# Boy decapitates snake, finds he was bitten



## News Bot (Apr 20, 2011)

A BOY did not even know he had been bitten by a highly venomous snake until he passed out after decapitating it.












*Published On:* 20-Apr-11 10:50 AM
*Source:* By Roanne Johnson via NEWS.com.au

*Go to Original Article*


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## mumofsnakelover (Apr 20, 2011)

That is why I have taught my 4 children to stay still if they see a snake never run away and under no circumstances are they to pick it up, they are to come and tell me so that we can call a snake catcher to come and collect it. What they think is a harmless snake could in fact be a ven snake better to be safe than sorry!!!!


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## mumofsnakelover (Apr 20, 2011)

Courier mail.com.au reported the EPA will not prosecute as he is a child!!!


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## fugawi (Apr 20, 2011)

Serves himself right. The authorities should charge the family with taking a native from the wild and killing a native. If this was a cuddly koala, the ******* would hit the fan.


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## mattG (Apr 20, 2011)

Protection for our aussie snakes isn't taken very seriously.

Does anybody know of a case where someone actually was prosecuted?


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## harley0402 (Apr 20, 2011)

stupid kid, he didnt need to kill it, he just needed to get his bloody dog away from it. I have taught my daughter to come and tell me if she sees a snake in the yard, or anywhere for that matter and not to touch it.


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## harley0402 (Apr 20, 2011)

it was only the other day that a guy was prosecuted for hitting a swan on the goldy with his jet ski. tell me.....whats the difference ?


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## SYNeR (Apr 20, 2011)

harley0402 said:


> it was only the other day that a guy was prosecuted for hitting a swan on the goldy with his jet ski. tell me.....whats the difference ?



Snakes are seen as vicious, whereas swans are seen as cute, elegant and graceful.
Sad, but true


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## Elite_Reptiles (Apr 20, 2011)

mattG said:


> Protection for our aussie snakes isn't taken very seriously.
> 
> Does anybody know of a case where someone actually was prosecuted?


 
Unfortunately no matt. I've reported quite a few cases doing relocation, but under privacy laws (which is bs), they don't let you know of the outcome? In my opinion, being a government corporation...sweet fa is done!

I was on the phone once with a bigpond customer and while I was talking on the phone with her, you could hear this banging in the background, she said excuse me for a moment and proceeded to yell out to her husband..."did you kill it, did you get it", she than said to me 'Sorry, there is another snake in the house and my husband just put a shovel through it's head'. ARGGHHHH!!! 

I said to her do you realise they are a protected animal and you can be prosecuted for that, she said 'So, we get them in here all the time and it's easier just to kill them instead of paying someone to do it'. 

As I had her all her information, I put her into the authorities with full details, such as address, ph number, everything. But a few weeks went by, so I called them and they said they are unable to advise on the outcome due to privacy laws etc? So in other words...Nothing was done!


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## Fantazmic (Apr 20, 2011)

why didnt he move the dog away rather than grab the snake.......

he should be teaching the dog to back off not letting it see him dive in and grab the snake anyway


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## moosenoose (Apr 20, 2011)

mattG said:


> Protection for our aussie snakes isn't taken very seriously.
> 
> Does anybody know of a case where someone actually was prosecuted?


 
Nope, I don't.

Hence my reason in chasing up those idiots with the QEPA who were shooting snakes with a shotty from a speedboat during the height of the QLD floods. It's definitely not taken seriously enough imho.


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## garthy (Apr 20, 2011)

souldoubt said:


> _[inappropriate comment deleted]._ Surely he could be prosecuted, given that he had removed the threat by restraining the snake. Before he proceeded to kill it


 
Obviously you dont have kids of your own! what a stupid thing to say! Yes he did the wrong thing, but what if this was someone close to you and you heard people saying the same thing?


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## waruikazi (Apr 20, 2011)

Oh c'mon you guys!

It's an eleven year old kid! I can almost tell you with certainty that it did not rear up at his dog, he would have found it, pinned it and picked it up. Then being incredibly pround of himself he would have gone home to show is Granparents who would have told him to kill it. 

