Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is 5 Rattlesnake bites in two weeks, one fatal already. It shows you experience does not always protect you since 4 or of the 5 were in very experienced people.

Everybody needs to "STAND DOWN" and think about what they are doing and how to do it safer.

I've posted many times about people downplaying snakebites from animals they keep. WDB is one of the worst for local tissue distruction, not forgetting the systemic effect which are life threating to say the least. Mike's bite (I hope I'm wrong)will result in serious long term disability, with the possibility of loss of the bitten digit.

Every Venomous Snakebite carries VERY SERIOUS medical implications, up to and including DEATH. Lets keep out wits about us and focus on what we have in those cages.

THINK and BE SAFE EVERONE

Al
-----
You can take the snake out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the snake.

I think sometimes people can become quite complacent with their daily dealings with hots, regardless of how much experience they
have. It almost becomes too routine when people have alot of interaction with their animals. Let's face it, everyone has had times when they have dropped their guard. I had one close call with the strike range of one of my snakes. I immediately closed the cage, sat down (shaking), took a deep breath, and thought about what could have happened, and thanked someone that it didn't. That scenario never happened again. The bottom line is that we need to get out of "routine" and handle each and every snake like it is the first time handling, with the utmost respect, caution, and focus. There should be nothing on a persons mind except the animal at hand and what could happen if it's given an inch, or a moment of bad decision making. I have been coming in here for quite a few years, I've met some great people and some not so great people. But, I wish nothing but safety and good health for everyone and hope that this stops happening. Sometimes experience maybe a slight downfall, as we think we get to know the animal, and know about the animal, thus becoming complacent, and forgetting that the only thing we really know, is that the snake can and will bite.
I wish the best for all.
-Tom

Here's a link to an article that talks about risks etc.

www.willswing.com/Articles/Article.asp?reqArticleName=HandleOnSafety

It's about hanggliding, but it strikes me as being applicable in some ways to keeping venomous.
-----
0.1 chickens (Condor)
0.2 dog mutts (half ownership, only mine when they misbehave, Lucy & Amy)
0.1 Halflinger horse (Crissy)
0.1 Normal phase California Kingsnake (Sophia)
1.1 parents
Still searching for 1.0 WC human