How they have fun in Florida

[Gob]

A Florida man choked to death in October after eating dozens of live cockroaches in a contest to win a python, an autopsy has found.

The body of Edward Archbold, 32, tested negative for drugs and Broward County medical examiner ruled the death was an accident caused by "asphyxia".

Archbold collapsed and died soon after the promotional event at a pet store in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

No other illnesses were reported among some 30 competitors.

Archbold died of "asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents", the Broward County medical examiner's office found.

His airway became obstructed with "arthropod body parts".

The grand prize for the contest winner was a python, and Archbold had planned to sell the snake to a friend, according to the owner of the Ben Siegel Reptile Store.

"We feel terribly awful," said Ben Siegel, the owner, said after Archbold's death.

"He looked like he just wanted to show off and was very nice," he said, adding that Archbold did not appear to be ill before the competition.

A lawyer for Mr Siegel said all the contestants had signed disclaimers "accepting responsibility for their participation in this unique and unorthodox contest".

[oldr_n_wsr]

Shoulda been a ham sandwich.
Mama

[Miles]

Florida, right. Well they have an abundance of such snakes just begging for free room and board slithering about. He would have been doing a community service to invite one in and save himself the nastiness of eating roaches. While they do have some food value they are not all that tasty. On the other hand the python would make an excellent meal.

[oldr_n_wsr]

A baby python might make a cochroach a meal, anyone a little bigger is going to go after the rodent population and even bigger has babies in its sights.
There is a problem with boas and pythons in Fla as they are an "introduced" species not native and can (and are) cuasing problems.
While I haven't eaten one yet, I would if offered.