'Confessions: Animal Hoarding': Patrick's Obsession With Snakes Gets Dangerous (VIDEO)

Patrick lives with more than 20 snakes and reptiles, including three reticulated pythons that are over 12 feet long. On "Confesssions: Animal Hoarding" (Fri., 10 p.m. EST on Animal Planet) it seemed like Patrick's obsession with the animals could be dangerous for him and them.

He took his snakes out for a walk in the yard each morning but, as his friend Les said, it just didn't look like he had full control over them while they were out there. As he wrestled with two huge constrictors in the yard Patrick said their size made taking them out more exciting.

While his young son watched on, Patrick's sister Shauna didn't think it was a safe situation and yelled, "Really, Pat? The snake is that big?" Despite him saying "it's a small one," it still took four men to carry it back inside.

"Confesssions: Animal Hoarding" airs Fridays at 10 p.m. EST on Animal Planet.

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Comments

[Michael Clemmer]

04:09 AM on 02/11/2012

Yes, it does, he doesn't work, so yes you are paying him to play with snakes

[morning cry420]

08:00 PM on 02/06/2012

If he can take care of the snakes and keep them in good health he should be allowed too. Letting him have the snakes neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

[Michael Clemmer]

04:13 AM on 02/11/2012

Yes, he doesn't work. He is on unemployment, you are paying for him to play with all the snakes... Feel better now. If he was working, it's cool as long as he had the space, but he didn't. A snake needs a heck of a lot of room, not a simple 40 gallon container. Way way to small, esspesally for a 25' boa! Also, if he needs 4 people to move the snake everyday. What happens when it gets out of the tiny container with his son there? No biggy? His son wouldn't have a chance, the snake would have swallowed him whole !

[mPowerServices]

07:57 PM on 02/06/2012

I don't have 3 friends that would help me carry a snake. In fact I don't have 1 friend who would help me carry a snake. LOL

[Bertrand T Russell]

07:52 PM on 02/06/2012

Que cera, cera..... whatever will be, probably is what's supposed to be..... For me, the only good Python is a dead python....

[error18]

09:25 AM on 02/07/2012

Why, what did they ever do to you? I don't like birds, but I don't think they should be dead, they are important to their native ecosystems, unlike feral cats that people just trap neuter and release. There are 6.3-9.6 million feral cats in FL there are around 5000 Burmese Pythons, who sounds like the bigger problem?

[Bertrand T Russell]

11:58 AM on 02/07/2012

Hi error18.... I too live in Florida. Don't you ever listen to the news? Burmese Pythons in the Everglades are currently wiping out native species. They have even been reported as having shown up in people's back yards and killing pet cats and dogs. They never did belong here. They're here as a result of carelesssnake owners freeing their pet snakes when they get too big for them to handle.... and as a result of Hurricane Andrew in '91, destroying zoos and other habitats where they were kept. Thankfully the Legislature has finally smartened up and passed a law banning the sale and the keeping of such snakes. If one ever showed up in my back yard...... I'd get my shotgun out and kill it ...... and then call animal control. Snakes eat cats.... not the other way around.

[galvin1105]

07:31 PM on 02/06/2012

This guy needs to put his family first. Someone is going to get killed.

[error18]

09:34 AM on 02/07/2012

Dogs kill more people each year, 8 people have died in the last 20 years by non-venomous snakes, dogs kill an average of 31 people per year. In 2000 a 6 week old baby was killed by the family's pomeranian when they were left alone for only a couple minutes. Last year a 2 week old baby was killed by the family's lab mix. I work with horses, dogs and reptiles, horses are the most dangerous, then dogs, I don't even consider my snakes dangerous. Large constricting snakes do not see human as a food source, which is why I have snakes that will only eat certain prey items and not others. I have some ball pythons that will only eat quail, they won't eat mice. Humans are not seen as food for any species as snake, have people been killed, sure, but 8 people and how many were eaten? None. All were owner error. Maybe you should put your family first and not have any dogs since they are far more dangerous.

[galvin1105]

10:07 AM on 02/07/2012

You are right on dogs and babies. So many people have a dog, then they have a baby. The dog is jealous of the baby and kills it. This is an all to common story. Then we all know about pit bulls jumping up and biting small children's faces. Young girls living with scars on their faces from dog bites. A friend of mine just had a pit bull jump up and tore her ear as he pulled her earing off. She has to have reconstructive surgery using the skin from the other ear. I am glad to hear that snakes don't see humans as food. But they scare people. It is to much drama and trauma for this family.

[tutok]

07:12 PM on 02/06/2012

If thats how this guy wants to go out, let him.

