Please Help Correct False Article

[PsychedelicTarantula]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...-harris_n_5574209.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

I am about sick of these articles. Please click the link below the article to suggest a correction by huffingtonpost and inform them that the snake is a Rat Snake and has no fangs or venom. Oh and email the author while you are at it. [email protected]

 

[PsychedelicTarantula]

Wow I already got a reply! I didn't expect a reply at all.

On Thu, Jul 10, 2014 at 1:56 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Entry id: 5574209
Entry title: Man Finds Snake In Toilet On Bathroom Break From Hell (PHOTO)
Entry url: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...n-worker-alabama-willie-harris_n_5574209.html
Author name: Hilary Hanson


Submission type: correction
Username: Patrick Bull
Email: [email protected]


Kind of error: Factual or typographical

That is a harmless rat snake. They lack fangs and have no venom.... It gets old seeing these stories calling harmless snakes cottonmouth's or copperheads.


This correction submission came from the Contributions form at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...n-worker-alabama-willie-harris_n_5574209.html

Hilary Hanson <[email protected]>
1:22 PM (1 hour ago)

to me
Hi Patrick,

Thanks for writing in -- the info about it being a cottonmouth came from the police officer's assessment, but I have to admit I personally am not able to identify snakes. What makes you believe it's a rat snake?

Thank you for the help!

Hilary

Patrick Bull <[email protected]>
2:26 PM (2 minutes ago)

to Hilary
I've been keeping and breeding snakes and tarantulas since I was a child. I help moderate the herpsofarkansas.com forums and am a member of several reptile and tarantula forums. I keep and breed the exact species pictured. I'm also an avid field herper and have captured countless rat snakes and cottonmouths both.

Pattern and Body/Head size and shape is a dead give away, as well as length. It looks nothing like a cottonmouth and completely like a Texas Ratsnake Pantherophis obsoletus. Just about any amateur herper could easily ID that snake from those pics. I don't want to sound rude but us "Snake People" get tired of every single snake being called a cottonmouth or copperhead....

You need to read this blog by a herper more advanced than me on this story. http://www.livingalongsidewildlife.com/2014/07/rat-snake-freakout-cottonmouth-in.html

Also please read this http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/07/post_25.html

Thanks for taking the time to look into this!

 

[PsychedelicTarantula]

Success!!!!!

Hilary Hanson
2:28 PM (23 minutes ago)

to me
Thank you, Patrick! May I quote you in the story?

Hilary Hanson
2:28 PM (23 minutes ago)

to me
also thank you for the link!

Hilary Hanson
2:39 PM (13 minutes ago)

to me
Just wanted to let you know I updated the story with a link to Steen's blog. The story now reads:

"Hueytown Police stated that the snake was a venomous cottonmouth, but snake experts disagree.

Wildlife ecologist David Steen writes that the snake in question is "clearly and unequivocally" a rat snake, a harmless animal that has no fangs and is common on the East Coast."

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention.

Patrick Bull <[email protected]>
2:51 PM (3 minutes ago)

to Hilary
Wow!!! Such a fast reply. I honestly expected to never see a reply. Reminds me of why I love huffington and read daily. Feel free to quote me. Also, I realized this could either be a Texas Rat OR Gray ratsnake, but most definitely a rat snake. Both are very similar.

 

[AbsoluteApril]

good job!

 

[Helenthereef]

Very cool, well done

 

[PsychedelicTarantula]

The huffingtonpost is one of the few places that made up for the mistake....

Thank you huffington! That's why i read you daily lol!

 

[Helenthereef]

Just shows that it IS worth taking the time to make a fuss

 

[Arachno]

Great job.

 

[ReptileStation]

Nice!!!