• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

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    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Eastern DiamondBack Rattlesnake's

Why pass? There's nothing you can call me that I havent heard by others such as idiot,reckless,moron,meathead(one of my favorites). I've been accused of going to get someone killed, of being a bad example for the "hobby" of being a showboat etc etc.
This is not new to me, as for the earlier post that the poster say's he's not surprised I've been bitten before let me clarify that a bit. I was bit 29yrs ago by a cane break rattler while holding him in the "approved" three finger method, that was the last snake I have ever held by the throat because they REALLY don't like it. In the 29yrs since I have not had a venomous snake bite.
I not only enjoy working with my rattler's I do love them.
 
Barry, you'll notice my first post on your thread was complimenting your EDB's and your caging. I don't really agree with free handling but it's still a free country (despite Obama's best attempts) so do what you want. I haven't seen anyone in this thread sling insults and the one post that disagreed with free handling wasn't directed at you.
You posted a picture of your shirt that mocks people who disagree with free handling so I was just making a joke that Venomous is misspelled on the "Venemous Free Handlers" shirt. I can tell that you are passionate about your animals and I don't question your motives. I think a lot of free handlers are show-offs and their track record of getting bitten is nowhere near as good as yours.
I can understand the temptation to put your hands on an EDB. (I just do it with restraint tubes). We've both been doing this long enough where I'm as unlikely to change your opinion as you are to change mine. I hope you continue to be safe and enjoy your EDB's.
 
I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just hear a lot of negative stuff from folks.

btw- I really got to get that shirt fixed!lol
 
Barry,
I wasn't referring to you in my initial post. While I DO NOT agree with free handling, I'm not the one who has to deal with the consequences if it goes horribly wrong.
What I do have an issue with is the posting of these photos on the Internet where the young, naive, or uninformed, see it and think it is a wide spread or accepted handling technique within the community. Factor in the often ridiculous advice given by those who choose to be so cavalier in their handling techniques and I would hope you can see where it can be damaging to the community as a whole.
As an example, please refer to the links I posted in my original post. I think you may be surpised to see the type of information that the gentleman who is supporting you in this thread spreads.
I'll quote a few nuggets of this skewed wisdom, however I highly encourage you to search for yourself.

These two are from a thread asking about a good starter snake. Please note the original poster is 16 years old.

Demonseed38
"Dude. All snakes are awesome. It depends on what's right for you. I'm a drymarchon guy with non venomous and hots, pygmy rattlesnakes are my favorites. They can be tamed and held but I do suggest taking diluted venom injections to build up your immunity. But use thick welding gloves to get them used to handling and they are cool. As for drymarchon. They are high strung snakes but with some frequency in handling and taming they are super smart and make some super cool pets. Just my opinion to whether you wanna test your herp skills."

Same thread

Demonseed38
"I take diluted venom injections the same as tom Crutchfield and many others. I also use venom defender gloves as well. I've worked with and handled hots as well as some very big crocadilians and other dangerous animals. The people that get hurt by hots are the morons that think they have a tame viper or elaphid. I have been bitten 11 times as any body with my experience knows it's gonna happen. But thanks to those injections I take it never got serious enough for me to be hospitalized. You people can think what you want. It's you that are unprepared that get injured by these animals and give us all a bad name. So when you do get bit and are laying in ICU. Thank about your little article's . I'll be sitting at home healthy and enjoying my snake collection. And if your scared of these animals. Don't keep them."

A different thread where he mentions being in the hospital for two weeks despite the above post saying "it never got serious enough to be hospitalized"

Demonseed38
"Yup. We all can be dare devils but yeah . You really have to respect them. I've been bitten and it hurts like hell plus 2 weeks in the hospital. Thank god for insurance cause that bill would have been about 30 grand. But I vote on pygmy rattlesnakes for a first time hot. They have small fangs and pretty easy to work with. Use tongs , hooks and gloves. The venom defender gloves are expensive but you can't put a price on your life."

Hopefully this will help you understand a bit more in regards as to why many keepers of venomous animals tend to frown upon the practice of posting free handling photos since it often comes from those who also spread potentially dangerous information.
I wish you the best with your animals!
 
Thank's for clearing that up, I post those pic's because I'm proud of the work that I do with my rattle snake's. I will say what I DO IS VERY DANGEROUS and don't recommend it for those who have very little knowledge of venomous snake's of any kind. I've never recommended anyone do what I do, but I should not have to hide because of what others may or may not do.
All I ask is that we all be respectful of each other whether we agree or not.:)
 
The pic's of me I posted holding my edb's may be deceiving to some, in that they may believe that I just stroll in the wood's and pic up rattle snake's, nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm going to try and show what take's place before those pic's are taken.

WARNING!- What I do is DANGEROUS! AND I DONT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE!

