Huge snakes

[Swampghost]

These things have been bothering the H out of me.

Now we have the African Rock Python to deal with!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...nt-snakes.html

http://news.aol.com/article/400-poun...ed-from/667516

No more sleeping in the SoFL wilderness for me! I'm also carrying a new knife.

[JagFarlane]

Hmmmm well then...doubt I'll be moving to SoFL anytime soon. Gotta love how people take on pets they can't handle and end up destroying the environment around them

[Dave R]

Hmmm. What caliber for giant snakes?

[JagFarlane]

Personally I'd be all for 10ga or 12ga 3.5" with 00 buck...but I have a slight snake phobia...

[JohnKSa]

What caliber for giant snakes?

It doesn't matter as long as it will penetrate to the brain. There's not much vital on a big snake (or any other large reptile for that matter) in terms of getting a quick stop. You either shoot it in the brain or you're wasting ammunition.

[Swampghost]

Jag, I guess that you live somewhere where the temp. alone can kill you.

I'll figure out a way to deal with the big snakes.

[Fat White Boy]

I spent two years in Thailand- I saw more snakes there than anywhere I have ever been. I guess I can just go to Florida, now....

[JagFarlane]

Jag, I guess that you live somewhere where the temp. alone can kill you.

Not particularly, no. However...in all the years I've gone through the woods I've only run across a Black Racer...nothing poisonous. And at least rattlers prefer to conserve their toxin and give you fair warning/aren't big enough to want to eat me.

[Swampghost]

I'm figuring that these guys are going to sneak in at night or strike from an incredible distance which could be yards. On average, most snakes can strike nearly half their length. I'm guessing that really big ones might go to 1/3.

On a 20 ft. snake that's still 6-1/2'!

I've grown up with Diamondbacks, Corals, Copperheads and my special buddies the Pygmy Rattler and Cottonmouth. No big deal. Left out gators, also NBD.

I'm worried about sleeping but looking forward to some new boots!

[Nnobby45]

Just tell some of the local Rednecks that the season is open year around, there's no limit, and they taste like chicken. As a plus, they make great hat bands (I'd say shoes, but we're talkin' Rednecks, here).

I always thought that Florida would make a good home for transplanted Latin American lanceheads. Some of these highly venomous species are quite aquatic. Guess they don't make popular pets, yet.

[Swampghost]

That's part of what gets me. They authorized 6!!!!! guys to go after these. The current esimate is 100,000 AND they are reproducing.

On TV some lucky dude got one within hours. Case closed.

It WILL be very interesting to see how this one plays out. Maybe they like hogs and coyotes. I have a feeling that they will like everything, panthers, deer, small bear, fish, interesting indeed.

[Nnobby45]

I think their diet would be similar to that where they come from. Rock Pythons eat antelope up to 59 kg.

A lot more myth than reality re: danger to humans, however, I know of a well documented case of a Rock Python (Africa's only large constrictor) killing an adult human in souther Africa.

Would think children would be at risk, but don't have data to back it up. Pets would certainly be a concern.

In some parts of Africa they're killed and eaten when encountered, or intentionally hunted for food. In areas where they're eaten, 15% of the populace is infected with the same internal parasites that infect the pythons.

There's one species with two races (nominate and subspecies). The largest race grows to 8 or 9 meters and is found in the Northern part of the range. The more southernly specimens are somewhat smaller. Average size is 3 to 5 meters.

Their agressive behavior is not a myth.

My info comes from The Dangerous Snakes of Africa--Spawls and Branch.

[22-rimfire]

Maybe if the government would allow year around hunting of these snakes, the population could be controlled.

[srt 10 jimbo]

I'd be more worried about The Reticulated Python then the Burmiese or the Rock. They also had a guy who's green Mamba got lose last month. just what we need, maybe pirahna's next.

[rodwhaincamo]

Oh there's nothin' to worry about Swamp. They just want to snuggle up with you at night !

[Old Grump]

Man who owned snake that killed 2-year old arrested on drug charges
Reported by: Chad Cookler
Email: [email protected]
Last Update: 8/07 8:01 pm
Charles Darnell
Slideshow
Charles Darnell
Related Links

* Man whose python killed Sumter County girl is remorseful

OXFORD, FL -- The man whose pet snake killed his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter last month has been arrested on drug-related charges.

Deputies arrested 32-year-old Charles Darnell Friday afternoon following a one week investigation. According to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, undercover detectives bought cocaine from Darnell in front of his home on two separate occasions.

It's the same home where Darnell's 8 1/2 foot python strangled girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter, Shaiunna Hare, to death in July.

Darnell was pulled over just after 5 pm at the Bob's Jiffy Mart on Highway 44, where Darnell was taken into custody.

