Jul 6th 2009 By Emily McCombs

Who Needs Children When You Have 13 Snakes?

This Lebanese couple of snake enthusiasts lives with 13 free-roaming snakes in a two-bedroom apartment. Pierre and Sapna Rizk adopted their first python on a Sri Lankan vacation, when Rizk said he felt an "instant affinity" for the creature. Click to see more pics of the creepy pair snuggling up to serpents.

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Tags: lebanon - python - snakes

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Wednesday 08 July

By Balbir

Neutral

Don't hate snakes, they don't kill out of revenge. 10000 snakes are killed on a preemptive basis for may be one human killed by a snakes in defense of its life.

Wednesday 08 July

By Jenea

Neutral

"Snakes are snakes, deadly and will kill a warm blooded body because that's what they do" That statement shows your complete and total ignorance about snakes. Not all snakes determine prey by heat. Most kept as pets determine prey by scent only. I have several reptiles, and mine eat already dead COLD food. You my friend are the idiot speaking in complete ignorance, stating fact out of incorrect stereotypes and meadia hyped sensationalism.

Now to the original topic, those people are irresponsible pet owners. Their lifestyle shows a complete lack of care or concern for the animals in question. There are to many household items that could cause harm to those animals. The animals should be removed from their care.

Wednesday 08 July

By Russell

Neutral

I agree that people with snakes roaming free in their house is extremely weird, but don't judge all people who have snakes as pets. I have 2 11 ft. long albino burmese pythons and they have NEVER escaped from their cages and NEVER bitten anyone. The guy who owned the snake that killed the 2-year old girl should go to jail for involuntary manslaughter, and for not having a cage that can be locked.

Saturday 11 July

By Michael

Neutral

Oh boy, comments from the ignorant masses sure are entertaining. There's nothing wrong about owning a snake any more than owning a large dog or a horse (both of which statistically kill more humans than any reptile). The simple fact is that if you do not keep the animal properly, people get hurt. It's horribly tragic what happened to the little girl in FL and I can't imagine what that family is going through. But through all the tears and mourning, those parents did not have the proper permits to keep that animal, nor did they keep it correctly. This is why we have that permit system in place. Banning the animals outright will not solve anything. If anything, it only takes away people's rights. Would you like to the govt to step in and ban all large-breed dogs?

Friday 10 July

By Precious

Neutral

We all have different views and opinions on various topics and issues and I must say all have been addressed and very interesting. I don't know anything about snakes execpt that they slitther on the lowest part of this earth on their belly and that is where they belong away from people.

Friday 10 July

By Vilma

Neutral

I thought owning snakes or any other kind of wild animals was outlawed. If this people are stupid snough to enjoy living and sleeping with snakes thats their business, however, the rest of the population should not be exposed and should be protected by the authorities. Does anyone know where these people leave?

Thursday 16 July

By Ryan

Neutral

Mike D, Know what the difference between having snakes in your apartment and having dogs is?

Those dogs don't need a specific environment recreated for them, and your dogs usually won't eat a small child...

There Is nothing wrong with having pet snakes, But they are not fluffy little dogs and cats, A snake large enough to eat someone, Will eat someone, in fact, if there hungry they can eat each other.
I own a few snakes myself, each one is locked away in there own enclosure... In these few pictures I see two Burmese Pythons, A kingsnake, A boa Constrictor and a Ball python... To properly take care of those animals each take a different environment... Owning snakes is not wrong, choosing to let all of them freely roam is whats wrong...

Thursday 16 July

By steve

Neutral

you know how MJ died ? he choked on a 8 year old weenie.and his kids that wasn't even his cum they put in that dumb bitch. And i'm sure he molested those kids why would he pay all that $ if he was not guilty?

