- Joined
- Jan 6, 2007
- Messages
- 2,518
There is your answer.Trust me,he knows how to take care of them.
There is your answer.Trust me,he knows how to take care of them.
If you can't see the potential problem of some kid getting hospitalized and angry parents hitting the news, I really don't know what to tell you.It's not a wonderful idea, and certainly not a good idea to tell every kid to buy one, but if one is responsible and mature enough, I don't see the problem.
And I can understand that, but in my own opinion, that's all the kid's fault and not the hobby's, or the sellers.If you can't see the potential problem of some kid getting hospitalized and angry parents hitting the news, I really don't know what to tell you.
The Toe Cutter is correct. The invert hobby slides under the radar because it's not as popular as the herp hobby yet, but it's growing fast. A few children getting sent to the hospital is a fantastic way to make the government step in and regulate the hobby like it does for herps.
It's frustrating to see so many invert enthusiasts who don't seem to have the common sense to see how their actions can effect the entire hobby. If you care about the hobby and want to do whats best for it, don't sell dangerous animals to children. I can't believe this is even a debate.
If the child is injured it would be the sellers fault, because he sold it to a minor. Its the sellers responsibility to determine the maturity of someone when selling them a dangerous item. If he makes a judgment call and its wrong it will be entirely his fault if the child is hurt. A big problem is that children are impressionable and the way this child acts around the centipede can not determine how well he will take care of it, because he can act completely different when he is alone. If I were to take out my tarantula with my son standing right beside me he would not be afraid at all, but if I put it on the ground and left the room he would get scared. This kid might act completely different when he has it alone in his room.And I can understand that, but in my own opinion, that's all the kid's fault and not the hobby's, or the sellers.
Not in the eyes of the HSUS or the general public. It is the hobbies fault and whoever sold the animal to said "child". Wake up, this shouldn'e even be an issue that needs to be brought up.
You both are right.If the child is injured it would be the sellers fault, because he sold it to a minor. Its the sellers responsibility to determine the maturity of someone when selling them a dangerous item. If he makes a judgment call and its wrong it will be entirely his fault if the child is hurt. A big problem is that children are impressionable and the way this child acts around the centipede can not determine how well he will take care of it, because he can act completely different when he is alone. If I were to take out my tarantula with my son standing right beside me he would not be afraid at all, but if I put it on the ground and left the room he would get scared. This kid might act completely different when he has it alone in his room.
Yes the hobby might be hurt, but the child or the centipede could be hurt a lot more. I don't own centipedes(my wife is scared of them), but from what I've heard they have very painful venom.
You have a really strange view of "semi-potent" ... I would consider S. alternans and S. heros both to be capable of inflicting a bite that would make you have a bad day. Maybe not for pain freaks like cacoseraph or anything, but for "normal" people, especially kids. Those pedes get a stocky 8" long when full grown and are certainly not "friendly", so I don't get what you're trying to say here. It's like people that say that pokies, psalmos, and the like are automatically the most medically significant tarantulas in any given situation... just because their venom is more potent doesn't mean that tarantulas with less potent venom are "more painless", necessarily.A kid would have to go out of his way to get a semi-potent Scolopendrid (ie subspinipes); they aren't native to any part of the continental US. Copperheads, on the other hand, are. I'm sure there are plenty of people catching and selling various native wildlife to anyone who's got the cash.
The main place where I can see a child buying a Scolopendrid is at a reptile show, and I just can't see anyone selling anything to a 4' child. I'm sure there's some exception, though.
I'd also have to agree with the fact that I know several non-adults keeping Scolopendrids (and hot sp.) that are significantly more mature, and responsible than the majority of the people I see on here, and other forums.
S. alternans actually hospitalized an unnamed adult member of SCABIES... A "mild" allergic reaction plus the effects of the venom in the body ended w/ him being in a *very* bad way...911 was called...(he is fine now and was only there for 3-4hrs.)I would consider S. alternans and S. heros both to be capable of inflicting a bite that would make you have a bad day. Maybe not for pain freaks like cacoseraph or anything, but for "normal" people, especially kids.
Yes because making people sign waivers is going to help the hobby.There's a blanket ban on millipedes? Just WC & imported Archispirostreptus giga, I thought.:? (frantically scans area, hides millipedes). Native phasmids? Check your state laws for that.
Kevin, I think I read an account of that bite in an online med. journal.(unless it was very recent?)
This is all easily solved with a legal waiver form, ID required from the signer. Put the onus on the parent.
I doubt it was in any journals, all that was really done was a very large dose of IV benadryl by the EMTs and some pain meds when he got to the ER. I believe he said the staff said he was close to being in a coma when he got there, though...(It was September 08.)Kevin, I think I read an account of that bite in an online med. journal.(unless it was very recent?)
Right. In much the same way that native Lithobius and (well, NOW native) Scutigera species wouldn't be affected by a blanket Scolopendrid ban... it was to prove a point, no reason to get hung up on the details.There's a blanket ban on millipedes? Just WC & imported Archispirostreptus giga, I thought.:? (frantically scans area, hides millipedes). Native phasmids? Check your state laws for that.