Now with that said this is how I begin,

When I first get the rattler's I leave them alone in their cage to get adjusted to their new home. After a week to two week's (it depend's on the snake) I begin spending time close to the cage. I'll take their hide out so they only have a bush to hide under then I'll sit almost up against the cage. I will just read a book or sometime's just take a nap, but the whole point is that they get used to my presence. This is not done in a single day, it may take many week's it just depend's on the snake. Once the snake's are at ease with my presence we move on to the next step.

I'll post the next step tomorrow.

BTW-This is not a "how to tame a venomous snake guide" this is just showing what all I do with my edb's before the pic's of me holding them. Thank's
 
Hey Barry. I just got home for N.D. my female leucistic cottonmouth has a nasolacrimal duct blockage so I had to do an ocular incision to drain it. Those Hex Armor gloves work well against fangs. I got Matilda out and she just laid back and enjoyed her free handling exp. Haha. I'll call ya tomorrow
 
If free handling was "only" a personal risk, I would be perfectly ok with that. There are other dangerous hobbies where people put their life in danger and they are hardly ever condemned for it. However, free handling is not just a personal risk, it is a risk to the hobby that we all love. More bites mean more regulations and more free handling means more bites. That's why I am cautious against displaying these pictures.

Still, very beautiful snakes Barry!

And I would love to see pictures of the Leucistic Cottonmouths mentioned above by Joseph. :)
 
Well. If and when you do get bit. All they need to know is it happened in the woods. And being that I own my house and property, they can't do nothing about it any ways. And here's a pic of the LUCY. This snake is not to be free handled. Because she is the spawn of satan
 

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WARNING; HANDLING VENOMOUS SNAKE'S IS DANGEROUS!!



The next step I take with my rattler's is to put them in the portable 12x12 pen that I have in my backyard. When moving them from the cage to the pen I use two snake hook's for picking them up and setting them down. Once their in the pen I stay in their with them, I'll walk around in the pen (wearing snakebite boots) for alittle just outside of their strike range and then I'll sit down on a plastic lawn chair I keep in there. After 10 to 15 min's pass and their moving around I'll get up and walk slowly around them again. This is done at the same distance until their not getting in a strike pose any longer, then I move in closer until they resume a strike pose and start the process all over again. There is nothing "fast" about this process, it take's time and patience and a lot of KINDNESS. Once I can stand by them without them rattling or raising up in a strike pose we move on to the next step.

 
demonseed38 said:
Well. If and when you do get bit. All they need to know is it happened in the woods. And being that I own my house and property, they can't do nothing about it any ways. And here's a pic of the LUCY. This snake is not to be free handled. Because she is the spawn of satan
Click to expand...

Amazing snake. I do "need" a pair of these :).
 
WARNING; HANDLING VENOMOUS SNAKE'S IS DANGEROUS!!!

Once their used to me standing by them we move to getting them used to being touched. They like following the wall's in the pen so I put my chair in the corner and as they come by I reach down very carefully and touch the last 6 inch's of their tail's. At first they would coil up fast in a defensive position not sure if I was trying to hurt them or not, but slowly they calmed down. This again was a long process, working with rattler's take's a lot of PATIENCE!
They began as I touched them to not coil up or even act defensive, they would just either keep going or stop for a moment and look back at me as if to say "you done now?" After they got used to this I still continued with it for some time, then we moved on to the next step.


BTW- If you notice, all these step's I take with them are baby step's never trying to push them into a step they weren't ready for.
 
WARNING; HANDLING VENOMOUS SNAKE'S IS DANGEROUS!!!

Up until this time I've used two snake hook's to pick the snake's up and move them around. Now I begin using one hook for the front of the snake while gently picking them up from the tail (tailing). Before reaching down to pick up the tail I put the loop of the snake hook about 8 inch's behind the snakes head but I'm careful not to touch the snake with it because I don't want them to feel their being restrained. Once I do that I pick up the tail and hold it gently, if the snake becomes really nervous I'll set the tail down and give the snake time to calm down and begin again, this is a process that takes time! there's no short cut's. When I'm able to hold the tail without the snake getting nervous I use the hook to lift the front of the snake, I'll gently pick the snake up off the ground just a little at first until they get used to it. As they get used to it I'll raise them higher but slowly they tend to get nervous if lifted to high to soon. When their used to being lifted in this manner then I'll begin moving them around in the pen holding them this way. This step is repeated over and over for some time before moving to the next step.
 
WARNING; HANDLING VENOMOUS SNAKE'S IS DANGEROUS!!!

Once the snake's have gotten used to this method I move on to the next, which is the most dangerous step. I continue as the step just described above but without using the hook to pick up the front of the snake. I pick the tail up while keeping the hook apprx.8 inches back from the head and not touching it, when I see that the snake is calm I lay the hook down. Then coming in directly from behind the snake I'll slide my hand gently up the snake's body to about half of it's length, if the snake remains' calm I'll slowly and very very carefully raise it off the ground. Again not high at first just enough for the snake to get used to being picked up in this manner. This process is also repeated many many times before I'll raise them up high and begin walking around in the pen while holding them.
 
