Reptile & Amphibian Forums

They reported this as a boa constrictor!
http://cbs5.com/watercooler/local_story_351230856.html

I thought WOW that has to be one big boa. I have heard of them getting that size but I can't say I've seen 14ft boa's in person. But my father in law said the report on XM radio said it was not a boa but a retic. I really hate the fact that some one with the same lack of herp knowlege will use this story as a arguement against those of us who are responsible owners. I never and I mean never handle my 14ft burm with out someone else helping and a bottle of everclear (some crazy proof rating) handy in case she does decide to have a 300lb meal. LOL!

I am in Columbus, Ohio and I have a friend who lives in Cincinnati where the incident occurred. The snake was a Burmese, not a retic or Boa.

Chris

>>They reported this as a boa constrictor!
>>http://cbs5.com/watercooler/local_story_351230856.html
>>
>>I thought WOW that has to be one big boa. I have heard of them getting that size but I can't say I've seen 14ft boa's in person. But my father in law said the report on XM radio said it was not a boa but a retic. I really hate the fact that some one with the same lack of herp knowlege will use this story as a arguement against those of us who are responsible owners. I never and I mean never handle my 14ft burm with out someone else helping and a bottle of everclear (some crazy proof rating) handy in case she does decide to have a 300lb meal. LOL!
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My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

Everclear, that really works? Does it hurt the animal in the long run?

Thanks, Derek

That's OK, the first story I saw said it was 13 foot BALL PYTHON! Now, I'd drive to Ohio just to see that...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

The everclear thing does work! I have used it on smaller snakes. It irritates the snake and tends to make them more interested in getting the mouth closed and off of you. Of course you don't empty the bottle down the animals throat. you get just enough in the mouth to irritate the tissue in the mouth. This has worked for me but keep in mind I'm old school so maybe someone would have a safer or better way. I don't like having a bottle of liquor around my collect. but it's been effective for me.

Hi my name is Bob the Burmese Python and I am am an alcoholic. It started with me biting my personal butler/maid (owner) and he dumped everclear down my throat. It progressed from there to me just latching on to him just for a quick buzz... it was downhill from there... we'd going out to the clubs and doing shots together (us and the dog, who in dog years is of legal age unlike me)... it all becomes a blur from there... some mornings I'd wake up with a content and full feeling but have no memory of what I ate... was it a rabbit? a chihuahua? the neighbor's cat? or maybe a can of peaches... I don't know! Please help me.
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-0-1 Rescued Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-2-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet, Isis
0-0-1 Rescued Fit and Trim Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

You're from the Auto club, and you KNOW it!

>>we'd going out to the clubs and doing shots together (us and the dog, who in dog years is of legal age unlike me)... it all becomes a blur from there... some mornings I'd wake up with a content and full feeling but have no memory of what I ate...

I can't believe that after begging me to drive, you guys are going to try and drag me into that whole mess. WOOF!
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

Your post is hilarious Bryan, really it had me laughing out loud. But don't you think it is somewhat tasteless and insensitive in a thread about a man that just lost his life, likely due to utter complacency. Yet another highly publicized, albeit isolated and uncommon event that gives our wonderful hobby yet another black eye and powerful ammunition for those opposed to reptile ownership? This can only be chaulked up as a "Lose-Lose" situation for us all.

My condolences to Mr. Dre's family and friends.

To all other herpers everywhere: PLEASE, never become complacent with your giant reptiles.
Our Website

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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

Yes it is truely sad anytime something like this happens, but joking was in now way directed towards the event that happened but was in reference to the use of Everclear to remove a clamped down snake. I can't imagine what his family is going through. And I am sure that in the same place as they are I would don't think that I would be able to show the compassion towards the animal (snake or otherwise) that was involved in the event as they have shown. I totally agree that these kinds of events are lose-lose and I apologize if this came across any other way.
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-0-1 Rescued Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-2-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet, Isis
0-0-1 Rescued Fit and Trim Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

HELLO
That sounds ridiculos, how is that posible? A 13 (3.96m) foot ball phyton?

I have read about some thing called apple bitter is used for dogs, to taech them that is not aceptable to chew everything.
A frien told me that is better than using liquor or alcohol.
GOOD BYE

We used to sell that stuff by the case load when I worked at petwarehouse (now DRs foster and smiths)It was called "bitter apple" I can only say that doesn't seem like it would work becuase it just taste really bad. It seems the snake only let's go becuase of the tissue in the mouth being irritated by the boose. I'm not sure the "bitter apple" would do the same. I could be wrong however. I know everclear works becuase I've used it. I'm not sure I want to take any chances with my 14.5 footer!

