Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My personal Hot ownership is still years down the road but my question right now is.. What snake species would you recommend keeping to gain some experience with potentiall dangerous animals without the inclusion of Venom in the topic? I've kept quite a few different snakes over the years.. Milks, Rats, Kings, Boa's.. and one Very tempermental African Rock Python. Also on the list of reptiles are Alligator snappers, Painted turtles, 2 Savannah Monitors, Leopard Geckos,(I know beginner species but I find them interesting) Newts and bullfrogs. I'm looking for something perhaps a bit more challenging that would help me in preparation for owning a Hot. I know owning any animal that isn't venemous won't really prepare you fully.. that you have to work with an animal under supervision to really prepare.. but I'm looking to learn handling techniques and other things that would be necessary in owning Hots. I'm fascinated by Copperheads and Gaboon Vipers.. and Albino Monacle Cobras... Some gorgeous animals and due all the respect they've earned over the years.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 het Blizzard (Lilith) and 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)

Having experience in keeping some of the larger and more aggressive Monitor and Python sp, would probably be helpful.

Most of the venomous keepers I know were always into the more aggressive sp. Pretty much anything that can cause you harm is worthwhile. Better a few stiches from an aggressive python or monitor, than a missing digit and a massive hospital bill.

Some experience w/ venomous Arachnids; scorpions, tarantulas, etc, would also be helpful.

In the end, venomous reptiles are best kept by mature persons who agknowledge, and in all actuality, enjoy and appreciate the inherit danger. Not the types who wanna "tame their Caiman", or wanna own a young Alligator, just so they can put a usless little harness on it and let it walk around they're house like it's a dog. Cause it's "cool". Those are the clowns you read about in the newspaper every few months.

There's plenty of interesting books out there aswell.

Yeah... I know all too well about that type of venemous keeper and quite frankly, if they're stupid enough to do things so assinine then they deserve what they get in the end. Though, ultimately it gets the true venemous keepers nothing but trouble and thats doubly unfortunate. I don't keep my animals because I think they're cool.. I keep them because I genuinely enjoy and am fascinated with them. A Bosc monitor was my first monitor. Ultimately not a good first time monitor despite the hype about their taming potential. Mine is a little B**ch! Will snap and tail whip every chance she gets. I have kept at least one large python in the past.. my African Rock.. I'm looking for a smaller species though thats on the upper end of the agressive scale.

As for books... do you have any recommendations?
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 het Blizzard (Lilith) and 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)