Wacky co-worker.

So, at work, there's this somewhat new kid. He's a little strange, and people apparently call him "snake." So as curious as I am, I ask him why people call him this. He replies, "I like snakes." So instantly my mood changes and finally i can have a good conversation at work. YAY.

So he tells me he has a python. He said it's around 8 feet long. Burmise i'm sure. I asked him what he keeps it in, and he replies...."my room."

He keeps his 8 foot burm in his room. So I ask him how's the snake alive without heat and such, and he says he has heatlamps all over his room and he uses his room as an incubater. I'm pretty much thinking this kid's nuts by now.

But as this isn't enough, he tells me he has two corn snakes crawling around his room as well, and a water maccosin in a tank in his room.

This kid's crazy enough to do this too. He told me the snake comes up on his bed with him, crawls on top of him and sleeps with him. Nuts...

I'm not too sure what to think of this kid, but thats some weird husbandry right there!

I would have to say that's downright reckless...there is a very good chance that he could get injured, not to mention that he's creating an unsanitary living environment for himself because I'm sure if the snake goes wherever he wants it also poops wherever it wants. Sounds like he needs to earn his nickname by upping his husbandry skills.


Just my two cents.

Jason

Sorry but this sort of thing is why communities end up making snake laws that affect everybody's right to have a snake. Leaving a burmese loose is nuts...no nice polite way to say it. It's wrong for the snake, it's wrong for this kid and if something happens....it hits the news and the community freaks and passes new and more restrictive laws. It tars every snake owner with a bad brush...makes us all look like wierdo's and it just makes me a bit nuts (so sorry about the venting here folks).

The general community doesn't know a Burmese Python from a Royal Python from a cornsnake. There are places where corns are outlawed simply because they are classed in that community as a "constrictor". Good lordy but what can a cornsnake, even an adult one, do to be a danger to the community at large? Responsible snake ownership is about caring for your snake, providing for it properly and being ultimately responsible to the rest of us so we don't suffer for your stupidity! ("your" being used in a general way, not specifically at any poster in this thread)


~~Jo~~

I really hate to say this, but I'd call animal control or whatever you've got and report him. I know that won't be the popular answer, but if he's that reckless, AND he's keeping a water mocassin! not to mention the python, this guy is an accident waiting to happen. I say call animal control NOW before that accident happens, you may save his life, and avoid a lot of negative publicity in the future. Is it even legal to own hots where you live? Does he have a license to keep one? Like I said, I know that won't be the popular answer, but I think its the only responsible one.

I haven't researched it, but I think he told me it was legal to have the mocassin. He told me he caught the thing.

I feel pretty bad for the burm, there's no way his room could be the proper temperatures, not to mention how stressed out it probably is.

Meh, i'm not sure what i'm going to do. The kid's a bit weird if you know what i mean, nothing wrong with his 13th chromosome, but he's just a little strange....

I'd take anything he said with a grain of salt. And the fact that he "caught" it means nothing. I can go out in the hills here and catch rattlesnakes all day long, doesn't mean I can keep them.

Again, I don't know what the laws in your area are, but call A.C. and tell them he's keeping a venomous snake, they'd send someone out for that I'm pretty sure.

That lad sounds a tad strange.
I have heard and seen folks who convert whole rooms into enclosures for very large snakes but they do not live in there with them.
I hope he is a rather large bloak or he may end up dead when that Burm gets over the 10' size. As the snake couldn't eat him he may still strike and constrict on him.

I think I would have to see that before I took to much stock in what he is saying. He could just be running a line of you know what :)

i know it sucks when something comes to your attention and then others tell you to "do something about it" - it's no different than when you find out a kid is being abused... sometimes we don't want to get involved - but we need to.

perhaps you could get yourself an invite to see the situation for yourself?

Recycling goddess, thats what i was thinking. If i can spare some time i might go check it out. I just can't visually make out what his room would even look like...

I just remembered another thing he told me, he said the burm has tried to constrict him a few times accually. He said he was sitting on his bed and all the sudden it wrapped around his neck and he said that it took a while for him to get the snake off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Roundabout136

I just remembered another thing he told me, he said the burm has tried to constrict him a few times accually. He said he was sitting on his bed and all the sudden it wrapped around his neck and he said that it took a while for him to get the snake off.

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You would think the guy would say to himself, "hmm, maybe I should get this guy a cage" at that point...:confused:

It's entirely probable that the kid is just making up stories. It's certainly possible that he's telling the truth, but if I had to make a wager on it, I'd bet that it was nothing more than tales to get attention.

Good point, Judy.

hmmm, the whole constricting his neck thing does lead me to think maybe he is stretching the truth at least a little. generally speaking a captive snake isn't going to just come up and start constricting a human being...

i would go more to the line of thought... if it started constricting... why would it stop?

Yep get an invite over...good plan....why worry too much till you know the real situation. A friendly type visit will get you the real info and then you'll know what the right thing is to do.


~~Jo~~

i know of a few people that keep burms in a room in there house! i know it sounds crazy. but thay has a very nice room with basking spots! but then agin this room is setup to house a snake! i would not sleep in there tho
lol!



i let our big boa out to free roam the house a few hrs @ a time! of course only when i am home! she makes her way around the livving room then goes back to her tank and i put her up! kinda funny becouse she dose the same thing every time!

As I posted at the start of this thread I think he is running a line of bull.
Even think it more so since you posted the whole wrapped around his neck thing.
Try and get an invite and check it out, bet he dodges the whole thought of you coming over. But if in fact you do go and it is true I would wait a bit and turn him in for the animals safety and God knows his own.