Topic: I have a baby viper in a plastic container.....

[Uncle Joshua]

cocopops, one of your last posts made it sound like you were going to leave the forum but please don't do that, everything is based on opinion and what some people said in this thread was very harsh but on the whole this is a great forum and you could never wish to meet a better a better group of people!

[Hyacinth]

And Hyacinth - how would you intend to get bitten by a bat? In the 1990's there were only 5 reported cases of rabies in the whole of the USA.

I don't think I would "intend" to get bitten - by anything, W&C ;D. I think that, although, thank goodness, the reported cases of rabies might be few in the US, this is not because rabies doesn't exist, but rather that the immunisation regime for animals (which includes domestic cats) is robust + public awareness of the dangers through the pamphlets and fact sheets (including ones written especially for children) which are delivered to households in the N.C. County my family live in, is raised, together with sensible advice on how to live with the wildlife you share your space with.

[thifasmom]

(Personally I would not kill anything unless I was going to eat it.)  So you would killl a snake if it tasted OK.  What a load of old tripe,

actually my husband and sister says snake taste quite nice :)

[Ishard]

Vipera Berus/Common Adders ARE protected in France under the Berne Convention Appendix 111  since 1982  ;D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Conservation_of_European_Wildlife_and_Natural_Habitats

All 39 members have now signed this and the Council of Europe is actually in France!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Europe

[Kea]

Just wondering if we've a bit of confusion here between the Common (European) Adder and the Death Adder, which is pretty lethal but only lives in Australasia.

Just a little correction, I think you mean Australia......Australasia= Australia and New Zealand and there are no snakes in NZ.

[betula]

And Hyacinth - how would you intend to get bitten by a bat? In the 1990's there were only 5 reported cases of rabies in the whole of the USA.

A guy from Scotland had rabies a few years ago.He worked in bat conservation and was bitten by one.

I follow these things as I love bats.We stayed in a cottage once in Hay On Wye,the loft was full of bats.We did not know this when we booked it.We were warned by the door knocker being made in the shape of a batLOL :)

As dusk fell out they would come and we used to watch them for hours.Great stuff. :)

I don't think I would "intend" to get bitten - by anything, W&C ;D. I think that, although, thank goodness, the reported cases of rabies might be few in the US, this is not because rabies doesn't exist, but rather that the immunisation regime for animals (which includes domestic cats) is robust + public awareness of the dangers through the pamphlets and fact sheets (including ones written especially for children) which are delivered to households in the N.C. County my family live in, is raised, together with sensible advice on how to live with the wildlife you share your space with.

[Kea]

Cocopops, don't leave the thread...you did come on and ask which was the right thing to do and you did take it away and let it go.

Everyone has there moment at some time or another when opinion swings against them and people jump on the band wagon...much to their surprise usually.

Faced with a baby snake i would have gone into panic mode, so I don't know how I would react.

[betula]

eeek,messed that up but you get the message LOL

[1066]

Hope you stick around Cocopos, sometimes things do get a bit overheated around here.
Besides I love your Avatar   ;D ;D ;D

1066

[Barnowl]

Just wondering if we've a bit of confusion here between the Common (European) Adder and the Death Adder, which is pretty lethal but only lives in Australasia.

Just a little correction, I think you mean Australia......Australasia= Australia and New Zealand and there are no snakes in NZ.

Absolutely right - lazy of me. I meant Oz and SE Asia - not the pacific islands. :-[

PS Kea, do you have a thing about destroying vinyl car roofs? :)

[ACE]

(Personally I would not kill anything unless I was going to eat it.)  So you would killl a snake if it tasted OK.  What a load of old tripe,

actually my husband and sister says snake taste quite nice :)

I bet it tastes like  the 2 for a fiver chicken ;D lovely.

[cleo]

Well I would never kill a snake-but for all those who wiped  out the frog and toad population in this vilage I have one message

Piss off and don`t come back

6 years now ? and still no frogs-well one or two where there were hundreds

[cocopops]

After everything that has gone on since I posted this thread I would like the opportunity to explain / justify my actions.

I was born in Stoke,  married someone who has Irish parents but born and bred in Luton.  I used to be vegetarian and one serious boyfriend was a 'hunt saboteur'. 

We decided to move over for various reasons,  particularly a better life for my children.  In my opinion it has worked.

After three years my perception of life and animals has changed.  Things that I once thought was barbaric is now normal because I am exposed to it day in day out.  Not to be rude but that is how it is here.

If I had just wanted to kill the snake then I would have done it one way or the other.  I asked for a humane way (go on shoot me down).  IMO I misjudged who I was talking to and I have ended up be having more stick that I have ever received in my life.

Please be aware that I asked a question, took on board the criticism and released it. 

Why now am I still getting this grief ???

PS  big thanks for all of those that have been supporting me, I will not leave this board as it is a fantastic place and it has helped me so much.

Allie

[flossy]

   
   Hi Allie,  you're right  --  its different strokes for different folks.

   Though we are separated by very few miles,  our culture is very different  --  especially in

   rural areas where wild life is viewed in a different way.   Perhaps many years ago we weren't

   so different,  we probably  felt the same way about ' snakes ' as you do,  who is to say that

   we wouldn't have felt how you feel now.     It's all cultural,   no one means any harm and we

   hope you don't leave us.         


   floss xxx

   

[reddyreddy]

I agree, don't leave, you are entitled to ask any question you wish and what is 'normal' in one place is 'abnormal' in another, neither can presume ot be correct. I agree with previous posts, where do you draw the line with what's ok to kill? snakes, slugs, pigeons, rabbits, fleas...? If everyone had the same view it would be boring. I hope you stay. x

[Hyacinth]

I want to watch your new garden develop, Coco and hear about your new French life, please. You know the thing I really loved in rural France are the ironmongers shops I used to browse. Do they still have them - the sort of shops which sold everything from baling twine, to nails and big hooks to cooking pots, etc. Fascinating.

[saddad]

and of course "four candles/fork handles" it's a language thing....  ;D

[Hyacinth]

and foods and home-made medicines in dark brown bottles labelled "for cough"...

[angle shades]

 :) I'm pleased you are staying with us cocopops, I personally cannot kill anything, I'm a veggie ,my brother was a butcher and goes bushbeating, shooting etc, we both came out of the same womb but see things in different ways ;D / shades x

[hellohelenhere]

Cleo - who did what, to the frogs and toads?! :o