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I was watching a show all about giant boids and burms, and the servivors of an attack. One guy said he had a burm wrapign around him at a zoo.(he had it around his neck) and he said he used hot water to put the snake in shock. Well another guy said the same thing. Ive taken herpatology when I was in high school about 4 times. And if im not mistaken the teach. told us to use cold water. such as if you had a large burm around you to jump in a bathtub full of ice cold water and the burm will lossen its grip, even let go. I got to thinking, wouldnt hot water burn and damage the snake? Cold water only seems logical. It puts the snake in shock without actually harming the snake.
just a thought.

When I used to work the educational shows for the carnival, my boss always had a few buckets of ice water nearby, just in case one of us got wrapped by the burm. He always told us the story about how one of his guys in the past did get squeezed pretty bad and tossing the bucket of ice water onto the snake probably saved the man's life, as the snake lossened its grip almost immediately. Hot water doesn't sound right to me, however the theory these people probably have is if the water is hot enough it will scold the snake and it will let go. This theory though is ridiculous since it would hurt the snake very badly.

Circusfan

Hot water probably wouldn't be to good for the person attached to the python either.Then you'd be bit and burned.

Was "The Big Squeeze" the show you were referring to? If so, I have seen that and the scene you are referring to. I noticed the man just turned on the hot water from a regular tap, so I doubt it would be scaldingly hot. Besides the point, if ever in a situation where someone's life is endanger, I wouldn't quibble about possibly burning the snake, I'd be jumping into a hot shower. Not saying I'm for harming the snake, just that in a situation where someone is in danger, the most direct route to safety must be taken.
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First, and most importantly, ALWAYS have someone in the snake room with you if you plan on handling a large python. Secondly, what makes ya think you can make it to the shower wrapped in a large Burm . AND......movies are just that. To use hot enough water to possibly burn the snake you will certainly burn whoever is wrapped. Cold water would be more of a shock to a cold blooded animal than hot. Just my opinion.

Quig

We're not talking about a movie, was a Discovery Channel (maybe Animal Planet) show about large constrictors, second, if you're operating under the assumption you won't have access to the water, the whole discussion is moot. Third, I take hot showers, don't you? I know, I'm being combative. Ignore me, I just got off work.
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My apologys for the misunderstanding about the program, and yeah I take hot showers, except on those nights I can't get a little from the ol' lady . My concern about the shower was trying to get there wrapped up in a 15 foot burm that thinks yer food. Still think cold would be a better bet though.

Quig

Good to know you have a sense of humor too Pete. Just for context my snake room is my living room (the joys of apartment life) so my shower is about 6 feet away. Assuming I'm not on the floor turning blue. I hope.
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I take hot showers too, but if you have 150-200 pounds of hard muscle around your body. I dont see how hot water would loosen the snakes grip.If a burm. can take temps of mid 90s, even a hundred degrees on stress, I dont know maybe im wrong. But thinking common sense the body slows down the colder it gets.

I don't know the physics of it, but there's a difference in the way for example, 90 degree air temperatures and 90 degree water feels on a body. Who knows, I'm going to google. Very interesting topic.
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0.0.1 Oketee
1.0 Ghosts
0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0 Albino Burmese Python

I know the show that you all are refering to and also have seen it several times. The only good thing about that entire episode is the fact that they did give some usfull knowledge on how to remove the snake. Here is the thing about hot water. Hot tap water if sprayed into the snakes mouth will cause him discomfort and the animal should let go. It is no different then pouring alcohol into the snakes mouth. It causes irritation and discomfort so the snake lets go. If you were just going to pour the water over the body then I also am in agreeance with the masses the cold water would be better. Todd

It was pretty cool seeing the anaconda(correct me if im wrong)eating the gazzell.

I believe you are referring to some other show where they showed an african rock python eating a small antelope. I have seen several shows showing that...but one thing to keep into perspective, is that a lot of those show a rock eating a dik dik...which is a tiny little antelope...only gets about 24 inches high at the shoulder. Todd

I've got the pic of the Rock eatin' a Thompsons Gazelle. I think they are a bit larger that a dik dik, but I'm not sure on the size. Here it is.

I was watching a show the other day "Anacondas: Giants of the Amazon" and it said that they are regularly known to take small native children. I was like, " OH REALLY?" Whether this may or may not have happen, to my knowledge there are no reports of snakes "regularly consuming small children" - maybe attacking, but still> It's almost like they paint them out to be giant monsters. This isn't the first program on the Discovery Ch or Animal Planet where I've heard this -there was mention a couple of weeks ago about retics consuming adult men - it's crap, but I'd believe it if I was a reptile lay person.

Yes I agree, "regularly consuming small children" may be an exaggeration. However while it may not happen often, it it does happen and a retic CAN consume an adult human. There is evidence of this.

>>I was watching a show the other day "Anacondas: Giants of the Amazon" and it said that they are regularly known to take small native children. I was like, " OH REALLY?" Whether this may or may not have happen, to my knowledge there are no reports of snakes "regularly consuming small children" - maybe attacking, but still> It's almost like they paint them out to be giant monsters. This isn't the first program on the Discovery Ch or Animal Planet where I've heard this -there was mention a couple of weeks ago about retics consuming adult men - it's crap, but I'd believe it if I was a reptile lay person.