To think this was dangerous and shouldn't be done ?

[lisalisa]

I've been chewing this over for hours and after the initial excitement was over and I've researched the species, I'm left with the feeling that this was an incredible risk with our safety that was taken today . In this era of health and safety in
Very surprised it "passed" and was rush assessed.
Basically I was at a small farm today - a kind of children's open farm where there are goats , lambs and chickens to let and feed - with my two children today .
Announcements are generally made over a megaphone of feedings or events and this one generated some excitement . There was a snake that they were exhibiting in the grass just by the car park that was very rarely allowed out of its enclosure but was allowed out today. The farm was quite quiet no more than about a dozen people I'd say . All of us crossed the car park where there was a small field . I can't remember what separates the car park from
The field - it was either nothing or it was a low bar - thigh height . In the field was a very large snake just gliding slowly around. There were two handlers with it - I say handlers but they were not specialists . At least one was a young slight girl who's been doing the rabbit feeds just before and the chicken feeds earlier . I think she was just s general farm employee.

The snake was 22 ft long - an African Rock Python . It glided around the field parallel to us for a while no more than a foot away . The handler Explained it was a dangerous and aggressive snake and would attach unprovoked even f not hungry . It was no more than a foot away from us with either no barrier st all between us or just a bar I can't remember . We were all quite spellbound and watched it until the handlers put it away.
It was only when I came home and googled to discover more about the snake that I clicked what a dangerous snake iny is . In a zoo where they are used to such species you woukdnh be invited so Close to one with no proper barrier I'm sure. Snakes are always in their vicariously for a reason. I'm upset and puzzled2 by this as I feel the farm put our safety at risk. If that snake chose to move quickly towards us bearingg in mind it weighed over 100kg and was 22 feet we would not have stood a chance .

AIBU to contact the farm and ask for their opinion on this?

Snakes are not aggressive generally. Some are, like rattle snakes but pythons are generally not. Most animals are capable of killing or injuring people, around 20 people are killed every year by cows. Considerably more by dogs and horses. Also one snake is no match for more than one person. If you're alone with a constricter you have a problem. But one snake cannot kill someone while everyone stands by and watches, two handlers is safe, even for a big snake.
Also I googled them, attacks are rare and apparently there is controversy about the Canadian attacks, in fact it says Several experts expressed skepticism about the incident and said that such behaviour by this type of snake would be extremely unusual

That said, common sense must prevail, don't provoke, stress or get too close to any animal and you're usually ok.

and yet you 'can't remember' what sort of barrier there was???

hmmmm.

YABU - you went, you were told it was dangerous, you stayed...

However, THEY are being ridiculous and unreasonable also - Afrocks are half the weight they've told you (or less) and as someone else pointed out the longest unconfirmed one was under 20ft, longest confirmed 15.

They are dramatically over-egging the cake talking bullshit - Afrocks do make rather dodgy pets in that their behaviour is less docile than other large pythons and less predictable, however they are also pretty common in their native environments and the number of deaths confirmed is VERY low indeed. Something of a surprise given just how many total numpties actually own them and handle them alone!

Unfortunately there is something of a trend amongst keepers of BIG snakes in hyping up how aggressive/dangerous/dodgy their pet is - never understood it but I keep colubrids where the 'cool' factor is generally in their colours and markings not how likely they are to eat someone.

You are more at risk from cattle on a public footpath than from a supervised african rock python!

Snakes don't really eat people or attack unless they're threatened/provoked. Humans don't smell very good to snakes, so they wouldn't consider us viable prey. It doesn't sound like you were in too much danger.

the handler Explained it was a dangerous and aggressive snake and would attach unprovoked even f not hungry

So you were warned of any possible dangers and you stayed put. Why on earth did you do that?

At this point my dh and I with kids would have left the field and moved elsewhere. knowing it was highly unlikely that the snake would kill anyone but deciding discretion is the better part of valour.

We teach our children/teens to walk away from dangerous situations. that if they see trouble about to happen, go the other direction. I'd consider a snake in the grass (had to say it) a great learning opportunity of walking away from something dangerous.

I'm guessing they had fed it recently, no matter how 'dangerous and aggressive' a snake is, it really couldn't be arsed to eat you or your children if already had a full belly.

It couldn't. Why would it? And I guess they knew what they were doing, I don't think they were setting you up for dinner, snakes this size eat once every few months, they're not voracious carnivores, (well they are if they'd kept it in a cave for six months, but I'm guessing that wasn't the case).

I'd love to see a snake that in that environment, I wouldn't feel threatened. You were lucky.

