Reptile & Amphibian Forums

gotta love em!

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It's what you learn AFTER you know it all that counts!

Terry Phillip
Curator of Reptiles
Black Hills Reptile Gardens
Rapid City, SD.

www.reptilegardens.com

I don't normally post here but thats a beautiful pic of a beautiful animal. Pseudohaje isn't seen nearly enough even in advanced collections. Reputation stands to scrutiny as always I'm sure, are they as bad to deal with as rumor says ? It looks like a young animal, how old/long is it ?
Curiously (envious)
KyleO

There is probably a good reason they aren't seen very often, even in 'advanced collections.' I've never handled one myself, but know several experienced herpers who have and have described them as "mambas on crack." I doubt they're quite *that* bad, but I'm sure they can be a handful. Combined with their size, agility, toxicity, and the fact that their venom isn't used in the production of any A/V anywhere - well, you get the idea. A solid bite from one and you may want to make out a will in a hurry.

There are several vens that people keep in collections for which there is no A/V available (Atheris, my little Aspidelaps, etc) but usually they aren't regarded as extremely dangerous. One cannot say the same about Pseudohaje.

Anyway, awesome animal! Was that one already in your collection, or is it the one that was popping up on the classifieds here?
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

Chance,
They're an enigmatic species you're right. I've heard the stories over and again as well, maybe sensation is at play. I'd imagine after routine is established, they're not much different then melanoleuca. Literature is so hard to come across with them, they have my curiosity picked. I had some writings by Trutneau translated, seems their much more aquatic then we give them credit for. In tune with their diet perhaps, but still an interesting side note to know they're at home just about anywhere. Anyway, I don't come here often and post less, but it was a nice treat to see a new picture. Thanks Terry,
Kyle

"they're not much different then melanoleuca"

Ah, well there's the problem! Lol, seriously, the only Naja that has ever truly given me a run for my money (and no, I'm not tooting my own horn, just relaying anecdotes) was a 5' female N. melanoleuca. I could only imagine what a partially or mostly arboreal, agile, hyper-active tree cobra would be like dealing with - again considering they don't have a proper a/v. Scary stuff. But amazing animals, nonetheless.
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

Hey Chance,
I know you weren't tooting your horn. The challenges most melanoleuca can present would be similar to Pseudohaje, supposedly. Keep in mind a five foot melanoleuca is still a young, hyper animal- fresh out of the shy jerky juvenile stage of life. Albeit- we're beating a dead horse with horror stories of these guys, both considered. Let's not drum up the bad. There's more interesting to be had. Has anyone produced them in the US ? I just read the late Curt Johnson kept a trio. Perhaps he had some success ? Nairobi bred them a few decades ago, (more recently aw well I'm sure) apparantly the babies were started on ranid frogs. I've heard they switch to rodents relatively easily, but again- strictly anecdotal. Anyone know of any breeding success with this species ?
Thanks,

Kyle

I was told by someone that the Golds offered in the classifieds was indeed Curts snake. I worked a few Golds when they came into our shop in the mid-nineties, but they were not as scary as Forests! LOL!

Randal