Wow...absolutely unreal.

[Squatch]

Warning...I think? I assume that this cobra had to be de-fanged, otherwise this kid's not long for this world.

Link

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. Holy Shit !! surely, the snake has been de-fanged !!

:wtf:

[pnwmom]

2. Yes, according to this article -- but it still could be dangerous.

Apparently the fangs can grow back.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=453652&in_page_id=1811

A one-year-old is forced to fight a neutered cobra during a shocking snake-charming rite of passage in India.
The baby tries to protect itslef while being repeatedly hit by the animal, which has also had its mouth stitched up and its fangs removed.

This bizarre spectator sport - reportedly from Kasimkota in Andhra Pradesh - has been condemned by animal rights protesters after footage appeared on the internet.

They've warned that a cobra's fangs grow back quickly, putting the youngsters in mortal danger.

SNIP

[MercutioATC]

3. Exactly how quickly would fangs have to grow back to pose a threat?

Unless the regeneration time is 10 or 15 minutes...and unless the snake also manages to unsew its mouth...I don't see a danger other than it possibly "pecking" a kid's eye.

[pnwmom]

5. I don't think it's very smart to teach a baby not to fear cobras.

But that's just me.

[MercutioATC]

6. Venomous snakes are a lot more a part of their culture than ours.

They probably have a more realistic, less "snakes are scary" view of cobras than most of us do.

[Squatch]

7. Well, apparently they think a king cobra is scary

since they yanked out its teeth, sewed its grill shut, and chopped off its nuts.

[MercutioATC]

8. Not "scary"...just too dangerous to use as a baby toy.

If they were really that scared of them, snakes wouldn't be so prevalent in their culture...at least not in ways that included so much physical contact.

[pnwmom]

10. The Indians I know would disagree. Also, snake charming is illegal in India,

and has been since 1972.


http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/html/news/features/031021_saperas.htm

[alfredo]

9. They also learn that cobras strike down.

[Sixty_cycle_humm]

4. Animal rights protesters?

I should hope that human rights protesters are complaining also for parents putting their little child through something like this whether it is "safe" or not!

[MercutioATC]

12. How can you think of babies when there are venomous snakes being abused?

:eyes:

[malaise]

11. It's all about

culture. Wow indeed