Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't know how true this is but through hear say a friend of mine said a cobra was found under a house in texas I'm not sure what part.

http://www.local6.com/news/3019581/detail.html

DALLAS -- The search continued Monday for a deadly cobra believed to be living beneath a Dallas apartment building.

Animal control officials last week had already captured one Suphan cobra on the property at the 5200 block of Fleetwood Oaks, and said another is still living there.

The snakes are among the most toxic, most aggressive snakes in the world, according to experts.

"In a place we're not used to seeing them in, there's a possibility they could envenomate someone if they come across them," Mike Watson, of the Dallas Zoo, said.

The threat of a potentially fatal bite has kept neighbors on edge, especially those who have seen the reptiles in person.

"And then it just stood up ... and I said, 'My God, that's a cobra,'" resident Michael Jeffers said.

"It raised its head up and its head was real wide, like the width of my 4 fingers," resident Dan Shilling said.

Despite the capture of one of the deadly snakes, neighbors remain terrified.

People have reported seeing the cobras sunning themselves on top of bushes and slithering from under their building.

No one knows how the snake, native to Thailand, wound up living on the property, but experts have sound theories.

"Chances are, someone brought it over for a pet, and it obviously escaped their control," Watson said.

Until all the cobras are captured, animal control officers are warning residents to avoid contact with the reptiles, and to call officials if they see one.

The snake that was captured is now in quarantine at the Dallas Zoo.

THIS IS UNREAL!!!!!!!!!
Everywhere I look I am seeing Venomous Reptiles running loose becouse some Stupid Punk got them to be cool and kept them in a rubbermaid or let them go or took them outside to show friends how "Neet" They are. This is SICK. I am in Alabama now and Cannot keep my passion burning becouse of some Punk that decided to Let a Cobra get out.
ALL IT TOOK IS ONE.
Texas Get ready for it you will no longer be able to keep these animals if you dont start caring for them.
Money rules over the conscious.
HOW THE HELL CAN YOU PEOPLE SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT YOUR SELLING SNAKES TO THESE MORONS THAT ARE TRYING TO KILL YOUR HOBBY...
If the money is more important than keeping Hot snakes then GET THE HELL OUT OF HOTS.
All I see is a bunch of people Crying about something that they are doing NOTHING to change. IT MAKES ME SICK!!!
Have a good day
Justin Monroe

I agree one hundred percent . I think it's equally the dealer and the buyers responsibility for theses dangerous yet stunning animals . Look at the shows for example . Dealers selling snakes to seventeen year old kids and younger because their parents allow it or they think the kids are of age . It's sick . I for one think there should be a very deep questioning before any of these animals to make sure the people buying them know what their doing . Dealers who just randomly deal out their snakes for profit should be put the hell down . It's sad and it's not going to change , some dealers that have good reputations say they don't do it although they do . Soon every state in this country is gonna have snake laws so damn strict it's not gonna matter abymore , cause owning a boa will land your ass in the slammer . Hell thats happening in states right now . People won't learn and I say in the next ten to fifteen years the venomous snake hobbie will be gone for good in the states due to this very problem . Thanks for hearing my rant .

Hey guys,

i hear you. that's what happened in italy, but fortunately there's plenty of european country where you can buy all what you want...

...try to make legal propositions such as : owner has to declare its venomous, minimal size box according to the species, dealer has to keep AV for all the species they sell, the first venomous a person buy has to be shorter than 80 cm & he has to keep it at last 1 or 2 years before being allowed to buy some monster...so, be creative!

...accept to give up some freedom in order to keep your hobby legal.

You're a man before your time and wise beyond your years. However there are far to many children out there that feel that if that can't own 50 king cobras and lug em around an elementary school in a backpack, that they are having their rights infringed upon. Personnaly I feel you should have a 2 strike system involving incidents with just you and 1 strike if it is some one other then you, meaning you have a snake that gets out and bites some one, that you are liable and are prohibited from owning a hot ever again, it's harsh, but it's what some people need.
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Ray
1.2.9 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
0.1.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion

I totally agree. Ownership of hots should be regulated and/or licensed. It should be similar to owning a gun. As long as its not, then the public will scream that people are running amuck and there are venomous snakes around everywhere and noone knows where they are. We need to have the control and legitimacy associated with such regulations. The old quote "freedom is being able to discipline yourself before someone else has to do it for you" applies 100% here to the hot community.

COULDN'T AGREE MORE. SAME THING GOES FOR RETIC'S AND BURMESE PYTHONS. IF IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY THE GUYS SHOULD GET INTO BOAS AND BALLS. ALOT MORE MONEY IN THOSE MORPHS THAN THERE IS IN THE HOTS. NEVER SEEN A COBRA GO FOR $40-60K. IN MY OPINION THESE GUYS SELLING THEM TO UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE DO IT BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM FEEL "COOL" IN THE SAME WAY IT DOES THE IDIOT THAT BUYS THEM WITHOUT A CLUE AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO.

The facts are one small 2ft suphan cobra was collected by animal control at a condo/apartment complex within the greater dallas area. The animal was turned over to the Dallas Zoo. There are reports of a second larger snake of similiar appearence in the area.

No information on the origins of the animal to date.

It's Naja kaouthia, not Naja kaouthia suphanensis.

Thought I'd clear that up.

Chad

Some feel taxonomy is a matter of opinion, I'm with Wolfgang that Taxonomy is a matter of evidence.
Which would make the Suphan Cobra, Naja kouthia suphanensis.
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It's what you learn AFTER you know it all that counts!

Terry

I was with WW on this one too. Thats why I believe they are noting but a color variation of N. kaouthia. Unless thoughts & findings have changed recently, I believe they are N. kaouthia.

Chad

It is Naja kaouthia. Mike Goode and Joel at Columbus Zoo were the first to breed them in the USA. Their venom seems to have a very high cardiotoxin (Samples from our specimens) and may cause heart damage even with antiserum.

Jim Harrison

n/p

s

I did not want to get into a debate, man venomous people are touchy. Anyways, thankyou for the post.

Chad