BP's and newborn human safety...

[wolfy-hound]

You could also make the racks into locking racks, then have the lock on the door. Not because I think they're necasary, but to soothe their minds about the snakes staying locked up.

You could also do something really dumb like put a piece of rope across the threshold of the snake room door, and tell them the old wive's tale about snakes not crossing ropes. It's not true, but whatever makes them feel better.

And it's true, the family dog kills more people in a single year than have been killed by ALL pythons in the US in 30 years. So baby is safe.

[WingedWolfPsion]

It's actually pretty unlikely that the burmese python did what it was accused of. It was only 8.5 feet long and emaciated, and the child was like 2 years old! There was an abusive boyfriend on drugs in the household.
Police weren't permitted inside until they got a warrant. You do the math on that one.

[jsharpie77]

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.

wow. i've read quite a bit about it, but have never ran across that idea...that sucks.

[seeya205]

I have a 10 month old son who never has seen my snakes yet! My snake room is in the basement so their is no chance of him going down there! My Mom does not like snakes but has never said anything about them killing the baby! I don't think you can ever change their minds. They are set in their ways! You need to ignore the In Laws! If they are anything like mine, they are crazy! LOL!

[55Ballin]

wow. i've read quite a bit about it, but have never ran across that idea...that sucks.

The family was being investigated for drug use when a social service worker documented the cage with out a top or secure lock so I would say it could go either way. The family was obviously careless and neglectful and deserve what's coming to them even if there was no intentional act being covered up. The world of herp lovers, however, does not deserve to take the rap for these people's carelessness and unfortunately it is only going to tarnish the image that your family sees.

[Rorschach]

Did you catch this on the bottom of the article?


"Pledge not to buy exotic animals"


So lame

Exotic animals can be alluring. Sugar gliders have big, adorable eyes and tigers and snakes are tantalizingly dangerous.

But the exotic animal industry takes wild animals from their natural environments and trying to domesticate an exotic animal can be dangerous for both animal and human.

Exotic animals need special care -- like specific diets, a controlled climate, and miles to roam -- that few households can give. When people realize they can't properly care for their exotic pet, they sometimes release the pet into an unnatural habitat, endangering neighbors and the animal.

These wild animals can carry diseases like herpes and hepatitis A. In some tragic incidents, these "pets" have directly harmed their owners, like the recent case of a Florida toddler killed by her family's python.

Wild animals belong in the wild. For humans and animals, pledge not to support the exotic pet industry and not to buy exotic pets.

EDIT: Also, I didn't know I could catch herpes from an exotic pet

[eightleggedfreak]

I know the feeling. My roommate is going through a nasty custody battle with his ex over their daughter, and she's trying to use my snakes against him in court. So he goes before this mediator two weeks ago and this lady says "I don't have any problem with snakes but I don't like this boa constrictor because they constrict." I'm glad I wasn't there because I probably would have lost it. Just like Ball Pythons I can't find a single incident of a human being killed by a BCI. Every incident since 1990 has involved Burms, Retics, or African Rocks.
And on top of that all my snakes are in a separate locked room! People who fear snakes just hear the word boa or python and think baby killer.

[eightleggedfreak]

Did you catch this on the bottom of the article?


"Pledge not to buy exotic animals"


So lame

Exotic animals can be alluring. Sugar gliders have big, adorable eyes and tigers and snakes are tantalizingly dangerous.

But the exotic animal industry takes wild animals from their natural environments and trying to domesticate an exotic animal can be dangerous for both animal and human.

Exotic animals need special care -- like specific diets, a controlled climate, and miles to roam -- that few households can give. When people realize they can't properly care for their exotic pet, they sometimes release the pet into an unnatural habitat, endangering neighbors and the animal.

These wild animals can carry diseases like herpes and hepatitis A. In some tragic incidents, these "pets" have directly harmed their owners, like the recent case of a Florida toddler killed by her family's python.

Wild animals belong in the wild. For humans and animals, pledge not to support the exotic pet industry and not to buy exotic pets.

EDIT: Also, I didn't know I could catch herpes from an exotic pet

Humane Society propaganda. Check out their site, that sort of anti-reptile rhetoric is all over it. I saw this show about reptiles on Animal Planet a few weeks ago and they had a rep from this group called the "Captive Wild Animal Protection Campaign", which basically believes that the keeping of all wild animals as pets should be outlawed, and they went as far as to characterize reptile keepers as hoarders.

[Mephys]

I would agree that there is more dogs sending kids in the hospital everyday and I have never heard of a BP hurting a human.

I work for a vet and I see at least 1 case of children bit by a dog in the face every month where we need to euthanize the dog, if not more.

[blackcrystal22]

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

Please don't bring issues about Burmese Pythons into a thread about potential dangers of Ball Pythons. They are two completely different things and should not be related due to risk of confusion.

There has not been a case of a ball python killing a human being.