Pet Python strangles owner

Post Reply New Topic

A friendly 2.5 m pet python named Tiny was playing with it's owner Dan Brandon of Church Crookham Fleet in Basingstoke UK before strangling him. The pet apparently became too overenthusiastic and strangled Mr Brandon who is now deceased.
http://www.news.com.au/technology/scien ... cd84c8bae7

Mr Brandon’s parents, brother and sister were in court, and Mrs Brandon told the coroner the snake loved her son, he never felt threatened by Tiny and was aware of how strong she was. Its the first case of a python killing a person in Britain

Mr Bradley’s mother still looks after the snakes and showed off a bite she has on her hands that another snake gave her ten days ago.

This sounds really far-fetched to me. Many snake owners would laugh at this. But who knows, I wasn't there. But plenty of people, even myself had pythons wrapped around our necks and such a thing never happened. Also, being bitten isn't like the most terrible thing in the world. It happens/can happen to owners. You suck it up and deal with it because you're handling a predatory reptile and the owner should already know that being bitten is a possibility. Snakes are not some cuddly kind of animal. So it's not surprising to me to hear someone still handling snakes when though they were bitten.

Yes I also love pythons, I think this is likely a one-off

There is a lot of missing information to this story. This guy could've had a stroke or a heart attack for all I care.

1.) "His parents heard a loud bang from upstairs when preparing dinner and went to check on their son as he had failed to come downstairs, the coroner was told. They attempted to perform CPR on him, after noticing Tiny was not in his pen, but Dan couldn’t be saved." No where does it state they actually saw the snake choking him. So, no one was actually there to witness the event.

2.) There is no mention of there being any indication like some sort of markings around the guy's neck. They are just going off from the fact that the snake wasn't in the pen.

3.) "The most likely scenario is that Tiny was engaged with Dan — I have no doubt about that." You cannot make an assumption like that without enough facts to prove that actually happened.

That's why it's better to have a kitty cat!

These beautiful, but very lethal creatures, should never be pets. Leave them in the wild where they belong.

Here in Australia carpet pythons are popular pets. My brother in law has one to get rid off the mice in his roof...

You don't put large snakes around your neck EVER.If one does latch on the smell of alcohol will make them turn loose.Rubbing or Spirits.Some say cold water will also make them release.

THE SNAKE LOVED HIM?!?!?! Does the primitive brain of a snake have the capacity to feel such an emotion?

The idea of bonding with such creatures may seem creepy, or even impossible, yet some people insist that their reptiles know them and enjoy being with them. Can reptiles feel or portray emotions?

Generally, reptiles do demonstrate basic emotions. According to Dr. Sharman Hoppes, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, the main two are fear and aggression, but they may also demonstrate pleasure when stroked or when offered food.
http://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/reptile-emotions

I beleive they can,my old iguana used to follow me from room to room.When I'd ask for a sugar he would dash his tongue out and give me one.He also liked to take naps on my lap.He really loved a basket of clothes hot from the dryer.Just like a cat he'd go lay on it.