THis was taken from Mardi Snipes at Coastal Reptiles. Please visit his site at
www.coastalreptiles.com. He is one of the best venomous dealers around. Here is his opinion pasted here. The other article that he refers to on venomousreptiles.org is located at
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/55 and is probably one of the best articles around. Definately worth a look:
Being a lifelong venomous reptile enthusiast, I am acutely aware of the controversy that surrounds the keeping and making of venomoid snakes. There are many different ways to argue for or against this practice. For a well written article on them go to
www.venomousreptiles.org and read it. I have had and sold venomoids, although for a short period of time, so my below opinion is based on personal experience with the snakes themselves and the people who contacted me wanting to buy them.
For me, personally, I don't like venomoids. I also don't believe that a venomoid snake is a "good" way to get prepared for keeping the real thing. It is not really a moral or ethical issue, but rather to me it seems as a very real threat to the serious venomous keeping community. I am not saying that everyone who has or does own one is incompetent. I do believe, though, that venomoids attract a different type of individual to the keeping of altered hot snakes........which often leads to the eventual purchase of a "hot" snake. Based on my experiences in this business the people who wanted venomoids were for the most part either very new to herpetoculture or were looking for a thrill without having any mature understanding of venomous snakes. On a couple of RARE occasions legitimate nature centers and reptile parks wanted this type of altered animal due solely for insurance reasons. The perceived threat of this fast growing trend is that many irresponsible or inexperienced people who take the first "easy" step into venomous by getting a venomoid will become a liability for us all down the road. There are many analogies that I could use to make my point but I am digressing.....
The keeping of venomous snakes is a serious commitment that is most unsuitable for the vast majority of herp lovers out there. The fact a venomous snake is in fact venomous and dangerous tends to weed out the "wannabes" jumping on this hot herp keeping explosion......just the way it should be. The sudden rise of venomoids has changed this pseudo natural selection process, and in my opinion this is a bad thing. Need I even mention the fact that quite a few of those people selling and advertising venomoids cannot correctly identify or spell even the commonest species! The last thing this hobby needs is for someone with their pet venomoid Albino Monocle Cobra to go out in their backyard to show it off to their neighbors only to end up on the 6 o-clock news with the headlines reading "Deadly Cobra Terrorizes Neighborhood".........can't you just see more legislation on the horizon? Well, I have certainly rambled on enough about this. I know that some of you reading this will get irate for me sharing my opinions where others of you will most likely be ecstatic that I no longer participate in this practice.
For those of you who still insist on wanting to purchase a venomoid, I ask you to ask yourself WHY?
[addsig]
