Beginners guide to Venomous snakes

[natas]

Hey I like the sound of the article. I was hoping someone like Julius could write one up.

Mainly a idea of what it takes to start with Ven's. Whats the best snakes to start with, precautions to take and the biggest mistakes people make.

I don't want this to be a article urging people to rush into getting Ven's...in fact I want it to be more of a article explaining why only the most serious of herper's out there should get involved and why most of the serious herpers still don't [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
[addsig]

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

Hehe..Some of us "serious" herpers know better lol. Naw..actually it takes a great degree of experience as well as knowledge and training..which not all of us have..even keeping as long as we have [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] Besides ..Who wants to "just" look at your snake when ya can keep non-vens and handle 'em. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] The keeping of vens requires much more than just husbandry and "basic" handling also. Have fun Julius ! Najaboy { Ken Harbart would make a great asset to this article you are looking for also [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] ]
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	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[rottie]

Telefrag .. keeps hots doesnt he?

im sure that he could add to the article...

Where are you telefrag?




[addsig]

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

[JuliusSqueezer]

My thoughts on this are simple. If you aren't keeping them for serious educational or research reasons, there is no valid reason to keep them. They are a horrible choice for someone just looking to have a cool pet. There are over 2000 other choices that are just as cool and can't kill you or your friends and family. If you are keeping them for education or research then of course you know how important it is to educate yourself on this subject and to do the research [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] The first thing you need to research is SNAKE BITE PROTOCOL for your particular species. There is no one answer for this since venom from different species varys so greatly. Weigh the risk and the expense or even the availability of treatment against the desire to own before you bring one home. I have been handling hots, mostly roadside rescue/relocation since my mid-teens to present time...in all 20+ years. No matter how beautiful the animal or what a great set of rattles some may have had, I never had even this slightest urge to want to bring any home other than one baby copperhead. Sure there are cooler hots just as available. But the venom is mild as is the temperment and risk is low and I am getting involved in education so I needed at least one representitive. Copperheads are needlessly feared and slaughtered in great numbers where I live and I hope to end some of that. Some animals are best when left to enjoy in their natural environment. I love Killer Whales too as much as any Marine Biologist....But I have no plans to keep them either. It is OK to admire and love something and not feel a need to cage it. It is also OK to fear or respect something and not feel a need to kill it. Those that collect hots for the purpose of being cool and to impress people, I have only 2 words for "Natural Selection". You can wave to Darwin on the way out.

For those who aren't so easily discouraged:

As far as a starter snake...I agree with those that say start with a thrashy demonic nippy colubrid like a coachwhip or a racer and avoid bites for a year. Another good choice before keeping vipers is a viper boa. They are nippy by nature and strike in much the same way puff adders and gaboon vipers do.

For a first actual hot I would go rear fanged, anything other than a boomslang.
then maybe a copperhead, pigmy rattlesnake, eyelash viper, waglers viper, palm viper. These are all fairly mild and considered sub-lethal. This does not mean that a bite will not be painful and serious. You still could lose a limb or the use of one.

Before even thinking about getting cobras, taipans, atrox etc. spend the money for the antivenen. If you can't afford it then you can't afford the snakes. Your insurance will usually not cover a bite from your exotic pet and the zoos and research centers are doing good to afford what stock they have to protect their employees. It is very expensive. Probably more than your car cost and it expires so it is an ongoing expense.
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[Dragon]

Got to agree with Jules on this one. I'm currently having an ongoing internal debate whether to get a couple of gorgeous little Hognose I saw in a herp shop near me (the fact that they were mating at the time was a huge encouragement! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]). I know you lot probably think they are pretty lame HOTS, but the fact is that they are venemous. Nobody knows how their body is going to react to an envenemation until it happens and then it could be too late.
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[roachpunk]

ive heard hognoses are good beginner snakes (I mean in general), its as mild as a beesting so theyre not really venomous at all, it could get nasty if you happen to be allergic, but i really dont think it will kill you. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] roachpunk
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[JuliusSqueezer]

They are only lame to the thrill seekers that think keeping hots is a way to prove coolness. Hognosed snakes for the most part....don't bite. So the fact that they even have any venom seldom becomes an issue unless you happen to be a toad. They are great pets for anybody. They are active and have an almost puppy dog personality. Outside of the herp world....I never mention to people that hognosed snakes are rear fanged vens...I think most of us would prefer them not being added to the list of "kill on sight snakes" by ignorant humans.
[addsig]

<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>
Before even thinking about getting cobras, taipans, atrox etc. spend the money for the antivenen. If you can't afford it then you can't afford the snakes. Your insurance will usually not cover a bite from your exotic pet and the zoos and research centers are doing good to afford what stock they have to protect their employees. It is very expensive. Probably more than your car cost and it expires so it is an ongoing expense. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

AMEN!

Unfortunately, people buy non-venemous snakes and can't afford a visit to the vet if it comes up. Anti_venin is pricey stuff, depending on the type, it can be like $700 a vial. One guy got bit and required nearly 40 vials - that's $28,000 for the mathematically challenged out there.

Julius, I'm surprised you didn't mention your favorite statistic. 75% of all accidents with venemous snakes in North America involve alcohol.

Hots requires a different mindset to keep. I saw that first hand at Julius' house. Doing what I'd normally do in a situation, I'd mostly likely have gotten bitten, but Julius was there to smack me in the head and keep me from being stupid.

Jules has said this before, so I'll reiterate. Venemous snakes have bad sheds, get mouth rot and RI just like all other snakes, so you HAVE to handle them at some point. Think your vet will administer antibiotics to a hot for you??? Think again, it's not worth his risk so guess who'll do it. you.

Anyone that's ever had a snake get out, you are not a candidate for keeping hots. that would endanger more than just yourself, maybe more than your immediate family.

A lot of people just take hots waaaay to lightly....

[addsig]

Good points Julius and J !
As for the Hognoses..They do have rear fangs and venom to a degree...BUT I actually have not heard of anyone getting bit by one , least of all a traumatic experience with a bite. My kids, including my 4 year old handle Hognose snakes all the time [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] They have been taught how to properly handle them and know the difference in relation to them as something such as a boa or ball python even. Hognoses are quite &quot;tame&quot; when it comes to handling. The only time I have ever had a problem is when me and another person were working with one to probe it for sexing[ not i the other guy was, i was just holding it] and I had the dang thing turn around and try to strike at me [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cry.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] Needless to say, I no longer wanted to know it's sex ..lmao.
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[Shadrach]

Yeah Hot's should be left for the one's that know what they are doing! Not saying someone may not know what they are doing who's had snake's all their life! Me myself would never consider hot's, like Lori said how much fun could they possibly be ya can't handle them!? Even if I did consider hot's nothing more than a Copperhead or Mangrove! I really fell like people who have snake's (encluding me) at some point get way too comfortable when it come's to handling them and when ya let your guard down...........BAM...........that's when ya take a hit but we become use to this because we know that out NV species can't really hurt anything more than our pride! So I say Naja, Jules, Telefrag any other's out ther that keep hot's more power to ya! If I want to see one I'll come to your place hehehehe!


But yeah Natas I think a section would be good on this subject!
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