but I think you are being EXTREMELY dramatic.

Gloves are not required. Ralph made it clear that everything was clean and his hands were scrubbed prior to recording beginning. He's done this quite a few times (about once a year). The needle and thread don't matter. A few helper stitches do not need special equipment. Pain meds? Very bad idea for herps. Please do some research on the dangers of anesthesia on reptiles. It is not recommended for a number of reasons.

This is actually a very common practice for bigger breeders. I personally know of more than 3 breeders who do this when needed. I'm positive there are more who won't make it public due to the ignorant people..

Farmers can castrate, brand, de worm, do surgical procedures, and otherwise treat animals outside, in dirty surroundings, with no vet on hand...

Military personnel in the field are not going to wait for a Dr to come put their insides in or to patch up their wound..

Grow some common sense please. Yes these people have way more experience than a vet and more than most herp vets. Herp vets are not going to experience something like this in their daily practice.

The schooling and degrees mean nothing without experience.

If you ever have hundreds of snakes and you have a big breeding facility you will know. Until then, you will have no experience. You will not know why it is unreasonable to have a famous zoo herp vet on call to fly out to you for mucho $$$ just to save a $50 snake when you can do it yourself..

So Ralph, Tim, The Sloan Brothers, Mike C, Markus Jayne...these are all people that I can think of hearing or seeing something about them doing a similar procedure. If I'm not mistaken, all animals involved in the stories I've heard have survived. While I'm no Vet, it's simply common sense that A) These critters are a lot hardier than we give them credit for and do in fact have an immune system that will fight off infection and B) don't feel pain as us humans do. Look at how they'll sit on a heat rock, or sit idly while getting chewed on by a rodent. These bastards are tough and can handle stuff like this.

Also idk about y'all, but there may be a decent reptile vet around here...The only one I've ever been to told me to put UV lights on my bp's and accused me of not wanting to spend the money to properly care for my animal when she was treating a $1500 snake. I'm sorry, but I just don't have the trust in someone who doesn't have a clue on how to even care for one of these animals on a basic level, much less one more advanced. If and when I encounter a problem of this nature, which I'm sure I will at some point, you can bet your bottom that I'll be handling it myself.

/rant

I don't understand the fight?? If anyone else had the little guy he would be a popsicle. I'm glad Ralph took a chance on him.

I don't have a You Tube account so I didn't get to see the actual surgery. All I got to see was the out come a baby :snake: still living so I say great job Ralph Davis!

Big kudos to Ralph for everything he did for that little BP.

Wow... that was a truly amazing video (both the before and after)!! I agree with brokn that he should have worn gloves and I think he possibly should have used a stitch kit as opposed to a regular sewing needle (that needle looked huge!).... but he did what he had to and I'm glad the snake is still alive and well! What worries me is whether this is hereditary and if breeding her will cause deformed babies?? Something I would be interested in knowing but obviously Ralph is a highly highly experienced breeder and wouldn't breed her if he thought she was going to produce imperfect babies! Additionally I think some sort of "don't try this at home" thrown in there would be nice but I'm glad it saved that little girls life for sure!! :)