Kids that age act as they see other people do, wishing him dead is outragious!


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## moosenoose (Apr 20, 2011)

I don't blame an 11yr old kid, that'd be pretty commonplace I'd imagine. The thing that bothers me though is the lack of prosecutions by places like the EPA and DSE in protecting supposedly "protected wildlife" from your everyday yobbo out there. Everybody knows you can kill these particular forms of native wildlife without fear of prosecution, and I think that is appalling.


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## Elite_Reptiles (Apr 20, 2011)

garthy said:


> Obviously you dont have kids of your own! what a stupid thing to say! Yes he did the wrong thing, but what if this was someone close to you and you heard people saying the same thing?


 
Why do human beings have this selfish attitude that we can kill what ever animal we like on this earth and it's all good??? But yet you kill a human being and there is public outrage?...

The person or persons committing the offence on another human being is immediately prosecuted, jailed for life, hung, given a lethal injection or in some countries...shot on the spot or stoned to death! Why don't these same laws apply to anyone killing an innocent animal. What, you think they don't have feelings or family too?

Look at the kid on the news recently that just got 100 hrs of community service for deliberately running over a beautiful swan with his jet ski (it was even caught on video), he got community service (a slap on the wrist)...you've got to be kidding me???...

They are still trying to find the dead swans partner, as they mate for life!


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## sookie (Apr 20, 2011)

For shame....wishing death on an 11 yr old boy cos of a snake?mate you don't have kids do you?in any situation human life would come first over any animal.get your priorities in check.can you imagine his parents.......for shame.


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## CrystalMoon (Apr 20, 2011)

I think unfortunately this was done out ignorance, by a boy on an adventure with his dog. I feel parents need to educate their Children/themselves more about our poor often misundstood wild life. I do hope the little chap gets better, shame the poor snake wont!


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## MathewB (Apr 20, 2011)

I can't believe some of these comments. How could you wish that this 11yo kid die? I never thought the nice people on APS could say such a thing.


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## Nathan_T (Apr 20, 2011)

Firstly, the people wishing that the kid died have a screw loose, and these are the kind of people that would be better off out of the hobby if we want to educate people about conservation of our wildlife. Secondly, how many snakes do you think would die if the newspapers reported that a child died after being bitten by a snake? 

Secondly, on the subject of newsapers, the DECCW has its hands tied regarding prosecution. Firstly, you're suggesting that they try to prosecute an 11 year old. Secondly, if they do, the media will massacre them. It's an easy headline with "Government prosecutes 11 year old after he rescued his puppy", and that kind of sentiment costs votes.


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## lisa5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Doesn't sound like the kids fault, as bad as it seems. The grandparents sounds like they live on a property, therefore it would be likely for snakes to be found on the property. The real shame is that the parents or grandparents haven't educated the children properly what to do if they should do if they should come across a snake, like so many others in this discussion have pointed out. Yeah, it is bad for the kid and the snake, but perhaps if he was told otherwise it would not have happened. Calling the dog away or calling his granddad would have been a much better option. Glad the boy is okay and learns from his mistakes in the future (bad way to learn though).


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## melluvssnakes (Apr 20, 2011)

The bit that gets me is that at the end of the article, they said that the snake will be taken to school by the boy for show and tell. What kind of message will that be sending to his class mates?


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## lisa5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Yeah, show and tell is really off. Maybe instead the teacher could take the opportunity to educate properly.


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## sd1981 (Apr 20, 2011)

the boy was obviously taught that the only good snake is a dead snake!!! education is the key to changing peoples mindset


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## MChaz (Apr 20, 2011)

Personally if I was the teacher and a kid brought that in for show and tell, I would make an example out of the kid. Make him tell his other classmates about how irresponsible he is and how trying to 'act cool' got him in serious trouble. 
But hey, I'm never going to be a teacher.


