Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Guys/Gals,
I am a highschool junior; but a fairly experienced herper nonetheless. I keep boids mostly, specializing in Green Tree Pythons. However, I have a decent amount of experience with venemous that I have found in the field (mostly Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouths, and Copperheads); also, at the nature center I work at we have some more unique venemous. Anyways, I will be doing an independant study next year. I want to do something with venom, possibly introducing different venoms into blood and tissue samples and observing effects. However, I was also thinking of narrowing down my project and focusing on African Bush Viper venom. I am curious as to why there is no effective antivenin (I would think the rarity of bites is the only plausible explanation). I would love to do an in depth study of the venom of these animals. We happen to have four of them at my nature center, therefore giving me supervised access if need be, (2 squamigera's and 2 ceratophera's I believe). I'm done rambling now. Any help, or direction to help, would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you happen to have any other interesting ideas involving venom for my independant study I would love to here them.
Thanks,
Nick

I would personally reccomend against that, the snakes have the capacity to deliver a fatal bite, and ontop of that no antivenom makes them a no handle IMO. Not to mention you would have to handle them many many times to get any good sample size.

The demand for the antivenom is not there, therefore none is produced.

Wait till you can do bona fide University research before you play with the killers.

I suggest you wait a couple of years before try to handle something as nasty as an atheris, they are feisty and fast and to get a sufficient amount of venom you would have to handle them a lot. If you are really interested contact Bryan Fry and/or Wolfgang Wuster and read some of their papers on the subject. Then pursue your research.

I'm a young herper too, and just want to know why you said wait a few years? Whats age have to do with having the experience. Sounds like a good project if dont under the supervision of the nature center director.
Besides, the older you get, the slower.