Baby Snake Charmer

[Scout]

I just saw this video, and I can't believe it, I'm assuming the snake must have been defanged or something, but I can't believe someone would put their baby in that position, someone please tell me I'm not watching what I think I'm watching:

Baby Snake Charmer

Scout.

It looks real to me unless the snake was robotic or something. The bites didn't seem to make the baby bleed/react in pain, but can you defang snakes?

Also, the baby didn't look like she(?) was charming it at all.. quite the opposite. Poor baby, I hope the snake didn't strangle her at the end Though I must question the sanity of the parents/onlookers cheering the baby on.

[putitinwriting]

I've seen this video posted up a few times, with the claim that the snake's mouth has been sewed shut. But I have no real cite for it.

[Dutch Angua]

If it's real, I don't know who to feel more sorry for, the baby of the snake...but I'm really leaning towards the snake.

Originally Posted by Dutch Angua

If it's real, I don't know who to feel more sorry for, the baby of the snake...

I would say the baby. What type of parents does it have that would a) sew a dangerous snake's mouth shut for a video, and b) would subject their kid to said snake (given that the sewing job might not be perfect).

Kid's going to grow up to be one messed up dude/dudette.

[Artemis]

I assumed de-fanged. A lot of snake charmers/handlers defang/de-venom their snakes.

I feel a lot worse for the snake. Poor guy. You can totally tell he's going, "Huh? Why...isn't...this...working?!"

So in the case of snakes whose mouths are sewn shut, how do they eat? I know snakes don't eat every day, but in any case, you'd only have the snake around for a little while.

[Collegefreshman]

I'm more worried about the end of the video: surely someone would report the parents if the child was killed from strangulation and would remove the video. Dutch Angula: why the snake as opposed to the baby?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Collegefreshman

I'm more worried about the end of the video: surely someone would report the parents if the child was killed from strangulation and would remove the video. Dutch Angula: why the snake as opposed to the baby?

Can't answer for Dutch Angula, but the snake has been deprived of its natural defenses. The baby is just having a good time, screwing with it...and the snake can't do what it would normally do when bigger creatures wanted to use it as a toy. So unfair.

[Kallah]

Can't answer for Dutch Angula, but the snake has been deprived of its natural defenses. The baby is just having a good time, screwing with it...and the snake can't do what it would normally do when bigger creatures wanted to use it as a toy. So unfair.

I could understand if this was an adult or even an older child, but this is a baby - not even a toddler - we’re talking about. He or she has no idea that what they’re doing is provoking and/or harming the animal, and the child has no defenses to begin with (other than his or her parents, who don’t exactly seem up to the task).

[Dutch Angua]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Can't answer for Dutch Angua, but the snake has been deprived of its natural defenses. The baby is just having a good time, screwing with it...and the snake can't do what it would normally do when bigger creatures wanted to use it as a toy. So unfair.

Thanks, Artemis, that's what I meant.
And I didn't mean I feel sorry for the snake or the baby. I didn't mean one rules the other out, I feel sorry for the kid too. But if I really, really had to choose a situation to be in, I'd rather be the baby.

And guys, it's Angua. No l's anywhere

[charlie23]

I don't think the mouth is sewn shut, as there is at least one obvious tongue flick...but definitely defanged or the baby would be pretty upset after the first couple of seconds.
I don't necessarily feel sorry for either one...the snake is probably a pet and looks perfectly healthy (if a bit aggravated), the baby dosen't seem to be too traumatised by the experience. And Cobras aren't constrictors, so I don't see the whole "choking" thing.
edit: I've read about how they treat these snakes on another board, and if it's true then yeah, I do feel sorry for the cobra.

[Richard W]

Like charlie23 said, a cobra isn't a constrictor so it's not going to choke the baby. I think the snake comes off far worse, too - the baby just looks a bit bewildered and indignant, rather than upset. It's not even crying.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Kallah

I could understand if this was an adult or even an older child, but this is a baby - not even a toddler - we’re talking about. He or she has no idea that what they’re doing is provoking and/or harming the animal, and the child has no defenses to begin with (other than his or her parents, who don’t exactly seem up to the task).

Yeah, but nothing really bad is happening to the baby. I don't see any reason to feel bad for it.

Granted, nothing terrible is happening to the cobra, either. I just feel kind of bad because clearly what it expected to happen (venomous bite) isn't working. And it has no clue what else to do.

[cubbie]

I did hear about this on the news, and it was some kind of ritual thingy in India, and that the snake had it's defense taken away so the baby wont be harmed. The baby looks a bit puzzled but not upset.

[Toys For Big Boys]

I like the comment from one enlightened individual, referring to Indians as "ragheads".

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Granted, nothing terrible is happening to the cobra, either.

I wouldn't call getting its fangs ripped out "nothing terrible is happening to the cobra".

[shivaskeeper]

Typically they wouldn't remove the fangs at all. There is no point to it. They just grow back. Snakes lose and regrow teeth all their lives. Besides, removing the fangs wouldn't do anything about the rest of the teeth in the snake’s mouth.

The "normal" procedure would be to either sew the snakes mouth shut along the sides. The snake can still breathe and flick its tongue. Then remove the sutures later.

Or make the snake a venomoid by surgically removing the venom glands. The surgery is not easy to do and usually expensive, so typically it's just a hack job. Alot of the snakes who undergo it die from it or post surgery infections.

From the bit of the video I could get to play, I would guess its mouth was sewn shut. BTW that is one nice looking spectacled cobra.

shivaskeeper

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Floater

I wouldn't call getting its fangs ripped out "nothing terrible is happening to the cobra".

Well, I meant in the video itself. But yeah, if we're looking at the sum total experiences of the baby and the cobra, the cobra's probably got the raw deal.


So can the snake still eat with its mouth sewn shut partly, shivaskeeper?

[Seraphina]

Originally Posted by shivaskeeper

Typically they wouldn't remove the fangs at all. There is no point to it. They just grow back. Snakes lose and regrow teeth all their lives. Besides, removing the fangs wouldn't do anything about the rest of the teeth in the snake’s mouth.

The "normal" procedure would be to either sew the snakes mouth shut along the sides. The snake can still breathe and flick its tongue. Then remove the sutures later.

Or make the snake a venomoid by surgically removing the venom glands. The surgery is not easy to do and usually expensive, so typically it's just a hack job. Alot of the snakes who undergo it die from it or post surgery infections.

From the bit of the video I could get to play, I would guess its mouth was sewn shut. BTW that is one nice looking spectacled cobra.

shivaskeeper

How many teeth do cobras have?
The cobra in the video is certainly not opening its mouth, so it is likely somehow fixed. I think snakes only eat every few days, so maybe he is fed then his mouth sewn shut and the procedure repeated after next feed?


As far as feeling sorry either for the baby or snake, why is it necessary to take sides? Although the poor snake does not have much life, the kid is already predestined to be a street snake charmer.

[Richard W]

Originally Posted by Seraphina

Although the poor snake does not have much life, the kid is already predestined to be a street snake charmer.

How do you know that? He or she could grow up to unite the world, cure cancer and invent a fantastic new dance step.