very tough to keep on a hook...even two hooks.

I would suggest working with more native venomous as well. The experience you have detailed appears to be minimal...a few weeks with a pig, and a few weeks more with a copperhead. Hone your skills on similar native species before making the jump to a potentially aggressive elapid. Snakes are snakes...but elapids are a completely different beast than viperids. They are slower striking, which is good, but they also tend to advance on you as opposed to guarding their little radius around them. Being chased by an angry snake with a lethal venom is not a fun thing. In addition, make sure your mentor has an adequate supply of AV if you find someone who will train you on Naja down the road. No hospital will stock it (since they aren't native), and your life could be in jeopardy if a source is not located BEFOREHAND.

Other than that...good luck. This can be an EXTREMELY rewarding hobby if you go about it the right way. Get some familiarity with native hots, get to the point where a snakehook is like an extension of your body, and then think about getting into big nasty elapids.

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