Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When was the last time you heard of anybody getting bitten by a boa while riding a scooter down the street? This happened to my nephew today. I think we all know that a dog is more dangerous to the public. What we need to realize is that people use public safety as an excuse to ban snakes even though safety may not be their real reason for wanting the ban. Need I mention PETA again?

Let’s not be too harsh on dogs here. What is the ratio of boas to dogs kept in the United States? When was the last time a snake was trained for a fight? How often do kids go by someone's fence and tease a boa? Maybe you should target the owners instead of the animals. Both reptiles and dogs get bad raps not because of the animal but because of irresponsible ownership.

This dog was on a leash, so the owner was responsible enough. That's the point though. A boa is not going to be in contact with the neighbors kid because they do not go out for walks. If they do escape, the worst they might do is eat the pooch that bit my nephew. Lol.

As far as dog bites that require hospital care to snake bites that do. I'm sure there are more dog bites than snake bites that actually bite someone who is not the owner of the animal. I'll bet the ratio is 1000 to 1, even if the number of owners was factored in. Remember, I said dogs that bite someone that is not the owner of the animal. To prove my point. How many mailmen out there have been bitten by a pet boa while delivering the mail? I'll check and see if my mailman is carrying some snake mace just to be sure it hasn't become a problem lately.Lol. If you find me one mailman, I'll send you $100. Just one mailman people!!!

Simply putting a dog on a leash does not make an owner responsible. An ill-mannered dog should not be taken in public. If the dog is, then he/she should be muzzled. As far as the "dog mace"... I'm sure your mailman would use it on whatever came after him. Be it snake, dog, human, or jack-a-lope. I'm also certian that if your mail carrier came into contact with as many boas as he did dogs, he would be more likely to get tagged by one of the snakes. I do see your point, but as someone who is into big constrictors, which I'm assuming is the case, you should also support dog people. If the government can take away all the pit bulls, presas, tosas, argentine dogos, etc., they can just as easily leave you with cages filled with garter snakes because your b.c.i., b.c.c., or retic is now illegal to own. If you take your big boa out and he nails some kid who was just holding his pet ferret, it is not the kid's fault. It is not the snake's fault. It is your fault for putting the snake in that situation and allowing the snake's head to be out of your control. Same applies to an unruly dog on a leash. That leash should be much shorter and the dog should not be able to come into contact with other people. Again, the owner's liability. I always muzzle my snakes when they leave the house.

Phil Goss

P.S. Anyone who believed the snake muzzle comment, please report back the ball python forum.

I think everyone has the right to have a dog, snake, whatever. My point is, that you are 1000 times more likely to be hurt by the neighbors dog than the neighbors pet snake. Responsible or not, if you have snakes, one will get loose sooner or later. If you have a dog, it will eventually be out of your control at some time. Now, which one is more likely to hurt the neighbor? Case closed. Lol.

I'm also still waiting to pay out when someone shows me a mailman that has been bitten.

I really don't know why I'm even wasting my time on this issue, because it's obvious that a dog is more dangerous to the neighbor. I still think you should be able to own a dog, so all you dog lovers out there need to relax.

I can see your point clear as day! At what point does the blame leave the owner and become "natural behavior"? We're basically comparing an ambush predator to a chase down, attack, and kill predator. Many wonderfully trained, well socialized dogs will escape through an accidentally left open gate, and become a completely different animal in terms of mentality. Strange sights, sounds, smells, and multiple stimuli are going to trigger a dogs natural behavior and then anything is possible in terms of potential threats to public safety. Regardless of breed, if you confront a loose dog, you can have a few different reactions-it comes right to you, it runs, or it growls and gets defensive, etc. You can never really predict which one you may get. Well, gotta run, take care!

It said so right on the big guy's shirt in Happy Gilmore. Same principle here. The problem is not the dogs. The problem is not the snakes. The problem is people. Of course a pit bull (american staff., ban dog, neopolitan, cane corso, etc...) or whatever the case may is going to get into trouble when it is not given any type of training or attention. A pit has the capacity to take you out. A well-trained and socialized pit has the capacity to be the most well-behaved, friendly, and loving dog you will find. Again I say it. The animals are not the problem. The media is the worst predator. Anything to make a buck. And luckily for them there are enough crackerjacks with pits and retics (and usually inadequate manhood) for the writers to remain employed. It's a shame responsible pet owner's must be punished for the mistakes of others. And it is a shame we must protect our rights to keep these animals.

