To every one that owns a Venomous Snake

[Billybob]

Koleen post a pic
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[BWSmith]

Personally, it seemed like the natural progession of my interest. After many years working with nonvenomous species, I began my training for venomous. They held a special fascination. There is no feeling int he world like working with some of the most advanced predators on the planet. The fascination became a passion. It amazed me how many people did not even know the venomous species "in their back yard!" I cannot say how many times the "Copperhead" was a Northern Water Snake. So I took that passion and began public education. Venomous (most snakes in fact) are killed on sight. Public Education is the key. Pictures can only teach so much. Once you put these animals in front of a group and are able tell the truth about them, there begin to be changes in perception. After all, a "normal" person (using the term loosely) is keeping and caring for these animals, they must not be evil roaming the land looking for human victims. After the envenomation of a friend, I decided to expand my educational programs. Owning venomous requires a certain degree of understanding of toxicology and medical treatment. Most medical personnel have never had to deal with a snakebite. In medical school, one page is dedicated to lightning strikes (which occurs on a regular basis) you can imagine how much time is dedicated to envenomation. Because of this, I changed the focus to Envenomation Protocol for emergency medical personnel. The way I look at it, the life they save could be mine. I set up a display at virtually every "Snake Day" I can. These animals are amoung the most feared and persecuted on the planet. By educating and caring for these animals, perhaps we, as hot keepers, can help to prevent their eventual demise. I am currently in negotiations with the last "Roundup" in Georgia. Rather than fighting against them, I have become an ally in the venomous conservation community an can (hopefully) affect real change. This requires me education the public and presenting venomous to the audience. After all, Rattlers are the draw to the roundups. As you can see, there are mnay reasons that individuals would keep venomous. I can only speak from my personal endeavors. Make no mistake. There are those who keep them to be "macho" or to prove something to themselves or others. These keepers are a plague on the venomous community. If someone like me gets bit, it's "Local Snake Educator gets bit." If one of them gets bit, it's "Local man gets bitten by Deadly Serpent in his own house." I have only listed my reasons for keeping them. There are many other legitimate reasons for keeping venomous. e.g. Rescue or research. I will close by saying that Venomous Reptiles are inherintly dangerous. I could not in good concious recommend ANYONE keeping venomous. But there are those of us who have a true passion for them. I consider it an honor to be able to interact with these animals.
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[Drax]

I have not yet readied myself for venemous, but sometime in the future i will keep one or two, probably a copperhead and an eyelash.

that article is, like you said, a definate must for anyone, herper or otherwise, to read. it just goes to prove the point never attempt some task you are not 100% prepared for. also did you see the new issue of REPTILES mag? another very good article about the does and don'ts about hot keeping.

BW, keep up the education. the rest of the population needs to realize that snakes are not out to get them. i work in a pet store, and i see so many people run away from the reptile section. i try to educate each one that snakes are not evil creatures and they are here to kill mice and keep the world from being overrun with rats.
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[biff]

Why would you keep something you can't pet?? I am amazed that fish owners are never asked this...while I know some people who think they pet their fish, you can't truly pet them.

just an analogy,
Steve
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[Maurynna]

Well I for one would never keep a venomous snake. I've only ever owned one snake in my life - it was a Kenyan Sand Boa, and it turned on me one day and bit me.

Now all I own are Leopard Geckos and a Giant Green Iguana named Caicos.

As for fish, yes it is possible to pet them if you have the right kind with the right personality. I recall I had two oscars growing up, named Crockett and Tubbs (Yeah, I used to be a huge Miami Vice fan...), and Crockett used to float up to the top of the tank and roll over onto his belly so that I could pet it. And when I stopped, he would flip back over. Quite the unusual fish, I know.

I eventually had no choice but to give them away because I could no longer afford the upkeep on them. At the time I was about 16 or so, and I wasn't making much money. They cost me about 200.00 per month to maintain. (a drop in the bucket right now, but a lot of money for a 16 year old kid...)

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	Iguana Iguana

[snaklover]

bw i really appreciatte your passion and education where venemous varities of snakes, i can see that you enjoy this and that is wonderful. the area in which i dwell has several varities of venemous snakes ie prarie rattler, copperheads and just the other day an individual located a cottonmouth that was exciting, i myself do find them pretty but i have never and will stay that way mess with venomous species. but i do enjoy going to the strip pits and woods and observing them in theyre natural habitats. which around here you have a very good chance of running across one just on a sunday hike. but this is becoming less and less frequent as the population slowly diminishes, due to people killing them on sight. soon there may not be any and this would be vey sad [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cry.gif[/img]
i do respect any one who handles these snakes. gb you for it.
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	Cottonmouth Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) - Also known as a Water Moccasin.