Interesting Craigslist ad

[littleindiangirl]

I don't understand how behavior DOESN'T influence the decision. Regardless if it is "not a domestic animal", if the man is not willing to risk his life caring for this thing or the two other people he says he needs, what else is he expected to do if he can't rehome it? There is a difference between an agressive ball python and a 250+ lb monster and saying behavior at that size doesn't play a role is ludacris imo.

Don't bother with he shouldn't have got it in the first place. He probably shouldn't, but he obviously felt like he could tame it and had enough experience.

Your still missing my point.

If an animal is aggressive, does that automatically make it chum?


Now, if he were unable to rehome after exhausting all leads, then euthanasia is a viable option because he can no longer or doesnt want to care for it. I don't think the animals behavior is enough to condemn him right off the bat.

[Brimstone111888]

Your still missing my point.

If an animal is aggressive, does that automatically make it chum?


I don't think the animals behavior is enough to condemn him right off the bat.

Not saying its chum, but it is hardly a rare practice to cull aggressive animals (hell we still cull aggressive humans) and the size of the animal definitly plays a roll.

Now, if he were unable to rehome after exhausting all leads, then euthanasia is a viable option because he can no longer or doesnt want to care for it.

Thats what we have been talking about. The guy obivously doesn't want the snake and he can't keep it. To the non euthanasia people what do you suggest he do with it, pending he surprisingly can't find a home for a 22 foot aggressive snake? To me there is only one responsible option.

[ncbloods]

Thats what we have been talking about. The guy obivously doesn't want the snake and he can't keep it. To the non euthanasia people what do you suggest he do with it, pending he surprisingly can't find a home for a 22 foot aggressive snake? To me there is only one responsible option.

Um, he should deal with it. He's an experienced retic keeper and has a subdivided basement. He's already been dealing with it for the better part of a decade. He needs to just deal with it until someone takes it. Someone will eventually take it..... at the end of the day, it's a free breeder size (probably) female.

[ev477]

Um, he should deal with it. He's an experienced retic keeper and has a subdivided basement. He's already been dealing with it for the better part of a decade. He needs to just deal with it until someone takes it. Someone will eventually take it..... at the end of the day, it's a free breeder size (probably) female.

I honestly don't have any idea what i'm talking about, but maybe the snake just needs some lovin'

[FIEND_FO_LYFE]

Hmmmm, Re-read, and came up with this, straight out of this thread...Now, Where were we again? Oh...maybe you should "read a little better" There is more than a single quote...looks more like a half a dozen. Some judging his mentality, or capabilities. Others just being rude. Now you tell me where they've owned any giants, and how many. How many have they raised to the size in question...How many have you?...

and not ONE of these quotes were rude nor mean toward the man.

[bsd13]

Now tell me who the snake bit, other than the owner? Your comparing two completely different scenarios here. The snake isn't wandering the neighborhood biting people out of nowhere.....

If it was would you then be agreeable to euthanize it? How many people would it need to bite? What if they were invited guests in the guys house and the snake bit them? Would it then be ok to put it down? Because that's what they would do to a dog...

The scenarios might be different but the catalyst that effects the decision is the same. We're talking a potentially dangerous animal that can kill someone. Be it dog or snake. The only difference between the two is that a zoo might take a dangerous snake, but they sure the hell wouldn't take a dangerous dog, nor should they.

[littleindiangirl]

So what your saying is, we should treat snakes like dogs and have the same expectations? Sure sounds like your saying that.

Snakes should be in a secure cage, more so dangerous ones. They can't be trained, shouldn't be expected to behave, and should always be given the upmost respect in concerns to them being wild and ultimately unpredictable.

Dogs are trainable and allowed to live with humans. They are expected to behave and not harm anyone. We shower them with affection and truly view them as companions and members of the family.

Do you see the differences?

Utlimately, snakes are not companion animals, aren't "played with" and don't share our living space as their home like domestic animals. The animals behavior can be dealt with by the experienced people qualified and willing to do so.

No, this animal is NOT for everyone, so why should we expect to judge it as such? it's not a dog, it's not allowed to roam with us, it's not being let loose. Where does the aggressive behavior of the snake REALLY come into play?