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## melluvssnakes (Apr 20, 2011)

Problem with that Mchaz is that the teacher probably won't know any better anyway. And I don't think the boy was doing it to act cool. Like was previously said, children learn by example. If he was staying with his grandparents on their property, then he has more then likely witnessed them killing snakes in the past and so he learnt that that was what you are supposed to do. And as bad as it is, it's a fact that when you're living in a rural area, that is the most common reaction.


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## MChaz (Apr 20, 2011)

Yeah thats so true, but I was saying if 'I' was the teacher....
But your exactly right, I wasn't the teacher and I'm sure the teacher didn't know any better if the school gave the boy permission to bring it in. That could be true, but I'm sure a thought ran through his mind like 'Oh my god wait till everyone sees this...' so a part of me thinks he definitely did it for the attention... Because I'm sure he wasn't thinking about the safety of the snake, thats for sure.
Yeah I know a fair few people who live in rural areas and I remember a time I was over one of their houses and witnessed them running over a Brown snake with a lawnmower on purpose. It was disgusting. It's a shame that people have got it drilled into their heads that 'a good snake is a dead snake'.


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## souldoubt (Apr 20, 2011)

garthy said:


> Obviously you dont have kids of your own! what a stupid thing to say! Yes he did the wrong thing, but what if this was someone close to you and you heard people saying the same thing?



I believe that human and animal life should be regarded as equal, and no I dont have kids because I dont want them.

And clearly the mods did act Garty, get your facts straight mate


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## waruikazi (Apr 20, 2011)

souldoubt said:


> I believe that human and animal life should be regarded as equal, and no I dont have kids because I dont want them.
> 
> And clearly the mods did act Garty, get your facts straight mate



Lol, are you a vego by any chance?


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## souldoubt (Apr 20, 2011)

That's obvious but I was referring to the infraction......


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## waruikazi (Apr 20, 2011)

souldoubt said:


> I believe that human and animal life should be regarded as equal, and no I dont have kids because I dont want them.
> 
> And clearly the mods did act Garty, get your facts straight mate



Do you gently persuade mosquitos to leave you and your blood alone?

Have you ever taken worm tablets? :lol:


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## mmafan555 (Apr 20, 2011)

souldoubt said:


> I believe that human and animal life should be regarded as equal, and no I dont have kids because I dont want them.
> 
> And clearly the mods did act Garty, get your facts straight mate



Yeah but its a kid... I mean if it was an adult I would agree...**** him and his health and if he went out of his way to kill a snake for no reason... But a kid come on..An 11 year old isn't responsible for his actions.

What statement annoys me the most through is the " animals were made/created by God for humans and our pleasure" Lol I hear that from the religious folk quite a lot and its absurd. Tell that to the croc that's savagely mauling you that he was created solely by God for us to enjoy...or better yet tell that to the insects that kill millions of people each year by transmitting diseases that God created them for us and our pleasure. What about the parasites/microorganisms etc thank you God for creating those...we really appreciate them!

While I do disagree with your statement... I do find it annoying that some people actullay argue that humans aren't animals and are separate to them. How can anyone honestly believe that when we have 99.999 the same urges instincts as animals and are effected by the same elements that affects virtually every other living animal( disease, natural disaster etc)
​


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## Naturesfury (Apr 20, 2011)

I have an 11yr old girl, I live in Townsville and guess what they call my backyard the snake path because the little fella's okay some get pretty big use my backyard as a way to travel to the local creek. I get them all taipans, browns, carpets, tree snakes and childrens pythons. My 11yr old knows after being drummed in her head you see a snake do not go closer do not get it angry just try to back off very slowly and come inside. And at no time is she to attack just let them go on their merry way. Now if an adult educates their children from get go especially living up here then there is no reason for any violence or stupidity. The 11 yr old boy is a so called wild life buff is that is the case he would be old enough to know better and if not his parents and grandparents need to be shot....not literally but you know what I mean. It all comes down to education.

That said this boy should be prosecuted after all the boy and his dog were on the snakes land ..........But of course it will not be seen like that in the eye of most people because it was a ven snake a danger......**** a car is more dangerous and higher chance of killing a child than a snake and the drivers are prosecuted.....shakes head better step away before i get seriously agro


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## python_boy (Apr 20, 2011)

i dont understand?? why give him anti-venom??


