Question about Venomous Snakes....

[Mark_scuba]

Im just curious... Would you ever be able to tame a "Hot" snake ???
If you raised it from a baby and it Got to know you ???
Or are they just too aggressive and can never be tamed ???
Ive seen some pretty amazing stuff on TV , but wanted to know from a couple of our "HOT" owners....
Don't you ever want to pick em up and hug em......
LOL

[telefrag]

There are people who freehandle hotsnakes.

they can get used to gentle handling just like anyother snake.

does that mean anyone should try it?

but I think people who do have serious issues.

[lethargiic]

To answer your questions..

no
no
no
they'll tell you what telefrag n i just told you..
unless you want to get nailed in the face. no

[ChicagoCubs22]

well i believe that venomous snakes cannot be tamed...But rather, use to your mode of handling. If you notice on Animal Planet shows, steve irwin, austin stevens, and Jeff corwin refrain from handling venomous snakes for the most part. But for example if it is a rattlesnake, and it just wants to get away, with experience you can master the art of handling its lower body...

But i highly doubt any venomous snake can be really tamed...

[herp_chick]

Freehandling any venomous snake is an accident waiting to happen. I have recently began learning how to work with hots, and let me tell you, no matter how many times you hook that snake, there is the knowledge in the back of your mind that if you put any part of your body in strike range, you CAN get tagged. Like nonvens, they are still "wild" animals. Your sweet little BP never ever tried to bite you but one day, it does. Hm, makes you kind of glad he's not hot, huh? Getting too comfortable working with hots is the biggest mistake people can make.

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[MustangRde1]

Tame is a subjective word! Many people associate it with the likes of a dog or cat which would be concidered able to interpit commands and not to attack on reasons of fear and or instinct.

Can a venomous snake be worked with safely by hand. The answer is a double edged sword. Yes they can is one answer. I have seen first hand a Black Mamba hand fed ofcourse with a glove on the keeper for safety Ive seen it with several species of cobra as well. There is also a number of keepers working on visiual comands for venomous snakes that from the results ive seen are astounding to say the least.

Should the average keeper try this? NO WAY IN #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& the people ive seen do it have years working with the animals and a very direct knowledge with the ones they do this with. Again though one slip and you can find yourself mangled or dead. I have yet to see anyone try it with any of the viper family its mostly Mambas and Cobras that this type of behavioral trainning and "handling" is done with.

Midwest makes wonderful tools for not getting bit i sugest use of the tools.

[BWSmith]

The question is not if you CAN handle them with your bare hands, but rather, Why would you want to? They are potentially deadly animals. You CAN play Russian Roullette, but why would you want to?

[RevMojo]

I thought I remembered seeing someone on TV hold a baby EDB in the palm of their bare hand once...still nothing I'd try.

	Eastern Diamondback Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

[Ptorgeaux]

There's an acquaintance of mine who wrote an article about how vens are not out to get you, and he had a picture of himself holding a rattler. Juvie EDB I believe? He's gotten mixed reviews and some flames from some herpers, as you all can probably understand.

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

	Eastern Diamondback Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

[MustangRde1]

Brian this one is for you. DEFINE FREE HANDLING and dont put up a pic of hunter lol What is free handling in its most basic deffinition. To me " in its most basic form " is Handling with your hand a venomous reptile.

If your deffinition is that then I am a free handler as i have done it for medication and a few force feeds. If you define it as handling for no reason other than to prove you can then I am not. We need to remember many novice people may not understand what " handling for pleasure vs handling for show vs handling for a legitimate medical treatment " is and perhaps need to get some peoples deffinitions are to help clarify it.