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RE: Back yard herping
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by timberrattlesnake89 on October 4, 2004
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It might be dangerous but why do i see a lot you you guys tailing them? Is it because I am younger? Accutly the snakes was quite uninterseted in me. No offense cottonmouth but you are working with a cobra with no tools so don't lecture me. I am very careful when working with venomous snakes. I did use tongs but he seemed find and he was little bit farther away than it seems. Also the park rangers really don't care what we do up in that park. So please just leave us alone.
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RE: Back yard herping
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by JRHarrison on October 4, 2004
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You don't see me tailing or touching any venomous snake unless I am extracting or medically treating the animal. Touching an animal just for a picture is risky and only for the persons ego. You are young and you both know more then I do about handling in your minds.
To learn one most open their mind and realize that they don't know everything.
I have been working with animals longer then both of you have been on this earth and I am still learning.
I have trained law enforcement, field biologists, and zoo keepers in techniques of handling venomous reptiles. I was hoping that you might listen . I have seen to many young kids in the hospitals and morgues lately because they know everything . Most of what they know they saw on TV. TV is the worst teacher.
Jim Harrison
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RE: Back yard herping
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by cottonmouth on October 4, 2004
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Phillip, I don't why you are referring to me. I just said it was good advice. The cobra in my pic is out in front of me and not hanging off a 6 inch hook. secondly, I have been dealing with these creatures for 25 yrs or better, and welcome any advice that might help me.
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RE: Back yard herping
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by AquaHerp on October 4, 2004
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The advice that Jim gave is sound and was meant to be helpful not condensending. I can attest that Jim handles more snakes in a day than most will even come into contact with their entire lives, so I would take that advice and use it wisely.
Also, Jim I did get your phone message, I just have not been in my office long enough to return your call. Sorry...I will in the next day or so, I promise. I'm up to my neck in aquarium stuff at the moment and my mind has been elsewhere.
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RE: Back yard herping
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by timberrattlesnake89 on October 4, 2004
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I do understand but accutly I was about to bag the snake. It was accutly a lot father than it looks. I am very careful around venomous snakes. I do understand where you guys a coming from. I do not free handle snakes and the photographer was very low on the ground and it was below my chest. The photo was looking up at me. I really was very careful with the snake. The hook is a lot more than six inches. Cottonmouth it just shows you in front of a cobra and it was in a upright pose. What if it decided to go right after you before you could even move. I know that it would probaly never happen but what if it did. That was what I meant. I look very close to him. The snake was accutly very far from me. He was very placid.
Phillip
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RE: Back yard herping
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by timberrattlesnake89 on October 4, 2004
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Hey,
I am extremly careful when in comes to venmous snakes. I see many other people on the site tailing snakes so I do not know why I get the lecture. I am using a hook. I did at first use tongs but I decided that i could grab the tail after a few minutes. I do like advice. That what makes you a better herper. It is just as not a stupid as some of the things I have seen. He is not my first rattler to. I work with copperheads all the time and moccasins. I do not follow what is on tv. I like steve irwins methods but would never try it myself. If I get bite I always have a protocal in the car. I am a very responsible person. I have watch a lot of expereince herpers working iwth snakes. I am extremly careful. This was the thrid time I had tailed a venomous snake. I only felt cofortable doing it was that he was so placid. I hope you don't think I am one of those dumbass kids doing it for a thrill. Not at all I am a very responble mature perosn who plans to work in many many zoos and mabye teach.
Phillip
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RE: Back yard herping
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by JRHarrison on October 4, 2004
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I don't think you're dumb. But tailing a pit viper or viper under 3ft is asking for a bite. Just because someone else does it wrong doesn't mean you need to.
Steve is an actor(?) his animals are often iced down or altered(Venomoid). Remember TV is just for entertainment. I have reviewed three autopsies of children who were imitating Steve Irwin. I don't want to see any more. Since the advent of all the TV programs, there seems to have been a large increase in the number of bites, not just to keepers but to people in the field as well. Just today someone stopped by here who had been bitten by a juvenile copperhead. They thought they knew how to handle snakes but found out differently.
I commend you for going into the field to look for snakes; it seems many people don't want to get away from the TV or internet these days. It's great that you do go out; but remember even if the snake seems calm it could strike at any time. Also, remember to get information from peer-reviewed journals and books, not just the internet. I would reccomend joining SSAR or perhaps ASIH if you are serious about herpetology as a career. Even though you are young, if you are interested you can learn a lot from these journals.
Jim Harrison
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RE: Back yard herping
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by timberrattlesnake89 on October 4, 2004
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I am very serious about this becoming a career. I have been talking to a guy from SREL. What those two groups you are talking about and how could I join. I was very careful when working with that snake. I am wanting to get a copperhead sometime in the near future. I am working on snake proofing my basement. I also keep really aggrssive snakes so I have to always be on edge when working with them. I do doubt steve irwin uses venmoids. One thing I have learn from a lot of people about canebreaks is when you grab there tail they dont comeback to strike that often. I was also out of strike range about 99% of the time.
Phillip
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RE: Back yard herping
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by timberrattlesnake89 on October 4, 2004
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Hey Jim,
I forgot to say that I have a huge book collection. I read a lot of scientific data. For a long time I had a crapy internet so I bought as many books as possibles. I have carl kaffields book to biology of pit vipers. I think you do not give my enogh credit. For year I read all I could on behavor of crotalus horridus. That was the first time I have found one in the Mountains. I always found them in the swamps. I know more about scince than a lot of my science teachers and I am in honor classes.
Phillip
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