Bob Clark (Industry and community irresponsibility?) INQUIRY

[ViperPaintball]

I don't condone public stupidity, but I don't see any transactions with Bob Clark mentioned. Does this belong here?

If you buy, sell, or keep reptiles his antics help support the case that these animals are dangerous, and should be regulated/banned.

If that isn't screwing you, and all of us, I don't know what is...and you didn't even choose to do any business with him?

Pull your head out of the sand there Mr Ostrich...local, state, and federal goverments, as well as many, many citizen groups, ALL want to take away your right to keep reptiles.

I'm sorry if this doesn't interest you...but it does the REST of us that want to keep reptiles legally.

 

[ViperPaintball]

Leave moderating to the moderators...I'm sure some of them must have seen it by now. Besides, others thinking of doing business with him might want to know what sort of irresponsibility they are contributing to, which makes this a suitable topic here IMHO.

 

[nora]

no, a venomoid that has been properly operated on is 100% venom-free for life. that rumor started when hacks were "voiding" their snakes improperly and they never were venomoid to start with. the duct COULD reattach if that is all they do (sever it) but that's about as common as a woman who has her tubes "tied" becoming pregnant. possible but very rare. anyway, when properly done, they remove the whole gland so no, impossible in that case. its' an encapsulated organ. it would be the same as a heart being removed then growing back. very minor regeneration is one thing but total regeneration is a whole 'nother story.

Not always true. There have been a few documented cases where voided snakes (in which the surgery was "professionally" done) have regenerated their venom glands at some point in their life.

I cant remember where I saw the information but as soon as I find it I'll throw it up here.

 

[BryonsBoas]

" g** d*** "

That will not fly here. If you feel the need to hide most of the letters it will be construed as crossing the profanity line. If you feel the need to post a profanity then use the " ".

 

[DISCERN]

I will applaud Bob Clark for everything positive he has done for this industry, but I will say that I was not impressed with him years ago at a local show when he was selling Nile Crocs on his table and offered one to my wife. To me, no one or hardly anyone who comes to a show, will be able to provide that animal the enviroment and living quarters and care it would need. In other words, these types of animals probably don't need to be offered for sale, in care and regard for their well being. Another croc would most likely be let go in some local lake, die, etc.. Really responsible there Bob. Way to think of the animal rather than a sale.

My point is...selling animals such as Nile crocs to anyone at a show only makes it worse for the herp community, in regards to the public and the laws that can rise from this.

 

[Junkyard]

Bob handled that snake like it was the first time a child has caught a wild colubrid. Kerry thanks for posting links to the videos. Bummer to see a herpetologist try to end up with a Darwin Award.

 

[ViperPaintball]

" g** d*** "

That will not fly here. If you feel the need to hide most of the letters it will be construed as crossing the profanity line.

Apologies

 

[The BoidSmith]

Just when we are trying our best to self-policy and get rid of some of the scammers, and irresponsable people in our hobby; when we are trying to stop laws that pretend to ban the possesion of reptiles; we had to have one of the "big boys" do this. Just to paraphrase a line of the movie "Dumb and Dumber" (no pun intended)..."Talking about being in the wrong place at the wrong time"...

It doesnt' matter if the snake was a venomoid or not. What matters is that almost no one knew about it. If there's a way to send feeback to the Letterman show I feel that as a community we should take action and with "civility" let them know we don't condone these actions on two counts at least. First off because they were teasing an animal out of its environment, the animal was obviously stressed while the "clownesque" activities were performed. Second there are hundreds that probably think is know cool to own a cobra and a hook to impress their friends.

 

[varnyard]

I agree, this has nothing to do with a business transaction, this thread needs to be moved to the Sound off forums. JMHO.

 

[The BoidSmith]

Sorry:

Second there are hundreds that probably think is now cool to own a cobra and a hook to impress their friends.

 

[BryonsBoas]

Apologies

None necessary. Just stopping that ball before it gets a good head of steam. This subject is on top of proposed new regulation and tempers nationwide are running high. I have nothing against voicing opinions but lets not get to the point warnings are needed to do it.

I'm leaning with Bobby here. From my understanding the BOI is about business transactions and this thread will likely be moved elsewhere.

 

[Karma Kritters]

That has got to be the worse venomous handling I have ever seen. I am truly appalled that people will now think that this kind of behaviour is the norm. With publicity like this we will loose all of our privileges to keep reptiles before we know it.

 

[ViperPaintball]

Well I, for one, am appealing to them not to. This is a forum where folks, supposedly, come to find out about those they intend to spend money with. In the interest of "voting with one's dollars" a dollar spent with Bob, or anyone who endangers our hobby due to their own greed, irresponsibility, and desire for celebrity should be "voted" out.

If I had not heard of this, and I were here because I was looking to drop ten grand on a ball python, I would want to know whom I was sending that kind of money to if they were guilty of such recklessness.

