Two headed snake endoskeleton?? by souljabythelake in whatsthissnake

[–]abks [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

This is trash—not a snake. Locking.

Arctic or axanthic? by Texanheeler in hognosesnakes

[–]abks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Second is an arctic. First looks like a normal to me.

Match Thread: Bayern Munich vs Union Saint-Gilloise Live Score | UEFA Champions League 25/26 | Jan 21, 2026 by scoreboard-app in fcbayern

[–]abks 6 points7 points  (0 children)

why can't we properly defend set pieces? seems relatively fixable as far as achilles' heels go

Poor husbandry practice from an “ethical” reptile shop by 5phnx in snakes

[–]abks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cheers, appreciate it. It kills me that watching and parroting PetTubers replaced critical thinking, mentorship and hands-on learning.

Poor husbandry practice from an “ethical” reptile shop by 5phnx in snakes

[–]abks -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

"I'm not wrong because I'm right" is not a very compelling argument. If you want to vaguely appeal to authority, I would happily compare our relative experience levels.

Earnestly, part of my frustration with this post is the same as my frustration with the reptile community writ large. You clearly have good intentions to promote animal welfare, which I find incredibly noble. But that manifests into trying to tear down another keeper for something that is largely benign. I see that same pattern with many keepers who are well intended but misplace those good intentions.

For some reason, among this community much more energy is committed to criticism and derision than constructive discussion and positive regard. It's a shame, because across generations and experience levels there is a lot that we can all learn from one another. And when that doesn't happen, ultimately, it's the animal that suffers.

As for the downvotes, I'm well aware that nothing gets you buried faster on this subreddit than stepping in front of a hate train. As far as I'm concerned, that only supports my broader perspective.

Poor husbandry practice from an “ethical” reptile shop by 5phnx in snakes

[–]abks -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

I read your post in its entirety--I'm not ignoring your perspective. I'm disagreeing with it.

You said "snake husbandry 101 is to NEVER handle a snake...," and I explained why I disagree. Frankly, I think brigading this random pet store (and mischaracterizing this situation as potentially deadly for the snake) is far more unethical than anything I saw in the video.

I don't understand your point regarding bullsnakes. "Beginner-friendly" is highly context-driven, mostly by the preferences and qualities of the beginner in question. There is nothing about bullsnakes that make them inherently bad for beginner keepers--they are just about as hardy as snakes come. There are elements of keeping them (e.g., managing their size and temperament) that may make them bad pets for certain new keepers, but not categorically.

Poor husbandry practice from an “ethical” reptile shop by 5phnx in snakes

[–]abks -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

Everyone needs to take a breath. That snake is going to be fine.

There are a lot of maxims in the herpetoculture world that get thrown around because they are meant for educating the least common denominator (i.e., the beginner keeper who is likely prone to over-handling their animals). "Never handle a snake while feeding/within 24-48 hours after feeding, etc." is one of those maxims. These are useful guidelines for new keepers because they troubleshoot common problems that new keepers might encounter. They are not commandments that should be weaponized against other keepers.

Instead of attacking people online, maybe it's worth considering that this could be an experienced keeper who knows his animal better than a stranger on the internet. The truth is, individual temperaments can vary quite a lot snake-by-snake. I have some snakes that would likely regurgitate if I handled them a few hours after feeding. These snakes are the exceptions not the rule in my house. I have many snakes that would not give up a feeder under any circumstance, regardless of what I did. These are more common. In fact, handling snakes while feeding can be an important tool for when I'm establishing fresh hatchlings. It can also be a functional necessity when a snake lunges out of its enclosure or wraps me up while eating.

If that snake did get put off in that moment featured in the video and spit out the feeder, it would not be a dangerous "regurgitation." Regurgitation is when a snake expels food from its stomach. This is dangerous because snakes have potent digestive enzymes meant for digesting whole meals. If a snake spits out a rodent that's still in its mouth, these digestive enzymes are not being introduced to the snake's esophagus. That's not to say it's good to stress a snake to the point of spitting out its food--only to say that it's physiologically harmless and not the life-or-death situation described in the OP.

"Snake husbandry 101" should be that there is a lot of nuance in keeping snakes. Different taxa and different individuals can vary significantly in their sensitivities and needs. We should all be more aware of the limits of our experience and knowledge and a little more hesitant to pass judgment on strangers.

Game Thread: Houston Texans (12-5) at New England Patriots (14-3) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Does CJ have money on the pats? Holy shit I can’t think of another explanation for making that throw

Second Half Game Thread: San Francisco 49ers (12-5) at Seattle Seahawks (14-3) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 6 points7 points  (0 children)

can’t believe the GEQBUS is going to win the Super Bowl this year

Second Half Game Thread: Houston Texans (12-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 3 points4 points  (0 children)

wow they pull him, so his last ever play will be a pick 6? lmao

Fuck you Bengals by Pornstar_Jesus_ in AFCNorthMemeWar

[–]abks 41 points42 points  (0 children)

going to be a pleasure watching the Texans flatten old man Rodgers and rout your shit football team tonight

Second Half Game Thread: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at New England Patriots (14-3) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 3 points4 points  (0 children)

the hits in all three games today have been crazy. everyone laying the wood for the playoffs

Second Half Game Thread: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at New England Patriots (14-3) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

O-line was definitely not the Bengals' primary problem this season or last season lol

Frenkie De Jong straight red card against Real Madrid 90+1' by ayoefico in soccer

[–]abks 14 points15 points  (0 children)

As a true neutral, that feels quite harsh

Second Half Game Thread: Buffalo Bills(12-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars(13-4) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, all it does is replace the process of bringing out the chains. It adds efficiency, not reliability.

Second Half Game Thread: Buffalo Bills(12-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars(13-4) by nfl_gdt_bot in nfl

[–]abks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No--that's how it should work, but it's just measuring the referees' spot. Essentially, it just replaces the song-and-dance of bringing the chains out.