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Thread: 2 Kids Dead After Snake Escapes Enclosure - Canada

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    2 Kids Dead After Snake Escapes Enclosure - Canada

    http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08...n-n-b-reports/


    Two children die after python escapes pet store in Campbellton, N.B.

    ALLISON CROSS AND TRISTIN HOPPER


    Two young boys are dead after they were strangled by a python that escaped an exotic pet store in northern New Brunswick and got inside the apartment where they were sleeping, police say.

    The snake apparently escaped its cage in Reptile Ocean, a store in Campbellton, sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning.

    The snake is an African rock python, according to a former store employee. The only large snake at the store, it is non-venomous and known to kill animals as large as antelopes.

    The children, 5 and 7, were asleep in the apartment above the reptile store. The pair ? reportedly brothers ? didn?t live at the apartment but were visiting a playmate, the son of Reptile Ocean?s owner, at the time of the incident.

    ?The preliminary investigation has led police to believe that a large exotic snake ? got into the ventilation system, then into the upstairs apartment,? said RCMP spokeswoman Const. Julie Rogers-Marsh.

    ?It?s believed the two boys were strangled by the snake.?

    Police arrived at the apartment at 6:30 a.m. to find the children dead.

    The snake is in the possession of police, who are investigating. Autopsies on the boys will take place on Tuesday in Saint John. No charges have been laid.

    On its Facebook page, Reptile Ocean?s owners describe the establishment as a pet store that lets the public view its reptiles.

    Initial reports had incorrectly stated the snake was a boa constrictor.

    Campbellton is located 350 kilometres north of Fredericton.

    With files from The Canadian

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    There's video at this link

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3709541.html


    CAMPBELLTON, New Brunswick — Two young boys were killed by a python that escaped its enclosure at a pet store in Canada, police said Monday.

    The brothers, aged five and seven, were sleeping in a friend's apartment above the pet store when the snake strangled them, said Royal Canadian Mounted Police Const. Julie Rogers-Marsh.

    Police arrived at the apartment in Campbellton, New Brunswick, at 6:30 and found the two boys dead. The friend of the brothers was sleeping in another room and was unharmed, Rogers-Marsh said.

    She said the snake was believed to have made its way into the apartment through the ventilation system overnight.

    The snake was captured and is in the possession of police. Calls to the pet store were not returned Monday.

    "It's very, very unusual and very tragic and difficult for everyone involved," Rogers-Marsh said.

    Autopsies will be performed on the two victims on Tuesday.

    ___

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    Escaped Python Kills Two Boys (5) and (7) In Canada

    Police say two young boys are dead after they were strangled by a python that escaped its enclosure at a pet store in Canada.

    Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Julie Rogers-Marsh said on Monday the boys, aged five and seven, were sleeping in an apartment above Reptile Ocean Inc when the incident occurred in Campbellton, New Brunswick.

    She says police arrived at the apartment around 6.30am local time and found the two boys dead.

    Rogers-Marsh says it's believed the snake made its way into the apartment through the ventilation system sometime through the overnight hours. She says the snake was captured and is in the possession of police.

    Rogers-Marsh says autopsies will be performed on the two victims on Tuesday.

    http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/w...oys-in-canada/

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    Moderator nestlequikie's Avatar
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    Reptile Ocean Responds To Facebook Backlash After Snake Kills 2 Boys: 'You Should Be Ashamed Of Yourselves'

    A 14-foot green anaconda that escaped from a pet store in a New Brunswick town killed two children, ages 5 and 7 years old, on Monday. Wikimedia Commons

    Facebook erupted with fury on Monday after reports surfaced claiming that a python escaped from Reptile Ocean Inc. and killed two young boys in Canada. The 5- and 7-year-old victims lived in an apartment above the store in Campbellton, New Brunswick, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Monday, according to USA Today.

    The self-proclaimed pet service, which has more than 450 Facebook "likes," issued an oddly cheerful post after the incident: "Sharing Is Caring, share this page J lets reach 420 likes." Andrew Autio, clearly offended by the message, wrote back, "You know what ISNT caring...have your snakes escape and then kill some children."

