Venomous - to keep or not to keep

[percey39]

Originally Posted by infernalis

I may get flamed down for this, BUT....

Here in the US you are required to have a license for a handgun, and improper handling of hots will kill you just as dead as the handgun will...

So I do feel that if a person desires keeping such animals, they should have to undergo the same strict requirements as owning a glock.

There is also that risk that if said snake were to escape in a multi family dwelling or a populated neighborhood... I don't think I need say anymore.

YES - certain people with common sense and some education can properly care for venomous snakes, but by the same token, anyone with some money can have a cobra delivered to their front door in 24 hours with a single paypal transaction.

And not exactly all of the people who can click a mouse and enter a bank account number have the common sense or intelligence to handle the animal they just bought.

The worst case scenario for a fool with a python is the snake winds up dead.. The worst case scenario with a hot is a human winds up dead.

Sure, there would be one less fool on the planet to reproduce and spread that stupid gene, however it's the innocent bystanders (children, neighbors, spouse) that I care about.

Some good points raised Wayne, i completely agree with the licensing system. I do however disagree with the statement about pythons though. Any 3m constrictor can easily kill a human being. Now i see so many photo's of people with 3m+ animals around their shoulders. Some people say free handling hots is stupid but so is putting large constrictors round your neck. As i have stated before there is always antivenoms for hot bites but there is no antivenom or cure for lack of oxygen!

I have neighbours with young children living next door on all sides of my house. I let my hot's cruise around in a certain area of the lawn with strict supervision of course. I know that many would frown apon this but i am competent in stopping an animal trying to make a 10m get away. I will also be looking at making some outdoor enclosures to keep some of my animals perminently outside. This i will be discussing with my neighbours as i feel they have a right to know where abouts i plan to put these pits.

None of this is meant to come across as arguementitive so please dont take it that way.