Steve Irwin's 4-Year-Old Son Unfazed by Boa Constrictor Bite
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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Feb. 18, 2008: Bindi Irwin, left, her brother Robert Irwin pose for pictures during a promotional event at FAO Schwarz in New York.
NEW YORK — Like father, like son? The 4-year-old son of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin wasn't at all alarmed when he was recently bitten by a baby boa constrictor, according to his mother.
"He picked one of them up and it bit him on the finger, and he was so proud to have copped his first hit," Irwin's widow, Terri, said Monday at an appearance at FAO Schwarz with her two children to promote a new line of toys.
"He said, 'I hope it wasn't venomous,' so I assured Robert I wouldn't actually let him play with venomous snakes," she added.
Terri Irwin said the couple's 9-year-old daughter, Bindi, was first bitten by a snake when she was 18 months old.
Photo Essay: Bindi Unveils New Line of Toys
The girl, who is featured in the Discovery Kids Channel show "Bindi the Jungle Girl," posed for cameras with a new action figure in her likeness.
"It's every little girl's dream to have an exact look-alike doll. It's amazing," said Bindi, who was signing action figure toys of her late father.
Steve Irwin, known through his nature TV series as a wrangler of crocodiles and snakes, died in 2006 from a stingray's barbed tail during an underwater documentary shoot. He was 44.
Irwin provoked an international outcry in 2004 after being filmed holding his then 1-month-old son while feeding a snapping crocodile.
"Change ownership of the team, the true change we can believe in." - I made this in 2008
Here in Chicago, the Mac, Jurko and Harry radio show blasted Terri for letting her kids near snakes at these ages and even went as far as suggesting the kids be taken from her.
I suppose it's part of the family business since they run the zoo.....but they're kids and they aren't old enough to make that decision. It's one thing if they follow in their dads shoes at 18 years old....but 18 months? Even Steve wasn't doing that when he was that young.
The thing that bugs me the most is her statement "...and he was so proud to have copped his first hit." Like it's a badge of honor to be playing with dangerous animals that you KNOW will hurt you...and then they do. It's not brave to put your hand into a pot with boiling water and then show off your burn. It's stupid. And to be teaching that lesson to her small children is a bit irresponsible.
Let the kids be kids. They can play with frogs and garter snakes until they're ten. Keep them away from boas and crocs until they're eighteen please.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
Do you honestly think that Terri would put their lives in jeopardy??
Since neither one of us knows her we cannot say for sure.......But if you're letting a 4 year old handle a boa then, yeah, I'd say she's putting his life in jeopardy. It's not something most normal people would do, I think.
"People who drink light 'beer' don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot."
Quote: Do you honestly think that Terri would put their lives in jeopardy??
Since neither one of us knows her we cannot say for sure.......But if you're letting a 4 year old handle a boa then, yeah, I'd say she's putting his life in jeopardy. It's not something most normal people would do, I think.
It said in the article that they were baby boas, not full grown ones. There is a big difference in the two in terms of size, bite, and constricting ability.
I don't really see the big deal, it is the family business. The only thing I hope is he doesn't go on tour with a reptile play of his own, because after hearing Bindie's (sp) rap, I haven't been the same since.
Well if you lived in Australia, I would imagine you would be a bit more accustomed with dealing with them, in America though, we have different standards that we live by then just about every other country, just as those other countries have their own different standards. Different strokes for different folks.
The greatest danger from a boa bite would be the chance of infection,as they are nonvenomous. My boys grew up with Pit Bulls,and were taught valuable lessons on a daily basis,sometimes the punishment the dogs handed out didn't fit the crime. This kid has learned an easy lesson early in life,handle animals carefully.
Well as someone who like snakes , but fears them....Honestly while I understand the family history in their case , I wouldn't put kids and snakes together..... .....It's the people(Parents) who think they know about snakes that worries me ....It happens more than most would think.... ....
I actually didn't know he had a son, or just didn't remember. I knew of the daughter, but this is the first I've heard anything about his son.
I don't know why everyone's up in arms about the snakes around kids thing.
First off, it just says Bindi got bitten when she was 18 months. It doesn't say she was bitten because her parents put a snake in her playpen or something. It could have been an innocent accident -- like a snake got out of its cage or was in the wild and came into the house. You're jumping to the conclusion at 18 months old, she was playing with a snake because you were told the 4 year old was.
Secondly, if you read the article, it says Terri even told her son she wouldn't let him play with any animals that could harm him. Baby boas, people. Not the poisonous snakes you've seen Steven handle on the discovery channel.