    The pet store responded, "Wow. Not needed right now," which ignited dozens of more responses from upset Facebook users.

    "This is so sad ! prayers for the childrens family! And unfortunetly [sic] issues like this ARE what gives responsible snake owners bad names . I am also going to keep the employees of Reptile Ocean in my prayers," Teresa Byrd Thornton added.

    Tim Arnold simply posted, "Have fun in jail!"

    After the pet store's site was berated for a few hours they issued an apology, according to 680 News: "deepest sympathies goes out to the family of the children. a terrible accident without a meaning. this page will be shut down temporarily to avoid any further demeaning comments." But the second half of the statement, which was made by someone who "helps with the page," according to News 680, only fueled already-irate FB users, "you should be ashamed of yourselves. we all have a heavy heart today. as anyone would. and attacks on the animals owner are unnecessary."

    As promised, Reptile Ocean Inc. has since taken down its page.

    It's not apparent how the killer snake escaped, but according to USA Today it's believed the slithering reptile absconded through the ventilation system and then asphyxiated the boys. Pythons are non-venomous, and can grow up to 35 feet long. The town of nearly 7,000 people, which is located in eastern Canada, "is in shock," Deputy Mayor Ian Comeau said, according to USA Today. Comeau added that pythons have only been legally imported in Canada since 2009.
    http://www.ibtimes.com/reptile-ocean...med-yourselves

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    Senior Member kevansvault's Avatar
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    Holy shit, how sad is that!! OMG. Those poor babies never had a chance, and never knew what hit them. This is a parent's nightmare, truly.
    Don't like what I have to say? I respect that. Now go fuck yourself.

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    I had a neighbor that had one of those dang things and it got out of the cage he had for it. I went out to start my car and when I backed out that thing was underneath where I had just backed out. I was shaking so much I could not even open the door with my keys, had a little Pomeranian that was going nuts in the yard and was trying to get her because I was scared the damn snake would get her.
    My neighbor was pissed at me when he got home for throwing things at the snake trying to get it to leave. "It wasn't going to hurt anyone!" Sorry but if you let your monster snake in my yard I am killing it if I can

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    I am stunned that anyone even remotely associated with the store would be stupid enough to publicly post anything other than a very carefully worded statement of sorrow & regret. Wow. Just wow. I guess you just can't explain tact to someone who hasn't got it.

    Is this the species that causes most child deaths in the U.S & Canada? I saw a Discovery or Nat Geo show saying they were all over the place in (I think) Florida because people were releasing them when they got too big to manage.

    & Dianalyn, SCARY!! I can't imagine how freaked out I'd be to find a giant snake sunning itself outside my house - small(ish) ones are bad enough. Your neighbour's lucky it didn't kill some poor kids bunnies & guinea-pigs - those are the kind of pets that give you the right to say "you're so mean, my pet wouldn't hurt a fly". Shudder. Lizards I love, snakes ... I try not to dislike them, & I guess corn snakes are kind of pretty, but truth is, most of ours are kind of bitey. We keep seeing red-bellied black snakes cross our street into the drains & in the kiddie park & they just make my blood run cold when there's pets & kids around.


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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Latest says theyre launching a criminal investigation.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...oa-attack.html

    New Brunswick RCMP have launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of two young boys killed by a python that reportedly slithered through ventilation shafts after it escaped from a reptile store, though police say it's too early to determine whether charges will be laid.

    Police confirmed that the store owner also resides in the upstairs apartment in Campbellton, N.B. where the two boys, aged five and seven, were found dead Monday morning.

    Reptile Ocean owner Jean-Claude Savoie was hosting the two boys, aged five and seven, for a sleepover with his own son.

    Savoie reportedly found the two boys and called 911, police said. His son was in another room and was unharmed, police say.

    Campbellton RCMP Cpl. Alain Tremblay said police are in the first stage of a criminal investigation.

    "I can tell you it's a criminal investigation right now to determine if any criminal act is responsible for the death of the two boys."

    RCMP said the snake is an African rock python, as long as 4.5 metres and weighing approximately 45 kg. The non-venomous snake typically kills by constricting its victims.

