Pet Python Attacks Toddler Should Parents Be Charged With Endangerment?

Posted by Sarah on February 12, 2009

Pet Python Attacks Toddler; Parents Charged With Endangerment

If you haven’t heard about this before, an 18 foot long python attacked a three year old at his home.

The mother stabbed the snake  to get him to release – I guess she hadn’t heard that pouring alcohol in the snakes mouth will trigger a release, or she didn’t have alcohol available, or was too flustered to remember it.

I’m sure I would be too frantic to remember anything in that situation.

Do you think the snake’s owners/child’s parents should be charged with endangerment?

There have been enough stories in the news about about pythons killing their owners or keepers lately that if the parents allowed the snake to roam freely, or to be out of the cage without the recommended two adults present to control the snake then I think they were endangering the child.

It seems that most large snake owners seem to get a little lax after caring for their snake for a while, but that’s something that you can’t do when children are involved.

I know one snake owner who’s gotten to the point that he cleans his snake’s cage without help, even though he knows he should have two people in the room in case anything happens.

But he still won’t let his dog in the room with the snake, even though he puts the snake in a bag, because he doesn’t want the dog to get eaten.

I think children are worthy of much more protection than that.

I think in certain circumstances the parents shouldn’t be charged with endangerment, but it’s hard to come up with a scenario that fits those circumstances.

Maybe if someone came to the house and let the snake loose without the owners knowledge – but wouldn’t you check to make sure the snake was safely secured if you had a 3 year old, a 3year old, and an 18 foot long snake?

What do you think about this situation?

Related Posts: Burmese Pythons

Escapes Abound

Posted by Sarah on November 11, 2008

We’re not doing any good at keeping the chameleons in place.

Friday we found Skye on top of her cage, and this morning Jeff forgot to shut the door all the way and Sully got out of his cage.

We still aren’t sure how Skye got out, but I think we are going to have to get another lock for the top of the cage so that we can make sure they aren’t pushing the doors out enough so that they can escape.

When Chameleons Escape

Posted by Sarah on August 25, 2008

Yesterday we were the unwitting victims of a Skye’s evil plot to overthrow the world – or at least our lives.

Jeff went in to feed the chameleons then called me and said “Skye’s gone!”

We were looking around and couldn’t find her – so we were both freaking out!

We looked at the ceiling, on top of the cage, around the edges – and no Skye.

Jeff started pulling stuff out of the Chameleon room – and then I got a better look at the cage.

There Skye was – at the very top of a cage, hiding behind her Bio Vine.

She was so skinny that all I could see was her eyes poking out from behind it – and she was just looking at me like “What’s all the fuss about?”

We were so relieved.

After we calmed down Jeff finished feeding the chameleons.

And as always – Skye started to crawl to the bottom of the of the cage to get her crickets.

The next time Skye escapes we’re going to put the crickets in the cage before we start freaking out!

Have your reptiles escaped?

What happened?  How did you find them, and how did you keep them from escaping again?

Leave a comment and help us all keep our reptiles from escaping!