For Those Of You With Snakes & Small Children

[Slapchop]

Be careful. Horrible tragedy out of Canada where a python strangled two young boys. According to the news reports the snake escaped from a nearby pet shop and managed to make its way into the children's bedroom.

New Brunswick snake update: Python killed 2 boys out of hunger, not self defense - Hartford Top News | Examiner.com

Prayers for the family.

 

[bm11]

Jesus, that is horrendous. I can only imagine.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Having been around snakes and people with very large snakes, i immediately thought when i saw this story that the kids were victims of foul play. Even if the snake killed one of them, i doubt it would have killed the other without trying to eat the first one. When a snake hunts, it eats. When a big snake gets aggressive, it is going to try to eat you. I knew a guy who bred big burmese and his female tried to eat him. He said at that point the snake is biting you to distract you from the big coils coming around your body. Either way its awful for tow kids to have been lost

 

[Cartman]

I like snakes and over the years the wife and I have talked about getting one. After finding out I was mistaken about first thinking the story was BS, I've changed my mind about getting a snake for a pet. I do have a toddler.

 

[grayghost]

On the news this morning snake, was living in apartment not in pet shop. Have not heard yet exactly how children died, wondering if snake was looking to get warm and just got on top of the sleeping kids?

 

[aur0ra145]

Boys killed by python to be mourned at vigil - New Brunswick - CBC News

Another link for the story. This one says the snake fell through the ceiling and though it doesn't explicitly say the snake ate them. It is heavily implied.

 

[user]

F'that. That is tragic. Prayers to all involved or affected.

 

[Hogshooter]

Terrible news. At my previous residence I had a neighbor that had two pythons, one was 16' and the other was 14'. He would let them out to sun in his back yard. I told him in no uncertain words that if they were ever on my property that I would make sure to run the tractor and bushog over them until they were in very short pieces.

 

[KTDLS7]

Terrible news. At my previous residence I had a neighbor that had two pythons, one was 16' and the other was 14'. He would let them out to sun in his back yard. I told him in no uncertain words that if they were ever on my property that I would make sure to run the tractor and bushog over them until they were in very short pieces.

Can't agree more, except 12 ga with shot to the head - why waste the potential for a pair of boots?

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Haven't seen much about the story except here. I still think there is something in the story that either they don't know or just aren't saying. African Rock pythons are second only to anacondas in large snake aggression and are known for killing and sometimes eating people in Africa. They are not a snake to be kept as a pet. Burmese can become very used to people, thats why the reptile shows that come to your kids schools usually have a big burmese that all the kids line up on. Still wouldn't want one around while I was sleeping

 

[BALLISTIC]

Grade B, Bullshit story for the masses...Congrats!

 

[dogmessiah]

I like snakes and over the years the wife and I have talked about getting one. After finding out I was mistaken about first thinking the story was BS, I've changed my mind about getting a snake for a pet. I do have a toddler.

If you do your research (snake temperament and hyperactivity vary with species) you can still get a snake, just don't get a big one. Snakes generally don't kill unless they can eat you. Look at something like a rosy boa (fairly docile and lazy) or a corn snake (docile but hyper active for a snake). There would be no danger to your toddler. Hell, my ball pythons are larger than either of those two species, and I can't even get them to strike/eat anything larger than a medium sized rat.

 

[JaysonF]

I've owned snakes my whole life, even when I was a child. Bad parenting and uneducated children were the problem in this situation. I liken this to having a kid shoot another kid when the gun is in the house

 

[Cartman]

If you do your research (snake temperament and hyperactivity vary with species) you can still get a snake, just don't get a big one. Snakes generally don't kill unless they can eat you. Look at something like a rosy boa (fairly docile and lazy) or a corn snake (docile but hyper active for a snake). There would be no danger to your toddler. Hell, my ball pythons are larger than either of those two species, and I can't even get them to strike/eat anything larger than a medium sized rat.

I've done a lot of research and handling. And funny enough but ball pythons were one of our top choices. But it is more of a psychological thing at this point. Just sort of turned me off to the idea.

And the snake in the news article was a rock python? From Africa? Can't those things eat impalas and other crazy shit that seems as big as them? Good lord. I guess I really don't want to know the details of exactly what happened.