Hi Jack
Lends even more credbility to the story of Eve.
Hmm, never quite thought of it that way.
Question becomes: which one did the teaching? (I was actually going to write who taught who, but then I couldn't decide if it should have been who taught whom and then I sort of remembered going through the argument before but realising I now no longer know if it's objective or subjective! Ah the release of age: it doesn't matter! Actually, it does, but you just stop being able to care.)
Yeah, I'm pretty much at the stage where I don't really care either. Besides, regardless if it is figuratively-, anatomically- (or suggestively-) speaking, the dimensions of a "Pigmy" Rattlesnake, by its very definition, are such that it would have to be a very lonely woman indeed to be "lured" by his wee little tail tip, which isn't much more than a quarter-inch long
On a less urgent note, don't you ever suffer from/get the sense of self-preservation? Forget the other chap's long lens, I'd be out of the state if I saw one of those death sentences looking my way, subjectively or objectively!
Rob C
IMHO, this subject is actually a more urgent note, all things considered.
Truth to tell, neither of those venomous reptiles is a death sentence (to a human anyway). The Pigmy Rattler not at all; the Cottonmouth unlikely. Both are essentially "sub-lethal" venomous snakes. The venom properties of snakes do vary among individuals, even within the same species, but with the Pigmy Rattler these animals simply do not have enough venom to kill a healthy adult. A bite from one would hurt like hell, but they simply can't kill a healthy, full-grown man. A full-on bite from a
very large Cottonmouth OTOH
could possibly kill a man, but the likelihood of an average-sized specimen being able to do so is remote. However, the venom from this species
is known to have a lot of tissue-destroying properties, which is most concerning, yes indeed.
So, to answer your question, my sense of self-preservation is great enough to treat these animals with the respect they deserve, and to keep a safe distance, and I have enough experience with them to know what a "safe distance" is. I have been catching venomous reptiles since I was in junior high school, but while I am fairly comfortable being around them, I will
never get so comfortable that I behave carelessly around them. I hike in rattlesnake-proof boots and, when I handle them, I do so with professional tongs and hooks. When I am done photographing them I release them.
Thanks,
Jack
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