From: kyle@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Kyle Wohlmut)
Subject: Re: KILLER BIVITTATUS
Followup-To: rec.pets.herp
Summary: Burmese fatality fallout
Keywords: Feeding time at the zoo
Organization: Rocking Pig Enterprises
Distribution: public, world
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 23:34:36 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.212953.28343@uwm.edu> bowden@convex.csd.uwm.edu writes:
>From article <1992Apr9.192902.23149@progress.com>, by
gerard@progress.COM (Gerard "Don't call me Jerry" Bras):
>> mdtaylor@wc.novell.com (Mark "Mr. Python" Taylor) writes:
>[stuff deleted]
>> 
>> The bit aabout the guy being pretty much screwed once his arms 
>> got pinned is right on.  Remember, these snakes do this for a 
>> living.  They are pros at subduing dinner.  Don't ever challenge
>> a pro.
>> 
>
>Ummmm....I hate to cast aspersions on the Royters (sp?) report,
>but having owned some large snakes I find it difficult to believe
>that a 15' unit could kill an adult male Homo sapiens.  Either
>this individual was very *very* frail or the reporters got a bad sizing
>on the snake.  Since a 15' Burmese is not large enough to constrict
>both the arms and legs of an adult, I think that this snake must have
>been much closer to 20' in order to weigh enough to keep a human male
>on the ground.  I've seen Burmese around 20' long and they would make
>quick work of a person alone.  I've also owned several snakes in the 12-14'
>range and they simply are not heavy enough to keep someone on the ground.
>
>Under my model of reasoning, since this snake would not have been able
>to keep the man on the ground, the man would have been able to damage
>the snakes spine against a corner of a wall or piece of furniture which
>would have ended the attack.

I don't think we can just make that kind of decision about what
happened... who knows what was going on right at that moment?  Even if
the guy's legs were free and he was able to right himself and walk
around, which is by no means a given, any number of things could have
happened.  Perhaps he tried for the door but couldn't open it, and by
the time he figured that out it was too late. (Loss of consciousness
can come quickly in constriction cases...) Maybe he didn't realize the
kind of danger he was in (ok, the guy's smarts are already a little in
question) and somewhere in the back of his mind he still didn't want
to hurt the snake.

>Not to condone my own behavior...but I used to fall asleep watching
>TV with my big pythons.  I would often wake up with them "snuggling"
>with me. ;^)  ((not a joke!))

Hmmm... well, maybe somebody else's smarts are a bit in question now (
not a flame!  At least 3/4 :-) !

>BTW, if you are thinking about getting a Burmese python, find someone
>with a unit over 15' and ask yourself how bad you really want one after
>seeing/handling it.  If you can live without fearing one of these large
>(and mainly gently) snakes I think you will find it rewarding.  If you
>fear the snake, do not get one.  I've met many herpers that are gut level
>uncomfortable with big snakes, so no need to feel like a sissy if you are
>too.

Sound advice that...

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Kyle --and Fafnir, too!--
'No wonder the Turks "did" the Armenians if this is the way they carry
on..." --Steve Withers (Steve.Withers@actrix.gen.nz) oh hasan.b.mutlu
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-