Reptile & Amphibian Forums

There is a report this morning in the Omaha World Herald that a local man was killed by his pet boa constrictor. The paper is calling the animal a "red tailed boa constrictor".

http://www.omaha.com/article/20100609/NEWS01/100609654/705

The ignorance of all levels, national to local, media is so sad. The story is about what could be a boa constrictor. The picture at the top of the page is a Ball Python. The owner introduced the snake to neighbors as a python. There are no pictures of the actual snake that did the damage so we can't confirm that it was or was not a boa.

I love the uninformed people and the incomplete story. I love that people that have absolutley no idea what they're speaking of or writing about are given the forum to put misinformation out to everyone.

Pretty good chance it was not a boa, the paper was calling it a boa constrictor. Very unfortunate situation for everyone involved.

This apparently is the boa that did the deed. Picture linked in the article.

http://www.kcci.com/news/23857075/detail.html#

Warren
-----
Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

If that's the snake . . . . .

This is terrible News !

. . . . .

. . . Lar M
-----
Boas By Klevitz

I Support USark.org

Thank you for the link Warren.

I agree this is terrible news, as far as I know, this is the first known case of a boa constrictor involved in a death. (prior reports of boa killing someone always turned out to be python).

The guy was showing the snake to his friend, let it wrap around his neck and sholders, it 'hung on' to his neck and caused him to pass out and then die. So what was his friend doing that entire time? I feel bad someone died, I feel even worse that it was because of a boa.

When will people realize you can't hold large constrictors around your neck/sholders? They are incredibly powerful. What a shame. Looks like lots of snake racks in the pic, so I would think this guy would know what he was doing and either had a lapse of judgement or... how much does anyone want to bet there was alcohol involved?

What a shame for us as boa keepers and for all snake keepers in general.

-April
-----
'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

> Looks like lots of snake racks in the pic

oops I didn't look too closely, now I can see it in Lar's pic, that must be the kennels at animal control

When the cops showed up the man already had no pulse. Any chance the "friend" is trying to blame the death on the snake? That boa seems small enough for two people to remove from a persons neck.

Tragic that someone died whatever the circumstances though.

No doubt it's a boa that killed him but the link says he is in critical condition. That certainly does not help with the ban. To the media any snake that gets over 6ft is dangerous which they are if handled alone. I thought this could happen any moment now considering how big some females get. I never completely trust any snake. I guess we still need to use the rule of thumb 2 people for every 5-6 feet.

I'd like to see that pathology reports... The whole story doesnt add up..... he wouldnt drop dead instantly if the boa wouldve killed him.... Even if the carotids were aqueezed there would have been time for the man and his friend to pull him off
-----
Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

>>I'd like to see that pathology reports... The whole story doesnt add up..... he wouldnt drop dead instantly if the boa wouldve killed him.... Even if the carotids were aqueezed there would have been time for the man and his friend to pull him off
>>-----

You are of course assuming his friend (a) realised what was going on and (b) had the presence of mind to not panic but untie the snakes tail. Perhaps the friend was scared of the snake and simply didn’t know what to do?
There is a lot this story doesn’t say (was there any alcohol involved, etc?) but unfortunately there was a death and it looks like it was a large boa constrictor that was involved.

All boas are extremely strong for their size and they like to feel secure, so putting a large boa around your neck is simply not that great an idea. A very sad accident.

-----
John Berry
Designer Morphs, 2nd edition - totally updated, hardback edition due June 2010.

When I was in junior high school, a friend put a carotid pinch on me. I was out like a light in a second. So I can believe that the victim had no time to unwind the snake. And, as far as I can tell, the friend had no idea what to do.

I feel sorry for the bystanders, the victim's family, and the snake. It's harder to feel bad for a person who steps into a street without looking both ways.

I saw a clip on the internet the other day of a guy trying to explain the science behind a "rear naked choke" (a move used to "choke out" a person in martial arts). He actually let BJ Penn (a top level Jiu Jitsu practioner who fights in the UFC) apply the choke and he said he didn't remember anything after just a few seconds but it took about 7 seconds for him to go limp. He actually said he didn't feel any real pain, just pressure.

