Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey, after a good year of thinking, i mad eup my mind i wnat 2 get my first venomous snake. And it will be T. albolaris, but as I told this news 2 one of my herperfriends he told me that i would not be such a good idear, because the venom goes up in to the air, thus i would inhale it and become sick or allergic 2 the venom. It sounds like al lot of BS 2 me but i want check everything before i go out and get one.

Futhermore if i would get tagt, what can expect. i know that is very persondepended but just give me an idear or share your experience.

thank you for your help

regards danny

First thing I would do is find a new friend. Second....Get to a good book source and do the research. You seem to me to be one who is a long way off from keeping anything venomous. This is an area of husbantry that by necessity requires education...These are animals that can cause serious harm (or death) with one small mistake by the keeper. Invest in the books and if you can, ask the advice of a responsible (profesional) snake keeper-like at your local Zoo.
For the record... you are in more danger from sticking your head up a car tail pipe, or smoking-than from inhailing T.a. venom. It is a viper, not a spitting cobra...Frank

By the way...You did not say what state you are in. You really need to find out what permits and/or state licenses you need to have. Don't ask your friend....Frank

thank you for your reply, dont worry about me not knowing enough about them, i still havent purchased one. I just decided i will some time in the future, after i purchased some books, talk too some keepers, like you have mentioned.

As i said the inhaling seemed very unlikely 2 me, but i just want check everything twice before i start keeping them.

I know they can be fatal, and i'll be as carefull as i possible can. Just looking for expirensis other folks have with them.

regards danny

If you get "tagt," you can expect huge hospital bills (not covered by insurance), maybe some internal bleeding, intesnse swelling (which could require a nice fasciotomy) that lasts for a week or two, some necrosis, maybe an amputation...and that's if you get lucky and don't die of an allergic reaction to the venom and/or from going into shock.

Don't take this the wrong way, but your questions show that you have not done enough research to even think about getting into keeping venomous snakes. I'm only saying that for your own safety and because the herp community doesn't need any more problems from people getting killed by their pets.

-Anthony

>>hey, after a good year of thinking, i mad eup my mind i wnat 2 get my first venomous snake. And it will be T. albolaris, but as I told this news 2 one of my herperfriends he told me that i would not be such a good idear, because the venom goes up in to the air, thus i would inhale it and become sick or allergic 2 the venom. It sounds like al lot of BS 2 me but i want check everything before i go out and get one.
>>
>>Futhermore if i would get tagt, what can expect. i know that is very persondepended but just give me an idear or share your experience.
>>
>>thank you for your help
>>
>>regards danny
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Anthony Caponetto
http://reptiles.drivennewmedia.com

Thanks for the correction....I am notoriously bad at sppelling.....Frank

hey Guys,

I understand your concerns, especcially when i read back my questions. I tend 2 type fast and not look back wheter what i typed was correct or not, even the stupid mistake of misspelling albolabris on 2 occions i noticed that myself and corrected it in the first reply i made.

I know that any bite can be deadly and i'm very well aware of that, before i'll get bitten i dont know how i will respond too the venom so i'll treat this snake like it is deadly just like i would treat any other venomous snake, ignoring their venomenesness. just be as cosios as i can be

I knew all the sysmptoms i researched that long before i posted this question. I was only interested in personal experiences of getting 'tagt'

Futher more if i should get bitten my insurance covers me, checked that as well.

I've got huge respect for these snakes, i've been working on the viv plans for quite a while including safetywalls automatic watering system. buzzer if viv left open, 2 'doors' before entering. always having proper protective clothing, good tools and phone with me.

also before getting the animal, i'll be trainig how 2 handle venomous snakes with a very experienced herper. With whom i also spoke about keeping these guys for several hours.

But i do appreciatte you reacting too such a post in they way you guys did, like on of you mentioned before the last thing we can use is, somebody dying because of his pet snake, or letting it escape.

I know how you guys feel i'm also a crocodile enthusiast and once at a fair allmost got into fight because some idiot purchased a spectical caiman, who didn't have a clue of what he just bought. When i try too talk him reason into him, he went mad. One other incident on the fair in hamm last february when some seller told a guy that the albolabris bite could be compared with a bee sting!! thats when i moved in telling the guy that he could in fact die of a bite. All the seller did was give me an angry look.

I hope i convinced all of you that i'm very serious about these animals. That why i wanted 2 check even the most unlikely thing as the inhaling of venom with you.

thank you for your help and concerns

regards danny

Sounds like your heart is in the right place....But seriously, a lot of very experienced keepers have gotten bit. The biggest mistake I see over and over is the buy first-learn later herper. So hit those books seriously, check your state regulations and pay attention to qualified herpers. We are all students. Anyone who claims to have all the answers is just ripe for an axcident. Good luck, Frank

A good reference source is Zoo Book sellers. You can find them online.

hello rearfang,

i've keeping reptiles for 7 years now, think everybody once bought an animal and then started learning about it, in most cases like mine, these where harmless herps, and in those cases omly the animal sufferd, and you feel like a complete idiot. But such a mistake can be fatal in the case of venomous snakes

Unfortunaly no one can be 100% sure, but it is the trick 2 come as close too the 100 aspossible. I think one should allways be aware of the danger your in every time you come near to the animal a lot of bites i think occur because people trust their snakes, instead of always being cosios, for all i heard Bitis gabonica is noturious for striking when least expected.

i've kept numours snakes also some agressive ones, and i've never been bitten in 7 years, that is a number of which i'm very proud. lets hope i'l keep that number troughtout eternity

thanks for the information, first up is fair in hamm, where i can see the animals and meet more keepers.

regards danny