Thursday 16 July

By stevekiksass

Neutral

and I think snakes snakes are badass I had a couple big pythons but they were in a cage which was my sons bed. It was cool to watch them eat 18 pound rabbits or full grown chickens and occationally a stray puppy or cat ,I hate cats. and i would even take them to school for my kids show & tell. one was 18 and 1/2 feet other was around 15 ft

Friday 17 July

By richard fusilier

Neutral

The snakes are contraband and so are they. who is the nut in that family? We don't need any of them. Snakes have a way of even slipping under doors. The is a catastrophe awaiting. Deport them now~

Friday 17 July

By Laura

Neutral

I have 7 snakes which I would allow to free-roam my house except for the fact that I keep my house relatively cold all year round. That and many are babies and I wouldnt want to risk them getting stuck somewhere and end up dieing.

I honestly dont see this as all too crazy, its a natural occurrence in many parts of the world.

Friday 17 July

By Laura

Neutral

I cannot believe how iggnorant you people are... there are hundreds more deaths due to "domesticated" dog attacks then there are from snake attacks each year.... reptiles are some of the best pets to own, just because they arent "cuddily fuzzy creatures" shouldnt mean anything.

snakes are trainable, hypo-allergenic and they dont stink anywhere near as bad as a dog or a cat.

Sunday 19 July

By tom

Neutral

lily take your blinders off and see the real world, MJ was a child molestor and a fag

Sunday 19 July

By mary ann v.

Neutral

comments are directed to:
1. discussion of a dead man's legal history (mj)
without proper documentation or analysis
2. discussion of the primary couple's snake menagerie which may not be properly housed and fed
3. discussion of all snakes and their behavior without any proper documentation or analysis
4. discussion of a toddler's death which has not had the benefit of legal review/investigation/analysis/court decision
5. I will try to go back to the couple--as this appears to be the main discussion--and regardless of their ethnic background or housekeeping practice--they appear to be mixing snakes of various backgrounds, housing needs and food needs without care for the health and handling of their 'pets'--since I have no further knowledge of their handling--appearances may be deceiving and I cannot condemn them
6. contrary to numerous posts, the snake has been a religious symbol for centuries and in many cultures has acted as a god, a goddess or a help to the gods both in creation and in destruction. In some cultures the snake is a fertility symbol. I have a ball python which is properly caged, properly fed and properly handled. I have been bitten a couple of times because I did not observe the hunger pattern of my snake properly. I take precautions now and we are doing fine.

Monday 20 July

By joe boxer

Neutral

I have a trouser snake. Me and my snake have bonded quite well..

Monday 20 July

By NANKA

Neutral

what about, if they want to fly out of country, they have to take all the snakes ??? OMG!

Monday 20 July

By chet

Neutral

If they love the snakes so much, why aren't they smiling in any of the photos? These are mean people. Hey Mike "D"

Thursday 23 July

By Andi

Neutral

If a snake didn't get the little girl, an alligator was going to get her. In Florida, released anacondas are eating alligators. Right now, snakes are being hunted in Florida. People let their pets(snakes) go and they multiplied and are destroying natures balance in the Everglades. I saw the picture of the snake trying to digest that alligator. It was terrible looking. Just this week, a man lost two fingers saving his dog from an alligator. Reptiles have got to be left alone. Back to the snakes, the man who called 911 on the child being suffocated by the snake stabbed the snake with a knife and was upset that he stabbed the snake. That was a pretty long snake. A 2 yr old does not know what to do with a snake. The owner of that snake should be charged with something. Florida already has poisonous snakes. Adding all those other breeds to the mix is not a good thing. I agree with most of the comments that snakes in a home is dangerous. Snakes are all over the South. You have to watch your step in your own back yard or any place around trees and shade. The only thing a snake can do for me is turn itself into a pair of shoes, a belt or a wallet. Other than that, I have no use for them.

Thursday 23 July

By Anne

Neutral

To each his own but the parents of the baby playing with the Cobra is a crazy. The thing must has struck that Baby 10 times. If I could get my hands on Mom and Dad I would let their love of snakes take them out.

Friday 24 July

By Aurora

Neutral

My mother had a boa constrictor, a close friend of mine has two pythons...if you feed them regularly and abundantly, no worries. ABSOLUTELY keep them away from small children and pets. But ignorance is bliss, the saying goes? I adore snakes...would love to have a large-breed but I have a cat...(see SMALL ANIMALS AND CHILDREN).