Phil Goss

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anyone know of any good Cane Corso breeders?

When I was around 10, we had a Great Dane, who won top honors and went thru obedience school, and yet still bit three people within a years time. Our neighbors raised Pitbulls for years, but I know of a few incidents with them and children. People put too much faith into there dogs because it was "raised properly", most live out there lives and in fact are good dogs, but the only fault that us people have is the ignorance of thinking "my dog doesn't bite". In the last 5 years, I've been bitten 10 times or more,(look at the last post about my daughters incident) many of those times I've heard a similar comment. Frankly I think its rude and an invasion of peoples well being to bring a potentially (large) dangerous dog into public places.
This is the same reason that I don't go walking around the neighborhood with my Boas, and I don't think it should be done by anyone.
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--aka DMOG68

You are absolutely right. Animals WILL bite. That is why people should always have their animals on short leashes or properly secured on their property. It is also the responsibility of the people on the other side to shy away from dogs that are not properly restrained. Also, like I stated below, if people have concerns that they may get bit, then don't keep any animals and stay away from all.

Also, you may have been bitten numerous times in 5 years, but check this out. In 30 years...

I have been bitten by pythons maybe around 10 times, been bitten by monitors too many times to count, been bitten by boas about 3 or 4 times, been bitten by leopard geckos twice and have been bitten by pitbulls 0 times. I have had reptiles in my life for about 13 years and have been around pitbulls my whole life. Call it luck or whatever you want but people need to understnad that a dog has the capability to love as well as hate. Reptiles only learn to tolerate. I have seen people abuse dogs only to have the dog come to them when called, that is what I call loyalty. If you are capable of bonding with your animal then the chances of getting bit are much less.

AGAIN, I'm not saying that bites will never happen. Just a thought.

I'll admit that I do get a bit heated because of what happened to my daughter. I know the loyalty that dogs give to there owners. I do like your advice about short leashes, and proper responsibilities. It is true that a huge parcentage of incidents are due to poor ownerships. But just as I keep my pets, even my dog, from the public, I feel that so should others. That is my real issue I guess. I also admit that I have a grudge against dogs that can maul. I'm tired, and this post has brought up plenty of -not so fond- memories.
Have I mentioned the time that the cat clawed my eye? .....LOL
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--aka DMOG68

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--aka DMOG68

I have a particular neighbor that is extremely ignorant about letting their dog run loose in the street and sometimes when my wife and I walk by the dog comes charging out at us. My wife becomes petrified each time and the neighbor does nothing to restrain the animal. What if I was walking with a large retic, the dog hassles me, and I let the snake kill the dog in self defense? Can I be charged with anything since after all, I was just protecting myself? I realize it would be extremely bad publicity so don't worry, I have no intention of walking a giant retic around the hood. This is just a hypothetical what if scenario.

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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

I really enjoyed reading everyone's opinion. Even though everyone's thoughts were not the same, they were all within reason. Good luck to everyone and their pets, whatever they may be.

I thought I could contribute. I have an extensive background in keeping snakes and lizrds. Over the 15 years in the hobby I have been bitten many times too. The differenceis really not whether a snake or a dog or an alligator for that matter, is more dangerous, the issue is whether you place other people in danger while satisfying a personal desire to keep these animals as pets. If you own a giant retic and it bites you, who do you blame? If you own a pit and it mauls you, who do you blame? Numero 1! I really don't have a problem with people keeping animals that are "dangerous" Once you allow them to escape and other people's lives are in danger, that's where I have a problem.

I've mentioned a couple of ideas that some other people eluded to also but we really can't judge a group by the actions of one. If you want to keep "dangerous" pets, make sure you are the only one in "danger"

Rich
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bigdnutz
1.2 Suriname Boa
1.0 Venezuelan Boa