Chris,

I thank You very, very much for this first suggestion. As I would have hoped to be evident to everyone through my posts--but evidently not--I am not an ego-maniac looking to get hots for notoriety and prestige. As should be further evident of this, I have been patient for many years working with opisthoglyphous snakes first (make sense? One step at a time up the ladder, I say, right?), and I feel myself exhibiting the right action of consulting the 'pros' on here for the best advice possible that will keep not just me, but everyone, safe!

Also, if I was going for the egotism, I think I would have just jumped into whichever hot(s) I wanted regardless of potency, ease, anyone's advice, et cetera, and as Denise Readinger--President of the Hamburg show--told me on October 8, 2007 (I have the email saved which can be quoted on here if desired), NO permit(s) are required to purchase hots there; instead, it is all on the buyer to respect their local laws. Thus, I probably could have gotten anything I wanted by now. I hope everyone on here understands, now, that I have a sincerely mature, responsible, and even scientific* purpose for keeping hots, and yes, for personal enjoyment of the too-often-condemned creatures - namely by religious fanatics, especially my Christian Father who believed back in the day ALL poisonous snakes should be killed. Such ignorance to such creatures' magnificence, beauty, and purpose (= harmony and role in Mother Nature)** is sad.

Simple common sense things such as You, Chris, pointing out: getting a snake with low metabolism = less to clean up = less time interacting with snake = fewer chances of a bite occurring is just what I am looking for in advice. Thankfully, I have a very strong immune system and NO known allergies, which was also proven by a bite from my Boiga dendrophila ssp. a few years back although I don't think it actually got its fangs into me...? Nonetheless, I am young (27 in May), strong and healthy, with high immunity and tolerance, and I also have mighty fast reactions...I've impressed people with my ability to escape most strikes, or my ability to read one coming and retracting. (NO; I am not a daredevil and going to try my luck with hots...it's never been a game or test to me with harmless snakes, so it especially won't be with hots - We do not want them to be aggressive of course!)

As addressed in previous message, I have plans for a heavy, automatic-closing-and-locking industrial door, and cages will have locks NO question!

Timothy

*I was initially attending college out of high school (2002) for Biology with the intention to further major in Herpetology at either a 4-year university or graduate school. A transcript of proof can be scanned/uploaded upon request. I may return to this goal and even specialize in antivenin.

**We all know that if ALL venomous snakes were to disappear, We would have more deaths (even more than the 20K-30K/year in India) from diseases spread my vermin and also lack of crops. ALL serpents are a strong necessity to Our ecosystem.

>>If A mentor is around it is a plus,but not always possible. So if you are willing to dive in , I would say the Jumping Viper would be a good choice,due to the fact that a lesser toxic venom ,and a low metabalism makes it less likely to defacate much reduceing the number of times you would have to come in contact with it. Keep in mind these snakes strike as fast as any,and each persons tollerance to the venom could be different. So make sure you have proper tools ,cage setup wth locking capability.And for no reason you shold not touch with your hands.To many times people get snakes for the wrong reason, dont become a statistic for ego. If it is for education or for your personal enjoyment,I wish you luck ,and enjoy Chris
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T.J. Gould

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