Never pet an electric eel.

[oneighty]

The eel lives in a Plexiglas tank open at the top. He-she-or-it is about two feet long and big around as a big man's arm. It is my task to acquire some live fish to feed it. The state wild life department traps fish in the Niagara river for fish population/health studies. I drive over to them. They give me some live fish in my large bucket which I aerate with a battery operated pump.

Back at the lab I put a large sun fish into the tank. The eel approaches the fish, the eel's body trembles, the fish folds side ways from the electrical discharge, inert or dead,it is no matter. The eel takes the hapless fish head first into its gaping mouth.

The department chairman demonstrates one day the eel's effect on a human. He reaches into the tank firmly grasps the eel, his eyes seem to light up, hair stands on end.

We all laugh.

180

[Nikia]

1. Isn't that kind of dangerous?

I've been shocked a couple times at work. My hair didn't stick up but I felt it in the affected wrist for some time and my heart sped up significantly. I wouldn't want to be shocked by choice. I suppose though if that is his idea of a good time.

[IronLionZion]

2. Some people are into that kind of stuff

the same dumbasses who get their jollies from touching electric fences and what not.

[ProudGerman]

3. yeah

Though, I like to think dumbasses like myself have just been shocked so many times, that low voltages do nothing more than tickle.

I'm a former electrician btw. Getting buzzed wasn't an everyday experience, but it did happen from time to time. Anything 120v or under just tickles. Hand buzzers and/or gag lighters don't even make me flinch anymore, hell, I can sit there and drain a battery on one of those without anyone noticing I'm being shocked...till they touch me of course.