I hope the dude that has a sister who wants a Gaboon can talk her out of it. You said she has no experience with a venomous snake right? This is not one to "start" on. Gaboon bites are among some of the worst bites I can imagine; right up there with a Puff Adder or a Rhino. She really should start by meeting someone who has a Gabby, and really research their habits before she just blindly goes and picks one up off the web. This is in no way shape or form a trolling post, she just needs to know what she's getting into and the gentleman asked.
1. HUGE FANGS: up to two inches
2. MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF VENOM: look at their glands
3. FAST AND UNPREDICTABLE: wild animal that can strike up to 28 ft. per second and they don't just let go.
4. PROPER CARE FOR THE ANIMAL: what happens when she needs to clean the environment the snake lives in? Asking someone else to pull the snake out is just gonna hurt someone or worse.
5. DEATH EVEN WITH MODERN MEDICAL CARE: many people have died by the bite of this animal even with modern medicine.
Those are just a few reasons I would try to talk her out of it, these snakes are to be treated with the utmost amount of respect. This is not your backyard rattlesnake, one wrong move can mean life or death and again this is not a good starter snake. They may be big and lazy looking but they strike swift and hard. And not to beat a dead horse anymore than I already have but I really can't imagine a worse bite besides a Rhino, puff adder or a Russel's. Their all right up there at the top of the 4 snakes "I" do not want to be hit by.
I think I've babbled enough just for her safety and the safety of others try to talk her out of it. Please others with Gabby exp. reply to this.
