Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey new here to the forums and was looking for so advice.

I'm looking into getting my first hot and was wondering what a good one would be. I've been keeping reptiles for about the last 8 years, although I just got my first snake, a Red-Tailed Boa, a few months ago. I have expirience with dealing with large aggressive lizards, such as tegus, monitors and very unhappy green iguna(at one point a had 7 green iguanas, four babies and three adults, that i had to find homes for). I also work at a pet store and deal with bites all the time(because no one else wants to deal with some of the more agrressive reptiles). I've always been intrested in venomous animals of any sort (currently cycling an aquarium for a blue-ringed octopus) and I'm hoping to eventually make a career out of working with these amzing animals in some3 fashion. But i need a starting point first. I was considering a copperhead, which i have worked with around my home before, mainly getting rid of them before my parents freaked out, or a mangrove snake(boiga dendrophilia). Any advice would be much appreciated.

Daniel Rioux

My advice is to not get bit like with those aggressive lizards you mentioned. There is nothing tough-guy about getting bit by a hot snake; and what I mean by that is that being able to withstand the pain of a bite doesn't slow a venom's capabilities.

I recommend working with a mentor until you have moved out of your parents house (you said that copper's freak them out).

Ian

I've been trying to find a mentor around where I live, but unfortunately there aren't very many people in the herp hobby around here.

And its not a tough guy thing with me about getting bitten, I have no intrested in being bitten and never have been by any large lizards, although i'm convinced nothing gives a more painful bite than a hamster.

And to be fair, a ribbon snake would freak my dad out.

I would not recommend any venomous snakes until such time as you are living under your own roof. If the reason you are still with your parents is due to your age, which was not stated, I would also recommend that you not consider being a hot keeper until you can legally vote.
Once you have made the decision to keep a hot snake, before you acquire the animal, make sure that antivenin is available to you via one of three means. Those would be a certainty that a local hospital has it in stock at all times, that you are a paid-up member of an antivenin bank, or that you have a supply of your own antivenin.

I did not mean the above advice to seem harsh..but reality can be that way.

~~Greg~~

DIdn't sound harsh at all, and i can understand some of the sentiment. I do infact plan on making sure anti-venin is available. I am currently living with my parents athough not due to age(I'm 19), but due to lack of money because of a recent back injury. And to make things clear I had no intetion of running out immediately and purchasing a venomous animal, i just want to get some ideas so I can start doing research on where to obtain antivenin, how to care for them, and many other things i factor in to buying an animal.
Thanks for the advice however.

Daniel Rioux

Will Blue Cross/Blue Sheild pay for antiveneom?

I don't think there is an antivenin for the genus Boiga (the mangrove snake). They are not seen as "hot" enough to require it.

If they had it it would certainly exist on Guam where the invasive Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) occasionally sneaks into houses and bites babies and young children for some unknown reason.

A large tegu will hurt A LOT more than a hamster. Any snake capable of injecting venom is going to not only hurt, but run a high risk of death.

I would say not to get into hots until you have found someone you can work under and I would love to say not to bother since laws are changing everywhere...BUT I am going to be a glass is half full kind of guy and say there is hope. So I guess I will do my best at your question.

I would rule out Boiga because of their invasive nature and the possibility the entire genus will be illegal. A copper head is not the worst choice because it is less likely to kill you than most the other natives. They can be more difficult to hook though. Once you have great hooking experience a few years down the road this is not a bad choice. I also say small arborial pits can be somewhat simple as well. Some can actually be hard to hook when young and many can be hard to get off hooks. But most the work you do can be done with tongs if you have your caging set up well. Remember they have a long strike range and large fangs. Often these snakes are under rated on their bites so remember it still is not an option. The reason I mention them is because you can set up an enclosure you can entirely clean and change water without moving the animal or putting your hands at risk.