If we were to believe everything that we read in the papers, you would think
that keeping a Burmese python in the home would be like committing suicide.
They constantly tell stories about owners being injured or killed by their pet
snakes. Well, I feel it is time for someone to set the record straight and give
some sensible information on the subject so that those of you out there with
a brain can make your own minds up on the subject. It was stated in an article
this year that, over the last ten years, that the most injuries and deaths caused
by pets were inflicted by dogs.And not by a small margin, it was around the 90 percent mark In fact there are very few people who have been attacked by
snakes that have been kept as pets and when it has happened it was because of
the owner not being as careful as they should be.The fact is that if they had
followed a few simple rules when handling their snakes there is a good chance
that there would be no records of owners being attacked. The problem is that
people seemto become reckless and forget that, at the end of the day, any
animal in the home has basic instincts and the bigger the animal the more respect
you need to give them. As with a large dog, a big snake would give an adult
human little chance of survival if they launched an attack so you should always be aware of this and be ready with a plan of action to safeguard yourself and your
family from danger.
HERE IS A LIST OF COMMON SENSE RULES THAT IF FOLLOWED, SHOULD KEEP YOU SAFE.
1)NEVER ENTER THE VIVARIUM(snake tank)ALONE. Always have another adult at hand to give you assistance if the worst should happen.
2)BE EXTRA CAREFUL AT FEEDING TIME Most snake attacks on owners happen at this time, usually because they haven’t taken care when introducing the food to the vivarium. It is best to find a way to introduce the food without any part of your body entering the viv. such as a small hatch that the food can be dropped through, using long grippers that can introduce the food to the snake keeping your hands well away from the attack site.
NEVER LEAVE A BIG SNAKE TO ROAM YOUR HOUSE This might seem obvious to the more sensible ones amongst you, but many owners allow this to happen and then wonder where the next door neighbors cat has gone. If and when you remove your snake from its viv, you should always be their to supervise it and to make sure that young children and small animals are kept well away.