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## giglamesh (Apr 20, 2011)

python_boy said:


> i dont understand?? why give him anti-venom??



so when facing potential death shall people say no withhold the cure. let nature take its course


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## fugawi (Apr 20, 2011)

Firstly, according to QLD law, does this mean I can grab a shottie and blow away a bunch of rednecks because they are obviously over populating and overbreeding, also they could present a danger to my family. Seriously, during a state of emergency where people are being swept away and killed by floods, their thoughts are "Oh yeah, grab the shotgun so we can cull some snakes". These guys should have their guns, boat, trailer and towing vehicle confiscated, their gun licenses revoked and every and all charges, including the book, thrown at them as an example. Take a female Mud Crab and this is the punishment.

Secondly, this kid probably went out to kill snakes, chopped off the head of the Taipan and while playing with it envenomated himself. I don't care who you are, if you know a snake has bitten you, you panic. This kid was calm because he thought a dead snake couldn't harm you. The idea that he picked up the Taipan, ran all the way home, holding it by the neck and tail and it didn't bite him till he got home!!! Lay charges on him and his Grandparents. He's a 6th grader, probably around 12, that regularly visits his grandparents on their farm. He should know better. At 4 my son warned his Poppy against going into a field because he saw a Brown snake in there.

What is this "Kill a snake week in QLD?"


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## souldoubt (Apr 20, 2011)

It seems like kill a snake week every week in QLD mate. I actually know someone who was called out to relocate a whip snake, that was killed with a shovel by the people who called him


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## lisa5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Thing is that it was a kid. Stupid media sensationalize the whole thing and make out the kid is some sort of hero- rather than make an example out of the situation and explain that if the snake had simply been left alone none of it would have happened in the first place. What an example to set for others- the kids life was at stake- yet grabbing the snake and killing it was the best thing to do????


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## Banjo (Apr 20, 2011)

Watched it on the news, pretty sad really, for the snake having to die for no reason, and the child and the family having the wrong education on snakes.
Earlier people where discussing if anyone had been actually prosecuted for killing snakes, and that they could never find out the outcome due to the privacy laws. Why it was plastered on the news about what sentence was handed out to the redneck that ran over the swan.


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## Elapidae1 (Apr 20, 2011)

Wait, Wait, Wait for it. BAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA, at some of the moronic comments on this thread.


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## veenarm (Apr 20, 2011)

souldoubt said:


> I believe that human and animal life should be regarded as equal


 
Yeah right.... There is no way that PET animals are equal to humans. Yes they can have fear pleasure pain etc, but think of there life in comparison to your own, yes we should act the better species, but come on, it wasn't that long ago we were infact massacring our own people.

You think your collection is equal? take them out of there cages and let them free, we all deserve to be equal and free so let them go!

Dumbest thing I have ever heard.. don't get me wrong, I love my 'Pets' and my snakes and lizards to death and want the utmost care taken for them, but if it came down to life and death etc I'm not going to choose them because i think they are equal to me for starters they don't even have the brain capacity to be asked that question!

I don't wish death on any animal or person, but for christ sakes he is a 12 year old kid get over it. 

Stop berating the kid and get on the news people for publishing a stupidly outlandish publication with out regard, they should be leading by example and help educate the public, why? because they have the power to change peoples opinions very easily. People are sheep...


People will always act in self preservation first, and those that don't get left behind.


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## hypochondroac (Apr 20, 2011)

Wow, there are some twisted comments in this thread.

Everyone keeps saying the parents, the teacher, the journalist etc should make an example of the situation but arn't you all forgetting that these people may not understand the wrong in the situation themselves? They're probably like the majority of the population, know little about snakes and even that there are laws to protect them.

These sort of occurrences arn't explained in a logical manner because the people reporting it or that are involved don't think logically about snakes to begin with. A small number of the australian public gives a crap about wildlife conservation and even less of a crap about snake conservation.

As long as there are people on this earth that are afraid of snakes there will be this kind of thing going on. I agree that there should be some kind of consequence no matter what the age but children these days are virtually untouchable - Yet another flaw in our justice system.


