Posted by Jaffo on February 05, 19100 at 02:05:02:
In Reply to: Re: A couple of great posts! More... posted by MsTT on February 04, 19100 at 22:55:04:
Great points, and I agree.
I am banking on the side of personal responsibility and natural consequences though.
As I said, I know Dave, and I see him quite often. Out of the keepers I hang with, maybe he IS the guy most likely to get tagged at some point by either a venomoid or a hot snake, simply because of his style of handling and his comfort zone. But I can't prove the assumption that he may get bit before anyone else I know, because we have to consider the human factor and the possibilties of accidents with ANY keeper.
Sure, accidents are more probable with those who take chances... So my point is, each of us are responsible first to ourselves to operate within our own comfort zone. Also important, is our responsibility to the community around us and to be safe enough not to put others in danger. I think most of us have this much taken care of. But the other aspect of public perception of venomous snake keepers is out of our hands for the most part. If it were up to the general public, none of us would be keeping snakes in our homes.
I don't owe public opinion a damn thing. You have already pointed out how retarded lawmakers are. Am I going to change their opinion of venomous snakes simply because I don't free handle them? No.
As far as I know, the general public seems to LOVE the Crocodile Hunter. Most snake people I know seem to think he's an idiot (except me). I think we are likely to get the public hating us as extremist activists for "poisonous snakes in our neighborhoods" before we get them to hate us for our handling techniques.
I can't keep the crack fiends down the street from using cobras to guard their stash and creating a press nightmare when they get caught drunk, juggling rattlers for kids. Also, I can't stop Dave from free handling his venomoid scute and taking pictures of it. But I CAN hopefully prevent getting bit myself, and educate the willing public the best I can. THATS my responsibility as a hot owner.
Or something...
Jaf