But only a complete moron wraps a 8-9' boa around their neck, ever. Much less when no one is around who can competently help if the situation goes bad. An 8-9' boa is exponentially stronger than an 8-9' burm. It was just a stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID move!

jb
-----
What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

But only a complete moron wraps a 8-9' boa around their neck, ever. Much less when no one is around who can competently help if the situation goes bad. An 8-9' boa is exponentially stronger than an 8-9' burm. It was just a stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID move!

I live in Nebraska and this article was in this mornings paper. I could hardly belive it. Just wondering about the above statement. I have never heard that boas are measurably stronger than burmese pythons (same size of course). Is this true?
I have a friend in town that has 4 adult boas, all about 8 foot and 25-30 lbs., he is very cautious with their handling.

This of course is a horrible incident and I feel for all involved.

We have our doubts about the situation. We all know that a boa of that size can be very strong. But honestly, unless the snake was wrapped around his neck multiple times, the victim could have probably gotten out, in most cases, on his own. Now with another person right there, I don't see anyway that this could happen.

There was NO attempt by the "friend" to do anything as the snake was still around his neck when the cops arrived?
He died hours after?
He was still living when the cops got there?
The cops still could not get the snake off without more help?

The two in the picture seem to have no problem handling it.

{Video link at URL below}
ACTION 3 NEWS (Omaha, Nebraska) 10 June 10 Killer Snake Legal in Papillion (Carrie Murphy)
Papillion, NE: The snake that killed it's owner Wednesday was a legal pet. Papillion Police Lt. Chris Whitted says city ordinance only prohibits poisonous snakes, and the eight-plus foot red-tailed boa constrictor that killed Corey Byrne is not poisonous.
Byrne died after the snake wrapped around his neck and choked him. When Papillion officers arrived, the snake had already retreated and wrapped itself around a tree. Byrne was not conscious.
Whitted says Byrne bought the snake four months ago at "Too Many Feathers", a La Vista pet store, which recently moved to Ralston. Under La Vista laws, it's illegal to own a boa constrictor but it's legal to sell it.
Thursday, one of the foremost experts on reptiles talks about the deadly accident in Papillion. "Normally they are considered not dangerous," says Jessi Krebs, the Henry Doorly Zoo curator. These snakes are not considered dangerous because the attacks are extremely rare. The last boa to kill someone in the United States, was thirty years ago. "It would have to have done something to earn that reputation. Lions are dangerous because they've killed people," says Krebs.
The Nebraska Humane Society will hold the snake until the police investigation is over. Spokesman Mark Langan says there are several options for the snake including sending it to a sanctuary or euthanizing it.
In Omaha, owning snakes is also legal unless the snake is over eight feet long. Langan says a surprising number of people keep pet snakes in their homes. He says it's too soon to know if Byrne's death could lead to a review of city laws on owning exotic animals.
Byrne leaves behind two children.
http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12628906

KETV (Omaha, Nebraska) 10 June 10 Humane Society: Boa Constrictor Attack Is Nation's 1st - 9-Foot Snake Kills Papillion Man
Omaha, Neb.: A Papillion man may be the first known person in the U.S. to have been killed by his pet boa constrictor, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
The 9-foot long, 25-pound snake wrapped itself around Cory Byrne's neck Wednesday evening as he showed it to friends. Byrne soon lost consciousness. Rescuers arrived to find him with no pulse. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
"When they strike, they're just going to coil around real fast," said Nebraska Humane Society's Sarah Reiderer.
She studies reptiles, and said the snakes will constrict until their prey is dead.
"It waits until it can't feel the heart beat anymore and then and that's when it will relax a little bit," Reiderer said.
Boa constrictors are legal in Nebraska. Omaha doesn’t allow any longer than 8 feet. Papillion hasn't set any rules.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to keep potentially dangerous animals, like boa constrictors, contained.
"There's been both regulation and legislation proposed that would prohibit importing boa constrictors and prohibit the movement of these as pets across state lines," said a Fish and Wildlife spokesperson.
"Changing an ordinance would be for the elected city officials to decide, but this tragic incident would give us cause to revisit that ordinance," said Lt. Chris Whitted.
http://www.ketv.com/news/23861710/detail.html