    The RCMP released the ages of the two boys, but have not yet identified the pair. Their mother lives nearby.

    Const. Julie Rogers-Marsh said the preliminary investigation led police to believe that a python escaped its enclosure at the store sometime overnight. Initial information indicates the snake got into the ventilation system and then into the apartment upstairs.

    "It's believed the two boys were strangled by the snake," she said, noting that autopsies are scheduled for tomorrow in Saint John.

    Police were called to the residence on Pleasant Street at 6:30 a.m. local time.

    It's not yet clear how the snake escaped, but officials now have it in their possession. Initial reports suggested the snake was a boa constrictor.

    City in shock

    "This is a tragedy," said Deputy Mayor Ian Comeau. "The city is in shock."

    Lisa Janes is a co-owner and curator of Little Ray's Reptile Zoo, a private zoo and education program in Ontario and the Maritimes.

    "We were absolutely shocked and saddened," she said Monday afternoon. "Our condolences go out to the family."

    She regularly handles exotic snakes and says they can be aggressive, but it's usually for one of two reasons: "They bite because they're feeling scared or threatened, or because they smell food."

    Janes said snakes don't usually see humans as food. In the New Brunswick tragedy, she said they could have been startled, or smelled something else that was a regular food source in the room.

    She pointed out that more people are killed by dogs than by snakes.

    Education is important to understanding and dealing with such animals, she said.

    In 2009, the province of New Brunswick allowed a wider variety of snakes, lizards and other exotic pets into the province. Under the change, pet stores were then able to sell non-venomous snakes up to three metres in length.

    Kevin Craig, a wildlife biologist with the province's Natural Resources department, said in a 2009 interview that pet stores pushed for the change because the province's regulations were more restrictive than other jurisdictions.

    Calls to the pet store by The Canadian Press were not returned on Monday but Comeau said Reptile Ocean was licensed to operate and "everything was according to our bylaws, to the provincial guidelines."

    Reptile Ocean's Facebook page was flooded with angry comments Sunday after a post saying commenters should "be ashamed of themselves" for blaming the store. It also said it would temporarily deactivate its page to "avoid further demeaning comments."

    In response to the tragedy, the city of Montreal announced Sunday it is considering stiffening its laws on exotic snakes. It currently allows ownership or non-venomous snakes under three metres long.
    Last edited by blighted star; 08-06-2013 at 04:12 AM.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Excuse technical difficulties fixing right now...




    These 2 gorgeous kids are Connor and Noah Barthe who according to the site below, have been identified as the two children killed by a python that escaped a pet store in Campbellton, N.B.

    http://globalnews.ca/news/762560/esc...new-brunswick/
    Last edited by blighted star; 08-06-2013 at 03:40 AM.

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    Moderator nestlequikie's Avatar
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    Poor, sweet babies. Their poor parents. I can't even imagine their pain.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    UPDATE: Autopsy scheduled for two N.B. boys killed by python

    By Julia Wong Video Journalist



    HALIFAX ? An autopsy is being formed Tuesday after a python escaped a pet store in northern New Brunswick and strangled two children while they slept in an apartment in the same building.

    RCMP confirmed the deceased were a five-year-old boy and a seven-year-old boy. The boys are being identified as Connor and Noah Barthe.

    Police say a criminal investigation is underway and no charges have yet been laid. The boys? bodies were removed from the scene late Monday night.

    Mounties were called to the home, in Campbellton, at about 6:30 a.m. Monday.

    The python** is believed to have escaped from a store called Reptile Ocean and got into the apartment.

    Store owner Jean-Claude Savoie called the incident tragic.

    ?My body is in shock. I don?t know what to think,? he told Global News.

    Savoie said the two boys are the children of his best friend and they often sleep over in his apartment. It?s believed the boys lived in the building next to the shop.

    ?I feel like they?re my kids,? he said.

    Savoie said he went into the living room, where the kids were sleeping, and discovered a gruesome sight.

    ?I thought they were sleeping until I [saw] the hole in the ceiling. I turned the lights on and I [saw] this horrific scene,? he said.

