To think its bonkers our local pet shop sells rattle snakes

[VivaLeBeaver]

And other even more venomous ones?

The bloke assures me you need a licence for them. Oh that's ok then.

I asked if our local hospital stocks anti venom. It doesn't. The nearest hospital that does is 4 miles away. He reckons you'd be ambucoptered over there and would make it if the rattlesnake bit you. The other one he reckons you'd be dead before the helicopter got you there.

So anyone can get a licence and then keep one. Which is fine until it escapes.

I'd be checking on supply at local hospital

And being generally nervous about rattly hissy noises

Well I'm sure the chances of me been bitten by one of their snakes is remote. So on a personal level I guess I'm not worried.

Yes.... but I've just been looking around my house, and thinking.... would that door keep out a snake, or could it come underneath/up through the floor boards.

Sure, but probably the poor sod who does get bitten won't be the moron who bought the rattlesnake in the first place.

Not always true. Sometimes the right person earns the Darwin Award :)

Son Of Late Snake-Handling Pastor Is Bitten By Rattlesnake

Cody Coots

Is that real?

There are actually no illegal pets in the UK. The DWA simply provides protection for animals listed on it (chimps, big cats, venomous snakes etc) because of the specialist facilities needed to get a DWA license most people don't keep these animals. And the shop does not need to keep antivenin, but does need written escape and bite protocols and needs to have informed nearby hospitals.

I have a vague memory that years ago fire fighters in Manchester were called to a fire in a flat in a big block and found the walls lined with glass cases of deadly snakes and that was one of the main reasons for DWA laws being introduced.

Yeah the snake handling Pastor was real. They have a number of them in the US. On this link at usatoday they speak reverently of a man willing to die for his beliefs.

Let's hope his family/friends don't decide to move here.

Please tell me where you live whilst I seal my letterbox with concrete and pour bleach down all my drains on an hourly basis wibbles

I saw a documentary on those snake handling pastors. Most of them had missing or deformed fingers from too many bites.

All we can do is hope that they kill themselves off.

Anyone remember 'Dumb ways to die'?

Greenies, sod bleach I'm getting some proper acid! They are not pets!

Does anybody remember the story approx 1-2yrs ago America i think where a deadly snake was supposed to of escaped in some flats or a shop and it got out and killed a child,

was it true in the end??

what was the outcome??

Christmas I don't know about that, but I just saw a show about someone (I can't remember US or UK) who had a boa constrictor, put a couple of books on it to weigh it down, and the boa escaped and killed a 3 year old in the house, napping.

There's really no earthy reason for these things to be legal. They are useful in marking people out as lunatics, but surely there's a better way.

Oooooooo I know of someone who has the DWA licence and keeps lots of dangerous snakes!

To be honest it's his obsession. His living room is lined with vivariums and he is constantly on snake handling courses. It took him a very long time and a LOT of money to get his licence. You certainly can't just ask for one.

is this what you're thinking of?

I'm not certain his rights to indulge his obsession outweigh the public's right to enjoy snake-free safety.

I know a snake breeder but even for him rattlesnakes were a bit much! He had a few poisonous ones though IIRC, and two 10ft+ ones, One was a constrictor, I think the other was too. He had to call the fire brigade to help him when one of the big ones clamped down on his arm and started circling him, no teeth thankfully!

He breeds feeder rats too, though I refuse to go meet them seeing as they're all destined for the freezer :(

I always thought it was a bit odd that the snake managed to strangle one boy without there been enough of a disturbance to wake the other in that case.

Jesus that's NOT the one I wrote about earlier.

These morons are not killing themselves off, but rather some unsuspecting kids.

VivaLeBeaver thanks yes thats the one

yes was a very strange case