fieldherping.eu

Mario Schweiger wrote:but you never should trust a "wild" animal, doesnt matter which species

Yes, I'm fully aware of that. One can never be sure what could come to an animal's mind in a certain moment.

Tom Hoogesteger wrote:Just believe me. I am a professional taxidermist and actually one of the few in Europe specializing in reptiles.

Well, you should have started with this. I do believe you then, and good work on your Flickr page. The skin on your snakes looks quite life-like to me too, so it is possible to do this and I wasn't wrong to question it after all (since I'm not a professional like you).

Berislav Horvatic wrote:I rather prefer them alive... painted by Nature/God.

Obviously, them and every other living thing...although not sure why you put two options for the painter

Ilian Velikov wrote:

Berislav Horvatic wrote:I rather prefer them alive... painted by Nature/God.

Obviously, them and every other living thing...although not sure why you put two options for the painter

Just to satisfy everybody around. I wouldn't risk being accused of... whatever. Of course God is dead, Nietzsche said
that quite clearly more than a century ago, but it takes some time to get rid of the corpse... Too much time, if you
ask me. But don't.

Mario Schweiger wrote:

Berislav Horvatic wrote:And they don't bite, provided you hold them really gently.

you wouldnt be the first, dying from Heloderma bite - even specialists, working for years with the species.

I have never been called to attend a case of Gila monster bite, and I don't want to be.
I think a man who is fool enough to get bitten by a Gila monster ought to die. The
creature is so sluggish and slow of movement that the victim of its bite is compelled
to help largely in order to get bitten.
— Dr. Ward, Arizona Graphic, September 23, 1899

BTW, they have sharp claws, so if they don't find your "gentle grip" comfortable enough,
they try to acquire a better position - and that hurts a little bit... but they don't bite.
Or at least didn't bite me.

Berislav Horvatic wrote:Of course God is dead, Nietzsche said
that quite clearly more than a century ago, but it takes some time to get rid of the corpse...

...yeah and the stench is becoming unbareable, but let's leave this discussion for the sake of the more sensitive among us.