# what to say without offending.



## Telford (Mar 17, 2010)

I am a air rifle shooter and compete in my clubs comps. I enjoy the sport and have become a member of the airgunbbs to alow me to chat with other shooters.

But I found this thread and being a BIG reptile fan I would like to reply without offending. Or maybe i should just keep my mouth shut as I dont live in the areas were snakes like this live.

Hope this cut and paste works if not it is a picture of a kid shooting a cobra.
Thread begins.

This is my Wife's friends 8 year old little girl just about to shoot a Cape Cobra.
Pretty sure that is a Meteor. She shot it dead first time. It was a good size one. Picture taken in South Africa. 

Not sure I would have let my children this near to one of these!They produce a neurotoxin that affects the respiratory system. Mortality rate 60 % within 2 - 5 hours without treatment. 


http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/watchsapart/Snake/snake.jpg
Thread ends.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

It's the culture in some places, especially in SA. Many people prefer to shoot snakes etc rather then moving them. 

You could try educating them a little but i think they might get a little offended, especially as they are close friends of your wife's.


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## Telford (Mar 17, 2010)

Spikebrit said:


> It's the culture in some places, especially in SA. Many people prefer to shoot snakes etc rather then moving them.
> 
> You could try educating them a little but i think they might get a little offended, especially as they are close friends of your wife's.


Sorry they are not friends of mine I don't know them. I have included the text they typed with the picture in the thread they posted.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

Not all South Africans thank god. Admittedly most of the farmers are like that.

I would expect better though i think thats disgusting, the ammount of education work that goes on over there. 

Send me back i'll go kick her parents ass


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Just ignorance I'm afraid.

Seen it in most countries I'v visited and though its a real shame it probably has little or no overall effect upon the species involved.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

snakes are killed on sight here where i live...99% of the time...

i know folks who carry guns in their cars just in case they see a snake...

not pellet guns either... the real deal.
one guy keeps his on the console between the front seats... loaded of course.

i mean they go out of their way to shoot a snake...


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## Telford (Mar 17, 2010)

HABU said:


> snakes are killed on sight here where i live...99% of the time...
> 
> i know folks who carry guns in their cars just in case they see a snake...
> 
> ...


It is a shame. What would the world be like if there was no snakes? I do know some Ausies who used to be like that there is still alot of hatred out there.:bash: I managed to get my wife to live with my snakes and even hold one of the small ones it took some time as she was bought up to fear and hate snakes in OZ.


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## skimsa (Sep 28, 2007)

It is of corse a great oppurtunity for "Roi-Neck's" to go and work with them as no local wants that job lol


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## paulrimmer69 (Oct 26, 2008)

sorry but i think its disgraceful when children are brought up to kill living things like that, no offence to the op as its not their fault but your wifes freind needs a good kicking


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

paulrimmer69 said:


> sorry but i think its disgraceful when children are brought up to kill living things like that, no offence to the op as its not their fault but your wifes freind needs a good kicking


i got belted as a kid just for having a spudd gun......


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

wildlifewarrior said:


> i got belted as a kid just for having a spudd gun......


You mean you got belted as a kid for doing things you should not have with a spud gun!  :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

i wouldnt worry about offending them just tell them they are scum:2thumb:


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## snakewhisperer (Nov 13, 2009)

Is it just me or does that pic come across as staged?!
I think your right to think about choosing your words carefully especially on a site for shooting people and especially with people who have to live with such dangers in their own backyard. We don't and it's very easy to lambast different cultures when you know nothing of the individuals situation. Look at the outcry here and typical media hysteria when a fox nibbles a babe well imagine if every time your kids went outside to play there was the potential for them to die. Do you faff around trying to move, or find someone with the necessary knowledge to move the snake or do you permanently solve the problem, if I didn't have the knowledge and love for snakes that I do, it would be the gun every time. If you tread carefully and ask about the snakes in their area and reveal your passion for our legless friends you may with gentle (preferably subliminal) persuasion change attitudes or at worst learn something about what lives in their area and how their friends/ neighbours deal with such things.


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

That girls parents are absolutely bloody stupid and irresponsible! The person taking the photo must have no brains either! Who sends a little girl to kill a deadly snake??? If it's endangering someone's life then an adult should take care of it... there is no excuse for this! 

I'm hoping that photo is fake.


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## Telford (Mar 17, 2010)

snakewhisperer said:


> Is it just me or does that pic come across as staged?!
> I think your right to think about choosing your words carefully especially on a site for shooting people and especially with people who have to live with such dangers in their own backyard. We don't and it's very easy to lambast different cultures when you know nothing of the individuals situation. Look at the outcry here and typical media hysteria when a fox nibbles a babe well imagine if every time your kids went outside to play there was the potential for them to die. Do you faff around trying to move, or find someone with the necessary knowledge to move the snake or do you permanently solve the problem, if I didn't have the knowledge and love for snakes that I do, it would be the gun every time. If you tread carefully and ask about the snakes in their area and reveal your passion for our legless friends you may with gentle (preferably subliminal) persuasion change attitudes or at worst learn something about what lives in their area and how their friends/ neighbours deal with such things.


Very well put.


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## OrigamiB (Feb 19, 2008)

The parents are stupid because they took the picture while there daughter was so close to a snake, and also stupid because they gave there daughter an air rifle!

I can understand the shooting of a snake, It is exactly the same as a farmer shooting pests who kill crops and livestock. These people kill them to protect there family. It is NOT a job for your daughter to do though!

It just proves that they have taught her very little, you'd think they'd teach her to at least stay well away from potentially very dangerous wild life... common sense isn't it?


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## chulainn (Nov 29, 2009)

if it was me and i thought the snake was a threat to me or my family (like anthing else) i would have dealt with it responsabley which may have ended up in a shooting by an adult with out picture. there should be no picture becasue i would only of shot if i felt i had to and would have excuted action this properly rather than waiting (wich takes away the piont of shooting in the first place)


dumb f:censor:


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