Email from non-member

[Scale_Addiction]

i'm gunna be a prick (as usual)

and say that i have had little to no experience with colubrids/elapids.

and if i walked out to my 4 year old daughters sandpit, and saw that baby, straight away i'd be thinking "taipan" or similar, i don't think i'd behead it, but i sure wouldn't be counting it's damn nostril scales!

 

[AntaresiaLady]

I'm agreeing with those who are saying that parental instinct would take over.

If I thought the risk to my child, or my animals was imminent- then I would have no hesitation in taking drastic action, as awful as that sounds. BUT if the threat was not imminent or direct- then I would call one of the many 'snake guys' I know to come remove it. If no one could- I'd keep calling till I found someone who could.
I, like Azz, have no experience with colubrids/elapids, and as such would treat ALL snake encounters as though they are venomous especially if I could not identify the animal.

I'd also advise the gentleman who killed that snake to learn about the snakes in his area, and get a list of local 'Snakebusters', and keep the WIRES number by the phone.

And call me sensitive, but I think that it was unnecessary to show the graphic picture of the dismembered snake. Show its head, its body, but its unnecessary to post the one of the two together.

For most herpers thats a sight you never want to see. And I'd be happy if that was the last pic like that I ever see.

 

[Linus]

Gee I'm a bit surprised to hear so many reptile keepers would be so quick to "pull the trigger" on this poor keelback.

I understand this from the guy who has sent the email, but coming from people who keep snakes I would have expected a bit more presence of mind. Sure - call WIRES or NPWS and get it removed but it seems a lot of you have already resigned yourself to killing any unidentified species!

I can understand wanting to get your kids out of danger - so how about you pick up the kid and take him/her inside and then deal with the snake in a more friendly way! Crumbs! :evil:

 

[Kris]

No one suggested that the people should stop and count nasal scales (especially since there's only ever 2), or preocular scales for that matter, or that people should stop and ask the snake if it's venomous or not. That was simply one of the markers used to make the ID, if you're going to ID a snake for someone then you should at least make sure you do it properly don't you think?

And while I know what I'm going to say here will probably ruffle feathers, there are laws in QLD against moving or killing snakes. And they are there for a reason. The vast majority of snake bites occur when people interfere with the animal in some way (no I don't have a link for the stats). And as we all know, snakes are-along with all other native animals- a protected species.

Logic also dictates that if your child (or yourself) are in "imminent danger" from a snake then the most effective, and quickest, course of action is to remove yourself/selves from the situation. It takes less time to grab a child and walk away than it does to grab a pitchfork and torches and chase the ogre....hang on, got carried away.....than it does to grab a shovel and behead the snake. Not to mention the fact that someone chasing after the snake is more likely to aggravate the animal and increase the risk that the person at risk will be bitten. Generally speaking once a snake knows there's predators around they lose the desire to set up shop. Oh and before anyone says "but if you had kids you'd think differently"....we're parents too

Cheers, Kris and Kersten.

 

[Magpie]

I have to put my 5c worth in here.
I have kids, I love them.
I am also very very scared of dogs and every time one goes near my kids, I worry for my children's lives.
Seriously, I almost panic.
I have never ever killed a dog, even though many of them have jumped all over my kids and every single one of them has the potential to kill my kids.
Probably more potential to do harm than having a random aussie snake in the sandpit.
If I did kill a dog, I'd probably be on today tonight.

 

[Kris]

Agree with you 100% Magpie. I have the same fear about dogs with my kids, we don't even leave them alone with other family member's dogs.