What got you started in keeping venemous? As a kid, I started catching/keeping snakes within walking distance of my house; hognose, grey rats, banded-water, black-racers, garters, and scarlet kings. When I caught my first cottonmouth, I thought it was fascinating. I find most snakes interesting. It's good that people have different 'favorites'; if you were intrigued by mountain kings, various pituophis, etc., and you were an authority on that specific specie, I would find that very cool. But what intrigues me is pit vipers.