Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok i know this is the question everyone hates to answer but i am considering obtaining my first hot, and i need some advice. Ive kept a few snakes over the years, but ive mostly just kept lizards. Ive really become interested in some of the arboreal vipers, and just wanted to get some thoughts on different species. Im, basically looking for something that would make a nice display animal and isnt excessivley agressive/venemous... thanks for any help

Err this is always a tough one to tackle. It's like giving a child advice/instruction on handling a loaded gun (not that you are a child).
With that said, you mentioned you have kept some snakes. Were any of the species aggressive? There is a huge difference between having a "pet" in a cage and something that is willing to bite you. I would suggest getting some experience handling a aggressive nonvenomous snake first. In my experience Texas rat snakes and most of the water snakes (broad banded, yellow bellied and diamondback) have attitude. If you can find any wild specimens, use them. Practice using a hook and manipulate the snakes head with the hook while holding its tail to prevent it from being able to escape or turn on you and strike. While they do not move the exact same way as some of the hots, it will give you safe hook practice. Once you have the hook down try to find a venomous keeper who will give you some pointers on your technique as well as some supervised handling. This may be hard to do as some people dont want the liability. Being able to find someone who will help you learn how to handle a hot is INVALUABLE.
I think I would stay away from the arboreal snakes. While not all of them are hard to handle I can see an accident coming from the snake wrapping itself around a limb at cleaning time, a person getting impatient to secure the snake, taking a chance and being bitten. If it was my first, I would choose something native to the state I lived in. That way if there is a envenomation, you are not sitting in ICU waiting for your antivenin to be medi-flighted to you. I have a friend who was bitten by his monacle cobra in Miami. He survived but his hospital bill was over 100K. Thats something to consider.
So if you live in the US, that leaves several species of rattlesnake, moccasins, copperheads and coral snakes. I'd stay away from the corals. They are hard to keep in captivity. Some of the smaller species of rattlesnakes out west pack a monster bite. I think one of the members here was bitten by a pacific rattlesnake and it was quite the ordeal. I think a moccasin or a copperhead would be best for a first hot here in the US. They have nasty dispositions at first, but they calm down pretty fast.
My first hot was a eastern diamondback. After that I picked up a Gaboon viper. I have had the gabbie for almost 15 years with no close calls. I still use a hook just as a precaution.
Be careful and good luck. There is alot of research to do before taking on such a huge responsibility.

I would also stay away from aborials. Too much care with misting and humidity. I loved my temple viper that I had 20 years ago but do to the constant upkeep, I sold him. Cotton mouths are more dangeous than a copperhead and the copperhead in my oppinion are much prettier. I just picked up a beautiful southern in Hamburg this past weekend. He ate a big fat mouse the very first day. I've had several cobras and several rattlesnakes in the past. Gave them up with the birth of my children. I say copperhead, BUT please heed the great earlier advice about working with a nasty watersnake. If you can work with him on a hook daily for a year without even a close call, then I say you MIGHT be ready. Good luck

Before getting the HOT, check the book "Venomous Snakes in Captivity: Safety and Husbandry" by B.W. Smith. It will help you have your set up done right.

Doug T

That was one of the best responses to this often asked question. No preaching and eye-rolling here we go again attitude. Straight answer to a simple question. I hope that attitude spreads here. I do personally like a water moccasin, probably because I had one for a long time and it was very easy to keep. I can’t think of anything simpler. I always recommend getting a lot of experience with semi aggressive or flighty types before making the jump into hots. Ball pythons and corn snakes are not experience that counts for much. When you’re ready, the type really doesn’t matter that much.

WOW, thanks for the great tips guys, its refreshing for a noob to get the info they asked for and not just get flamed. Much thanks to everyone for their input, kingsnake is a great community. Ive been searching the web for general info on hots (tecniques, husbandry etc) and im having a bit of trouble locating solid info, if anyone knows of any good resources they would be much apprecitated.... thanks again for the excellent response everyone

hah one more thing guys, your advice has swayed me and i have decided to take your advice and start with something non venemous, does anyone have any suggestions as to what species fit these kind of agressive and or flighty behaviours? I would like something that i can display, and if it isnt going to be hot i guess origin of the species dosent matter ... anyone got more suggestions now? hah

A friend of mine just caught a 74" Texas rat snake. It is a handful! A very pretty snake too. I would really try my hand at one of the large water snakes. They are nasty! I have gotten more than a few war wounds from grabbing one.

I'm not sure where you are from but I'm from CT. and I gotta tell ya that when you have a 3ft northern watersnake attach itself to your hand, you know it. In my opinion It's a great teacher!! lol Also, not a bad looking snake. Sometimes has nice bold chestnut reds

An agressive Blood Python might behave similar to pit vipers and have to same body shape so if your willing to spend sime $ that might be something to think about.

Once you’ve had some face time with a spilote (hopefully not too literally!), a flighty cribo, a coachwhip basically any of those that will flat out tag you if you don’t come ready for the match, you do start to prepare yourself for the way snakes will think, react and present themselves in offensive and defensive modes. It can be quite a learning experience when you get into those “without the glass” times. You’ll have those moments where you’ll think “I’m glad that wasn’t a…” , fill in blank with that hot you were thinking about getting.

I treat all my snakes like they are venomous.I think slender hognose vipers are a good first.false water cobra is a good first a mangrove is likely to bite so if you want aggresive there you go.My porthidium are very easy to keep for a pit viper.
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man o' man! I disagree with Slender Hognose Vipers being a good first hot.
They are TOO fast to work on a hook when they want to be and are not predictable, and their bite is really serious.

I maintain 3 pairs, and currently have 9 offspring born last month. Baby Porthidium can be just as bad as the adults, regarding behavior.

Thats my 2 cents. Try a copperhead instead.

Randal Berry

I would suggest the Boiga species. (mangrove) I kept 2 and one was docile and the other very aggresive to say the least. However, they do require a lot of care. Hunidity control, higher temps,misting, large cage etc. Easy to clean cage during the day as they hide and come back out at night. Will try to climb a hook to get you. However if you do get tagged most likely nothing will happen unless you're allergic to the venom. These snakes have to hold on to envenomate, so if you let them hold on the reaction can be a little more severe. I think any viper would not be a good first hot. A mistake with a copperhead will be a trip to the hospital, and excruciating pain.

Randal is correct a copperhead would be better . My baby porths are very fast very very fast .My larger ones are used to cage cleaning being hooked but they all feed very well .As do my rozei. I just love my little hoggies so much I was not thinking about all aspects of giving advice .There are so many awsome nons out there I honestly cant give advice on a first hot except good cageing dont under estimate the snake or over estimate yourself always be safe.
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If you are truly determined for your first hot to be an arboreal, try keeping a cook's tree boa for a year to give you some experience on how to handle an arboreal without getting nailed... I guarantee you that a cook's will let you know when you mess up.

That being said, perhaps a pope's tree viper would be a good one.
They are beautiful and not too difficult to take care of. They are unlikely to kill you, but if you get bit, your hospital bill may make you want to die anyway.

If arboreal is not necessarily a "must", then the advice from everyone else is great. Copperheads, dusky pigmy's and banded-rock rattlers are nice in starters in my opinion.