Terrible story...

[AjBalls]

http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/...13f084d54.html

This should help feed the hysteria.

At least they didn't shoot it on spot like some otehr story I heard

ummm this story says 10 ft then they say 13 ft what a crock of mess. also look at the size of that snake in the fish tank. no way that snake killed this woman.

You obviously don't know they strength of these snakes. So keep to what you know about.

Try using a bit of compassion.

Horrible thing to happen.

It is. This is why retic keepers suggest you have another person around for at least every 5'-6' of the snake.

If I had a snake that size- whether it's 10ft or 13ft, there's no way I would have been pissing it off with nobody home. I'm sure the injection could have waited until her husband got home.

Not saying that she deserved to die but, responsible pet ownership would have prevented the whole situation.

Yes it would have. And I may sound sexist, but especially a woman.

Perhaps implying that she was not a responsible pet owner is a little more than is necessary right now? How many of us have cut corners not expecting that the worst, most unlikely thing in the world was just around the corner? Slipping up - becoming complacent once too many times - does not make someone irresponsible. Just because her story made national news doesn't mean she should be judged.

Exchanging your life for a mistake in pet care - that's a tall order.

There is no need to play the blame game. We should be offering support to her family and doing whatever damage control to minimize the restrictions put upon us by ignorant law makers who will cite this tragedy as justification.

Our community is one person smaller tonight. I pity us all.

This will not help with the laws that are being proposed. This will give USF&W and all the others opposing snakes an even larger advantage in the reasons to ban large constrictors. Not to mention that more than likely this snake will be put down due to her error.

[92phantom]

And some people wonder why snakes have a bad rep. I read a different headline on reptilegeeks.com and that one said a 13ft tiger retic. It sux because yes it could have been avoided but i have a retic. And some of my family is scared of snakes as it is and this wont help the situation at all. Hopefully they wont put that snake to sleep it wasnt its fault. For one the person should have had someone else their as well as how don't care how docile a snake dog cat whatever animal is i'm a pretty nice guy but u put a needle by me and i'm out the door. its the same for animals. its not like we can tell em oh this is gonna sting for a second. well we can but it wont do much good.

[Colin Vestrand]

I had two retics about 25 years ago. I quickly learned after a few years that without a fellow snake lover to assist me, it was time to donate to my local herp society, for my welfare and the snakes. Love snakes, but no more giant ones for me.

kudos to you, but it's unfortunate that it ever gets to a place like this... i personally hold the breeders responsible for mass producing these things. the last reptile show i was at, there was a guy wholesaling some retics for way too cheap. how common do you think that scenario is? probably way too common for me to stomach... i won't call anyone out by name, but there are some big names in the industry that need to start thinking twice about what they're doing.

[dsirkle]

I see newly hatched giants going for prices hardly above common colubrids at a local show and it makes me wonder how many people buy them without knowing what they are getting into.

[92phantom]

breeders are going to keep going as long as theyre people to buy. When i worked at petco i had a kid come in ask a few questions about a ball-python and left the next week he was back in the store with his mom to purchase the snake. Two weeks later he was trying to return it because the skin had dulled in color and the eyes were turning into their moon phase(shedding of course) And i asked him if he had done any other research after he came to the store he said no. People go to the swaps looking for the meanest badest looking snake to brag to their friends about. everyone wants giant breeds rite now, so that's what we got. Retics, burms ,etc

[Tempest]

10 foot?! Looks like freekin' 6 foot to me, how the hell could a snake that small kill someone?!

[crusher]

so the medical examiner said it was a boa constrictor. and then they cant agree on ONE size for the snake. i do understand that they are pound for pound one of the strongest snakes. then the animal control is all surprised when the snake is striking at him and honestly i cant believe that snake hook was strong enough to pick up that snake.

[snakelover88]

I really hate to hear things like this. But it was an ignorant mistake on her part that unfortunatley cost her her life. Our largest snake right now is our RTB and he is 4.5 feet long. We DO NOT get him out unless another adult is present. It is to risky, don't ever want to take a chance. He is extremely strong but very sweet, but it won't take him much to wrap around our neck and strangle us. I am so sorry for the family for their loss. I hope this is a lesson to other owners and potential owners.

[AjBalls]

10 foot?! Looks like freekin' 6 foot to me, how the hell could a snake that small kill someone?!

You obviously don't know the power of these snakes. So don't comment about them.

[AjBalls]

so the medical examiner said it was a boa constrictor. and then they cant agree on ONE size for the snake. i do understand that they are pound for pound one of the strongest snakes. then the animal control is all surprised when the snake is striking at him and honestly i cant believe that snake hook was strong enough to pick up that snake.

Snake hooks aren't made from cheap plastic.