{Video link at URL below}
WOWT (Omaha, Nebraska) 10 June 10 Stricter Snake Regulations?
A man is strangled and killed by his pet Boa Constrictor, but it's just the latest in a string of incidents involving snakes in the metro. Should there be stricter laws in the state to ensure everyone's safety?
The snake, which coiled around its owner's neck Wednesday night in Papillion, is a Red Tail Boa Constrictor.
It's the same kind of snake which was found in a pipe down by the new Veteran's Memorial Bridge earlier this week. Both snakes are being held at the Nebraska Humane Society until officials can find a sanctuary to take them to.
The nine-foot, 25-pound Boa Constrictor wrapped itself around its owner's neck and squeezed. The victim, 34-year-old Cory Byrne was rushed to the hospital, but was later pronounced dead.
Neighbors say he often carried around the snake on his shoulders, even sharing the experience with them. "He held half of it on his, and then he'd let us put it on our shoulder, yeah," said Kylie Driggers.
Experts say having this large of a snake near children is not a good idea, saying animals can change quickly. "You can trust them as much as you want to, but in a certain element, you just don't know how they're going to respond to different situations," said Vice President of Field Operations for the Humane Society, Mark Langan.
He says responsibility and proper handling is vital to owning a snake this large. "Never had a fatal snake attack that we can recall," he said. "Just a tragedy, no doubt about it, had to be horrendous for the victim, horrendous for the witness."
Langan says this incident will spur him to talk with law makers. "I'm sure that there's going to be some talk about strengthening the laws, across the state of Nebraska, not just in Papillion."
This is the second situation involving a Boa this week. Monday, the Humane Society was called out to help get a snake out of a pipe near the new Veteran's Memorial Bridge.
Many said at the time it was harmless. Even though this snake is a bit smaller, only six feet long, others still realized the potential danger. "That snake was big enough, it could probably take down a kid for sure," said Tom Dewitt.
Langan says he suspects the snake was a pet, got too big for its owner to care for, and was released into the wild.
Another incident was a snake found in a La Vista hotel in April. The Humane Society finally tracked down the owner, a man who lives in California and had lost his pet in the hotel more than a month earlier. The snake was returned to the man, and no citations were issued.
It is legal to own a snake with in Omaha and Papillion's city limits. Omaha does have a length restriction of eight-feet.
http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/96091024.html

