BP's and newborn human safety...

[jsharpie77]

Hi All -

I just had a baby (human), and all of the grandparents are just certain that my ball pythons are a danger to him.

I have them in a rack system in a separate room from the nursery. I only have 10 ball pythons and nothing else as far as snakes go. A couple of the females are up to 3000 grams, so they are on the large side for ball pythons, but I still don't believe they will cause any problems.

I tried my best to find on google any incidents where a ball python caused harm to a human baby, and I've seen nothing. If I were concerned that my baby was in harm's way, I would get rid of them no problem, but I think with just a tiny bit of common sense they are fine.

Does anybody have any documented information either for or against having ball pythons in the same house as a newborn baby? I need some concrete evidence that will convince the grandparents that I haven't lost my senses. I've told them that if they can find even one instance of a ball python mixing it up with a kid, I will get rid of them. If there has been an incident, I would like to know before they find out!

Thanks!

Jeff

[55Ballin]

This may be a little over the top, but here ya go.

YouTube - Kid Rides Giant Python

[Emohooker]

The only issue I would see the slight possiblity of salmonella. but I mean unless its a 5kg ball then I dont think you would have any problems as long as they are in different rooms, and you wash your hands

[55Ballin]

The only issue I would see the slight possiblity of salmonella. but I mean unless its a 5kg ball then I dont think you would have any problems as long as they are in different rooms, and you wash your hands

The eggs we eat carry salmonella before their cooked and you or you wife probably handles those just as much (if not more) as you handle your snakes.

[55Ballin]

I did a quick look about and I could only find one incident with a pet snake (8.5' Burmese Python) and a child and it was a result of the snakes enclosure not only a lock, but a cover.
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-w...rged-together/

Furthermore, I found another site where in April and May of this year alone, there were 11 children injured and 1 child killed by dogs. How many grandparents are concerned about dogs in the house?
http://www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org/attacks.html

[jsharpie77]

i have other reptiles that can potentially carry bad stuff for any human, so we are extremely good about washing our hands after handling any of the reptiles.

i don't think i will show the video to my folks, haha. i'm trying to get it through their heads that ball pythons do not get big. thanks for the responses!!!!

[WingedWolfPsion]

There's never been such an incident, so there's nothing documented.

I imagine that you wouldn't want to subject a newborn to a 3000 gram python's accidental feeding bite, but that really isn't going to happen, is it? lol

Put a latch and padlock on the door to the snake room. You'll need one anyhow, to keep the baby out once it's a toddler. If you get into that habit now, you'll be unlikely to forget it when the little one is wandering around. You, the baby (and the snakes) can rest safely.

I'm a parent as well, and I was more concerned about what the baby would do to the snakes than what the snakes would do to the baby--the latter have quite a grip on them.

[jsharpie77]

I did a quick look about and I could only find one incident with a pet snake (8.5' Burmese Python) and a child and it was a result of the snakes enclosure not only a lock, but a cover.
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-w...rged-together/

Furthermore, I found another site where in April and May of this year alone, there were 11 children injured and 1 child killed by dogs. How many grandparents are concerned about dogs in the house?
http://www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org/attacks.html

the story about the burmese python is exactly what is fueling their fears. i'm trying to convince them that ball pythons aren't burmese pythons. i personally don't have big snakes but i'm not against having them around kids if the person really knows what they are doing. i wouldn't trust myself, but i have friends who have done it for years without incident.

this guy from Florida who didn't even properly enclose the snake probably wasn't feeding it enough either. i'm sure he did a couple things wrong...not to pick on him...i'm sure he is paying for his mistakes dearly.

interesting about the dogs...thanks again.

[jsharpie77]

There's never been such an incident, so there's nothing documented.

I imagine that you wouldn't want to subject a newborn to a 3000 gram python's accidental feeding bite, but that really isn't going to happen, is it? lol

Put a latch and padlock on the door to the snake room. You'll need one anyhow, to keep the baby out once it's a toddler. If you get into that habit now, you'll be unlikely to forget it when the little one is wandering around. You, the baby (and the snakes) can rest safely.

ya, i don't think i'll have him around for feeding time so we should be fine there, haha. i've got a lock on the door already because i have a weimaraner that can open doors. thanks, everyone. any further information that i could show the grandparents would be great.

[rabernet]

the story about the burmese python is exactly what is fueling their fears. i'm trying to convince them that ball pythons aren't burmese pythons. i personally don't have big snakes but i'm not against having them around kids if the person really knows what they are doing. i wouldn't trust myself, but i have friends who have done it for years without incident.

this guy from Florida who didn't even properly enclose the snake probably wasn't feeding it enough either. i'm sure he did a couple things wrong...not to pick on him...i'm sure he is paying for his mistakes dearly.

interesting about the dogs...thanks again.

The couple in Fl are being investigated on charges of homicide from what I've heard, and that the burm was a "cover". Of course, that doesn't promote the anti-snake agenda, so that's not reported.

I don't believe for one moment that the burm was the cause of that little girl's death.