If this is just about enforcement of rules then, by all means, move the thread. But isn't this thread a place to find out the values and ethics of the person you are considering doing business with? Do you not think that ethics are an important consideration? Do you feel his actions are ethical in any way?

As I've stated, let the moderators moderate. If you don't want to feed the thread don't post, but don't let your desire to enforce rules to the letter rob future customers of Mr Clark's from seeing what they are funding.

 

[richardduckworth]

Not always true. There have been a few documented cases where voided snakes (in which the surgery was "professionally" done) have regenerated their venom glands at some point in their life.

I cant remember where I saw the information but as soon as I find it I'll throw it up here.

that's propaganda. they've not proven that regeneration of the venom gland is possible, they've not proven that venom is necessary for digestion, they've not proven really anything that is used as anti-venomoid propaganda. that's another debate but no, there is no proof that regeneration is possible and i'm 100% positive about that. most of that nonsense came about to discredit raymond hoser more than to defend snakes from "mutilation". he's a polarizing figure who has had a ton of high profile people on his back over the years. he's also the "pioneer" of the surgery itself and offers tons of data to support his claims. like him or not, he's rather thorough.

 

[justinmorse]

In his likely desire for more fame outside the high-end herp community, Bob Clark has, in my opinion, performed irresponsibly on at least two seperate occasions. While being presented as a "venomous snake expert" he and Jack Hanna have, in my opinion, helped to further the cause of those who feel that we, the public, have no business keeping venomous reptiles. If you believe that he is the expert he represented himself as, it seems apparent that even an "expert" cannot control such a dangerous animal. If you believe this, then how can a layman or amateur such as myself think they can do so.

This angers and frustrates me to no end, as I have made repeated trips to my state's capitol to defend the rights of herpers in my state, and present my case that we are responsible, educated, cautious, and posessing of great respect for these creatures. These sort of antics and half-assed behavior, combined with the misinformation that the Monocled cobra in the video is labelled as a "King Cobra" and that "one drop of venom will kill an elephant" only goes to show that these two are more interested in fame and sensationalism than responsibility to the community they represent. In the second video they even hand the hook to the TV host and let him hook the snake! Would YOU do that?

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/video_player/index/php/945157.phtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMpStPdQcJI

I feel that we, as a community, need to make a strong statement that this is unacceptable, and may just effect your business.

It was an act to get the crowd going. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think ANYONE who remotely deals with hots would consider giving a cobra, or any hot for that matter, that kind of freedom in a room FULL of people, unless it were a venomoid, and unless they knew what they were doing.

 

[LadyViper]

Justin,

Honestly the viewers where not made up of only reptile people. Your comments sounds like your really trying to make light of this. Whats your point? Do you think this behavior from the "experts" should be allowed on TV, because you think everyone will believe it is fiction and nobody will pay serious attention?

This was live venomous snake handling (or atleast that was what was advertised) not some giant 20 ft boacobra city eating snake movie.....

It really does not matter what we know, it's the misinformation being spread from advertised "experts"...to the non-reptile uneducated public.

 

[KingBowser]

I'd kinda like to know more about the comment made regarding Bob Clark's stock havng inbred problems and some kind of virus. I live about 20 minutes from Bob's facility and have visited once. I was very impressed by his inventory and he seems like a stand-up guy, though definitely a saleman. I've never bought a snake from him but I wouldn't think he'd be able to sell poor quality snakes for long. As far as the videos, I whole-heartedly agree that once again the public is completely misinformed about venmonous snakes and what keeping reptiles is all about.

 

[critical bill]

This thread has no purpose being on the BOI.

 

[Classic Dum's]

I'd kinda like to know more about the comment made regarding Bob Clark's stock havng inbred problems and some kind of virus. I live about 20 minutes from Bob's facility and have visited once. I was very impressed by his inventory and he seems like a stand-up guy, though definitely a saleman. I've never bought a snake from him but I wouldn't think he'd be able to sell poor quality snakes for long. As far as the videos, I whole-heartedly agree that once again the public is completely misinformed about venmonous snakes and what keeping reptiles is all about.

reality when you handle the number of animals he does at some point your going to deal with mites, he probally had them once and from there the story has grown, everyone loves to bag on the guys on top just like this stupid ass thread, I mean seriously you got people or one person acting like Bob and hanna being a couple goofs is the end of the world yet yet the Feds are trying to end our world

This thread is a prime example of why this industry will NOT survive, the Feds trying to ad boas and pythons to the lacey act will END the industry as we know it but Bob and Hanna acting like a couple goofs of course is more important, theres simple to much of this kind of horse shit that goes on within this industry

 

[critical bill]

theres simple to much of this kind of horse shit that goes on within this industry

Watch the language please. You've already been warned about it in the past.