You were mesmerized, put google away and allow yourself to enjoy it.

none of us were told to wash hands before coming to see the snake .
Seriously? You have to be told to wash your hands after touching animals? There are signs all over petting farms, sinks and gel wash provided. Please tell me you are mature enough to think for yourself and wash your hands after touching small farm animals?

You stayed within '1 foot' of it - why didn't you move?
You were at more risk of being killed or injured driving home from the farm.

Stuff like this requires risk assessments. If you're really interested in why the farm was able to put the snake on show, go back once morning, and ask to see the risk assessment.

I think you need to ask yourself two questions;

1. Am I still alive?

2. Did I enjoy this experience?

If the answer to both is yes (and I suspect it is), then you need to move along to the next bit of your life where you didn't get eaten by a giant snake.

I work at the same sort of place and there is no way on earth we would have a loose snake about the place.

I'd follow it up myself.

Would you name the place?

(I think mine would quite like to go)

I've never been to a petting farm that wasn't covered in signs telling people to wash their hands.

I also wouldn't need to be told to wash my hands after handling farm animals.

I've Googled the snake and it seems your farm has a miracle snake because 22ft is HUGE.

Agree with PP about the Canada attacks. Seems to be plenty of scepticism around that.

I think you should relax. No harm was done and the farm, I'm sure, wouldn't risk the lives of all their patrons by setting a vicious, basilisk sounding creature on them!

The keepers were probably over-egging the level of danger in order to make it more memorable.

The OP is saying she didn't know the risks and it was only when she got home and researched the snake that she realised that it was a more dangerous kind of python than she had imagined. Therefore the question 'why did you stay?' has already been answered.

I am absolutely not the kind of person who thinks that kids should be wrapped in cotton wool and kept in a bubble away from all risk. But I think this would bother me on several counts - not for myself but for every family attending in future. I think I'd be ringing them up and asking about the risk assessment and experience of the handlers.

OP - I'm one of the most risk-averse people you're likely to meet. About as laid back as they come.

However there is no fucking way I would be happy with the situation you describe.

Pissing myself laughing though at all the posters on here trying to claim that they would be 'cool' with it

shovetheholly

No the op said

The handler Explained it was a dangerous and aggressive snake and would attach unprovoked even f not hungry

Are you absolutely sure it was 22ft long OP?

YABU more likely to kill injure your child by driving him home. Or walking in the woods/park/fields where there are "unsupervised" dogs or cows.

Snake not venomous, v unlikely to attack, two handlers there, done to "thrill" visitors. You chose to stay and watch. If I had been in any way concerned I would not have stood there with my children.

YANBU.

Alice - if I heard that, I would assume it was the kind of up-talking that circuses do to entertain children (you know 'This lion is a dangerous maneater!' - cue entry of poor, mangey, maltreated beast that has had all its teeth and claws removed). I would certainly assume that there was a difference between the action of letting the snake roam so freely and the warning. I don't think that it would count as much of a defence for the farm should something happen, either.

It sounds worrying for you but it's silly to say you weren't told to wash your hands. You should know too after feeding animals.

""Might be a really stupid question but could the snake have been de fanged or sedated or something so it wasn't dangerous? ""

That would be illegal in the UK and if you come across it, I'd hope you'd report it.

OP, I would get in touch with the Organisations given on here.

I'm more worried about the Snake having to be killed/injured, if it does Strike/start to wrap, even by a parent.

The size, age or gender of the keepers doesn't matter, tbh. It's knowing what your doing and the relationship with the animal.

Even petting farms should have a level of conservation or education.

We shouldn't still be using animals just to earn money.

Good and safe living conditions for the animals, should be standard.

But by the same reckoning, my local Police shouldn't be doing anything about scrambler bikes, because no-ones died and the kids like riding them (through shopping centres) and other kids like watching them.

at the sneery replies. You know it is possible to disagree with an OP without coming across as unpleasant.

OP It does seem a bit odd, I think I'd phone and ask the farm just out of curiosity. If it's a big snake then they may have had it years and years and they be confident that it's safe.

Were you dragged kicking and screaming and protesting loudly to within 1 foot of it?

Nope.

How do you know that one of the handlers is only the bunny feeders or whatever you said about her?

Did you measure it?

I think you might be over egging the custard a bit eh?

""Snake not venomous, v unlikely to attack, two handlers there, done to "thrill" visitors. ""

But what if it does attack, what happens to the snake?

Animals being used because they are 'dangerous' still shouldn't be happening in the UK.

Luckily there are laws for the protection of this type of species.

We are moving towards education, responsible keeping etc and these places are awarded the licences to accept visitors based on this.