Carl,

Those are quite reasonable, and responsibly worded notes and questions you pose.

I do not know, what the standard procedures are, in an established zoo, for what they do, if they have to send their anti-venom supply to help a member of the public out.

I tend to doubt, that zoos would only keep enough on hand for a single bite to one of their keepers. It's quite likely, in a snakebite emergency, that another keeper may have to step in and assume control of the snake, plus assure the extrication of the bitten individual, from the area the snake's in.

This means... one gets bit... Now another has to intervene and place themselves at some risk for a bite.

So... I'm sure a wise safety officer at a zoo, would insist upon keeping enough anti-venom to meet not just one bite, but perhaps two or three, depending on the snake in question.

Remembering too, the limited shelf life of anti-venom... even crystalized... (2-3 years is a figure I've been quoted)

Remembering THAT... it's would seem to me, as if they'd keep extra, newer AV in stock... (Say, vials that expire next year... and vials that expire two years from now... in order to keep a good stock rotation going, so that they're never without useful AV for a species they handle)

**********

Onto the subject of why people keep hot snakes...

There've been some good articles posted on this subject at many of the popular herp sites.

In short... they add up to..."There's many reasons why... and if you ask any 10 people why they do it... you're very liable to get at least 10 different answers."

I will not question the motives of people, nor deny them the privilege (I say it again, PRIVILEGE, not RIGHT) to keep hot snakes IF they're willing to train for the responsibility, CONTINUE their training under COMPETANT instruction, and they do so in a manner that is safe as possible, for them, the snake, and the public.

Most GOOD hot keepers... have a specially designated snake room, that they have gone over with a fine tooth comb, to assure if a snake gets out of the cage it's in... that it CAN NOT get out of the room without someone holding the door wide open for it.

Most GOOD hot keepers... AVOID freehandling (Putting their grubby hands on or NEAR) their hot snakes as MUCH as is possible.

Most GOOD hot keepers... use the adjoining cage/tunnel concept, so that they can just shift the snake, without removing it from the cage, from one closed off section, to the other closed off section... to enable them to clean the cage worry free. Clean the left side, while the snake's in the right enclosure... then, open the enclosure and coax the snake into the left... close it again... and clean the right one.

WISE hot keepers... NEVER trust their snake not to bite them. NEVER... ALL snakes BITE... that's a fact that wise hot keepers always keep in mind.

Most GOOD hot keepers... EXPECT there may be an emergency some day, and have planned ahead WELL in advance, for everything from a bite, a loose snake, a fire or other emergency that could CAUSE the snakes to be let loose, etc. And they have sound procedures to deal with these possible events, and they follow them immediately and sure handedly when the emergencies DO crop up.

ALL GOOD hot keepers... realize... 1.) their responsibility to the snake 2.) their responsibility to the public 3.) and their responsibility to themselves.

Personally... I think it's HIGH TIME that hot keepers put together some sound and responsible proposals... to offer the politicians.

Such as...

1.) A permit/licensing procedure, that one... establishes a law permitting the keeping of snakes, even hot ones. Two... The training required to do so. Three, Construction standards for snake rooms and cages, that promotes safety, the welfare of the snake, and assures that the snake WILL NOT escape.

2.) This same law, would establish penalties for keeping snakes without proper training, or in unsafe conditions, whether the conditions are unsafe to keeper, public, or the snake.

3.) This same law, would also require, that fire, EMS, and police/disaster service departments having a practicing hot keeper in its jurisdiction, are notified, permitted to inspect for public safety, and cooperated with on the subject of 'preplanning' for a possible snake emergency. (Fire/Police/EMS types, would probably LOVE to know about a snake keeping operation in a private dwelling... especially if they're rolling up on an emergency there. They HATE surprises... especially ones that they haven't had time to train for, because they didn't KNOW they SHOULD'VE trained for em)

I figure it this way folks... if hot-keepers don't get AHEAD of these issues, BEFORE the public outcry to ban hot-keeping starts... Then there WILL come a day, when the only hots you'll see, are in zoos.

So it's in the best interests of hot-keepers to not only police their own ranks, but to advise our political leaders WELL on adopting a standard that satisfies 'public safety', 'snake welfare' and 'keeper concerns', and then assure that RESPONSIBLE legislation is passed, that protects the snakes, and the keepers, and the public.

That's the only hope I see, for hot-keepers to retain their privilage of holding poisonous reptiles in their personal captivity.

Nobody has a RIGHT to keep a wild animal...

Everyone can enjoy the PRIVILAGE if that's what they want to do, and IF they're willing to undertake the training and education, to responsibly keep these animals safely and careingly.

Where I live, right now, there's a city next door to us, and... the powers that be in THAT city, have absolutely BANNED the keeping of MANY animals, including snakes, poisonous or otherwise.

If the public and politicians are not sensibly educated on the subject, and if herp-keepers FAIL to get with the politicians to set reasonable standards or training, care, and safety for the snake-keeping community...

Then heavy handed, ill-advised, overbearing laws, are what we're going to wind up with. This shouldn't be permitted to happen.

So.. snake-keepers... it's up to YOU... to ensure high but reasonable standards are adopted and enforced in training and safety, BEFORE the politicians decide to solve the issue by prohibiting snake-keeping altogether.

Take care,
Paul

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