Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey dudes,

A teacher of mine is abusing his herps, but particaularily his burm. He has this beautiful 16 foot long animal cooped up in a 4 FOOT LONG CAGE THAT IS ONLY TWO FEET DEEP AND JUST AS TALL!!!!!The snake has nothing to hide under at all either! HE does not make any attempts to increase humdity to help it shed. It is given weak heating ONLY DURING THE DAY!!!In the classroom at night it drops to FREEZING!!!BURMS ARE TROPICAL!! The only heat given to him is through a 75 watt bulb during the day. The bubl is inside the cage and the snake has gotten many minor burns over the years.

HE also lets the snake free roam during class time! This is a very unsafe technique that both the snake and the students could get hurt! He constantly assures the class that it is totally harmless and well trianed. What he doesn't seem to understand is that NO reptile is EVER really TAME, they are just calm and some what adjusted to handling.

As for feeding i am un aware of how much he feeds his snake. My teacher doesn't even no the SEX OF HIS BELOVED SNAKE!

How can i approach him and explain the errors in his ways?
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eric

First tell him hes a fool. I hate teachers like that. They think they know everything. First off I do not know how the school admin would feel knowing a snake that size is free roaming.
And then say hey dude I am taking this from you unless you give it a better home.
A tranined snake, hahahahhaa. Now I am just mad.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda

A student telling a teacher that h/she is a fool is just plain stupid....disrespectful, unprofessional and a good way to get yourself expelled. That also won't yield the result you are looking for. Since I deal with many schools as a result of my curatorial role in running a well known wildlife facility, here's what I would recommend:

1) First, approach your teacher respectfully and type out a list of concerns that you have. See what type of response you get (it probably won't be good but its part of the process). Some teachers are open to recommendations; especially if it comes from knowledgeable people. If changes are not made, and they probably won't,

2) Have your parents address the concerns with the Principal AND Superintendent of the school district. If possible, try to take some pictures of the conditions that the snake is living in. This will usually take care of the situation due to real litigation concerns.

3) Get your local herp society involved....have them write a letter on your behalf expressing their concerns and giving some ideas on the proper way to care for this animal.

4) If you want, give me the name of your principal (correct spelling), and, mailing address and I would be happy to write a letter since I deal with many schools and help them to set up their herps properly.

Just be very tactful on how you handle this, don't get defensive, and just use the system to get the desired results. Like Rottenweiler said, I can't imagine that the school administrators would be too happy knowing that a 16' burm is allowed to roam loose in the room with students around; nice lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>First tell him hes a fool. I hate teachers like that. They think they know everything. First off I do not know how the school admin would feel knowing a snake that size is free roaming.
>>And then say hey dude I am taking this from you unless you give it a better home.
>>A tranined snake, hahahahhaa. Now I am just mad.
>>-----
>>0.2 Rotts
>>1.0 Super Tiger
>>0.1 Green Burm
>>0.1 Ball Python
>>0.1 Red Tail
>>0.1 Blood Python
>>1.0 Green Ananconda
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I have confronted him a few times about how he cares for his animals and he refuses to belive me because i have no snake experience. He is correct on that, BUT i do know the simple necestities of what a burmese python needs.

As for the administrators, they dont care about the snake roaming the classroom as long as it doesnt hurt a student! This teacher is also one of the districts best biology teachers.

Here is the email address to the principal, dont mention me in it please...
Principals email

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eric

Although I always leave it out there and say things that get me in trouble, you must be tactful first.

I would go with Rob on this one and I bet after you take some pics, that snake will be gone.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda

Here in Connecticut where I do a lot of education enrichment shows with my herps, most districts have to have my bringing animals in cleared through the Health Dept.
As a former educator, I can't imagine a principal having the attitude of, " as long as it does'nt hurt anyone".
Because if it does, chances are he's out of a job, and the school district is out of a whole lot of money.
Before I approach the teacher or principal myself, I would voice my concerns to an adult. A parent preferably.
Let them bring the concerns to the school. Their voice will be heard better.
I've also read your other posts. Abusing the box turtles, and abusing the corn snakes.
If this is the best biology teacher, I'd change schools.
Quite honestly, if the abuse is that bad, a call to animal control may be in order.