[error18]

09:36 AM on 02/07/2012

Do you have any dogs? Dogs kill an average of 31 people a years, there have been 8 deaths by non-venomous snakes in the last 20 years, what sounds more dangerous to you?

[hannahsmine]

07:07 PM on 02/06/2012

he is sick

[error18]

09:37 AM on 02/07/2012

Why? Cause he has snakes, I know plenty, including myself who have more snakes. Just because you don't understand an animal doesn't mean that those of us who do are sick. I bet half of you don't even know that hoarding isn't even a psychological disorder, it's considered part of OCD or OCPD. Do some research, you'll find that dogs are far more deadly.

[ray13666]

06:59 PM on 02/06/2012

Why would anyone want to keep large dangerous snakes as pets? They don't come to you if you call them by name, they act totally on instinct. Most of the time they are asleep in a cage and the very big ones can hurt even a very experienced owner. Hadn't anyone ever watched the Discover or Animal planet channels. They often have shows about snakes. One show I watched where the 2 guys were expert snake handlers and one of them had a pyton wrap around his body tightening up his coil each time the guy tried to take a breath almost killing him. Biting rattlesnakes and other vipers can kill you with their venom without eating you. Tell the guy to get a cat or a dog, at least these pets are entertaining. Just sayin...................................

[error18]

09:56 AM on 02/07/2012

So let's see, non-venomous snakes have killed 8 people in the last 20 years, dogs kill an average of 31 people so in the last 20 years dogs have killed around 620. Horses are larger and more dangerous, I work with dogs, horses and reptiles. I consider the horses the most dangerous. You're right a deaf animal doesn't come when called, my cats don't come when called either, so what's your point? Cats sleep more than snakes, so what's your point? I find my snakes and other reptiles are very active and I enjoy taking them out and playing with them. Fish do a lot less, should we ban them?
Any animal can hurt anyone, dogs, horses, bees, I mean really, you're point doesn't make sense, any animal can be dangerous. I've quit watching Animal Planet since they support the ban on snakes and prey on public fear. I miss Steve Irwin, he supported responsible ownership, Animal Planet supports banning all exotics, which includes hamsters, parrots, reptiles, and tropical fish.
I watched a show where a horse trainer was horseback riding and the horse spooked and he fell wrong and was killed. Ever heard of Christopher Reeve? Accidents happen, a couple accidents doesn't represent the whole. How many people in the US have been eaten by their snake? None, just sayin......

[ray13666]

10:50 AM on 02/07/2012

OK, OK, most people just don't like snakes, St Patrick got rid all of them in Ireland years ago. The snake represents the devil in the bible. I was bitten by a large diamondback while in the Army in Texas, put me in the hospital for 4 days delerious with fever and my leg swelled almost twice its size and very dark color. To me snakes are slime, the only good think I know about them is that they eat mostly rodents.

[Cora Cashman]

06:49 PM on 02/06/2012

To those of you who don't consider this hoarding maybe you should see a doctor. It sounds like you have the same problem as Patrick.

[error18]

10:34 AM on 02/07/2012

I'm a psychology major and there is no disorder called hoarding. The DSM-IV-TR says it's part of OCD or OCPD. Also some doctors have made unofficial criteria and he did not meet that. If you can care for a lot of animals, it doesn't make you a hoarder. Someone with 3 snakes could be a hoarder, while someone who owns a breeding business and has employees could have hundreds or thousands. Doesn't make them a hoarder, you need to check the actual criteria instead of assuming you know more than others.

[James L Morgan]

06:23 PM on 02/06/2012

Just what is wrong with these folks head and just what is wrong with them. Snakes are not pets. The thing is that people think they can handle these thing and in the end they will eat him.

[error18]

10:35 AM on 02/07/2012

No one in the US has ever been eaten by a snake, but they have been eaten by dogs, which also kill more people, but yeah my corn snakes are surely going to eat me.

[spydrworks1067]

05:15 PM on 02/06/2012

Having 20 snakes is not necessarily "hoarding". Some people collect snakes and as long as the animals are properly housed and provided for, all is well.

At least this guy knows not to ever handle these monsters alone. I raised large snakes, but would not ever raise a reticulated python. Too temperamental and can reach over 30 feet. Captive dwarfs however (though still temperamental) are controllable if something goes wrong.

[valgaavmiko]

05:27 PM on 02/06/2012

Thank you for that post. It's only hoarding if he's got so many that he can't take care of his animals. I'm also not inclined to get large snakes simply because of space issues. There is still nothing wrong with anyone wanting to keep them. It seems this guy is doing it for manhood compensation purposes though and giving the rest of us a bad name. (also 12 feet is not a big snake in the least. I would consider that medium lol)

[xxgreyeyes]

05:48 PM on 02/06/2012

Teach me how to not be afraid of snakes. Especially rattle snakes. I have only dealt with one snake in my life and I can't believe I didn't kill it.

