Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just wondering what the availability of this Australian snake is in the U.S. I know full well that exporting these animals from Australia is illegal, but who knows? I have seen someone in the classifieds selling the King Brown snake, so I thought maybe someone in the States might have this species. Has anyone here ever kept them in the past?

Jeff H.

The "King Brown" you've seen is actually from PNG most likely (SE Irian Jaya). Someone in Texas was trying to breed Common Browns last year but I don't think he was able to hatch the eggs succesfully. I have not heard from him in a while...Yikes!! The only other guy is from across the pond, he's have good sucess.

I was just in Australia herping in Feb. This was the only snake out of all of the hot serpents they truely fear. It has a very nasty disposition and will not hesitate to have a go at ya if you muck with them. The A/V is not common in the USA and very expensive to import. It usually takes a larger amount of A/V because the venom does not produce large quanities of antibodies in horses. While in Australia and man was killed even with A/V after mucking around with a 30 inch long specimen.

Some things are better left alone.

Cheers!

Al

Wild photographed Austrelaps ramsayi, Highland Copperhead

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Confidence is what you feel before you comprehend the situation.

Thanks for the information. I definitely do realize that these snakes are very dangerously venomous, but I have been interested in them for some time. If I ever came accross any in the future and actually obtained any specimens, this is most definitely a species where I would be using a whole lot of transfer boxes with nice, tight fitting "trap" doors as well as a shield(s) if neccesary. I would be willing to take just about ZERO chances with this species. Do you have any idea why the guy in Texas didn't have success breeding them? Any idea where he got his specimens from? I wonder if anyone at the Daytona Venomous Reptile Expo might have them? Also, since you usually have some great photos that you share with everyone, did you happen to capture any shots of this snake when you were in Australia? I'd love to see them if you have them.

Jeff H.

Hi:

While in Australia I did not find any. I wanted to but sort of glad I did not. I just know to catch a wild one safely you have to be at the top of your game and I was out of practice.

Fortunately I'm good at finding things and I located the post where I discussed P. textillis with him.

See: http://www.venomousreptiles.org/forums/Experts/16918

I always fear not for the keeper but the ones living with him. If one of those gets free (or any other Hot snake) and bites some kid, it's game over for all venomous keepers across the USA.

Good Luck,

Al

WC & Released Pseudechis porphyriacus

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Confidence is what you feel before you comprehend the situation.

Sadly, I think we all know it's just a matter of time before some moron does something REALLY tragic garnering major media attention.

Just in recent years we've had the guy found dead near the Arkansas airport with the box full of snakes...a 10 year old (approx.) suffocated by a python and the woman bitten by the cobra some guy was keeping at his place in an aquarium.

We also have the guy that "lost" a sawscale viper in his apt. building (found it in his room later), the cobra found in bushes outside an apt. building (escapee) and the King Cobra (venemoid) found in a guys garage in Florida.

Top it off with the guy that let all kinds of snakes go down in FL and they had to be hunted down after a neighbor found a King Cobra in his front yard.

It's coming folks...someone kid is going to get nailed and killed while playing in his own yard...the owner will be located and do 5-10 years for negligent homicide and the screws will continue to tighten on the hobby.

I'm thinking that some sort of licensing like FL with Felony charges for unlicensed keeperssellers will be the likely outcome.

There is a small population of Pseudonaja cf. textilis in the south-east of PNG, and from there snakes are occasionally imported into Europe. I keep textilis (a male of almost 6 ft. length, two females of 4 ft. length and two subadults) for several years now. The snakes are extremely fast, very alert and nervous (in that respect typical lizard hunters), but once they have adjusted to captivity they are not aggressive. Needless to say that they don't stay on a hook, but they can be handled well with gloves (very short fangs). However, I definitely cannot recommend textilis to people inexperienced with elapids; furthermore, the youngsters are a pain feedingwise. One captive born subadult I am forcefeeding for more than 16 months now. Apart from these difficulties: great snakes!

Best,
Klaus

Hey Klaus.

Thanks for the reply!

You wouldn't happen to have any pics of any of your specimens, do you?

Jeff H.

Hi Jeff,

yeah, I got pics. If you send me your email address, I'll attach them to the reply mail (got problems posting pics at the forum).

Best,

Klaus

Hi Klaus.

I am trying to send you a private message and it hasn't worked for a couple of days now. Any ideas? I don't really want to post my email address on the forums.

Jeff H.

>>There is a small population of Pseudonaja cf. textilis in the south-east of PNG, and from there snakes are occasionally imported into Europe.

Klaus,

Aren't the imports to Europe more likely to be from the population around Merauke, Indonesian Papua (formerly Irian Jaya)? PNG does not normally export wildlife, whereas Indonesia is more than well known for that...

Schöne Grüsse,

Wolfgang
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WW Home

Wolfgang,

..you're right, mine are definitely from the Merauke area. Some years ago, Duncan McRae was importing them occasionally.

Best,

Klaus