Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All!!!!!!

Just purchased a Blandings Tree Snake. Not here yet. Probably wednesday. wooooooo hooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone have info on how toxic this snake is?
Size?
Husbandry?
Pictures? Lots and lots of pics! I have only been able to find three or four pics on the net.

As much info and pics as possible please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post it up my friends!

Thanks!

First of all Congratulations on your new purchase! But, I was just wondering why you didn't ask these question BEFORE you provided the credit card number? This isn't an attack, just curious.

Chris

>>Hello All!!!!!!
>>
>>Just purchased a Blandings Tree Snake. Not here yet. Probably wednesday. wooooooo hooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>Does anyone have info on how toxic this snake is?
>>Size?
>>Husbandry?
>>Pictures? Lots and lots of pics! I have only been able to find three or four pics on the net.
>>
>>As much info and pics as possible please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>Post it up my friends!
>>
>>Thanks!
-----
U.A.P.P.E.A.L.
Uniting A Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League
www.uappeal.org

I agree with your post. Although this is not a direct personal attack on the original poster, more and more often I'm seeing messages such as this and this is not a good thing.

More and more often people take the passive approach to animal husbandry, which is NOT acceptable. People post "hey, I have animal X on the way, what do I need to do?" It would be more acceptable and I'd feel a lot better if the posts I saw were more along the lines of:

"I've talked with several people and have worked with similar species and I now have a cage ready for some [insert snake here]. My current setup is as follows: blah blah blah. Any comments/questions are appreciated"

This goes back to the general responsibility of keeping ANY animal, much less venomous snakes... and not to harp on this, but it still bothers me how many people jump into venomous snakes with such limited experience in basic reptile husbandry and lack of vets that are willing to work with their hot herps... (not a direct reply to this individual, but just a similar problem that I see along the same lines as the previous one mentioned)...

I'll chime in and agree with the last two posts; in this hobby, particularly as it relates to hots, why on earth would someone purchase an exotic venomous snake w/out having any idea on its husbandry requirements, toxicity levels, available antivenin, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc....that's an ETC. VENT.

BUT, that is a cool snake but I just wish folks would do their homework first before taking in an exotic animal such as this; I just have a sincere concern for the well being of the snake.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>I agree with your post. Although this is not a direct personal attack on the original poster, more and more often I'm seeing messages such as this and this is not a good thing.
>>
>>More and more often people take the passive approach to animal husbandry, which is NOT acceptable. People post "hey, I have animal X on the way, what do I need to do?" It would be more acceptable and I'd feel a lot better if the posts I saw were more along the lines of:
>>
>>"I've talked with several people and have worked with similar species and I now have a cage ready for some [insert snake here]. My current setup is as follows: blah blah blah. Any comments/questions are appreciated"
>>
>>This goes back to the general responsibility of keeping ANY animal, much less venomous snakes... and not to harp on this, but it still bothers me how many people jump into venomous snakes with such limited experience in basic reptile husbandry and lack of vets that are willing to work with their hot herps... (not a direct reply to this individual, but just a similar problem that I see along the same lines as the previous one mentioned)...
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I have delt with various venemous species since i was 10 years old. I am now 25. Sorry for sounding so inexperienced and irresponsible. I should have stated my questions more clearly.
I definitely understand your concerns, for they are my own.

Thanks!

Now help me find more info!

"Now help me find more info!"

You come on here, you make fun of the people that point out errors, curse at us, and behave foolishly and call names... Now you want us to spoon feed you information? We don't owe you anything, treat us with some respect first if that is the way you wish to be treated. Have you tried books? How about anything in the scientific literature? How about looking up weather patterns and habitat info from the are the snake is native to?

Otherwise the only thing I feel sorry for is the snake that is going to yet another irresponsible keeper.

I provided quite a bit for him to read. I would not mind giving more either. We do not need to keep a long war going over a few silly comments.

i wish everyone else would do the same.

People are not likely going to want to help you when you are rude to them (notice your cussing and name calling was not directed at me but I did comment on some of it because I respect who you were throwing it toward). You also mentioned you are 25 years old and I will assume you graduated high school...other folks might think you should do your own research.

I kind of wanted to see what I could find on them myself anyway and I do not mind sharing my findings. I actually built some of those citations myself for you. I would guess this is beyond the effort most people want to put into a quick forum post. I do not know who in here has already read the literature I provided to give a brief summary off memory (I hadn't, it was new to me as well).

