Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend has one and is looking to give it to me, but he told me they are mildly venomous. Is this true? if i beleived him i wouldnt be asking heh.

It is true, but understand that it applies to almost all colubrid snakes. Technically venomous? Yes. Dangerous? No, save for the rare instance of a severe allergic reaction.

Chances are if you keep snakes you've kept a species that is technically venomous. The notable exceptions are the North American Ratsnakes, Bull/Pinesnakes, King/Milksnakes, etc.

I have kept two types of Diadam Ratsnakes and have been bitten by both. I do get a bit of localized itching, very similar to when I'm bitten by Gartersnakes or Watersnakes.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

are garter snakes venomous too? I didn't know that.....
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"

after having mine a year. My question is do they ever quit biting? Man it draws blood every single time and in more than one place. Mine is small a yearling. Are they that nippy when they get older and some size? It has some kinda weird hinged mouth that can open a full 180 degrees and find something to latch on to. What an attitude.

The good news is I was able to go to the internet and find better info and caresheet. Check out the care sheet at Lower Ground Reptiles (thanks chaoscat). I expected my hognose to have some venom, now my S.d. atriceps. Holy crap!!!

Thanks, the question was on my mind all day today.

Mike B

Mike B

>>after having mine a year. My question is do they ever quit biting? Man it draws blood every single time and in more than one place. Mine is small a yearling. Are they that nippy when they get older and some size? It has some kinda weird hinged mouth that can open a full 180 degrees and find something to latch on to. What an attitude.
>>
>>The good news is I was able to go to the internet and find better info and caresheet. Check out the care sheet at Lower Ground Reptiles (thanks chaoscat). I expected my hognose to have some venom, now my S.d. atriceps. Holy crap!!!
>>
>>Thanks, the question was on my mind all day today.
>>
>>Mike B
>>
>>Mike B

Hey, no problem. I couldn't find a decent care sheet for them myself, so that's the info from my experiences with them.
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Lower Ground Reptiles

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

>>are garter snakes venomous too?

Yes. I realize a lot of old books list them as non-venomous, but modern scientific philosophy tends to classify things as venomous if they produce venom, not if they are dangerous to humans.

There are a lot of great online PDF articles. I believe if you go to http://www.venomdoc.com you can find several.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

do the RDR snakes ever settle down?

Mike B

>>do the RDR snakes ever settle down?

My atriceps is pretty calm. I had several cliffordi and they were also pretty calm. But I don't handle them so I really don't pay attention to that. They are much easier to work around than my Gonyosoma.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

With regular handling royals can be calmed-to an extent. Just move slowly and easily. Better to use a hook to lift them from the tank and then let them glide through your hands till they are comfortable. Cliffordi seem to be a much calmer snake to my experience.

As to the venom. It is not a big deal. been bit hundreds of times by these with no effect.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."