WORLD-HERALD (Omaha, Nebraska) 10 June 10 Deadly snake attack called rare (Kevin Cole and Andrew J. Nelson)
Large snakes like the one that fatally strangled a Papillion man Wednesday can be safely kept if proper precautions are taken.
Omahan Glen Eisel, vice president of the Nebraska Herpetological Society which studies reptiles and amphibians, said Cory Byrne's death surprised him.
“It was the first time that I ever heard of a boa (constrictor) doing that,” Eisel said Thursday.
Byrne, 34, was critically injured while showing his pet snake to a female friend in his apartment at 635 S. Washington St. The snake, estimated by authorities to be 9 feet long and weighing 25 pounds, wrapped around Byrne's neck and began strangling him.
Byrne's roommate unsuccessfully tried to pry the snake loose. Officers from the Papillion Police Department finally pulled the snake off Byrne and began CPR, but he died later at Midlands Community Hospital.
Papillion Police Lt. Chris Whitted said officers first identified the snake that killed Byrne as a python based on information provided by neighbors at the scene. Nebraska Humane Society officials later identified the snake as a red-tailed boa constrictor.
Mark Langan, vice president of field operations for the humane society, said the snake appeared to be well cared for. It is being held by the humane society until Papillion concludes its investigation.
Eisel said herpetological societies often publish guidelines for handling amphibians and reptiles. One of the guidelines is to never put a snake around your neck.
“We don't condone wrapping a snake around your neck ever,” Eisel said. “The guidelines also say if you take a snake outside, it should be kept in an enclosure.”
Jessi Krebs, curator of reptiles and amphibians for the Henry Doorly Zoo, said it would be extremely rare for a boa constrictor to attack its owner.
“That type of behavior is more typical of a Burmese python,” Krebs said.
He speculated that the snake may have felt vulnerable as Byrne handled the animal. “Snakes like to feel anchored and safe,” he said. “It could have utilized its tail to try to secure its position around his neck.”
Neighbors told police that Byrne often took the snake outside to show children. Earlier this spring, Byrne brought his snake over to his next-door neighbor's home.
He placed it on the trampoline outside. He let the children play with it.
“My daughter actually had it around her neck,” said David Driggers, 44, the neighbor. “There were about five or six kids over here that day.”
Whitted said he personally witnessed Byrne walking around Papillion with the snake across his shoulders.
A Papillion ordinance prohibits residents from keeping dangerous wild animals, including snakes, but Whitted said he didn't believe the snake fit that description.
“I know that there are a lot of snakes sold legally, and I really never thought anything of it,” Whitted said. “If it were a cobra or rattlesnake that would have been a problem.”
In Omaha, it is illegal to keep a snake that's more than 8 feet long. Papillion has no length limit for snakes.
Langan approves of the Omaha ordinance.
“Snakes over 8 feet long can easily get too big to handle,” Langan said. “Tragically, that's what might have happened in this case.”
Byrne worked for a local McDonald's restaurant, his landlord and neighbors said.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100609/NEWS01/100609654/0

Some of the info in this is beneficial to us. It is the absolute worst time for any of this to happen though.

I love how the thing keeps growing. I've seen 6' to 9'. Its like a Slinky.

34 year old McDonalds employee who liked to walk around town with snakes draped over his shoulders.

Fantastic...

This was a recipe for disaster in the first place.

Toxicology reports will be enlightening.

jb
-----
What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

Doesn't one article state that by the time help arrived the snake was wrapped around a tree? Another says police arrived and removed the snake, so which is it?

When I see something like this the Tox screen comes to mind first.... then pre-existing conditions next...... Maybe this guy had a stroke... haybe a heart attack...... I gurantee the press wont release a front page story telling the public that the cause of death was a stroke and not the boa

Anyway.. this was their second boa constrictor related incident this month....... The idiots are going to ruin this for everyone..... Get ready people.... our days are numbered.... I truly believe that the reptile industry as we know it is living on borrowed time......

This is the time where people are supposed to be being EXTRA cautious..... and not try to attract attention.... and what does this guy do.... go around outside parading around with a snake on his neck....... I really dont feel bad for the guy.... He's an idiot... Now the little girl that was killed was a tragedy..... But this.... is only a tragedy for the guy's family.... and the reptile industry as a whole
-----
Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

I LOOOOOOVE how him working at McDonald's is such an important "fact" to bring up in this whole matter!!! LMFAO!!! I'm sure you all personally screen each and every person who is willing to hand you a handful of cash for one of YOUR snakes,right?!?!? Wouldn't want YOUR "reputation" tainted if the neighbors knew YOU had sold a snake to a fast food employee!!!! Or better yet... you probably do drug screening as well,huh?! Don't want a pothead or methhead to buy one of YOUR snakes ,right guys?!?! Where does YOUR commitment end.... credit checks? IQ tests?A certain height or weight minimum? maybe a vision test....you know... if someone that bought YOUR snake got bit , you wouldn't want it to be because YOU slacked in YOUR screening process!!!!!

What a bunch of elitist morons!!!

"Toxicology reports will be enlightening"... LMFAO... yeah, everyone that takes a snake outside is on drugs or intoxicated!!! ha!

