Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know the toxicity of the venom this snake carries? I know they are aggressive and I am thinking of getting one. If anyone can give me some advice on these I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks in advance

Mangroves (B. dendrophila) are awesome snakes to keep. They are considered "mildly venomous", though you should keep in mind a bite has the potential to be very unpleasant. Basically, it's unlikely you will be hospitalized or have any serious symptoms (i.e. necrosis, coma, death, etc.). As some new research has shown (most notably by Dr. Bryan Fry), their venom is showing to be more toxic than previously thought, it's just the innefficient delivery of that venom (rear fangs)that hinders it's seriousness in humans. That being said, everyone reacts differently to foreign proteins (people die from beestings), and it is very possible to have a serious reaction to envenomation from this species.

Aside from their venom, another thing to keep in mind is their size. They can reach a length of 9 ft, though 7 is probably the average. Couple that with their highly arboreal nature, and they can be a tricky snake to handle. I personally use the hook and tail method, though many people freehandle them. I still prefer to treat them as I would any venomous snake.

If you can, get captive born. WC animals are heavily parasitized, and can be sheer nightmares to get feeding on what you want them to feed on (rodents). In the hands of an inexperienced keeper, this usually spells death for the animal.

There are a few places that breed mangroves, check out Great Valley Serpentarium at www.snakemuseum.com, they might have some. They sometimes (rarely) show up on KS classifieds, so you might want to look their also. Hope this helps...

AP

Thanks a lot. Your post has helped out tremendously. I really appreciate it.

np

Ive been considering picking up a pair to breed from LLL reptile. They carry 3-4 foot adults, but they are wild caught. The WC snakes are a lot cheaper, and in ready to breed condition. Also, since they attend and sell them at the expos I attend, I can check out the snake first and not have to worry about death in shipment. Im not big on having my snakes shipped. How difficult do you think it would be to get them to feed and breed in captivity if they are small wild caught adults?

Not sure because I haven't had WC mangs, but I've heard plenty of horror stories about them. Basically it boils down to the individual snake (how paratisized, stressed, it is, etc.) and the patience and knowledge of the keeper. Some people have had a lot of success with WC mangs once they are cleaned up, and others have had quite crappy experiences. In general, the complaints seem to be that they do not readily accept standard food items (rodents), and that it can be quite hard to actually get them to take anything. If you take a look at the price for a WC mang (i've seen them as low as $10-25), it tells you a little about the snake. Obviously a snake you buy for $25 is probably not going to have the best chance at being a star breeder or the highlight of your collection. This might be why CB mangs are so expensive compared to WC, because they are SO much easier to acclimate and get feeding, etc. But if you are getting WC, I would guess that the smaller it is, the easier it will be to get acclimated.

AP

The snakes they had were $50. One had a red nose from striking and rubbing on the cage. I didnt see any parasites from looking, and the mangroves they get go fast so I assume they must be decent. The company is large and gets a lot of sales on their captive bred snakes, I have a few and they are doing excellent. They said that CB are hard to find because the mangroves dont breed readily in captivity.

Well, when I said heavily parasitized, i meant internally moreso than externally...many times importers will clean up an animal on the outside, but that does nothing for the parasites inside...it is true that there are not very many mangrove breeders (a shame because this is a great species), but there are a few...Great Valley Serpentarium is one source (www.snakemuseum.com). I bought my CB female from Chad Husker of Crazy Fools Reptiles, I believe he sold all his mangs though, including his breeding group.

AP

What would be the best way to take care of the parasites or check for them? Ive also got a few wild caught snakes from my local area, but Im not sure what to do about parasites.

Well, the best thing to do if you aren't familiar with giving antibiotics or meds to snakes (especially venomous ones) is to find someone who is, like a vet. Most vets probably won't see venomous patients, but some will. Or go to Tanith Tyrr's site, www.snakegetters.com , which is a wealth of information on veternary care of venomous snakes (including de-parasitizing them).

AP
Snakegetters

that I am in no way affiliated with Snakegetters other than having talked to Tanith via message boards....didn't mean to imply by posting the link below my name that I was an associate of Snakegetters....

AP