Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Stemming from the conversation below... I would think that barring personality (which in and of itself is very important) for choosing a first cobra...wouldn't venom type be also considered....

proposition: if I was to first get into cobra's who for me would be my first fast moving/flighty/agile hot.... wouldn't I also want a strictly neuro cobra so that if the time comes (if you play with fire, your going to get burned eventually) and the person gets bit... all that you would technically need is to get to a hospital and ask for ventilation/life support for a couple days and just ride it out not needed AV

Is my theory flawed? Please explain why?
Are there any cobras that are STRICTLY neurological in the effects of their venom? And what specie would they be?

Patrick, your theory is seriously flawed and here's why: all cobras have neurotoxic venom, but many, such as a monocled cobra
(Naja kaouthia), have strong necrotic fractions in it as well. What this means is that while a respirator would probably keep you alive, there's quite a good chance that the necrosis, without AV, would do a serious number on the bite site. I'm sure the resident toxinologists can go into greater detail on the subject.
While by no stretch of the imagination am I an expert, from the looks of your post, you're far from ready for a cobra. Learning from a mentor would be a lot safer. Not slamming you, just suggesting.
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Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

I was considering getting a cobra and someone suggested an Indian cobra as a first. But after some serious thought and research, I decided not to take the risk. They are beautiful snakes and very fascinating, but I have a 5 1/2 foot western coachwhip with a bad attitude and I imagined him with venom. Considering how fast and unpredictable he is, and how many times he has bitten me, I dont think Im ready for that. But cobras remain some of my favorite snakes.

Several problems come to mind:

1) I don't think there are any purely neurotoxic cobras (even to the extent that mambas are).

2) Some of the closest ones tend to be the most difficult to handle. Forest cobras come to mind, which shouldn't be your fifth cobra, let alone your first.

3) You might die of respiratory failure (or be a vegetable) before the ambulance arrives.

4) Check out the price of spending a few days on a respirator, and antivenom will start to look cheap (antivenom for most cobras is nowhere near the price of antivennom for U.S. snakes, although transportation can get expensive if you don't live in South Florida or somewhere similar).
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

Water cobras pure neuro
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Archie Bottoms

A lot of noobs are under the impression that these venoms are like a massive bee sting or something.

Bites are an extreme medical emergency that will result in death, severe disfigurement, skin grafts, permanent loss of function(s) scars, etc.

With very good medical care, you do have a chance to survive. With that and a lot of luck too, you will be o.k., but that is not automatic even with the best care.

So many of the Animal Planet shows reenact venomous snake bites with actors playing the bite victim and happy ending that the harsh truth of grotesque disfigurement and death are usually not seen in your dinner-time program. They tend to dramatize the cases where the victim lives to tell the tale and the medical team look like heroes. Which if you live, they are.

Not trying to be dramatic, but I have been messing with them a long time. I am still gaining more respect for these creatures almost every day.

Keeping any of them is really not worth it if it is just a whim, a fad, your latest “thing” or curiosity. You really have to ask yourself “why?” and why is it better than every non-venomous snake in the world you could choose from.

It is a serious commitment that requires all the safety protocol of any zoo or institution properly equipped to maintain venomous reptiles. Because it is an extreme specialty animal.

Here’s two (frozen) venom extractions in 1.5ml tubes. These are from one milking each, typical yield. The one on the left is 106mg Mojave rattlesnake. One of the hottest snakes in North America. The other is 1390mg of Indian cobra.

Without antivenom, pronto, the cobra will easily kill you dead. Serious snake. Strong neurotoxin, strong local necrosis and strong cardiotoxin. Massive quantity. Maybe seeing this makes an impression.

I am certainly not new to hots... I keep a small collection so far, all US native crotes... I will tell you straight that I KNOW i am not ready, I was just under the interpretation and was clearly fixed on my misconception, this is why I love this board although some flaws obviously exist It has been great learning from everyone's knowlege on the subject. As it stands right now I live in a state that doesn't allow exotic hots and so until I move I wouldn't be able to get experience with anything other then crotes but look forward to the day when I can

Umm...I'm not quite sure how to respond to this. All of your Naja are neurotoxic....a few African Naja spitters give you the best of both worlds with neuro&hemotoxicity : ) Yay. Riding out a bite w/out AV, that is laughable. You will die with supportive treatment alone...or either remain on that said supportive treatment for the remainder of your miserable life and probably be on hemodialysis for the rest of your life...that is if you don't die due to another fun fact about Naja venom composition: it will destroy your nice little kidneys you have : ) You have a lot of research to do...
Drew.

I am, like you only experienced with NA venomous and will not take this risk keeping any Naja species. I do find them fascinating and would recommend you look into keeping some harmless Drymarchon species. I keep them and find them to be so much like Cobras just lacking the lethal venom.

I had to take an eye cap off my Spectacled cobra this morning. He’s about four feet long and can move really fast when he wants to. I do love this snake, he’s very cool. I understand the attraction to want to keep one. You have to realize that they do require occasional hands on things like that. I have seen people keeping snakes they were afraid to deal with, or not prepared to deal with, let the snake retain eye caps or worse rather than have to deal with it. That’s not cool at all. That is just one simple example that happens almost ever time my snake sheds. Maybe I should try to figure out why, but that’s another story... My point is that it is a big commitment and you are obligated to their care unless you are a real ahole and are just going to let them go down hill until they die. Get a lot of time in maintaining all kinds of snakes and work your way up as you are comfortable and competent and confident that you can deal with whatever comes up. You keep at it long enough, and you can get there. I’m not allowed to keep Indigo snakes where I live, but I use to. They are way cooler than cobra’s, to be honest.

the MOST COMMONLY kept cobras are monocleds, have you seen the damage their bites do to people, it doesnt look fun in the least.