    ?[The snake] went through a ventilation system. I don?t understand how it did it. It went through the ceiling? and the snake fell through the living room from the ceiling,? he said.

    ?I found the snake. It was in a hole underneath. I pinned him down and put him in a cage,? Savoie said.

    Savoie said the python is not normally handled by anyone, including the two children.

    The 45-kilogram African rock python, which is between 3.5 and 4.5 metres in length, was not for sale and was one of Savoie?s pets.

    Global News speaks with the owner of Reptile Ocean, the company from where a python escaped and killed two young children.

    There is a recording of the phone conversation if you scroll down after clicking this link -


    http://globalnews.ca/news/762560/esc...new-brunswick/

    Neighbours are getting over the shock of something like this happening in the small town.

    ?It?s very nerve-wracking. If one got out, how many else got out,? said Diane Fournier, who lives nearby.

    Fournier said she often saw the two children in the neighbourhood.

    ?They play around my yard, around my area. I see them every day,? she said.



    Laura Brown @01LBrown

    It's believed that the mom of the two kids lives next door. Owner said he was very close to family. @Global_NB pic.twitter.com/naKPBYXLRe

    12:19 AM - 06 Aug 13 (UTC)

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Uggh this story just sucks worse & worse.

    http://m.couriermail.com.au/news/wor...-1226691773995

    THE first pictures have emerged of the little boys killed by a giant African Rock Python that somehow escaped from a pet store.

    Connor and Noah Barth were spending the night with Jean-Claude Savoie, who lives above the Reptile Ocean pet store that he owns in the New Brunswick, Canada, city of Campbellton.

    Mr Savoie described to Global News how he walked into the living room and found the two boys dead about 6.30am on Monday. He found the snake coiled nearby.

    He said the snake had made its way upstairs into his apartment through ventilation ducts and then moved into the ceiling before dropping through a hole and attacking the sleeping boys

    Mr Savoie said he believes the snake coiled around both children and crushed them as they slept together on the floor.

    The National Post reports that the snake was an African rock python about 5m in length and that its owner had described it as "vicious".

    Tim Thomas, a former Reptile Ocean employee, told the newspaper that when he learned of the tragedy, he immediately called Mr Savoie's best friend, Mandy Trecartin, who told him it was her boys who were killed.

    Tim Thomas, a former Reptile Ocean employee, told the newspaper that when he learned of the tragedy, he immediately called Mr Savoie's best friend, Mandy Trecartin, who told him it was her boys who were killed.

    Facebook photos show both of the boys handling a small corn snake - called Mr Slithers - owned by their mother.

    Ms Fournier told MailIOnline that Mr Savoie operated Reptile Ocean as both a pet shop and as a zoo.

    He kept numerous snakes and lizards and small crocodiles to sell, but he hosted tour groups.

    "He always had kids going in there to visit like school kids and groups," she said.

    Ms Fournier said she she herself has touched the snake that is believed to have killed the boys. He often showed it off and kept it in a locked cage, she said.

    The boys are brothers, the children of Mr Savoie's best friend. He said they often sleep over at his apartment.

    "I thought they were sleeping until I (saw) the hole in the ceiling. I turned the lights on and I (saw) this horrific scene," he said.

    "(The snake) went through a ventilation system. I don't understand how it did it. It went through the ceiling... and the snake fell through the living room from the ceiling,' he said.

    He said he has owned the giant snake for more than a decade.
    "My body is in shock. I don't know what to think," he told Global News.

    An RCMP spokeswoman said the major crimes unit is investigating the case and will determine whether any criminal charges should be filed against the owner.

    The Globe and Mail said that a 1996 report on zoos in the Maritimes for Zoocheck Canada Inc. and World Society for the Protection of Animals written by Dr. John Gripper, a veterinarian, gave a good review of Reptile Ocean.

    However the paper also uncovered an online petition calling for Reptile Ocean to be shut down. The person who started the petition complained about the humidity in the store and the condition of some animals.






    The tragic youngsters with 'Mr Slithers' a harmless corn snake kept as a pet by their mother. Source: Supplied


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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Snipped from longer article

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...hip-risks.html
    In the meantime, the shocking attack has baffled even snake experts.

