Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all.

I've never posted here, and probably won't again because I can't imagine ever owning a venomous snake myself. I have a lot of respect for those of you who do, though!

My daughter (who loves snakes with a passion) and I were at the zoo the other day and saw this beauty. I'd never seen one so close before. He (she?) was active and posing for us. I was struck by the sheer beauty of the animal, as well as how incredibly soft it looked. My question for you is: Are they truly as velvety to the touch as they look? Or is it an optical illusion due to the fantastic coloration of their scales?

You can see my daughter's reflection in the picture, which I thought was a nice touch since this is one of her favorite species. Hope you enjoy.....

Judy

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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)

Yes, their upper body is very soft to the touch. Their bottom is rather scaling, not rough, just plastic like and similar to that of many sankes. But the upper side is very soft.

Oh great, they're cute AND cuddly. Like I needed another reason to get one!
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"The serpent crams itself with animal life that is often warm and vibrant, to prolong an existence in which we detect no joy and no emotion. It reveals the depth to which evolution can sink when it takes the downward path and strips animals to the irreducible minimum able to perpetuate a predatory life in its naked horror."
Alexander Skutch

Well a smart hot keeper does not generaly caress their venomous snakes...... Gaboons are not vert soft to the touch..... Whith adults the scales are as large as a pinky nail in some parts of the body...... Especialy from the mid section down...... Gaboon are some of the most impressive venomous snakes in the world...... Lots of people get lured into thinking they are good hots to keep because of their "placidness" but they can and will bite if give the chance..... And the venom is very destructive....... It is a mixture of hemo, cyto and nurotoxins that plays some serious havic on the human body...... Bites can easily be fatal depending on how big the individual is(both human and snake) and the placement of the bite...... Here is a pic of one of my females.....

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Trust me, I will not be lured into keeping any hot snakes! That is one animal I am content to admire from afar. But admire I most certainly will.

So are you saying they aren't as soft as they look? Is it an illusion because of their coloration? Or is it like the other guy said, that they are soft at the top but scaley underneath? I realize they are not for caressing, no matter how soft they are...but since I will probably never have the opportunity to touch one, I'm really curious about how they actually feel.

Thanks for all the input guys!
Judy
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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)

The scales on gaboons are rough scales.... The are kealed..... The pattern and coloration may break it up alittle and give it thae soft velvety look...... They are less rough than a puff adder but are still not smooth and soft..... I dont know how big the one you saw was but the female in the pic I posted is over 5 ft long and you can clearly see the scale definition in her......

Well, i guess my definition needs some explaining.

Soft compared to a pillow or blanket? No.

Soft compared to most other reptiles? Yes.

I have a 28"ish gaboon and a 36"ish Cal King. In camparison, the Cal King is more like a python or boa to the touch. Looks slimy but is really rather smooth. The gaboon, which looks rough or velvety rough, really isn't. Alot smoother and softer than say a rattle snake or cobra. But, maybe that has to do with the size of my snake.

-B

My curiosity has been appeased, at least as far as it can be without direct physical contact. I appreciate the time you took to answer!

Happy herping...
Judy
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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)