He can definately teach the materail well, BUT he doesnt really know what is best for the animals. He knows how they funtction internaly, but as for proper husbandry he is confused. Last year he was a great teacher and i always got A's in his class( i had him last year not present), but his anuimals are very maltreated. I visit them after school because i love herps. I clean out cages too for him and try to make small talk about how he keeps his animals. He is ignorant to the fact that he is incorrect.

The school would be at a HUGE loss if he left. Kids love his class due to his funny jokes, interesting animals, and his teaching approach. If the snake did bite a kid, the district would be screwed over! California is in a huge budget deficit. Schools barely have enough supplies to teach! I dont how he gets away with allowing a snake to free roam DURING class. Our principal has walked in and seen the snake loose and he walks over and pets it on the head!

None of the students have been properly educated on how to appraoch such a powerful animal at all. Kids constantly poke and prod the snake. Something terrible is bound to happen soon! The link that i gave to email the principal is incorrect so dont try it.

After my dad saw the condition the animals were kept in he has decided to talk to my teacher. I showed my dad the animals after school and he was shocked. He plans on talking with someone as soon as he can. My dad has kept iguanas, frogs, and many snakes growing up; including a large boa constrictor. He is aware of herps needs so i hope he will be able to convince somebody that thos animals need help.

P.S. Why was my corn snake post removed?
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eric

One other thing I might suggest if you feel like doing a little leg work:

Go to the school library or if necessary the local university library. Find every book you can that lists the proper temps for burms (or pythons in general). Photocopy the cover of the book and the relevant pages. Highlite the temps, all the Phd's and DVM's after the authors names and especially any info about the respiratory problems that burms are prone to. Make one copy for the teacher and one for the principal. Maybe that will make an impression without really being confrontational.

Where do you live? Here in Florida the State Wildlife authority has regulations stating you must provide proper heating for reptiles. Mybe you have local laws or regulations you could also include.

Also, while I personally don't have the kind of credentials that some here do, I volunteer at a wildlife refuge that takes in burms all the time, many of which have respiratory infections. If you think he'll care, email me and I'll give you my phone number and you can have him call me. I'll be happy to tell him all about my $600 vet bills for treating my burms that never recovered, all because the dealer I got one of them from had a power outage on a cold night...in MIAMI!

Look up your local regulations, california should have something to go from on exotic animals - burms of less than 12' have killed people. Many cities and states have permit laws regulating the keeping of large constrictors, let alone keeping an exotic in a public atmosphere where many people have uncontrolled contact with the animal. Burms are great, but an attack on a kid in school is what leads to bad legislation against herp keepers. Not saying it'll happen, but animals are animals.

I plan on getting him some books maybe. He is really destryoing a beautiful animal. I am also in the process of checking our regulations on animal abuse. Im not saying he shouldnt keep the animal, im saying there needs to be a DURASTIC change in his husbandry!

He is also abusing his balls, corns, rosies, gopher, and milksnake too. The only things he properly cares for is his clawed frogs!

P.S. For some reson my corn ansd balls snake posts have been removed...WHY?
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eric

If you post the same relative post in more than 4 forums, by the kingsnake.com Terms of Service they consider it "spam" and then they delete however many that surpass 4 forums.

Hope that helps,

Chris

>>I plan on getting him some books maybe. He is really destryoing a beautiful animal. I am also in the process of checking our regulations on animal abuse. Im not saying he shouldnt keep the animal, im saying there needs to be a DURASTIC change in his husbandry!
>>
>>He is also abusing his balls, corns, rosies, gopher, and milksnake too. The only things he properly cares for is his clawed frogs!
>>
>>P.S. For some reson my corn ansd balls snake posts have been removed...WHY?
>>-----
>>eric
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U.A.P.P.E.A.L.
Uniting A Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League
www.uappeal.org