Jerry808...

[Bakershalfdozen]

This is for you.

http://www.snakesaliveinc.com/default.asp?GoTo=ga&Gal=Six

I took my kids and my mom to our local library yesterday for a "Snakes Alive!" program.

Ron Cromer does presentations in schools, libraries, VBS, etc. in the eastern U.S. about harmless reptiles, particularly snakes. He brought about 24 snakes with him, a blue-tongued skink, an iguana and a 14 ft. python. You can see pictures on his website.

His presentation was fascinating, informative and very funny. He also made it a point to let everyone know he is a born again Christian and that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior.

Anyhooooo, I volunteered to be a snake-handler. We adults (who wanted to) go to hold the snakes and carry them around to the children. The children could pet them and also hold them for a few seconds if they wanted to. The finale was his 36-year-old 14 ft. python. Her name is Penelope. It took eight adults to hold her and she weighs 150 pounds!



(We're not in these pics; these are from his website)

His presentation is a good one if anyone is interested for their school, library, VBS, etc.

[CJP56]

I was there too. The presentation was very interesting and I learned some things I didn't know. CJP56

[trc123]

I never met a live snake that I wouldn't have liked better dead! Sorry, but I hate the slithery things......

[Bakershalfdozen]

I think most people feel that way but what is interesting is that in our area, there aren't any poisonous ones except for copperheads.

So, if we see a snake in our yard that isn't a copperhead, we shouldn't kill it.

All snakes eat rats and mice, and if you kill all the harmless snakes, then the rodent population greatly increases.

[FeatherDuster]

I kill all snakes. They remind me of the Devil.

[Bakershalfdozen]

I was there too. CJP56

I included you in my post...

[John81]

I really hated snakes when I was younger. They don't bother me that much now unless we sneak up on each other!

Here in town if I find one in the yard it's dead.

When we lived in the country we let the bull snakes live because they are typically "peaceful", not aggressive, and they are great at taking care of mice and rats.

[JerryNumbers]

Now, this is a real snake, 9 feet one inch, 97 pounds of rattle snake.

[John81]

There are supposed to be timber rattlers in this area but I've never seen one and I don't know anyone who has.

We do have lots of cotton mouths and I've seen some pretty good sized ones that I wouldn't have wanted to surprise.

[JerryNumbers]

Pet python kills Florida toddler

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE56067K20090701

Very sad!

[Crushmaster]

Very interesting; thanks for sharing.

I don't mind snakes, really.
God bless,
Crushmaster.

[JerryNumbers]

I don't mind snakes either, as long as they stay out of my way.

[FeatherDuster]

The only snake I would not kill is a Caridananian Raptorus. They are too cute . . . and delicious!

[John81]

My wife loves the taste of rattlesnake.

[HappyChristian]

I don't like snakes at all! We had a snake (I think it was a python) in the Children's Dept. of the library for a while - it was very well sealed in its home, so there was no chance of escape. But they had to feed it every couple of days. The pet shop owners came to feed it - live mice. People could hear the mice shrieking as the snake swallowed them. *shudder* Glad my office is in another building!

Jess, do you know where this fellow is based? He's probably too far away for our library, but if not...(his website doesn't say)