Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm interested in getting a cobra some time down the line

I've kept snakes for a few years...no hots but eventually maybe...

So what would you experienced cobra-keepers suggest to help...prepare me I guess? like...should I keep any hots prior to getting a cobra? work with experienced hot keepers?

and...what kind of cobra would you suggest for a first-time cobra keeper?

thanks much
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.Owen.:.

"Wound opens; reveal this broken man and soon, there's notions of blood on his hands."

"That Owen kid...man...he really loves that snake of his." ~Owen

you should work with experienced hot keepers and keep something that is not so fast and intelligent..not to mention deadly. My view of a first hot is one you hae the lowest risk of getting bitten..elapids dont usually fit that. Many other people will say to keep a native incase a bite does occur then AV will be available. A fisrt cobra is almost like a first gun. I would say a smaller one that is very agressive just so you dont get any false sense of security.

Though not a true cobra (as in Naja), coral or shield nosed cobras (Aspidelaps sp.) have often been recommended as starter elapids...their venom is moderately toxic, and fatalities are rare (though a possibility), but you must remember: THERE IS NO ANTIVENOM! This means if you are bitten, the bite will have to be exclusively managed without AV. I don't think that SAIMR polyvalent does much at all to counter the venom from this species. The plus side is they are small, chubby little sausages of snakes, and fairly easy to handle for an elapid.

Another possiblity is Naja pallida, which some have recommended as well. A very decent sized snake (3-4 feet average), they are spitters, so that is a down point, but it can be noted that on average, spitters are more inclined to spit than bite (not that they won't bite), so this can be either good or bad depending on what you are more comfortable with: a snake that actively goes after you to bite you, or a snake that actively sprays it's venom all over you. Keep in mind exposure to venom can lead to an allergy developing, and if you are bitten by that snake in the future, anaphylaxis can kill you within minutes. You will want to be well versed in what anaphylactic shock is and how to treat it yourself (i.e having an epi-pen in your bite kit) way before you even think of getting a spitter. Actually, before you get a hot period.

Anyway, if you haven't kept hots before, cobras (or elapids in general) are not really the way to go. Unless of course you work dilligently with another elapid keeper for a good amount of time and get familiar with them.

Please keep in mind I am IN NO WAY encouraging you to go out and get a cobra, i was just answering your questions for you

Very well said. I couldn't imagine owning a cobra or any elapid (with the possible exception of a coral cobra) as a first hot snake. I started with copperheads, worked my way up to various smaller species of rattlesnakes such as Sistrurus, then on to larger crotalines and then into various exotic vipers and finally elapids (mambas and cobras). This is what I do as a profession....you need to ask yourself the all important question "are you willing to die for the simple sake of keeping a venomous snake?"; most make the right choice but for those who still wish to keep hots, and there's nothing wrong with this choice, you must be absolutely 100% safety conscious, be of clear mind and body, be mature and willing to learn, and have a crisp eye for detail and in mastering the proper techniques (which should be done under the supervision by someone who has many years of experience).

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center, Lake Forest, IL

Hey thanks people...

yeah I'm not going to rush out and get a cobra anytime soon...or any hot, for that matter...but it's good to have the information in my head so when the time comes, I've had the chance to give it a lot of thought.

and yeah I figured an elapid would most likely not be a good starter hot...I was thinking more along the lines of starting with a timber or eastern diamondback rattler if I ever get into hots.

thanks again
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.Owen.:.

"Wound opens; reveal this broken man and soon, there's notions of blood on his hands."

"That Owen kid...man...he really loves that snake of his." ~Owen

But very very high venom yields. I still think is deep water but nothing like an elapid.