    "It’s strange, I’m just trying to piece it together,” says Lee Parker, the facilities manager at Ontario reptile zoo Reptilia. “They don't go on killing sprees … it doesn't make sense to me."

    Jeff Reynolds, manager at the Reptile Store in Hamilton, says: "The [African rock python] is not overly aggressive, not any more aggressive than your larger-type snake. I find it very bizarre that it would attack two [kids]."

    Such deadly attacks aren’t unheard of, but are rare.

    The last by an African rock python was in 2002, when it killed and swallowed a 10-year-old boy in Durban, South Africa. Three years earlier, a smaller rock python killed a three-year-old boy after escaping its enclosure in Centralia, Ill.

    The species is the largest in Africa, sometimes growing as long as six metres.

    RCMP said the Campbellton python measures between 3.5 and 4.5 metres, and weighs approximately 45 kg. Officials have the snake in their posession.

    Recent New Brunswick laws allow the sale of non-venomous snakes up to three metres long.

    Laws regulating the types and sizes of snakes allowed as pets vary across Canada, changing from one community to the next.

    Parker points to Guelph, Ont., which allows non-venomous snakes up to three metres long, but nearby Richmond Hill prohibits any pythons or boa constrictors.

    But even if your municipality allows them, Parker advises against buying these exotic pets.

    "We don't recommend people keep large snakes as pets because of the potential threats," he says. "Burmese pythons, anacondas, boa constrictors … these are dangerous pets."

    Snake safety

    Parker says some customers looking to buy snakes clearly don’t know what they’re getting into.

    "I’ve turned people away," he says. "Parents come in and they just want to buy a snake to shut their kid up. I say, 'What if he loses interest, stops feeding it, will you take over?' and they say, 'No, we just want to keep him quiet.'

    "Other people say they want one because it’s cool," he says. "They shouldn’t be buying a snake. And they can probably get one somewhere else, but I won’t sell to them."

    Unprepared owners sometimes creates an ecological threat, as pet snakes are released into the wild and an unprepared ecosystem. The problem has recently arisen in the Florida Everglades, where the African rock python has established itself as an invasive species with no natural predators.

    Parker wants more owners to do their homework. "Definitely make sure you know what type, how big it's going to get," he cautions. "You always have to make sure you know what that animal's capabilities are, how strong it is."

    He warns that many people underestimate snakes and the threat they can pose. Some owners tell him their snakes will sometimes lie down alongside them and he warns it’s not for companionship; the snake is sizing up a potential victim.

    The most vital aspect of snake safety: Don’t feed or handle one alone.

    Parker says a boa constrictor or python can quickly surprise its handler and knock them out with a squeeze around the head or neck, cutting off air and blood flow. Children are even more vulnerable, he warns, and shouldn’t be left alone with a snake under any circumstances.

    Proper enclosures are crucial as well. Snakes are strong and wily, accustomed to creeping into small spaces, so a simple plastic container or box isn't sufficient, Parker says.

    It's still not known how the Campbellton python escaped the store.

    No charges have been laid as RCMP handle the criminal investigation.

  14. #14
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    The last by an African rock python was in 2002, when it killed and swallowed a 10-year-old boy in Durban, South Africa.

    Holy shit!


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

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    Certified Grumple Bottoms Ron_NYC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevansvault View Post
    Holy shit, how sad is that!! OMG. Those poor babies never had a chance, and never knew what hit them. This is a parent's nightmare, truly.
    That snakes will choke your kids?
    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    Ron was the best part, hands down.

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    Senior Member TessD's Avatar
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    "RCMP said the Campbellton python measures between 3.5 and 4.5 metres, and weighs approximately 45 kg. Officials have the snake in their posession."

    If I'm converting this right that snake was approx 11-14 feet long and weighed about 99 pounds! How terrifying for those two boys to be helpless and trapped in the mass of that monster snake! Can a snake move that quickly that the boys weren't able to scream out for help? So sad!

