Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello everyone

i love herps, even venomous ones...i am absolutely fascinated by them...and i was just curious to see when you all started training to deal with venomous species, and how you did it...

i am only 16, and i know that most of you would agree that i am not experienced enough to deal with venomous...but i want to be a biologist (specializing in herpetology)...and it wouldn't do me much good trekking through unknown territory looking for venomous snakes & not knowing what to do with them once i captured them!

so, i am just curious to see what the venomous experts have to say about their snakes/lizards/etc...and how you got to be to the point where you could consider yourself "experienced"...

also, does anyone know about the regulations in PA? ...i've heard there aren't any laws banning venomous species in PA...but that some native species can not be kept without special permits...

i am seeking knowlege, and i found that first hand experience is the best way to get it.

thanks everyone!

jessica

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0.1.0 Hogg Island Boa
0.1.0 Albino Columbian Boa
0.0.1 Red Albino Cornsnake
0.0.1 Aberrant California Kingsnake
0.0.1 Musk Turtle
1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Argentine Black & White Tegu
1.0.0 Leopard Toad
0.0.1 Wolf Spider
1.2.0 Dogs
1.2.0 Cats
2.0.0 Rats
1.0.0 Rabbit
1.0.0 Gerbil

Hi:

Some townships have laws against keeping Venomous snakes. You need to "quietly" find out if there are any laws in your town. What I mean by "quietly", is that just by asking the wrong people could tip them off and they could put one on the books in no time flat.

I mentor people who desire to learn how to work with Venomous in the Montco area. I currently have no apprentices. I have a large and diverse collection, see link to my website. Contact me off site: cerastes@earthlink.net

Al

Deadly Beautiful

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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Greetings. After you hear my story of how I got into handling 'hots', you'll probably think that I'm the best person to get advice from. I'm from Eastern Montana, and pretty much here there's deer, antelope, gophers, and prairie rattlers(crotalus viridus viridus). Anybody from montana, wyoming, north and south dakota can relate to my story, but it sure freaks the hell out of naive folks from new york and the like. when I was 8, my family built a cabin on the shores of fort peck lake. No runnning water, so an outhouse was all we had. In order to get to this outhouse, roughly 30 yards from the back door of the cabin, the chances were always good of an encounter with mr. viridus. so I built myself a custom little hook, and felt secure in the knowledge that, as a montana boy, I can handle it. Anyway, before i ramble, what i'm saying is that at the age of 8, i was handling prairies very comfortably, much to the horror of relatives from chicago who would come visit. I guess from then on, i've been hooked on venomous snakes. So for me, the desire to handle 'hots' originated from necessity to use the outhouse!

I’m certainly not the most experienced keeper here, but I did start quite young with native diamondbacks, moccasins, pygmys and corals here in Florida. I actually had a permit back when it was five bucks, and got it as a sixteen year old. I had kept many types of harmless snakes, including some that were quite feisty and a challenge to maintain. I would recommend having a lot of experience with these types (water snakes, coachwhip, cribo, etc.) go beyond keeping corns, boas and those easily tamed types before you get in over your head. I was quite comfortable with my first venomous because I had worked on eye caps, assist sheds, etc with some very aggressive non-venomous first. I really think that counts a lot more that your age. It should be a natural progression.

Seriously...I'm another one that started poking at hots at a young age. I sold Florida hots to Indian Prairie Farm (Ross Allen's old place in Ocala) for milking. It paid squat, but the thrill of field herping made it worth it. Field herping is sort of like Christmas morning...but with lots of empty boxes, and a few good ones.

Flip!

Nothing

Flip!

Nothing

Flip!

WOW! LOOK AT THAT ONE!!!

LOL

But, anyway...I agree with "Upscale." Practice with some really unruly non-vens first and get used to hooking them (she’s young…so no “hooking jokes guys! LOL) and getting them in and out of their enclosure and safely into a holding tub. You could also get yourself a set of tubes and practice tubing them as well. Pretty much practice anything that you will face as a keeper of hots.

If you get tagged, realize that could be loss of limb, lingering disability, or death.

Mentoring is also a good thing. I got some schooling with someone experienced before I took home my first Naja.

Houston Area Reptile Enthusiasts

I just saw on the other part of the ven forum where you were unsuccessful with the baby King, very sorry for your loss. I was hoping to live vicariously through your experience with it and looking forward to future posts. Probably a few here who feel the same. We probably all feel your loss a little bit because of that. I envy those working with them.

venomous herps are great best to j/ not have thenm thougyh if you get bit you risk death or permanent tissue damage but its your choice

well Jessica im in the same exact position as you. im 15 and also an aspiring venomous keeper. what made me reply to this was the fact that i was at that same show on sunday with a friend of mine lol. i remember those hog islands. i dont remember seeing you though. i just thought id mention that lol.

BTW you dont need any permits to keep exotics in PA but you do need a rattlesnake hunters permit to keep timber rattlesnakes (but even then you can only legally keep one). however, these laws all vary by county. hope that helps.
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Dylan Lutz

1.1 BCI, 1.0 Bearded Dragon

I hope to god your joking

sorry I ment to reply to the previous message

hey jessica what show was that at in the pics was it from the radisson hotel in monreoville. or the palace inn ? i use to go to them too. i heard they banned copperheads in pa has anyone else heard that ?

this show was at the VFW in Mars, PA...

i didn't see any copperheads...but i did see cobras, rattlers, and a rhino viper...

i think its illegal to capture/own/buy/sell any native endangered or venomous species in PA...

so you wouldnt be able to have timber rattlers, rough green snakes (endangered), etc...
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0.1.0 Hogg Island Boa
0.1.0 Albino Columbian Boa
0.0.1 Red Albino Cornsnake
0.0.1 Aberrant California Kingsnake
0.0.1 Musk Turtle
1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Argentine Black & White Tegu
1.0.0 Leopard Toad
0.0.2 Wolf Spiders
1.2.0 Dogs
1.2.0 Cats
2.0.0 Rats
1.0.0 Rabbit
1.0.0 Gerbil

oh i didnt make it to that show looked like it was pretty packed in the pic, good to see that the show was pretty dead in butler and the hamor show was doing bad too