Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi all, I have a lot of experience with snakes, but none with any that are (dangerously) venomous. I absolutely love the gaboons, but would never start off with one for my first hot. What would be a good "starter hot" that would help me prepare for a gaboon? I doubt I'll be getting any soon, but in the future I really like the idea of having a few of the hots, especially the vipers (they are so beautiful with their ground patterns). Would a copperhead be a good beginner hot? I also find them very very beautiful. Thanks!
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-David

Check out my pet pics at:
http://www.myspace.com/obx_fisherman

1.0 ball python (Pandora - don't ask)
1.0 argentine boa (Prometheus)
0.1 hogg island boa (Andromeda)
0.0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (Inara)
1.0 kenyan sand boa (Diablo)
1.0 normal corn snake(Cypress)
0.1 amery. corn snake (Morgan LaFay)
0.0.2 baby corns (Romulus and Remus)
- 1 normal, 1 ghost
0.0.1 banded cali. kingsnake (Cain)
1.0 tangerine honduran milksnake (Narcissus)
0.0.1 snow corn snake (Valkyrie)
1.0 amazon tree boa (Pegasus)
1.0 colombian boa (Poseidon)
0.1 albino san diego gopher snake (Athena)
0.0.1 sandfish skink (Slick)
0.0.1 fire skink (Phoenix)
1.0 dog (Luke)

the wife's pets:
1.0 bearded dragon (Leonidas)
1.1 ferrets (Ares, Enyo)
1.2 cats (Galahad, Ripley and Sassy)
0.1 Boxer (Zoe)

NEWEST ADDITIONS:
1.0 adult Dumeril's boa
0.0.1 baby yellow amazon tree boa

There are a few perspectives on how to look at this scenario. Here's mine. I treat them all like a live fragmentation grenade. Always ready to hit you. I feel that starting out with one that is less dangerous has the potential to allow for complacency which can eventually kill you. I started out with a Southern Pacific Rattlesnake. A local species that I extracted from someone's yard. SPRs' always seem to be in a perpetual strike position.
You will need some handling equipment. Also locks for all venom ous cages. The attached photos show the equipment I use. I claim no expertise but have been at it with a couple hots for about 2 years now and loving it.
Also, nice reptile collection. We have a zoo too.

Cheers

There really is no "beginner hot"....Any front fanged, venomous snake has the potential to make your life mserable (or end it), and so all are deserving of the utmost care and respect. If your passion is vipers, my recommendation is to find a responsible keeper and learn, learn, learn....apprentice for a couple years on the species you wish to keep....

There really is no substitute for keeping a gaboon...in order to "get it" you have to well....work with gaboons. Each animal has unique personality, and unique quirks....While some may be kept in similar conditions, this is true. Keeping a copperhead won't necessarily prepare you for working with gaboons...any more than keeping a gaboon would prepare me for working with a fer-de-lance....You will learn about GENERAL venomous snake protocols, but if the habits of the animal are different than what you have experience with, you won't learn about successful maintenance of that particular species unless you work with them yourself.

Find a keeper that works with the species you're interested in, and learn as much as you can from them....That's my take

-AzAtrox

I agree with AzAtrox 100%. Find someone who has experience working with the species you want to keep and get them to mentor you. You need hands on training from someone who works with and knows the habits of the species you are interested in keeping. There is a lot of difference between handling a harmless species and handling a copperhead, just as there is a lot of difference between handling a copperhead and handling a cobra. If you are committed to doing it....do it right.
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Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
www.southwesternherp.com

Listen to azatrox if you care about this hobby. Consider it this way. Stuff you do in general which hurts you is really your problem. That, however, isn't the case with venomous. Your actions reflect on everyone. So, it isn't wise to just jump into the hobby unprepared, even if that means going for a "starter".

Another way to think about stepping stones. Can you be prepared to have a firearm by buying a bb gun and really knowing that bb gun? Personally, I'd hope not. Firearms are quite different than co2 powered bb or pellet guns. It's the same thing with snakes. Work all the mean watersnakes you want, but it will never compare to/be the same as working with a viper.

All the above is excellent advice. One thing I might add is that if & when you do own a gabonica, bear in mind that they get extremely large & proportionately heavy. If they are lifted with a standard hook, ribs may be broken. The larger animals require special equipment. A hook made from inch and a half or two inch wide material instead of tubular material is a good start. That or a snow shovel.

~~Greg~~
Florida's Venomous Snakes

Here’s what you’ll need!

I would like to know where to obtain this tool. He's only half grown now at about 2.5 ft. He's already quite heavy. I currently use two hooks to move him but this tool, odd looking but highly functional, would do nicely.

Ha ha I created this tool with a fabulous program, maybe you’ve hard of it? It’s called “Paint”! I seriously thought some version of this (use your imagination) actually would be useful for heavy bodied snakes. The shovel end is on a grander scale, but I use a spatula to pick up some small snakes rather than “pinch” them trying to pick them up with my chubby fingers. It really works well for me (not for hots, of course) I’d like some sort of tong that works like that.

Yes I have heard of paint. Who hasn't? I thought you were serious. My mistake.

Any metal shop should be able to create what you need. Draw them a picture or tell them what you want. Better yet, bring them a hook & tell 'em you want one out of quarter inch thick by 1 1/2" wide aluminum with the straight end a little long & ground down to fit into a shaft. Have them smooth the end and all edges. Using two of those at a time would be even better.

~~Greg~~

Had not considered fabrication. Thank you for the idea. I work as a microwave test engineer. We have a machine shop I could take the raw materials into.

thanks for your help! And thanks for the compliment on my collection...I do feel like I have a zoo at times...I tell people that come over that there is a $5 admission fee to get in lol. What all do you have in your collection?
-----
-David

Check out my pet pics at:
http://www.myspace.com/obx_fisherman

1.0 ball python (Pandora - don't ask)
1.0 argentine boa (Prometheus)
0.1 hogg island boa (Andromeda)
0.0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (Inara)
1.0 kenyan sand boa (Diablo)
1.0 normal corn snake(Cypress)
0.1 amery. corn snake (Morgan LaFay)
0.0.2 baby corns (Romulus and Remus)
- 1 normal, 1 ghost
0.0.1 banded cali. kingsnake (Cain)
1.0 tangerine honduran milksnake (Narcissus)
0.0.1 snow corn snake (Valkyrie)
1.0 amazon tree boa (Pegasus)
1.0 colombian boa (Poseidon)
0.1 albino san diego gopher snake (Athena)
0.0.1 sandfish skink (Slick)
0.0.1 fire skink (Phoenix)
1.0 dog (Luke)

the wife's pets:
1.0 bearded dragon (Leonidas)
1.1 ferrets (Ares, Enyo)
1.2 cats (Galahad, Ripley and Sassy)
0.1 Boxer (Zoe)

NEWEST ADDITIONS:
1.0 adult Dumeril's boa
0.0.1 baby yellow amazon tree boa

You have here some solid advice from experienced keepers. I have maintained hots for 40 years or so and I will add just one point. Start with a young one. Then as it gets bigger and heavier you will grow with it and so will your experience.

This exactly what I did. I had been workng with rattlers for a couple years when a chance encounter enabled me to bring this guy home. I could not resist. Fascinating animal. I have never seen anything strike so fast.