[spydrworks1067]

12:05 AM on 02/07/2012

Read about them, look at pictures, become familiar with snakes and perhaps get a pet snake or work in a reptile shop. Exposure without anything to fear is a way to combat the fear. The fear of snakes is usually learned through a bad experience with a snake, which teaches the brain to fear snakes. If you can expose the brain to good things about snakes, the fear generally subsides, but takes some time and repeated exposure.

As of rattlers? Once you feel more comfortable around snakes in general, keeping a healthy respect for venomous snakes remains a good idea.

[gfgarv]

04:56 PM on 02/06/2012

Patrick sounds like a total idiot and should be made aware that if any of his snakes escape and cause any harm or financial hardship to those who have to deal with it (including the city), he will be held responsible.

[palmspringslife]

04:44 PM on 02/06/2012

This guy won't be happy until one day he comes home to find his son was a victim of this snake.
I hope that doesn't happen.
This guy has a problem...seriously.

[Steve Garrison]

05:28 PM on 02/06/2012

I agree, he is in way over his head. I hope nothing bad happens.

[error18]

10:40 AM on 02/07/2012

Dogs kill more people, smart one

[jacmed]

04:42 PM on 02/06/2012

One snake (or even two), non-poisonous, kept in the home, with the proper environment, care, and feeding provided, fine. I happen to love snakes; I think they're beautiful creatures. But 20 of them -some of them so big they could easily crush and eat a small child or crush the owner to death even if the owner was too big to eat - not on your cotton-pickin' life! BTW, I know that animal hoarders all think that they're doing right by the animals - be it cats, dogs, birds, or whatever - but they're not. I know the hoarders can't help it and that even if intervention works for awhile they just go right back to the hoarding behavior - I don't have the answers, though. I wish I did!

[valgaavmiko]

05:28 PM on 02/06/2012

Good thing you said nonpoisonous since ALL snakes are nonpoisonous. ;) Also, twenty snakes is not a lot. It's not the same has if you have 20 dogs. It only becomes hoarding when you can't take care of them.

[jacmed]

05:57 PM on 02/06/2012

Okay, valgaavmiko - I'll play the semantics game with you. Yes, all snakes are non-poisonous. All snakes have venom, although some (like the constrictors) don't use it very often (although scientists are divided on even this point). However, snakes that use their venom to incapacite or kill their prey have venom that is poisonous if released when the snake bites. However, I'm pretty sure that the rest of the posters knew exactly what I meant and didn't feel the need to play the semantics game. And I have never yet heard of a hoarder who was able to take care of all the animals properly without a heck of a lot of help, a heck of a lot of money, a very large living space, and plenty of property. Same for reptile and amphibian hoarders! Reptiles and amphibians need as much care as do dogs, cats, birds, etc. - albeit the care is different in that snakes don't need rabies shots and the like, but the responsible reptile or amphibian owner will ensure that their animals get veterinary care, are kept in the proper environment, are fed properly, and remain heathy. And yes, 20 snakes isn't really a lot - as long as none of them are more than 6 inches long, but that's just my humble opinion!

[Cinnimini]

03:35 PM on 02/06/2012

That is absolutely INSANE!!!! Snake behavior is STRICTLY by their instinct; you CANNOT train a snake it has NO concept of "Stop" "Go" "No" "oh please don't bite me" "bad snake for eating my pet rabbit".

[spydrworks1067]

04:46 PM on 02/06/2012

Well now...they do have a tiny bit of reasoning. If you feed a snake outside its cage, it may not snap at you when you open the door, but if you smell like food you're screwed anyway.

[Cinnimini]

09:56 PM on 02/06/2012

hehehe... I have to admit that is very funny.

[Cinnimini]

12:26 AM on 02/07/2012

Hehehehe... I like that one

[error18]

10:54 AM on 02/07/2012

Yeah I have the same problem with cats, they aren't trainable either. Snakes also don't have ears, but I guess bee keepers are hoarders as well since bees are the top killer in America. Dogs also kill an average of 31 people, non-venomous snakes kill less than .5 per year and there hasn't been a death since 2009 and that was a starving snake. All were owner error and honestly snakes instinct is humans aren't food, so right there you've just proven snakes aren't dangerous. Dogs on the other hand have killed and eaten people, in the 8 deaths over the last 20 years by non-venomous snakes, no one was eaten.

[spydrworks1067]

04:13 PM on 02/07/2012

Cats are trainable. It takes a different approach than with dogs...much of it to do with cats being solitary and dogs being social. A dog wants to please you, because you're the alpha. That lingo does not exist in the feline world (including lions). You need to please them.