Also love the " trying not to draw attention" comment... MAYBE...JUST MAYBE...there are SOME snake owners who dont believe in keeping a snake in a box 24/7/365 and want to take it outside , where they originated!!!! HMMMMM, IMAGINE THAT, snakes OUTSIDE!!!! WTF

IM NOT SAYING THIS GUY WASNT PUTTING HIMSELF AT RISK!!!! DONT TWIST WHAT IM SAYING!!!!the length and size of the snake alone was more than one person should REASONABLY handle..true.. but , really...EVERYTHING IN LIFE HAS RISK... so EVERY relative,friend,lover youve ever had die ALL DESERVED IT???!!!! Thats what youre saying... Smoking , driving,flying,owning a dog or ANY ANIMAL..even taking a shower can all cause death....so I guess the WHOLE WORLD are "idiots" and all deserve the manner in which they all die,right??!!!

you attack a person's job when YOU,YOURSELF WOULD HAVE HAD NOOOOO PROBLEM TAKING HIS MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN ANIMAL YOU CREATED AND ULTIMATELY WILL PROBABLY BE EUTHANIZED !!! are YOU really any better than the fast food employee then?? of course, we all know YOU think so!
WOW

...

"Jessi Krebs, curator of reptiles and amphibians for the Henry Doorly Zoo, said it would be extremely rare for a boa constrictor to attack its owner.
“That type of behavior is more typical of a Burmese python,” Krebs said"

Really? I think its more typical behavior of a serial killer myself. Im not sure of a burmese python though. Why do people from the "zoos" say things like that? Maybe he was misquoted? Like to think so. At least he said it was "rare" for a boa.
-----
Pythons.Net

i agree with everyone we need more info.The news wants you to say the snake is bad, so they twist all of the questions to try and get you to say that boas are bad. The fact is that The Nebraska humane society, The Omaha Zoo, and Nebraska Herpetological society did not give them that satisfaction.

Glenn Eisel

evening addition for the paper has boa pic below

http://m.omaha.com/om/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=65OnG2ia&full=true#display

It's really sad that this guy lost his life. It's strange his friends couldn't get it off him. I feel bad for his friends and family for their loss. It was a tragic accident and nothing more. It likely that something like this, involving a Boa Constrictor, will never happen again.

I know the timing is bad. This is the 1st ever "confirmed" death by a Boa Constrictor. This will definitely hurt our efforts in fighting the ban.

Still, and I know this sounds bad. I hope they check for alcohol or drug use. I hope, if these things are found, they make the information public.

I hope there's a "full" investigation and "full" disclosure of what's found.

Living in Omaha, Ne I have to admit Im not too fond our local media. There was an incident several months ago where a ball python was found in a local hotel, and they way the local media portrayed it was like they found a '14 king cobra or something. Fairly ridiculous.

Also feel bad for the owners of the pet store where the boa was bought "Too Many Feathers"(which the media was kind enough to tell to the public...and not really sure why) where I actually buy my feeders. While pet stores get a terrible rep, I feel the owners of this store at least try to do things right. I personally have seen them talk and educate potential owners with the facts. Now, did they say "Now dont you go putting this boa around your neck, Mr McDonalds worker"? I have no clue, but at some point common sense needs to be a factor. They also take in animals people no longer will take care of. I know as a fact they currently have an VERY defensive RTB that came in with old sheds still stuck to it. They continue to care for the boa and had a large FOR NOT SALE sign on the cage prior to them moving it to their rack system. Talking to the owner they will never sell it.

Alot of stories currently about reviewing state, city laws. Hopefully the owner will be held accountable for some of his actions in this unfortunate accident.

They mention the pet store because he's only had the snake for four months and the were able to come up with the information. Was he a good candidate for an 8-9' boa? We can't answer that.

This is not the normal pet store purchase of a boa, or python for that matter. The fact that this boa is an adult, there's not much to explain size wise. Usually they sell these cute little 18" babies and don't care who they're selling to and don't inform them of what they're "really" buying.

That's the problem with pet stores!