He is charged with two counts of sale of cocaine, two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to sell, two counts of unlawful use of a two-way communication device and two counts of keep shop for dangerous drugs.

He is in the Sumter County Jail on a $110,000 bond.

Prosecutors haven't decided whether Darnell or the girl's mother, Jaren Hare, should be charged with wrongdoing Shaiunnna's death.

At the time Darell told deputies he put the snake in an unlocked cage the night before, then found the snake in the bed on top of the girl when he woke up, according to authorities.
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/lo...ytZUDpZDw.cspx

Man apparently strangled by pet boa constrictor
Authorities say Ohioan found dead with 13-foot snake around his neck

updated 5:08 p.m. CT, Sun., Dec . 17, 2006

CINCINNATI - A 13-foot boa constrictor wrapped itself around its owner’s neck and killed the man in his home, authorities said.

An acquaintance found Ted Dres, 48, inside the snake’s cage Saturday and called police, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office said.

The snake was still strangling Dres when deputies arrived, and the officers had to work with members of an animal protection group to remove the reptile, the sheriff’s office said.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

Dres’ snake will be kept at an animal shelter awaiting instructions from police or Dres’ family, said Andy Mahlman, spokesman for the Cincinnati Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“People who keep these type of animals as pets should know exactly what they’re doing and what they’re capable of,” Mahlman said.

He said he has seen photographs of reptile owners posing with snakes coiled around their necks.

“They don’t realize they could be a few seconds away from death,” he said.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16255785/

There is ignorant and there is stupid, ignorance can be cured but the only cure for stupid is removal from the gene pool.

Just between you, me and the neighbors dog the woman who lets a drug dealer with a dangerous snake move into her house with her little girl should also be up on murder charges not just the man who owned the snake.

[Bigfatts]

Pythons I can handle, it's the rattlers and pygmies that sneak up on you. My wife almost stepped on 2 Pygmies last year in the swamp, the 2nd was big enough to still manage a bite when stepped on. Can't get her to look where she's goin. If I hadn't seen that last one and pulled her back... If a Python big enough to kill you is out there, odds are it aint gonna have the speed to get you, unless you're sleepin on the ground outside.

[Mike U.]

Back around the late 90's, I recall hearing about a rapidly establishing, breeding population of King Cobras in South Florida.
IIRC, they were zoo or reptile sanctuary escapees in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew's leveling of South Florida. Haven't read or heard anything about it since then.

Anyone here run across any info on that possible nightmare?

If this was true, I'd think we'd be hearing a WHOLE lot more on that since King Cobras can reach 11'-14' in length and are venomous in the extreme.

Can you imagine walking through a knee high grassy field and suddenly a 14' long King Cobra rises up in front of you? AAAHHHH!!!!!
At that size, I imagine he could raise up almost groin or waist high. *shudder*

I am soooo hoping this is not true...

[Bigfatts]

Anyone here run across any info on that possible nightmare?

I don't know about breeding populations but I have read of several species of venomous foreign snakes that have been captured around the Miami area. It seems people can make money smuggling and selling venomous snakes to people who aren't qualified to have them. Rather than get pinched with an unregistered venomous snake, they ditch them. The scariest I heard of was a Gaboon Viper that was caught by animal control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitis_gabonica

There was a bit about this snake on some Animal Planet show. 3" fangs! I would not want to run across one of those!

[ADB]

That's part of what gets me. They authorized 6!!!!! guys to go after these. The current esimate is 100,000 AND they are reproducing.

This is where we could use the military. A few helicopter gunships would probably take care of the problem with decent speed.

Hey, Posse Comitatus says the military can't be used for law enforcement... doesn't say anything about animal control.

[MosinM38]

That really creeps me out.

Not a snake phobe, but I don't like them a whole lot. At least big guys.

Not really needed as an explicit "Snake defence", but. Lol, my opinion it should be considered, just as if one was hiking in bear country, or in a urban slum.

What I'd choose....Hmmm..

Travelling to Florida: Semi-auto .40. Enough shots. Because a really peeved snake moves fast, and headshots might take a few shots to hit.

Living in Florida: Carry a 18" pump 12 gauge with BB shot and a hi-cap semi-auto handgun

[JohnKSa]

Maybe if the government would allow year around hunting of these snakes, the population could be controlled.

Is the government really restricting hunting/controlling these species? Since they're non-native species I would have expected there to be essentially no rules on when/how/how many could be killed...

[Bigfatts]

Since they're non-native species I would have expected there to be essentially no rules on when/how/how many could be killed...

That's more or less what I would think. Kind of the way they treat Hogs.

[ADB]

I know that's how they treat invasive species here in New York.

[hogdogs]

They are fair game, however where they are doing the most damage to native population is in "off limits" florida panther zones...
Brent