# THE SUN newspaper researcher needs correcting



## barnard1984 (Aug 29, 2009)

Has anyone else seen the article in the sun " 10 ft Boa Hiding in our yard" Its a story of how a couple found 4ft of shed skin in the garden and the local pet shop said it was from a 10 ft boa. This is quite possible and I haveno problem with this, but! It then goes on to say that boa contrictors grow up to 30ft long and squeeze prey to death. 30FT LONG. I for one am fed up of reading these horror stories that are grosley exaggerated by idiots who have no idea what they are on about. The best bit is that the pet shop, who should be clever enough to know better said that the snake sounded big enough to eat a small child. What a bunch idiots! they should know if they had any brains at all that boa's are probally the tamest of the big snakes and could in know way eat a child. 

I was just wondering if any one else was a bit miffed at the newspapers and there lack of proper research. They give snakes a bad name and it just winds me up!


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## si_griggs (Apr 28, 2009)

didnt the skin turn out to be a bit of a plastic bag, or that could have been another rubbish story the sun has made up.


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## MJ75 (Feb 5, 2009)

barnard1984 said:


> Has anyone else seen the article in the sun " 10 ft Boa Hiding in our yard" Its a story of how a couple found 4ft of shed skin in the garden and the local pet shop said it was from a 10 ft boa. This is quite possible and I haveno problem with this, but! It then goes on to say that boa contrictors grow up to 30ft long and squeeze prey to death. 30FT LONG. I for one am fed up of reading these horror stories that are grosley exaggerated by idiots who have no idea what they are on about. The best bit is that the pet shop, who should be clever enough to know better said that the snake sounded big enough to eat a small child. What a bunch idiots! they should know if they had any brains at all that boa's are probally the tamest of the big snakes and could in know way eat a child.
> 
> I was just wondering if any one else was a bit miffed at the newspapers and there lack of proper research. They give snakes a bad name and it just winds me up!


I suspect there is no pet shop involved. Just a bored tabloid journo with nothing better to do. Theres probably not even any shed skin. Just a lingering thought of Wilbur or the toddler killed in the US in the back of their mind....


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## judy (Feb 12, 2009)

i just read this story, what a load of bulls**t.


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## barnard1984 (Aug 29, 2009)

im glad im not the only one who is [email protected]~?ed off.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

you're pissed off because they said a boa can get to 30ft? 

why? who cares if somebody said a boa can get to 30ft long it's not going to change your life or the world and boas are going to suddenly start growing to 30ft. Open the door, step outside and enjoy the big wide world that's waiting for you.


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## Reptile-newb (Jul 13, 2009)

Doesn't everyone already know that the Sun is pretty much 100% stupid?
I must say I'm rather surprised you even buy that rubbish, and waste your money.


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## Hellcat (Aug 10, 2009)

thats what ya get for reading comics


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

had a similar report at our local this week too.


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## jamestheball (Apr 28, 2009)

I was in oz when it happened and their was an article in the paper that was sympathizing with the snake. It said things like they weren't as dangerous as other people would make you think. It even said the guy would rather a burm than a cat. because cats will eat a number of native birds everyday, while a python can't really under normal circumstances eat native wildlife Considering the tight regulations in australia.


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## boidae (Jul 14, 2008)

youve got to expect articles to misdirect information. and scaremungers their middle name.

its a story not an accurate report.


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## barnard1984 (Aug 29, 2009)

Meko said:


> you're pissed off because they said a boa can get to 30ft?
> 
> why? who cares if somebody said a boa can get to 30ft long it's not going to change your life or the world and boas are going to suddenly start growing to 30ft. Open the door, step outside and enjoy the big wide world that's waiting for you.


 
no im pissed off cos ppl dnt do there reasearch properly


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

You could argue that the Green Anaconda is a type of boa and there are reports of them getting upto 30 feet. : victory:


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

barnard1984 said:


> no im pissed off cos ppl dnt do there reasearch properly


he's a journalist not a researcher. He reports stories and puts them into a national newspaper, he doesn't write a reptile column in a scientific newspaper. It isn't their job to spend 2 months researching everything, they have deadlines to meet and other stories to put in to the editor before the deadline.
By the time they'd researched it properly, got all the facts, got them confirmed and had it ready to go in the paper, every other paper would have published a story on it and it'd be yesterdays news.

We have to accept that it's not always right; if we can't do that, there's always the Beano.


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