[theDentist]

"It's a totally harmless thing," he said. "Why attack a harmless thing?"

When it's got a bite on the leg of a baby, you don't spend time consulting a veterinarian.

[Ender Wiggin]

You are assuming that the ball pyton bit the child before being smacked by a shovel. The article does not say that.

Balls are affectionate and will wrap around people.

But, people are irrationally scared of snakes in general. I was in a park, a woman saw a snake (sunning itself) and called over a bunch of big men who stomped the snake into paste before I could rescue the snake and move it.

Oh yeah, I help turtles cross roads too.

[rod1]

The pet store owner was not identified as a VET.

A Veterinarian would not have trivialized an animal bit/snake attack on a baby.