The point is...if you try not to step on toes...you might get the answers you are looking for. Next time I suggest you take Mr. Carmichael's words and store them in your good advice folder.

However, I find it funny that nobody replied with the same answers to the 15 year old kid in the rear-fanged forum who wants to obtain a green vine snake(which I'm assuming is Ahuetulla).

Good Luck! More pics and info please!

Allow me to help you understand the difference.

"I'm 15 and I know a place where I can get vine snakes. Would they be good for a venomous snake for someone looking to get into venomous later, also I live in Illinois can I have 1 in this state?"

There is a big difference there. This 15 YO kid states that he knows where he can obtain the snake and is asking if this is a good beginner. At no point did he state that he already purchased the snake and is wanting to know how to take care of it. After reading your post, we now understand that you do have basic understanding of care for the snake. However, in your original post you didn't outline this. You made it seem as if you are participating in the same stupid "purchase on a whim" deals that so many others do. Now that we understand what you are looking for, perhaps some people can be of better help. However, bashing one of our most respected members of the board isn't the way to get that help.

Chris

>>However, I find it funny that nobody replied with the same answers to the 15 year old kid in the rear-fanged forum who wants to obtain a green vine snake(which I'm assuming is Ahuetulla).
>>
>>Good Luck! More pics and info please!
-----
U.A.P.P.E.A.L.
Uniting A Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League
www.uappeal.org

I have done as much research as possible. I have kept several Boiga spp., Thelotornis, Pareas, and various colubrids, boas, etc. I understand that this is an arboreal rainforest species. I know what it eats and how to take care of it.
Just looking for tips. There are conflicting reports on the length/weight it attains. Longest Boiga spp.?
Very few images available. I have counted about eight including seven of them online, one in Living Snakes of the World. All different colored. BGF suggests very neurotoxic. I treat all snakes the same, whether thread snakes, boas, vipers, elapids, etc. It seems very, very little is known about this spp.

Any help in attaining more info is greatly appreciated.

P.S. Looking for more for captive breeding/venom research.

I think your only source for knowing LD50 on this snake is going to be Dr. Frye. I have a lot of doubt many other people have done LD50 work on colubrids (besides maybe a few African arboreals).

If you are trying to keep from people having a "bandwagon" response, you might want to clarify what you mean when you say you treat boas the same as elapids. I will guess you might mean you give all snakes the same level of dedicated care for husbandry. I certainly know their handling methods should be drastically different.

If you have small boids locked up in secure enclosures inside of locked and secure rooms, I congratulate you for the extra level of caution. With peoples irrational fear of snakes, you don't want anything getting out.

On another note, I didn't see the 15 year old since I do not normally go in the rear-fang forum. But I do not think asking why you were given a hard time when a 15 year old was not is the most mature response for the topic.

I remember a "poser" is an old skateboarding term used to describe bad skaters. I hardly feel it is an accurate description of Mr. Carmichael, who has been working with venomous snakes longer than you or I have been alive. I think the "curator" title at the bottom of his posts should have clued you in on that.

And I also want to say I am a bit jealous of the snake on the way. Have fun with it and show some nice photos.

This Boiga species has caused at least one human fatality. And several bad envenomations.
For information on toxins check out Dr. Fryes site but also obtain peer reviewed papers and books. The internet is a place for general questions but when talking toxins it is best to go to journals that deal with toxins (Toxicon is a good example).

Jim Harrison

For venom try here..

Hill, Robert. "Characterization of venom (Duvernoy's secretion) from twelve species of colubrid snakes and partial sequence of four venom proteins." Toxicon 38.12 (2000):1663-1687.

Broaders, Marie. "Partial purification of acetylcholine receptor binding components from the Duvernoy's secretions of Blanding's tree snake (Boiga blandingi) and the mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila)." Journal of natural toxins 8.2 (1999):155-166.

Broaders, Marie. "Enzymatic properties of the Duvernoy's secretion of Blanding's tree snake (Boiga blandingi) and of the mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila)." Toxicon 35.7 (1997):1143-1148.

Weinstein, SA. "Chromatographic profiles and properties of Duvernoy's secretions from some boigine and dispholidine colubrids." Herpetologica 49.1 (1993):78-94.

For Size start here....

Hughes, B. (2000). Polymorphism, sex, size and other aspects of theAfrican snake, Boiga blandingi . Herpetological Bulletin 74, 1473-0928, 8-12.