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## fauce (Apr 20, 2011)

Hi everyone. Not sure the answer is jumping on a reptile forum and complaining to each other about this. We all agree killing snakes is bad, we all love snakes, that is why we are here. 

Fact is most people don't understand. Whinging about it here aint changing anything. Perhaps instead whenever you see an article like this, write to the paper and ask them to run an article talking about snakes and how if left alone will never attack you, how they are protected etc. instead of jumping on a forum and saying an 11 year old kid should die. Get a grip.

The only way this will ever change is if people like us actually try and get the message to the general public however we can. 

Bring back Steve Irwin i say.


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## MathewB (Apr 20, 2011)

fauce said:


> Hi everyone. Not sure the answer is jumping on a reptile forum and complaining to each other about this. We all agree killing snakes is bad, we all love snakes, that is why we are here.
> 
> Fact is most people don't understand. Whinging about it here aint changing
> anything. Perhaps instead whenever you see an article like this, write to the
> ...



This is a great comment that I totally agree with


fauce said:


> Bring back Steve Irwin i say.



That however is a bit more difficult


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## Origamislice (Apr 20, 2011)

the problem isn't the kid or the family, its the lack of education they have and thats the thing we need to change.


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## D3pro (Apr 20, 2011)

I was bought up in townsville and know what it's like over there. The kid was silly, but then again, so was I. I played with my share of tais and browns and it was that, that got me into the hobby. There are no shortage of these snakes and folks up there hate them cause their simply scared of these deadly animals which are everywhere. I hope the kid will take the time to learn about the animal that almost killed him, and educate himself on how to approach the situation the next time he comes across a snake.


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## zack13 (Apr 21, 2011)

How can anyone wish death on an 11 year old kid? That is actually sickening.


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## mmafan555 (Apr 21, 2011)

D3pro said:


> There are no shortage of these snakes and folks up there hate them cause their simply scared of these deadly animals which are everywhere. I hope the kid will take the time to learn about the animal that almost killed him, and educate himself on how to approach the situation the next time he comes across a snake.



Well they shouldn't be scared of snakes... More people die in Spain from venomous snake bites than in Australia and your chances of dieing from snakebite in OZ is exceptionally low. It is hard to accidentally step on a fast alert elapid like a taipan.or a brown..So most bites would be idiots going after the snake or an accidental bite from a herper...

Fast moving alert elapids almost always cause less amount of bites than ambush species like vipers that wont move out of your way. For most elapids they are smart and alert/fast enough to get out of your way so you accidentally stepping on them would be very difficult. Cobras are the exception because they are extremely common and closely associated with humans and tend to be more likely to hold their ground so they bite alot of people in Africa and Asia.


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## zack13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Don't think fear is logically based...


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## [email protected] (Apr 21, 2011)

There is not much protection when it comes to snakes.....poaching , killing snakes for there skin is about all..... but you can get away with killing one.......if you killed a platypus would be a different story..........even worse, the trouble you would be in if you where to kill some ones cat......you can chop the head off a snake but you cant chop the head off a cat. i dont condone any of the above....i think all animals if killed should be done humanly or its just pure murder in my opinion.....as far as my concern about the kid is that he deserved it.....its the only way you learn............some people never learn..........i would love to see some one prosecuted for killing a snake, but i dont think it will happen,,,i dont think i have ever heard of it happening....if so let me know i would love to read the article


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## lisa5 (Apr 21, 2011)

write to the paper and ask them to run an article talking about snakes and how if left alone will never attack you, how they are protected etc. 

Done


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## souldoubt (Apr 21, 2011)

lisa5 said:


> write to the paper and ask them to run an article talking about snakes and how if left alone will never attack you, how they are protected etc.
> 
> Done


 
I doubt that you've ever wrote to a newspaper about an issue like this Lisa. I have, and I can tell you none that I've ever wrote such a letter to have been even slightly interested. Why? because it sells more papers to dramatise these things and play on peoples' fear. 
For example, ever seen a newspaper article mention the fact that statistically you're more likely to get struck by lightning than attacked by a shark?



veenarm said:


> Yeah right.... There is no way that PET animals are equal to humans. Yes they can have fear pleasure pain etc, but think of there life in comparison to your own, yes we should act the better species, but come on, it wasn't that long ago we were infact massacring our own people.



