Gaboon Viper: Could anyone help me?

[JAYGIB9]

My cousin who owns no snakes nor has previously to my knowledge wants to get a Gaboon Viper. Please don't comment on her intelligence as she is smart but apparently very ignorant of the possible effects/problems with starting with a hot. I'm trying to find pics of Gaboon bites and all the deadly facts I can about this snake to dissuade her. I found the LD50 rating, I already know the fang size but does anyone know the approximate striking speed/range? Also any good pics of Gaboon fangs would be helpful.
Thanks all,
Justin Gibson




1 BCI, 1 Anerythristic Corn, and 1 Leucistic Texas Rat
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[BWSmith]

I will try to find some pics of bites. But for the time being, here is this.

Gaboons are extremely fast strikers. I have an MPEG somewhere of one hitting a rat I will try to find. They are very misleading. The only way to tell if it is about to strike is by looking at its pupil! And that only works about half of the time. They can stike in any direction and almost their full body length which makes tailing them a chore even with hooks. Relating to fang length and LD 50, remember this. With a Gab you have to look at Intramuscular LD50. Because the fangs are so long, they put a great deal of venom VERY deep. That makes for a very severe envenomation. Gabs kill probably hundreds of people every year in Africa. The venom is very toxic and even if you survive, chances are you will not have all your parts and peices by the time treatment is over. They are very misleading in their sullen nature. They are fast and dangerous when they choose to be. And if a Western Diamondback can produce this:

Bitten by the Big One - www.venomousreptiles.org
Imagine what a Gaboon can do!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
Be sure that she reads Are You Ready For a Hot? Lastly, venomous should only be kept by those with years of experience and a true love for the predator, not because they are pretty or any other petty reason. I truly hope that you disuade her.
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[RevMojo]

Pray for decent and upstanding sellers. I hope you can talk her out of it, but if not, I hope whoever she tries to buy from has the integrity to ask enough questions to realize she shouldnt own one.
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[najaboy]

She will definitely be destining herself for a trip to the ICU and/or morgue if she follows through. Gabbies are deceptive- they appear to be fat and lazy, but are among the most agile and fast strikers. They typically don't bite and release either- they grab and hold.

I used to have sequence of pics of a gaboon that were taken in mid-strike. The bite was to the palm of the hand. The fang that made contact actually penetrated all the way through the hand and could be seen from the other side. The bitee was a victim of his own complacency, and had been lulled into a false sense of security by the snake's apparent lethargy.
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[cobra_fangs]

Hello,
Here is a link for ya. 2 of them are from cobras and one is from a pit viper. SNAKE BITE LINK!!!!
Hope this helps
Will W.
She has no clue of what she is getting into!!!!
[addsig]

Can one of you "hots" knowledgable people please explain this further...

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>LD 50</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

to us uneducated &quot;non hots keepers&quot; [Tg for that huh ?? ] TYIA

Is there anti-venom available for the gaboon bite also ? { Or is my ignorance showing through here and this snake's venom is not one that qualifies as such a thing even ? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] ] My understanding of anti-venoms is below even basically limited LOL..BUT I do understand that it is expensive and only available through certain venues and does expire after a cerain length of time also...If I have that much info correct even that is [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] ] Enlighten us all please someone....

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[Ravnos]

LD50 is the relative lethal dose of a venom, which when administered to a test group of rodents causes a 50% death rate. When looking up the number for a gaboon viper, don't bother with the subcutaneous rating. With fangs like that, I would say you'd be more looking at an intramuscular or intravenous bite. Much more dangerous kind of bite. Anyway... values are at the Australian Venom &amp; Toxin Database for your perusal.

I can't fathom someone wanting one as a first hot, muchless as a first snake. Your friend must have a slow and painful death wish or something. If you want to know about strike speed and range, most people I've talked to say that by the time it registers in your brain that the snake moved, you've already been bitten. They are fully capable of striking something a full body length away from them. In any direction. Not just the one they are facing.

Antivenin is available in the US, but only from a few select sources. If you got bitten, it would probably never arrive to your location in time for it to be of any use, unless you happen to live in Miami, FL where the main antivenin bank is. Not to mention, its very expensive - and a hospital will be all too happy to charge you for airlifting it to your location as well. Ever chartered a helicopter or jet before? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] Well, double that price for an emergency medical unit.

Before even considering a gaboon, I'd have at least $40,000 USD squirrelled away in a bank account somewhere, because you will need it for the hospital visit. No insurance will cover your own stupidity. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Rav
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thanx for the info Rav !
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[andypassaretti]

dear lori the largest fangs in the world and the most venom yeild 600mg and the largest venom sacks in the world your request for the

fangs

can be seen on these web sites google, yahoo and photovault and

others you just have to look out for it sincerly andy passaretti thank you !

[JuliusSqueezer]

Lori is no longer a member here and you are replying to a 3 year old thread

[andypassaretti]

im sorry!

[LoraJean]

thats funny.