good point! more on the fear factor ...

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Posted by iZ's mom on March 12, 2002 at 20:57:40:

In Reply to: Hey guys take a minute.... posted by tre on March 12, 2002 at 20:46:51:

from an email i received today:

Recently, NBC's 'hit show' FearFactor has featured several sequences
with snakes. The most recent one [03/11/02] involved the sorting of
snakes by colour - I didn't watch it, but I believe they had to sort
all the albino snakes out in order to win.

The snakes in the episode were not only thrown around roughly, but
they were also cooled down in this show and the ones before. Cooling
down a snake is done in television for one reason only; it slows the
snake down to a sluggish torpor-like state, so that the snake is less
likely to bite or spread cloacal contents over someone it considers a
threat. I guess fifty rat snakes doing their real thing [rat snakes,
when threatened, will musk and strike to drive away their tormentors]
wouldn't make good television. Cooling a snake is also very dangerous
for the snake; being poikilothermic, or cold-blooded, snakes require
external heat sources merely to survive. Cooling them down very
suddenly without preparation can result in severe respiratory
infections - not to mention the potential death of the snake. This is
especially serious when dealing with neo-tropical snakes, like the
Burmese python - which has also been featured on Fear Factor.

Now, I know a lot of you probably don't like snakes. That's fine.
Everyone has their thing. But can you really condone hurting live
animals for the sake of a rather inane television show? These people
are not handling the snakes gently - then it wouldn't be FEARFactor.
Cooling the animals to ensure that none of the pathetic participants
actually gets just deserts for how they are treating the snakes is
also cruel to the snakes, and probably quite painful [I doubt the
snakes have been given the usual six-week cooldown that breeders use
for putting their snakes in hibernation].

Imagine if it weren't snakes being sorted - imagine if, as someone
said, they were sorting fluffy little kittens and puppies by gender
and throwing them into boxes on either side. Imagine if it were YOUR
animal - hamsters, ferrets, wing-clipped birds, etc.

You'd think animal rights groups would be up in arms about this,
right? Afraid not. Almost no action has been taken by any group
towards NBC - why? Because snakes aren't quite as good press as lab
chimps. So sad, too bad.

I'm writing this to ask YOU to make a difference. Write to
FearFactor@nbc.com and tell them to STOP using live animals in their
'reality' based TV shows.

i disagree with actually writing to "fear factor" itself tho ~ they'd prob'ly think it was great that they were getting so much response, whether it's positive OR negative ...

maybe write to the powers-that-be at NBC?
Humane Society?
a national herp/reptile/snake organization????

Follow Ups:

How about contacting the commercial sponsors for the show??? np jif 03/13/02 (0)
Geez, what kind of hole have I been in? more... JohnT 03/12/02 (2)
- Re: Geez, what kind of hole have I been in? more... tre 03/12/02 (1)
  - Re: Geez, what kind of hole have I been in? more... Michelle B 03/13/02 (0)
The fact is ....msg Ig Chick 03/12/02 (0)
who to write to! tre 03/12/02 (0)

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: <small>from an email i received today: </small> : <i>Recently, NBC's 'hit show' FearFactor has featured several sequences : with snakes. The most recent one [03/11/02] involved the sorting of : snakes by colour - I didn't watch it, but I believe they had to sort : all the albino snakes out in order to win. : The snakes in the episode were not only thrown around roughly, but : they were also cooled down in this show and the ones before. Cooling : down a snake is done in television for one reason only; it slows the : snake down to a sluggish torpor-like state, so that the snake is less : likely to bite or spread cloacal contents over someone it considers a : threat. I guess fifty rat snakes doing their real thing [rat snakes, : when threatened, will musk and strike to drive away their tormentors] : wouldn't make good television. Cooling a snake is also very dangerous : for the snake; being poikilothermic, or cold-blooded, snakes require : external heat sources merely to survive. Cooling them down very : suddenly without preparation can result in severe respiratory : infections - not to mention the potential death of the snake. This is : especially serious when dealing with neo-tropical snakes, like the : Burmese python - which has also been featured on Fear Factor. : Now, I know a lot of you probably don't like snakes. That's fine. : Everyone has their thing. But can you really condone hurting live : animals for the sake of a rather inane television show? These people : are not handling the snakes gently - then it wouldn't be FEARFactor. : Cooling the animals to ensure that none of the pathetic participants : actually gets just deserts for how they are treating the snakes is : also cruel to the snakes, and probably quite painful [I doubt the : snakes have been given the usual six-week cooldown that breeders use : for putting their snakes in hibernation]. : Imagine if it weren't snakes being sorted - imagine if, as someone : said, they were sorting fluffy little kittens and puppies by gender : and throwing them into boxes on either side. Imagine if it were YOUR : animal - hamsters, ferrets, wing-clipped birds, etc. : You'd think animal rights groups would be up in arms about this, : right? Afraid not. Almost no action has been taken by any group : towards NBC - why? Because snakes aren't quite as good press as lab : chimps. So sad, too bad. : I'm writing this to ask YOU to make a difference. Write to : FearFactor@nbc.com and tell them to STOP using live animals in their : 'reality' based TV shows.</i> : i disagree with actually writing to "fear factor" itself tho ~ they'd prob'ly think it was great that they were getting so much response, whether it's positive OR negative ... : maybe write to the powers-that-be at NBC? : Humane Society? : a national herp/reptile/snake organization????

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