Responsibility?

[herm]

>>Great minds think alike [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

To whom are you referring? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
[addsig]

A hot keeper's primary responsibility, IMO, is to objectively be able to decide whether they are responsible enough to be keeping hots. If you blow that part, the rest kind of falls by the wayside. If you don't the rest kind of falls into place.
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	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[JuliusSqueezer]

Keeping hots should be done in a way that it projects a healthy, positive image for both the reptiles and the keeper....period...whatever that takes. No showboating, No Horseplay, No Using them to shock or scare people. Instead...professional, informative, safe showing to those who can be mature and openminded and willing to lay down the garden hoe and learn a little about what wonderful creatures they really are and how to live life in coexistance.
[addsig]

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

Think BW said it just right in regards to the responsibility part for keeping vens.
Education is a MJAOR part of herp keeping responsibility IMO also. Whether it be vens or whatever.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>A hot keeper's primary responsibility, IMO, is to objectively be able to decide whether they are responsible enough to be keeping hots. If you blow that part, the rest kind of falls by the wayside. If you don't the rest kind of falls into place. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>


NICELY stated J !
[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
That follows through with keeping any type snake IMO also. Not just hots. There are tons of irresponsible keepers STILL and TG a lot of them don't keep vens even..UGH.
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	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[jjj]

&gt;&gt;&gt; People keep 'big' cats, wolf-mixed dogs, serpents and lizards, arachnids, etc...what makes keeping all of these and others acceptable and raising them irresponsibly but not hots?

Who said all those things are acceptable? People who keep big cats and wolf-dogs are morons. As far as &quot;serpents or lizards&quot; are concerned, they aren't dangerous unless they're hot, which is what we're talking about.
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	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[BWSmith]

I don't think that we should call ANY pet owner a moron because of their cares. Many would call anyone with a pet snake a moron. After all, adult retics, burms and ARPs are all potentially deadly.
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[vetstudent82]

Heck, even my Horse is a dangerous animal. yeah, they're soo cute and nice and you ride them so poeple think, hey, they're fine, but have you ever though of 1200lbs of animal trying to get OUT NOW, and not considering you're in the way, scary, very scary, but I still ride him, in the arena and on trails, and I still love him, even though he could kill me if he wanted to (even is he didn't, I might fall and break my neck, or worse, end up like Christofer Reeves).

And anyway, evena dog is a dangerous animal. DOn't think so? Cocker spanials have been known to attack and even eat babies (no, I'm not making this up, read the book &quot;The dog that loved too much&quot. EAT THEM. And we let them run around loose.

I wish there were more educational opportunities to get to know venemous species, and I'm glad that many ven keepers take care of that [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[trinitywolf]

I must have looked at this post a hundred times and after this weekend I am going to weigh in. BW and Jules are right on. Your responsibility does not stop just with your own health and the animals. If you decide to keep these animals you have a responsibility to present a responsible image, and uphold that image whenever you are engaged in something to do with vens. I also think that you have a responsibility to educate. If you stand by and let prejudices be perpetuated your missing an opportunity. Ven keepers will never be normalized, but information is power and the more people that can be educated the harder it is to kill these wonderful creatures when they are encountered.
The people where I work know that I have many snakes at home, but I have never mentioned hots. When I came back from this weekend everyone was asking me about the camping trip so I showed a few people some pictures. When I told them about the rattlesnake the first thing out of one of their mouths was &quot;DID YOU KILL IT?&quot;. The look on my face must have said it all. It was hard to explain that that little snake didn't want to kill me, it just thought I wanted to eat it. Self preservation is an instinct every animal uses and they didn't walk away believers, but they heard the msg. That little episode made me realize what kind of contempt there is out there for these animals...and it made me think. I don't think that I want to keep hots, but I sure would like to be involved in education programs.
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[I_enjoy_rootbeer]

Julius-- Its not fair to say that dogs kill more people. OF COURSE THEY DO! There way way way (followed by 100 more &quot;way's&quot dogs out there than captive venomous snakes. I agree with your point but not with your argruments (lionfish? Those are mildly venomous and cant hurt you except maybe the spines could be a little sharp. mostly for show. Havent you seen Duesh Bibilo The Male Gigilo? He picks those fish up with his bare hands!). But ya, your general point of there is no reason why you cant own venomous species I agree with. Most breeders would probably want you to have experience and know that you will be repsponcible with it.

I think for someone to be responcible with hots I think it means that 1) anyone not involved with it is 100% totally safe. And even if some freak accident happens you take 100% of the blame because you know your at fault and not the snake or anyone else, and you knew that could happen when you decided to keep hotts.

2) The snake, of course, has proper husbandry ect. Even after you buy it then you decide you dont want, just dont stave it or kill it. Responcibly sell it somewhere to someone you KNOW will take care of it.

3) You are safe, even though I must admit this seems the least important because you are the one putting everyone in danger/cages
[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

But no offence to you julius, I could see where you were going with it. But I did like your goldfish analogie. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] p.s. I probably missed something in responcible area, I just put that to show what I thought (which has been said a good 6 times already...) [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.