Quote: Well if you lived in Australia, I would imagine you would be a bit more accustomed with dealing with them, in America though, we have different standards that we live by then just about every other country, just as those other countries have their own different standards. Different strokes for different folks.
As an Aussie, I have never seen a snake outside a zoo or reptile farm...although they do have their own lanes on arterial roads to help ease traffic and we're still forced to give up our seats for them on public transport.
Quote: Well I do live in Australia, but I have NFI what a shrimp is. I suspect the Riddler may though.
Did you just hit me with a penis joke?
I believe that term was coined by Paul Hogan during the Croc Dundee period as a means of selling Aussie tourism to the Americano's....i may be wrong however.
Down here of course....they be "Prawns"
For me....i reckon when Bindi hits early 20's she's gonna need some therapy.
And for the poster that didn't realise that Steve Irwin had a son. You might recall a couple of years ago, it was "Bob" that Steve was dangling in front of the big freakin' Crocosaurus Rex while feeding the sucker chickens in his Michael Jackson moment.
Quote: have never seen a snake outside a zoo or reptile farm...although they do have their own lanes on arterial roads to help ease traffic and we're still forced to give up our seats for them on public transport.
I've seen one, which i believe was a juvenile Tiger Snake (Worlds top 3 for venom?) no less than 200 m from front door....first and only one in just over 4 yrs of being here.
Quote: And for the poster that didn't realise that Steve Irwin had a son. You might recall a couple of years ago, it was "Bob" that Steve was dangling in front of the big freakin' Crocosaurus Rex while feeding the sucker chickens in his Michael Jackson moment.
Steve never "dangled" his son in front of a crocodile, his son was never in any danger, he was in Steve's other arm and held vary away from the crocodile with personal ready to rush in and grab him if Steve was attacked.
"Change ownership of the team, the true change we can believe in." - I made this in 2008
When I was in 6th grade we went to this one week retreat to discover "nature" as part of school, which always seemed odd to me because we lived in a fairly rural place.. but anyway... One of the presenters had boas. One was about 4 feet long, the other was about 6 1/2 feet long. I was picked as a "volunteer" (actually I was selected and I had no choice) so I got to sit in front of 100 other 11 year olds while he wrapped the 6 1/2 foot boa around my neck. Everybody thought it was cool.
I'm sure my mom would have freaked out if she saw me with the snake around my neck... but then again, since the presenter was her first cousin, that might have something to do with why I was selected.
Quote: And for the poster that didn't realise that Steve Irwin had a son. You might recall a couple of years ago, it was "Bob" that Steve was dangling in front of the big freakin' Crocosaurus Rex while feeding the sucker chickens in his Michael Jackson moment.
Oh ok, guess I just thought that was his daughter.
He may think he was in total control of the situation but go ask Siegfried and Roy about being in total control of dangerous animals. Heaven forbid he would have tripped.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
Ya know , upon further review , he was the Croc Hunter....While I would personally never place myself or my child in the path of a Croc....I know he Never would have allowed an in experienced personand probably no one but himself to place his kids in the path of a Croc or snake , I have to trust his judgement....I mean both kids regardless of his tragic death were/are going to be raised in that environment....
His death was a freak accident. The barb basically had to hit him where it did to kill him, and they even said that if he wouldn't have pulled the barb out that he probably would have survived. He lived a dangerous life, but his death wasn't because of bad judgement.
I think what the Riddler is trying to say.....is that Steve's judgment that he was in control of the situation sucked (Stingray, croc or snake).
These animals kill at lightning fast speeds and don't know they are being used for entertainment purposes. He may have done it a thousand times but that doesn't prevent an animal to improvise.
Respect mother nature.
Heck I can make a open and shut case that Steve's attempt to hover over a Stingray at that range was lacking good judgment. Seeing is how he got killed doing it.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
I knew someone would show their lack of maturity and say that ....The truth is that , Irwin was not a specialist of ocean creatures and I can only guess that he misjudged the rays or his ability to move under water and that's why he was killed....but to imply that his judgement sucked is wrong JMHO....
Quote: Heck I can make a open and shut case that Steve's attempt to hover over a Stingray at that range was lacking good judgment. Seeing is how he got killed doing it.
Exactamundo. Through the years you just knew that Irwin wasn't going to die of natural causes.
And he would have died anyway....anytime a poison barb of that size pierces your heart you're pretty much cactus....when he pulled it out he just died quicker.
Yeah baby boas are nothing. They are 6 inches coming out of the egg and probably didn't even break the kids skin. No biggie. While this family might take it to the extreme, giving kids a dose of respect for animals is a good thing. Not all snakes need to be killed
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.....It's the people(Parents) who think they know about snakes that worries me 
....It happens more than most would think.... 
....
