# Good day everyone. I have a question about hoop snakes. This is important. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 16, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858 "2012-09-16T07:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/141 "2012-09-18T15:57:13Z")
**hotdog** , you sound like the world’s worst con man. What do you need to confirm? I won’t waste my time talking to you if you have nothing to put on the table. I have the money, you have nothing. What do you want from me? I exist, I paid for membership here, so my credentials already exceed yours. Do you have a Skype number? I’ll contact you on that if you like. It won’t help your con game, there is no way on earth I will put any money up front or give you any information you could use to try and rip me off. My word is bond, I have $10,000, deliver a hoop snake and it will be yours. You will not get more out of anyone earth except an idiot. There are other message boards where idiots hang out, you should go fishing there. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/142 "2012-09-18T15:58:19Z")
[Well, really!](http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee401/stuckgifs/Rude-Miranda.gif) ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/143 "2012-09-18T15:58:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > eBay. other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/144 "2012-09-18T16:00:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > **hotdog** , you sound like the world’s worst con man. What do you need to confirm? I won’t waste my time talking to you if you have nothing to put on the table. I have the money, you have nothing. What do you want from me? I exist, I paid for membership here, so my credentials already exceed yours. Do you have a Skype number? I’ll contact you on that if you like. It won’t help your con game, there is no way on earth I will put any money up front or give you any information you could use to try and rip me off. My word is bond, I have $10,000, deliver a hoop snake and it will be yours. You will not get more out of anyone earth except an idiot. There are other message boards where idiots hang out, you should go fishing there. you see, if I were a con man as you claim to be, I wouldn’t risk chatting online with you. get it straight dude. let’s chat tomorrow. I have a skype account. what time are you free? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/145 "2012-09-18T16:02:35Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > other suggestions? What the hell do you want? You’ve been given a couple of good suggestions already-what are you asking for exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/146 "2012-09-18T16:08:53Z")
By the way, tell your “friend” that a [mud snake](http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Snakes/ms.cfm) will not be acceptable. It may be called a “hoop snake” at times, but the real thing has got to actually grab its own tail and roll on its own, or any deal is off. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/147 "2012-09-18T16:11:46Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > other suggestions perhaps? please be more specific…not ebay, amazon, or anything like that. [OK, here is more specific. But I expect 10%.](http://manila.en.craigslist.com.ph/search/pet?query=+) ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/148 "2012-09-18T16:13:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > By the way, tell your “friend” that a [mud snake](http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Snakes/ms.cfm) will not be acceptable. It may be called a “hoop snake” at times, but the real thing has got to actually grab its own tail and roll on its own, or any deal is off. by the way my friend has a knowledge of snakes. In fact before we came into this plan to capture a hoop snake, I made certain it was really a hoop snake he is referring, not a sidewinder. He said he knows what a sidewinder is and went on enumerating other kinds of snakes. So don’t worry about that. A hoop snake is a hoop snake. Not a mudsnake. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/149 "2012-09-18T16:14:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What the hell do you want? You’ve been given a couple of good suggestions already-what are you asking for exactly? more specific…like if you know somebody who wants a hoop snake… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/150 "2012-09-18T16:15:03Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > you see, if I were a con man as you claim to be, I wouldn’t risk chatting online with you. get it straight dude. let’s chat tomorrow. I have a skype account. what time are you free? Sure you would risk chatting with me, because you have nothing to lose. You can contact me on Skype tomorrow at, 9/19, at 12 noon. You may PM me to get the connection information. Other than reaching me on Skype, you will get nothing else, because you have nothing to bring to the table. But we’ll all have a hoot when I tell the board about our conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/151 "2012-09-18T16:15:21Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > by the way my friend has a knowledge of snakes. In fact before we came into this plan to capture a hoop snake, I made certain it was really a hoop snake he is referring, not a sidewinder. He said he knows what a sidewinder is and went on enumerating other kinds of snakes. So don’t worry about that. A hoop snake is a hoop snake. Not a mudsnake. So your friend has knowledge of hoops snakes. Are there any other imaginary creatures he has knowledge of? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/152 "2012-09-18T16:16:50Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > more specific…like if you know somebody who wants a hoop snake… Sorry-I don’t associate with idiots or fools as a habit. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/153 "2012-09-18T16:17:14Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > [OK, here is more specific. But I expect 10%.](http://manila.en.craigslist.com.ph/search/pet?query=+) no i don’t think this will do. by the way my friend told me once that if we are gonna sell it to somebody, we have to make sure it should be legal. Otherwise we would end up in jail. That’s why I chose the offer made by raymond ditmars. It maybe not that big for some, but that’s already a considerable amount. And we are sure it is 100% legal. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/154 "2012-09-18T16:18:42Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > no i don’t think this will do. by the way my friend told me once that if we are gonna sell it to somebody, we have to make sure it should be legal. Otherwise we would end up in jail. That’s why I chose the offer made by raymond ditmars. It maybe not that big for some, but that’s already a considerable amount. And we are sure it is 100% legal. There are no laws against selling imaginary animals…except laws involving fraud, of course. edited to add: What kind of research told you that the Ditmar offer was 100% legal, but _didn’t_ tell you if it was still valid?? ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/155 "2012-09-18T16:18:48Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So your friend has knowledge of hoops snakes. Are there any other imaginary creatures he has knowledge of? if i’m not mistaken, we are talking about where to sell a hoop snake in case we capture one, right? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/156 "2012-09-18T16:20:22Z")
No doubt this is just a coincidence, but isn’t the Philippines like the Asian Nigeria when it comes to scams? I recall some years ago there was a big to-do over a huge hoard of war-era platinum uncovered in the Philippines, supposedly stashed by retreating Japanese troops. A really big, big hoard. The first inklingI had that something might be amiss was when the finders said it was covered a bit by rust. I’m thinking, “Platinum don’t rust. 😕” ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/157 "2012-09-18T16:21:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > There are no laws against selling imaginary animals…except laws involving fraud, of course. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/158 "2012-09-18T16:23:39Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > no i don’t think this will do. OK, I’ll take 5%. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/159 "2012-09-18T16:23:48Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > more specific…like if you know somebody who wants a hoop snake… Nobody wants a hoop snake, because they don’t exist. This is the fault in your plan. You think people offer rewards for mythical creatures because they want one. The reason for the rewards is to prove these things don’t exist. No one is going to give you anything for less than delivery of an actual hoop snake. They are not going to fund your hunt, or send you money to cover expenses, or money for shipping, or travel to wherever the hell you are to discuss this further. You will get absolutely nothing unless and until you deliver a hoop snake. You really should be doing this on Craig’s list, I hear that’s where the scammers hang out. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/160 "2012-09-18T16:24:25Z")
What kind of research told you that the Ditmar offer was 100% legal, but _didn’t_ tell you if it was still valid?? [/QUOTE] Sightings are still occasionally reported, even though the existence of the hoop snake has never been accepted by the scientific community. Naturalist Raymond Ditmars placed $10,000 in trust at a New York bank for the first person to provide evidence of a hoop snake.[5] Some have suggested that is a distorted description of the sidewinder of the American southwest, or of mud snakes, which will occasionally lie in a loose hoop shape.[3][6] It is also possible that the hoop snake is an embellishment of actual instances of snakes swallowing their own tails. Photographic examples of this are readily found on the Internet today. –source Wikipedia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858.md?page=9)