I was referring to wildlife, and the comment was made because believe it or not we do rely on ecosystems for our own survival. I dont think I've even mentioned the word "pet" in this thread and the taipan definitely wasn't the kids pet.

My comment may have been harsh but it was made after a morning of reading newspaper articles and comments from people glorifying this kid, for what?
and it just reccurs every time an incident like this happens. 

I also fail to see where self preservation came in to this story, the kid has restrained the snake - then he made a conscious decision to kill it. Restraining the animal removes the threat, making any argument of someone panicing or self preservation invalid.


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## lisa5 (Apr 21, 2011)

Souldoubt, you do not know me at all, so why the comment? No they may not take any notice, but it is better than not doing anything at all.


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## fugawi (Apr 21, 2011)

Souldoubt and Lisa......I have rang a reporter that sensationalised a story similar to this, about a dog that was killing RBBS's. I told her that they were protected natives etc and she came and interviewed me and the next week ran a counter story about how it was wrong to let their dog kill natives and then she wrote all the numbers of wires, council etc.

They will run a counter story but don't email or write, RING the reporter directly. Discuss it with them, show the importance of NOT killing them, let them know the laws. The headline "Kid bitten by snake" is not as good as "Kid bitten by native snake while illegally hunting and killing our native wildlife" is better.


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## hypochondroac (Apr 21, 2011)

Comparing animals and humans is ridiculous, it's virtually incomparable. The importance of any kind of death be it animal or human is only measured by the people or other animals surrounding it.


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## Red-Ink (Apr 21, 2011)

The kid's an idiot.. the grandparent and the parents are bigger idiots... sad about the snake, he got bit hopefully THEY all learned their lesson and now we ALL move on...


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## Daynemh (Apr 21, 2011)

its a bit silly isnt it.
Yes, i understand that uneducated people autamatically asume killing snakes is best, and unfortunetly 99% of people have no interest or education of australian natives and endangered species. i didnt read the article and dont know the true story.

i work with animals and nature reserves as my job. had an email sent to me a week ago. on the gold coast, developer clearing a site in coomera. dozer pushing down trees. concerned neighbour notice a koala clinging to a branch of a recently fallen tree, tree lopper is cutting branches with his chainsaw only 10meters from the koala. i still havnt heard any news of the developer or tree loppers getting hit with any sort of justice.

Animals where here before we got here


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## slide (Apr 21, 2011)

zack13 said:


> How can anyone wish death on an 11 year old kid? That is actually sickening.


 as is killing native wildlife or any wildlife for that matter


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## GeckPhotographer (Apr 21, 2011)

The effect of the venom of a snake like that is a pretty efficient teacher not to pick up snakes. Unfortunately the next time the kid will probably just kill snakes from a distance and think Snake: 1 Him: 2. I do not wish the kid dead, I can understand why he is not prosectued. It is not really the kid, nor the parents nor the grandparents who I am against in this case.
Yes the media should not glorify this but the media is a business nothing to do with actually trying to do right. 

I really think education should include cumpolsury areas in which kids study nature linked facets of Australia. Being taught about the value of native animals, the dangers, and the right way to act in the Australian bush. It does not have to be all scientific or too specific just make them feel like they are being intelligent and doing the right thing by admiring and not bringing grief to Australian native animals.


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## Darijo (Apr 21, 2011)

This is all because of an Uneducated society, not with working and living, but our interactions with the animals that we all share our environment with.

I'm only 16 years old and have been interested in snakes since i was about 11, my Dad and relatives bought be books on them ranging from those young children's stories with the pretty picture and a morale to learn, through to the information packed encyclopedias and various other books I've accumulated over the past couple of years.

