Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is there any one within a 2.5 hour drive from Philly who keeps naja and would be willing to show me how to work with them? I do have some venomous experience and plan to continue my education with venomous animals. I’m no where near keeping a cobra but I’d like to know more (hands on) of what I am going to be dealing with. I have what you would call a mentor (you know who you are!) who keeps BEAUTIFUL animals and I have learned a lot from him but he does not currently keep naja. If any one is willing please reply or send me an email.

Thank you,
Dave

Dave,
You might want to give some more details on your experience and some personal info such as your age. Overall your request was refreshing compared to other similar requests. Good luck finding a Naja mentor. Physically I find them easier to deal with than most crotalids but mentally they are a different animal. Don't let your guard down.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education

Tim,
My first hot was a Dusky pygmy purchased from my mentor at a show. I was told the Dusky was a LTC but a few weeks after i had him he died...(everything appeared to be normal). i've been keeping ball pythons and boas BCI for four years so im very confident i was on top of his husbandry needs. i also recently babysat a friends copperhead for 2.5 weeks. currently im looking into a desert horned viper but i have another species in mind, Atheris squamigera and im talking to others and doing research and what not. the hamburg show im coming up so we will see . anyhow that is my experiance at this point. im working my way towards Naja naja kaouthia. as far as my age im 25.
hope that was a bit more insight! Thank you for your reply!
Dave
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Thanks,
Dave

1.0 Leucistic rat
0.2 Norm Ball Python
1.0 Pastel Ball Python
0.1 Norm BCI
1.0 hypo X hog (sunset cross)
1.1 Anery 66% het stripped snow BCI

Sorry I cannot direct you to anyone but I would think you might be better off if you request to be mentored working with other native hots longer by someone who keeps cobras as well. This could give you the opportunity of a few years of shadowing while refining your work with vipers which ride a hook a little better.

and oops . i know i still need to learn and im doing so. im looking for anyone who keeps hots but like you said keeps naja as well. i have tools for multiple jobs and neither of the hots i had hooked at all. my dusky wouldnt hook to save my life, eben with two hooks so i made a trap box for him. the copper head was a little bit better but not by much.
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Thanks,
Dave

1.0 Leucistic rat
0.2 Norm Ball Python
1.0 Pastel Ball Python
0.1 Norm BCI
1.0 hypo X hog (sunset cross)
1.1 Anery 66% het stripped snow BCI

Well Naja is not likely to hook better than a rattle snake. But I have seen a few copperheads which handle like a colubrid (fast). They seem to be hit or miss with how they ride hooks. I like to use two hooks for almost everything because its hard to tell what you will expect. I could also use the practice.

Good luck

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.

Believe me when i tell you i know Naja is in a world of its own. I am and will continue to hone my skills and work with native species as well as others. I'm not looking for a cobra next week or next month. I know I have a LOT to learn. All i'm looking for is someone who keeps in their collection who can gi ve me advice and pointers. It doesnt have to be hands on but like I said I want to see first hand. When i met up with my mentor i was able to see severl species in his collection. i was able to see tools and tricks and feeding. i was also able to watch his behavior around each animal. I believe he has a GOOD size puff adder? Just his expressions around the animal was MORE than enough for me to see how deadly they can be. So again I want to see what i am getting my self into in the future.
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Thanks,
Dave

1.0 Leucistic rat
0.2 Norm Ball Python
1.0 Pastel Ball Python
0.1 Norm BCI
1.0 hypo X hog (sunset cross)
1.1 Anery 66% het stripped snow BCI