Whoever takes on the snake will know full well what to expect, and more than likely know how to handle it. This snake sounds to me like any wild caught large specimen. Yet, someone managed to "deal" with them now didn't they?

[ZinniaZ]

I think the point is though-- what is the definition of aggressive? Is a snake aggressive if it has a strong feeding response and nails a person? Is a dog aggressive if it defends its food and bites a person? We define aggressive as 'humans getting hurt'. Well, very often humans get hurt through mishandling and through ignorance of the nature of the animal. That does NOT mean the animal is behaving in an aberrant way. It means the human needs to be smarter.

So, it is not sufficient to say "Is the snake aggressive? Then he shoudl be culled." There are a lot of factors. Could the snake behave differently in different circumstances? Maybe. We don't know. Is the snake's behavior unusual for the species? Is there a way to handle him in a way that is safe for humans?

See, I think euthanizing IS responsible for dogs, cats, horses, and snakes if the owner exhausts the effort to care for and find a suitable home. But I really hate when people label any animal as aggressive or put human values on an animal's behavior when that behavior is part of what that animal IS.

[bsd13]

So what your saying is, we should treat snakes like dogs and have the same expectations? Sure sounds like your saying that.

Snakes should be in a secure cage, more so dangerous ones. They can't be trained, shouldn't be expected to behave, and should always be given the upmost respect in concerns to them being wild and ultimately unpredictable.

Dogs are trainable and allowed to live with humans. They are expected to behave and not harm anyone. We shower them with affection and truly view them as companions and members of the family.

Do you see the differences?

Utlimately, snakes are not companion animals, aren't "played with" and don't share our living space as their home like domestic animals. The animals behavior can be dealt with by the experienced people qualified and willing to do so.

No, this animal is NOT for everyone, so why should we expect to judge it as such? it's not a dog, it's not allowed to roam with us, it's not being let loose. Where does the aggressive behavior of the snake REALLY come into play?

Whoever takes on the snake will know full well what to expect, and more than likely know how to handle it. This snake sounds to me like any wild caught large specimen. Yet, someone managed to "deal" with them now didn't they?

An animal is an animal is an animal. It doesn't matter what kind of animal it is. When it is a danger to PEOPLE not other animals, not itself, not plants but to PEOPLE then it needs to be put down. Period. There is absolutely NO room for discussion or debate on the matter. Don't agree? Then tell me why when there's any type of an animal that is known to show ANY kind of aggression towards humans animal control shows up and kills it. They don't stun it, they don't tranq it. They don't scare it off. They kill it.

I have tried since it was a baby to calm it down and it is just never going to happen.

There goes the idea of a large wild-caught specimen. It is an animal that simply isn't going to be domesticated. You can't take a risk with it. Put it down and move on. That's the only sane option. The guy who posted the ad clearly sounds like he knows what he was doing EXCEPT for the fact that he's trying to find it a home on Craig's List.

And I don't know where you get this idea that dogs are expected not to harm anyone. They are still wild animals. It's buried, but set them loose away from people and watch how long it takes them to turn into beasts. Not long at all.

[bsd13]

I think the point is though-- what is the definition of aggressive? Is a snake aggressive if it has a strong feeding response and nails a person? Is a dog aggressive if it defends its food and bites a person? We define aggressive as 'humans getting hurt'. Well, very often humans get hurt through mishandling and through ignorance of the nature of the animal. That does NOT mean the animal is behaving in an aberrant way. It means the human needs to be smarter.

So, it is not sufficient to say "Is the snake aggressive? Then he shoudl be culled." There are a lot of factors. Could the snake behave differently in different circumstances? Maybe. We don't know. Is the snake's behavior unusual for the species? Is there a way to handle him in a way that is safe for humans?

See, I think euthanizing IS responsible for dogs, cats, horses, and snakes if the owner exhausts the effort to care for and find a suitable home. But I really hate when people label any animal as aggressive or put human values on an animal's behavior when that behavior is part of what that animal IS.

When you start advertising your large aggressive reticulated python on Craig's List I'd say you've probably exhausted all efforts to find it a suitable home.

You're right, animals are aggressive. That's why they are animals. That's not even the issue. I've dealt with lots of aggressive animals, but there comes a point and time when you have to honestly say not only is the animal aggressive, but it is also dangerous to human life.