This has apparently been a very messed up week for the venomous community, losing 3 of our own in just this past week.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Z
Date: Jan 29, 2008 7:16 PM
Subject: another venom keeper dead, canebrake
To: shhs@yahoogroups.com, epou@yahoogroups.com


http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_8111159

Deming snake wrangler dies of rattlesnake bite (5:12 p.m.)
By Kevin Buey/For the Sun-News
Article Launched: 01/29/2008 05:11:31 PM MST

DEMING — James Bear's passion proved fatal.
Bear, 37, died at 11:49 a.m., Tuesday, at El Paso's Thomason Hospital following a bite on his right thumb from a venomous Canebrake Rattlesnake. He was hospitalized Thursday when the bite occured in his home on East Pear Street.
Bear operated Southwest Serpentarium and hoped to open a museum on State Road 549. He reportedly had more than 300 snakes in his home.
"He's had a fascination (with snakes) since he was a child," said his widow, Danielle Bear. "He used to ask his mom for a pet snake when he was a kid and she would never let him have it."
Bear was more than a man interested in snakes.
"He was one of the best guitar players I have ever seen," Danielle said. "He was a painter, a very, very good artist. He was very good at building things. He built all his cages for his snakes.
"He loved hiking, liked being out in nature with the stuff he loved."
Bear was born in Virginia. His father was in the Army and held posts at Fort Bliss, Germany and California.
Danielle and James were together more than 9 1/2 years and would have celebrated their second wedding anniversary in June.
"Snakes are not my favorite thing," Danielle said. "They don't bother me. They
made my husband happy."
Bear's website — southwestserpatarium.com — includes a variety of information, including his interest in snakes.
"For some of us, as children, we don't have the understanding of a parent that will allow you to keep reptiles," he wrote. "My experiences with reptiles was only left to the few encounters in the wild as a youngster. Eventually after leaving the family home I immediately began keeping snakes in my own home. After keeping a few odds and ends native North Carolina species I soon purchased my first snake, a Queensland Carpet python. Open the gates and let the flood begin!! Not long after purchasing that Carpet python did I find myself working for the same store that sold him to me. My beginnings were working in the reptile department of Animal Jungle in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
"After a year of Virginia, I decided to move back to my childhood stomping grounds ... El Paso, Texas. Eventually this would lead me into what would become my passion-species to work with, the Banded Rock Rattlesnake. In a matter of five years we built up a collection of snakes numbering over 340 animals, consisting of boas, pythons, king snakes, milk snakes, rat snakes as well as a few rattlesnakes and European vipers.As most collections do,they go through changes, owners find other interests and part with those not catching their attention any more. Mine eventually led into a large collection of Rock rattlesnakes from many localities, a rather sizable group of European vipers and many forms of boas and pythons as well."
The State Fish and Game Department was expected to investigate this week whether Bear had the appropriate permits for the snakes.
Bear's best friend, Tony Fish, said he hoped the state agency would give him possession of the reptiles, so he could sell them and transfer proceeds to Danielle.
"He was just a blast," Fish said. "He had one of the greatest senses of humor, a practical joker, the best guitar player ... rock "n' roll."
George Lynch, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, Fish said, were among favorites.
"I've known him about 6 years. I met him through reptiles," said Fish, a herpetologist, involved in husbandry and breeding of snakes. He lives in Cyprus, Texas, near Houston.
Kevin Buey writes for the Deming Headlight, a member of the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership. He can be reached at kbuey@demingheadlight.com.




RIP Curt, Don and James
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Anja Buffalo
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptiles Site
Pepper Center

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