Barry,
Can I respectfully ask why you have the desire to handle the animals in the first place? I'm not trying to be inflammatory, I'd simply like a better insight into why you can't enjoy the natural beauty and majestic nature of the animal without laying hands on it. You mention "kindness" in one of your posts. Do you believe the animal can differentiate between actual kindness or simply not feel threatened by your actions?
As I said, I am in no way trying to be disrespectful, but rather better understand why those who choose to free handle are willing to handle the obvious risks associated with the practice.
 
Thanks' for your question, I'll try and answer but it most likely wont make any sense to you. As a child I was always fascinated by not just snake's but rattlesnake's there was a mystic quality about them. I was brought up to FEAR rattlesnake's because their very deadly, any time one was seen it was automatically killed! I've been a hunter all my life (I'm 49 now) and have spent many hours in the wood's, when I would be hunting by myself and come up on a rattlesnake I liked to just watch it. When I stood there in front of it guess what? it wasn't the MONSTER I'd been told that it was! If I stood there long enough the snake would stop rattling and simply crawl off. As I began to see these snake's in a different light I began to try and inter act with them more and more, what I found out was that they aren't EVIL,MEAN,WICKED and NASTY. So slowly I began working with Eastern Diamondback Rattlers both w/c and c/b and I have found that they do respond to a person's touch. If your kind to them that means your calm around them and they sense that. I have a great love for these snake's. I never expect anyone to understand what I do only that they just be respectful of it as my choice, we all like different things in life this just happens to be mine.
I told you this probably wont make any sense to you but I tried.lol
 
I got my female EDB out last night. She's as sweet as can be. Then my cane breaks were at the glass checking out the activity. So I got them out also. Just like 54 says. It's a mutual respect and understanding between the person and the animal. Human beings are the most dangerous animal on this planet. Rough handling a snake will get you bitten no matter what species. But gentle handling and safety in mind,can result in an awesome experience with a rattlesnake. Those who don't agree with this practice should not condemn those that do. And also. Everyone should be aware that it's very immoral ,irresponsible, and a great liability to own and possess venomous reptiles in rental homes and apartments. No matter how secure the caging. It's also illegal in most states. That's what gives the hobby a bad name when one escapes or some one gets bitten. Because then the authorities have the right to seize and kill your animals and arrest the renter. 54 bogged and my self both come under fire for handling our snakes on our properties which we own. So before persecuting any of us. Maybe everyone should take a look at their own selves and question. Am I putting anyone in danger???. I know most of the people on here only judge others when they should judge their own actions. And Barry. That is some awesome advice on learning this art. Very good safety tips also.
 
54bogger said:
Thanks' for your question, I'll try and answer but it most likely wont make any sense to you. As a child I was always fascinated by not just snake's but rattlesnake's there was a mystic quality about them. I was brought up to FEAR rattlesnake's because their very deadly, any time one was seen it was automatically killed! I've been a hunter all my life (I'm 49 now) and have spent many hours in the wood's, when I would be hunting by myself and come up on a rattlesnake I liked to just watch it. When I stood there in front of it guess what? it wasn't the MONSTER I'd been told that it was! If I stood there long enough the snake would stop rattling and simply crawl off. As I began to see these snake's in a different light I began to try and inter act with them more and more, what I found out was that they aren't EVIL,MEAN,WICKED and NASTY. So slowly I began working with Eastern Diamondback Rattlers both w/c and c/b and I have found that they do respond to a person's touch. If your kind to them that means your calm around them and they sense that. I have a great love for these snake's. I never expect anyone to understand what I do only that they just be respectful of it as my choice, we all like different things in life this just happens to be mine.
I told you this probably wont make any sense to you but I tried.lol
Click to expand...

Barry,
Thank you for taking the time to try and explain your reasoning behind your desire to practice this sort of handling technique. As you surmised, I still don't understand why you feel it necessary to do this. I will say this though, you seem like a very passionate fellow and don't appear to be doing it for the reasons others freehandlers I have spoken with do it (cool factor, showing off, trying to impress people, etc.). Despite the obvious dangers of what you are doing, you seem to take great precautions leading up to the actual "laying on of hands", it is quite apparent that you take great care of your animals, and you don't appear to downplay the dangers of participating in this behavior.
I still strongly disagree with sharing this aspect of your passion in a public arena, and believe it is an action that can have a huge potential for public negativity towards our hobby. it is one thing entirely to do what you do in the privacy of your own home, but sharing it with the world and giving instruction on how to do it still leaves me a bit baffled.
I truly wish you and your animals the best and thanks again for answering!
Respectfully

Joseph,
You quite honestly scare me with your thought process. Your animals simply do not have the mental capacity to "respect" you. Tolerate you yes, but you seem to have a history of attributing human traits onto an animal that largely functions on instinct alone. In addition your past posts lend little credibility to your actions. Unlike Barry, you seem to thrive on the negativity and lash out with wildly irrational or contradictory statements when questioned.
 
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