Indiana Msn Arrested for Hots

[bill38112]

Check out this story.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/16011663.htm

 

[jazzgeek]

Gah. More idjuts advancing fear and loathing of anyone in the hobby, including responsible keepers.

regards,
jazz

 

[MegF.]

And if he did have the permits???? I doubt it would have changed anything. They didn't say he was keeping them improperly, only that he didn't have a permit. Even experienced keepers that keep their animals responsibly can get bitten. You (along with the rest of the media) assume he was being an idiot when he was bitten. Although getting complacent around a venomous animal is sort of idiotic...it happens.

 

[jazzgeek]

And if he did have the permits???? I doubt it would have changed anything. They didn't say he was keeping them improperly, only that he didn't have a permit.

Sure, it would have. It would have changed the perception of this keeper (and sadly, by association, keepers in general). When it comes to the general misunderstanding of herpetophiles commonly spread about by mass media, perception matters.

That he didn't have a permit contributes to a perception of reptile keepers (whether they keep "hots" or not) as scofflaws, renegades, and irresponsible.

Even experienced keepers that keep their animals responsibly can get bitten.

Agreed....and I think that's generally understood, with the exception of those clueless enough to think that snakes can be "trained" to become vegetarians in order to save the cute innocent mousies.

You (along with the rest of the media) assume he was being an idiot when he was bitten.

Well, before we start blaming the "Mainstream Media" for all the ills of the nation, let's back up here.

You assume what my "assumption" is. IMHO, he's an idiot for not holding permits for hots. Yes, any of us can be bitten by a snake, venomous or not. However, a person who is compliant with all statutes and ordinances getting bit by a non-venomous snake won't even get you in a story buried next to the obituaries.

Thus, (again, IMHO) it's incumbent on those keeping hots to be the MOST compliant among the reptile keeping community, lest we get a tsunami of bad press and stupid local laws passed that prohibits the keeping of ANY reptiles. It's an irresponsible action (or inaction) on behalf of all of in the herpetophile community, and thus, idiotic.

Although getting complacent around a venomous animal is sort of idiotic...it happens.

Yes, it does, and (this is where I'm presuming here), if this keeper had the proper permits, he'd probably as well avail himself to the proper antivenins and protocols for an unfortunate situation such as this.

If not, I have no problem with a buffoon like this winning a Darwin Award.

regards,
jazz

 

[MegF.]

I'm not sure that would be true. Not all keepers with permits keep anti-venom. They should, but they don't all. I think it's foolish not to, and even if they do have it, it needs to be administered by a proper medical facility. He would still have to seek medical attention. I had just finished reading about a guy that was arrested for having a False water cobra. One half of the new article said it was a false water cobra and the other half listed that he had a cobra. Horribly poisonous and that everyone could have died. Although venomous, they certainly do not pose the risk that a cobra does. People have no clue, and the media goes for a run with it. This is what makes me nuts. It's like saying a person had an automatic weapon instead of a semi-automatic. There's a big difference and people get a whole different take on it when it's made to sound like something else.

 

[jazzgeek]

I'm not sure that would be true. Not all keepers with permits keep anti-venom. They should, but they don't all. I think it's foolish not to, and even if they do have it, it needs to be administered by a proper medical facility. He would still have to seek medical attention.

Agreed, I was just presuming that if it's known that there's someone in the area with hots, that local clinics/hospitals would have access to the antivenins at a faster rate.

But that's the minor point of my prior post.

People have no clue, and the media goes for a run with it. This is what makes me nuts. It's like saying a person had an automatic weapon instead of a semi-automatic. There's a big difference and people get a whole different take on it when it's made to sound like something else.

That's why I take the tone of reports with a block of salt. If it's understood that "news" is as much a marketable product as Tickle Me Elmos, one becomes less offended by it all.

regards,
jazz

 

[bill38112]

I came across this story originally on CNN TV. The CNN piece included interviews with neighbors who were furious that they were not told that there were snakes of any kind in their neighborhood. I am a libertarian who believes I should be able to keep fire breathing dragons in my basement. I am hopeful that the public will come to see the advantages of keeping snakes like corns. Those snake owners that want to keep the exotics have to be responsible or they will screw it up for all of us.

 

[Mrs InsaneOne]

As I read the news article I couldn't help but think back to the night in chat when this one guy was boasting abouting having his cobras in tupperware with velcro for the tie downs. In the one pic he had taken, he had the tupper open, with his bare feet and bare legs only a few feet away from a cobra that was partially in strike pose if I recall rightly.

Common sense just isn't too common sometimes and it's sad that the snakes that get the most publicity are the ones that have harmed someone or some other living thing. There are hundreds more reptiles that haven't really harmed anyone (unless you count the odd bite every now and then) that are taken care of and handled in a responsible manner that no one ever hears about.

That said, I do realize that freak accidents happen to everyone and I hope that this guy knew what he was doing and didn't get bit out of sheer stupidity. Though, it was stupid, IMO, to not have the permits.

Jenn