I personally think that it would be a nice idea for the government to include education about our wildlife into school curriculums,( might be a while off) but otherwise teach new generations how to deal with these creatures should they ever cross paths and learn to respect the animal and walk away so as not to aggravate or intrude on the animal in its natural environment, instead of "poking at it with a stick" method.

Like said on the Site, most bites are from feeding (obviously from keeping them as pets, and being in awe of such wonderful creatures) then some uneducated person who assumes that the right thing is to kill it, even if it hasn't done any harm to anything.. well accept its dinner... but back to the point, this all leads to a lack of education in the Wildlife section.

I feel like the Kid was only doing what he knew and saw, this situation might have been different if he knew and was taught how to deal with snakes, regardless of if they are dangerous or not. Just my opinion.


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## veenarm (Apr 21, 2011)

Darijo said:


> I personally think that it would be a nice idea for the government to include education about our wildlife into school curriculums.



I honestly thought this was part of something to do with school, I don't remember where I learned about snakes come to think about it now, and just thought it was 'common' knowledge that Pythons are not venomous yet, the amount of people i tell i have diamond pythons that ask the question 'are they venomous' is astonishing...

To that previous dude, my last comment wasn't directed at you it was a general concept of the way we live, and how animals live... self preservation comes first.


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## Daynemh (Apr 21, 2011)

im not sure if its STILL in our education system. im 20, and i do remember in school, learning about browns, rbb's and carpet pythons. i dont ever remember learning about which ones wherent venomous. only that the best thing to do is, stand still, and if far enough away, back away slowly.

its common sense not to touch snakes. i wouldnt want my kids learning which are and are not venomous. because then there is the chance of them suspecting it to be non-ven and have a go at picking it up. best bet is to teach society that snakes are apart of our ecosystem and that we should keep away from them but respect their place. (unless ofcoarse they live in a wooden cabinet in our lounge room)


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## GeckPhotographer (Apr 22, 2011)

Back in year 5, (I am in year 12 now.) we learnt about the different fangs, Pythons non venomous, Front fanged grooved or hollow and colubrids rear and grooved or hollow. But nothing more and yes I get asked if my python is venomous from an astounding amount of people. 
Maybe everyone else forgot that and it was only because I had known that since year 1 that I remembered it. 
I remember we had to do a research task on an animal but it had to be an overseas one because 'we already know so much about Australiain ones' which was an utter load of bs, a heap of students in my class could have done with being told Australia had native rodents, that microbats existed and that snakes do not actively hunt humans. The education system is really not good on this issue at all.


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## Darijo (Apr 22, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> . But nothing more and yes I get asked if my python is venomous from an astounding amount of people.


 
If only i has a dollar every time someone asked if it was poisonous... i just tell them, do you honestly think i would keep a pet that could kill me from a bite (no offense to people that keep elapids you guys have a lot more experience in that department) but I really don't think my parents would be like "here son have this highly dangerous and venomous snake to keep as a pet ". I wish people would think before asking those questions. 

Still, we do need to include more about our wildlife into the curriculums. I don't even remember learning about snakes or reptiles that much in primary.


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## mmafan555 (Apr 26, 2011)

Kid is lucky he is from a modern wealthy nation with top medical care and encounters primarily neurotoxic snakes which cause little long term damage if you do survive. Send his *** to South Asia or Africa and let him do that vs snakes that will leave him with a permanent reminder of his stupidity..

In all seriousness through he is 11. What 11 year old isn't a naive hyperactive idiot.. I know I was and I am sure you were all time


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## GeckPhotographer (Apr 26, 2011)

Neurotoxic snakes can cause pretty bad damage to livers or kidney, I forget which one....


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## motman440 (Apr 26, 2011)

Not the child's fault. I was always taught to stay away from snakes, spiders, hot things and women. Now it's only the spiders i fear 
But seriously. Education is the best weapon.


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## souldoubt (Apr 26, 2011)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Neurotoxic snakes can cause pretty bad damage to livers or kidney, I forget which one....



I think venom is rougher on the liver, because the liver removes unwanted things, such as toxins from the blood. But I believe that venom can damage both organs


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