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    Senior Member UncomfortablyNumb's Avatar
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    How fucking sad is this? I guess I don't give snakes enough credit cuz I wouldn't even think that it would be smart enough to get out of it's cage and slither through ventilation ducts. I don't know a lot about snakes though because I think they are vile. Those poor boys.

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    Senior Member Peavey's Avatar
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    Sana sana colita de rana beli's Avatar
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    I wish I had not heard about this.

    RIP sweet babies
    Quote Originally Posted by Gawna View Post
    Roses are red, violets are blue, seriously where is the fucking ring I gave Julie and ask her mom about the flowers
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron_NYC View Post
    In all fairness, we have no idea how big this dude's cock was.

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    Senior Member TupeloHoney's Avatar
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    According to this rather lengthy AP story, the snake was not being housed in the bottom floor pet shop as previously reported. It was kept in a different area of the second floor where the family lives because dude didn't have a permit for it. The article also gives some insight into the behavior of the snake. Additionally, the python has now gone to that great snake pit in the sky. I hope that no one objects.


    Python's strangling of two boys in Canada investigated; expert says snake may have been spooked

    TORONTO -- A 100-pound (45-kilogram) python blamed in the strangling deaths of two Canadian boys apparently escaped from its enclosure, slithered through a ventilation system and fell through the ceiling into the room where the young brothers were sleeping, authorities said Tuesday.

    A snake expert said it was possible that the python was spooked and simply clung to whatever it landed on. Police are treating the deaths in Campbellton, New Brunswick, as a criminal investigation.

    Autopsies on Noah Barthe, 4 and his brother Connor Barthe, 6, were performed Tuesday.

    The brothers had been visiting the apartment of a friend whose father owned an exotic pet store on the floor below, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Alain Tremblay said at a news conference in Campbellton. Tremblay said the African rock python was being kept inside the second floor apartment, not inside the pet store as authorities had previously stated.

    Steve Benteau, a spokesman for the provincial Natural Resources Department, said no permit was issued for an African rock python and provincial authorities weren?t aware it was being kept at the apartment. The department said the snake is generally only permitted in accredited zoos, unless there is a special permit.

    Tremblay said the snake was housed in a large glass enclosure that reached the ceiling of the apartment and escaped through a small hole in the ceiling connected to the ventilation system. He said the snake made its way through the ventilation system and moved toward the living room, where the boys were sleeping. The pipe collapsed and the snake fell.

    The friend of the boys was sleeping in another room and was unharmed.

    The pet store owner, Jean-Claude Savoie, told the Global News television station that he didn't hear a sound and discovered the "horrific scene" when he went into his living room on Monday morning.

    "I can't believe this is real," Savoie said.

    He said the boys were the children of his best friend and were often at his apartment to visit his son. Savoie said the python, which he has had for at least 10 years, had been kept alone in its enclosure and was not handled by anyone else.

    Police said the snake was killed by a veterinarian. It was sent for a necropsy to confirm the type of snake and help understand what may have caused it to attack.

    Family spokesman Dave Rose, the boys' great-uncle, said the brothers had spent Monday at Savoie's family farm and played with different animals before staying over at the apartment. Rose thanked the community for their support and asked for privacy.

    The snake was about 4.3 meters (14 feet) long, Tremblay said. He said police were looking at whether the store followed the province's regulations on exotic animals.

    "It's a criminal investigation," Tremblay said. "We're going to look at all avenues."?

    The RCMP's Major Crime Unit is continuing the investigation, with the assistance of a reptile expert from the Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton, New Brunswick.

    "I guess we can assume that given the size of the snake that certain things occurred, but the pathologist will be identifying the cause of death," Tremblay said.

    Tremblay said police spoke to the store owner briefly and will meet with him again.

    Reptile expert Bry Loyst, curator of the Indian River Reptile Zoo in Ontario, said police have been seeking his advice. He said he was told by police that it wasn't the first time that the python had escaped its enclosure. Police were not available to confirm that late Tuesday.

    Loyst noted the boys had been playing with other animals hours earlier and he believes their scent might have attracted the snake.

    Paul Goulet, founder and co-owner of Little Ray's Reptile Zoo in Ottawa, said snakes don?t recognize humans as a source of food, but if the children smelled like animals, it could explain an attack.

