Mystery surrounds snake handler's death
May 02, 2005
From: AAP


A PROFESSIONAL snake handler has been found dead at his South Australian home but police refuse to confirm reports he might have been crushed to death by his pet python.
The body of Erik Attmarsson, 28, was found at his home in Tanunda, in the Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide, yesterday.

The Advertiser reported that marks on the Swede's face were consistent with him being crushed to death by a snake. However, a police spokesman said this morning: "The man kept a snake in the house but at this time there is no evidence to show that the snake was involved in the man's death."

Director of the Australian Reptile Park John Wiegel had not heard of anyone in Australia being crushed to death by a snake but said it did happen overseas where the pythons were much bigger.

"There have been a number of incidences overseas where a snake has got confused and the person is asphyxiated and has died, but we've never come close to that in Australia," he said.

"This species does get pretty confused sometimes."

Police also rejected reports that Mr Attmarsson's 5m Queensland native scrub python was missing from its enclosure.

The python had been located inside the house and handlers from National Parks and Wildlife had put the serpent back in its enclosure, a police spokesman said.

Mr Attmarrsson is not believed to have had any pre-existing medical conditions, but it is understood he had consumed a large amount of alcohol before his death.

Police last night would not comment on if this may have contributed to his death.

Last year, Mr Attmarsson beat about 150 applicants for the position of exotic snake curator at a Tanunda-based venom supplies business.

The business is involved in milking hundreds of venomous snakes for the production of anti-venin.

Police were called to the Mattiske Rd property about 1.15pm yesterday. Mr Attmarrsson is believed to have died sometime between Friday night and yesterday.

Mr Attmarrsson, when he began work with Venom Supplies, said he had kept non-venomous snakes since he was 10.

"I had to nag my parents for a while to get a snake," said.

"I'm happy they let me get one because they are fascinating animals to watch." A post-mortem examination will be conducted today.

Last Update: Tuesday, May 3, 2005. 7:29am (AEST)
Autopsy carried out on Barossa snake handler

Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine how a well-known snake handler in South Australia's Barossa Valley died.

A work colleague found Erik Attmarsson's body at his home in Tanunda on Sunday.

Police ordered an autopsy to find out whether he had been strangled by a pet scrub python at the house.

Reptile dealer Tim Mensforth says the 28-year-old man moved from Sweden almost a year ago to work at a venom supply company in the Barossa.

"Oh they're very upset because the people who worked with him out there discovered his body when he didn't turn up for work," he said.

"I did speak to one of them... and they were more than upset out there."

Ok! I'm led to belive the police let the prime suspect of the crime "Slip through their Fingers"

It's not very likely that a scrub python could really kill a man, no less someone who can handle snakes.
As long as they may grow(the scrub python is Australias longest snake capabe of causing rumours that it can grow up to 8 meters long) it is a very slener snake. The specimen in question was supposedly 14 - 16 feet long.

In order to kill a man it would have to get around his throat, and I highly doubt a 16 foot scrubbie could overpower an adult and then constrict him the way it would a prey animal.

It will be interesting to hear what the post mortem shows.

People have been killed by snakes in the past, but you'll find that the culrits are nearly always reticulated pythons which generally have a very nasty disposition(so do most scrubbies) and Burmese pythons which although very normally gentle are extremely strong, a burmese 16 feet long would weigh anywhere up to or sometimes over 50kg,(obese captives have been known to reach 100kg) compared to the 10 or 15kg a big scrubbie might weigh. lot of people keep Burmese pythons, so there are also going to be a more chances for incidents to occour.

Snakes always do cause a stirr though don't they?

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
... but it is understood he had consumed a large amount of alcohol before his death.

Maybe he was out of it at the time (?)

I'm betting the snake didn't do it. It would not be real interested in eating something that reeked of alcohol.

The guy was probably licking toad backs.

The snake easily could of done it. Alot of people drape snakes across their shoulders. I saw a home video once of a guy with his pet boa/python around his shoulders. It really wasn't that big either. Certainly less than 10 feet. For whatever reason something set the snake off and it coiled around his neck in an instant and the guy was down and out in a few seconds. Luckily there were some full size men there. They couldn't get it off at all until one of them remembered you have to uncoil them from the head or tail which isn't always easy to find. If this guy was alone he would of been dead and it took a while to revive as it was even though people were there imediately to help.
Having your blood supply to your brain cut off at the neck knocks you out very quickly, unlike say holding your breath.

FVA,

If you ever find that one again I'd like to see it! I'll trade you a clip of nekkid chicks on a trampoline <G>

Thinking about naked chicks and pythons ... well I was ....

One of my ex-bosses used to share a house with a stripper and her python. In Zimbabwe or Rhodesia as it was then known.

That is an act that would be interesting to see.