HELLO
But, What about using normal alcohol? I am talking about etanol is the same alcohol that the liquor contains, I have read that is not a bad idea and the best is the one that have a concentration of a 70%.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS01/61219032
9/1077/COL02

Last Updated: 6:20 am | Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Knowledge not enough
Experienced handler was killed despite care
BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI, JMROZOWSKI@ENQUIRER .COM AND PEGGY O'FARRELL,
POFARRELL@ENQUIRER. COM
A man killed early Saturday by a pet python was an experienced snake handler
who loved animals, his mother said Monday.
"Ted knew snakes so well. He'd had snakes since he was 9 years old. He knew
exactly what to do," said Elaine Dres, of Rossmoyne.
Ted Dres, 48, died early Saturday at Bethesda North Hospital. The
construction worker's snake, an 11-foot Burmese python, wrapped itself
around his neck, strangling him.
Elaine Dres said her son slipped and fell into the cage, which was about
6-by-3 feet and about 3 feet tall, and the snake attacked. Dres' girlfriend
called 911, she said. Sheriff's deputies and workers from an
animal-protection group "bagged" the snake, but Loveland-Symmes medics could
not revive Dres, said Fire Chief Jim Huber.
The attack happened at Dres' home in the 10000 block of Lincoln Road in
Symmes Township.
Next-door neighbor Craig Schatzman said he was in shock over the accident,
particularly because Dres was so adept at handling the snake.
Schatzman said Dres would bring the snake outside in the front yard to show
the neighborhood kids and let them touch it. But he was also protective of
the snake, Schatzman said.
"He treated it like we treat cats and dogs," he said. "He loved it."
The snake is being held at Hamilton County SPCA's shelter.
Dres' death prompted the Humane Society of the United States and the Animal
Protection Institute to renew their call on state legislators to ban the
private ownership of exotic animals Monday.
"Keeping wild animals in our communities is simply too dangerous to public
safety and to the welfare of the animals," said Dean Vickers, Ohio program
coordinator for the Humane Society.
Private ownership of wild animals is "an accident waiting to happen," said
Nicole Paquette, director of legal and government affairs at the Animal
Protection Institute.
Arrowhead Reptile Rescue has lined up a new home for the snake.
Elaine Dres said her son had owned the snake for more than 10 years.
Members of the Herpetological Society of Greater Cincinnati visited the
snake Monday at the shelter. Dean Allesandrini, vice president and
conservation committee chairman of the herpetological society, said the
snake "looked a little bit underfed."
If the snake was underfed, hunger might have made it more aggressive and
prone to attack when its cage was opened, he said.
"That's almost always how it happens when someone gets injured by a python,"
Allesandrini said. "They've got a very strong instinctual feeding response."
He and Grady Calhoun, president of the society, both evaluated the snake.
The python "actually looked a little small, considering it killed a human,"
Allesandrini said. "We were both shocked that it was able to kill a man."
Pythons kill their prey by biting it, then wrapping their bodies around the
prey and constricting, he said.
Story Chat:
http://news. enquirer. com/apps/ pbcs.dll/ article?AID= /20061219/ NEWS01/61219032
9/1077/COL02# comment
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My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

he didn't have a bottle of everclear handy was because he drank it all along with probably a various other assortment of alcoholic beverages before trying to handle the snake. I spoke with Dean Allesandrini and from what he understands and was told is that the man went to a bar and got pi$$ drunk and brought home some girl he met from the bar. I suppose he was trying to show off the snake but when he opened the cage he tripped/slipped and fell towards the cage which probably invited a feeding response from the Burm with the fast motion. Furthermore, as noted in the article, the Burm was a little thin for 11 feet and looked as if it had been underfed.

Chris
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My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

That this comes to show you that drugs and alcohol are lethal combinations when coupled with our more "less forgiving" of reptilian pets. I certainly feel bad for the victims family and hope that they are able to overcome this difficult time.

Chris
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My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

I grieve for the family of this very unfortunate accident. I can also testify to the fact that alcohol should not be used in concert when dealing with our pets. I had a few brewskies one afternoon and decided to feed my 8' burm whom I knew very well (and showing off for some of my family) when I got hit in the hand and my arm wrapped up, fortunatly my wife knew exactly what to do in this event and came to my rescue. One of the most stupid mistakes that I made when in my early 20's. A lesson that could have been even more costly had we not had a plan. Drinking and our reptiles does not mix, I can not stress this enough.
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2.1 RTB (Zander, Ridick, Liliana)
1.1 Burms (Vladamir, Natalia)
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic (Katerina)
1.1 100% Het Tigers (Nicholi & Charlamaine)
2.3 Silver fox rabbits
many, many, many, many rats
"So, just how big a boy are ya???!!"

As long as the subject is up:

This is one of a handful of fatal incidents over the last few decades where a snake that didn't really seem big enough to kill someone, did so just by wrapping around their neck. I don't normally put a snake this size AROUND my neck, but I do sometimes carry them draped over my shoulders, and of course they can get around your neck pretty quickly if they feel like. I've had several instances where a snake started tightening around my neck (not attacking, but just holding on or reacting to thinking it was going to fall) and I can see where if I was alone, and couldn't reach either end of the snake to unwind it, I might have a problem.

What I've done a few times is to quickly jam one arm up between the snake and my neck, if possible to where my wrist or the heel of my hand rests on my chin. In that position, the snake would have to be strong enough to break your arm before it could kill you. Even if you can just get your wrist under the snake, in FRONT of your throat it might be enough to keep the pressure off your corroded artery. I highly suspect in cases like this that the cause of death is brockage of blood flow to the brain, rather than suffocation.

The possible cons are:
1) If it doesn't work one of your arms may now be tied up.
2) If the snake IS strong enough to break your arm, you're just going to be in a lot of extra pain before you die (but you were probably going to any way).

Just thought I'd throw this out for the "if all else fails" file...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.