    "If a snake sees an animal moving, giving off heat and smells like a goat, what is it? It's a goat," Goulet said. "The reasonable explanation of how this has happened is that they had been playing with farm animals, they did smell like their prey items and the snake sadly enough mistook them as a food item when they weren't."

    Rose said the kids had played with llamas, goats, horses and dogs and cats just a few hours earlier.

    The town's deputy mayor, Ian Comeau, said the Reptile Ocean shop was licensed to operate and "everything was according to our bylaws, to the provincial guidelines." He said he saw alligators, crocodiles and snakes when he toured the shop with the fire department about two years ago.

    Snake expert John Kendrick, a manager at the Reptile Store in Hamilton, Ontario, said it sounds like the python was not enclosed properly and might have been spooked. He called the strangling deaths "very unusual" but said African rock pythons tend to be a little more high-strung.

    "It's very odd that one would go out and seek out a person. They don't recognize us as food," he said.

    Pythons can sense heat, and if they are startled they can grab something, Kendrick said. He said snakes are very long and their muscles run lengthwise through their body, so they are not very stable unless they are holding on to something.

    "A snake that size that was just trying to hold on securely enough to make sure he felt like he wasn't falling or going anywhere; he has enough muscle power to cut off circulation," he said.

    It's possible that the python was just holding on to what it landed on, Kendrick said.

    "Once they are in constricting mode, any part of their body that is touching something that moves, they'll wrap it," he said. "I've seen snakes with two different prey items at the same time, one with the back of the body and one with the front. It could have been an incident like that."

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...40d_story.html
    Quote Originally Posted by Not your business View Post
    I will out think the fucking pants off of you and you would thank me for helping you out of them.

  21. #21
    Member J a d e's Avatar
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    Wow, how scary :( r.i.p boys

    snakes freak me out!

  22. #22
    Senior Member bermstalker's Avatar
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    From tupelo's link above

    "It's very odd that one would go out and seek out a person. They don't recognize us as food," he said.

    Pythons can sense heat, and if they are startled they can grab something, Kendrick said. He said snakes are very long and their muscles run lengthwise through their body, so they are not very stable unless they are holding on to something.

    "A snake that size that was just trying to hold on securely enough to make sure he felt like he wasn't falling or going anywhere; he has enough muscle power to cut off circulation," he said.



    I just have to bring this up. It's something that has always struck me about "experts"

    How in the f do they know? Seriously, how do they know what the snake is thinking? "the snake didn't want to fall"
    WTF?

  23. #23
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    I guess if you have them long enough you get to learn their behaviours. Like a cat owner knowing that cats will pop their claws out if they think they're going to fall? You can never say for sure obviously but there's usually reactions common to all animals in a species. I'd guess the journalists are pushing for speculation to fill in the spaces created by lack of real detail. The bit that stood out to me was when they said the kids had been handling other animals - if it was rabbits or rodents, then that is probably going to be the missing puzzle piece.

  24. #24
    Moderator nestlequikie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blighted star View Post
    I guess if you have them long enough you get to learn their behaviours. Like a cat owner knowing that cats will pop their claws out if they think they're going to fall? You can never say for sure obviously but there's usually reactions common to all animals in a species. I'd guess the journalists are pushing for speculation to fill in the spaces created by lack of real detail. The bit that stood out to me was when they said the kids had been handling other animals - if it was rabbits or rodents, then that is probably going to be the missing puzzle piece.
    They had been playing with goats, horses, etc. I read in an article somewhere that goats are a natural prey item for this type of snake.

  25. #25
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nestlequikie View Post
    They had been playing with goats, horses, etc. I read in an article somewhere that goats are a natural prey item for this type of snake.
    Oh shit. Of course they would be. & goat smell is strong even to us. Even if they scrubbed the smell would probably linger.

    & Angie there was a show talking about Florida's python's on one of our science channels recently, they gave examples of African Rock Python attacks & interviewed people from the village where that boy was killed. It was horrific. I'll see if I can find something on it.. I was sure there was a boy killed in the U.S more recently? But maybe it was a different species?

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