Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do you all just keep them in their tanks as "eye candy" and never handle them? If you wanted to handle one, could you get the venom glands removed, rendering them harmless? Just curious. thanks
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1.0 alb. okeetee "Grissom"
1.0 American Pit Bull Terrier "Vanyel"
0.1 Somali "Willow"

They must be removed from their cages periodically for cage cleaning. Tools made for the job are used instead of bare hands. Among those tools are hooks, tongs & heavy duty gloves. If by "handling" you mean taking out of the cage & draping around your neck or some such, the answer is no. Removing the venom glands is possible, but not without extreme discomfort to the animal, and the fangs still remain in place. The fangs alone, without venom are capable of inflicting a very painful bite. If you are looking for a snake you can take out & play with, you may want to stick with non-venomous snakes.

~~Greg~~

actually i was looking for the flashiest most impressive eye candy snake that i never have to touch LOL. how risky is the removing for cleaning? if you use a hook and wear elbow length gloves and grab the snake behind the head, etc, how high is your chance to still get bit? i want something nice to look at but that i wont feel bad if i never "play" with it. i have corn snakes for that

can you safely keep one and never get hurt?
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1.0 alb. okeetee "Grissom"
1.0 American Pit Bull Terrier "Vanyel"
0.1 Somali "Willow"

I think Greg covered it perfectly. However, consider Zoo keepers take care of their collection with experience and skill but still don't have a perfect safety record, accidents do happen.

Don't consider it till you've been properly trained and you gain experience.

Al
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"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."

DH June 2005

I get a feeling this person wants a venomous for the "oh wow, look how cool I am" factor....and that usually either leads to a terrible accident, or, having the animal confiscated (when enough people know you keep venomous herps, particularly those who feel like they have to show it off to the world, word gets around and eventually, some sort of law/ordinance will be passed) resulting in more stringent laws being passed. If this person is looking for an "eye candy" snake, I would recommend an albino tri colored king/milk, an albino ball python, or something like that. Venomous snakes should NEVER be considered animals you can pet/hold/or even use thick gloves to grab behind the neck (one, its terrible for the snake and two, a fang would have no problem puncturing a thick leather glove). Although its not for me to tell anyone that they shouldn't own a venomous snake, my opinion is that most people should not consider owning a venomous snake (and for the VERY few that do, they have the resources, experience, maturity, and proper intentions as to why you own venomous herps).

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

>>I think Greg covered it perfectly. However, consider Zoo keepers take care of their collection with experience and skill but still don't have a perfect safety record, accidents do happen.
>>
>>Don't consider it till you've been properly trained and you gain experience.
>>
>>Al
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>>"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."
>>
>>DH June 2005
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

If you never get in striking range, you will never get bit. grabbing a venemous snake behind the head is a sure way to get bit if you don't do EXACTLY right. Practice with those hooks and tongs!

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

a surefire method is by not keeping hots

people ask me why do I keep venomous when you can't "play" with them, all the time. I guess it is like those who keep fish. they don't ever hold them-it is neat to watch them, especially during feeding, educational & breeding is exciting! It takes a special type of person to be able to care for venomous-not for the novice-I guess with "fish people" start out with fresh water & advance keep salt.
I think it just got to be in you.

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norcalsnakemaster@comcast.net

And I see that the poster has in fact a PIT BULL ! See my comparison of the 2. I really think this poster is not that serious about the keeping of a hot but I don't know for sure. I said it above and one more time...........I see no difference in the un-responsible hot or any animal keeper if they are un-responsible and laws are passed as they are passed but a lot of times on the thinking of what could happen, will happen without it even happening. Do I make sense here ? AND basically the ultimate thinking ( if I'm not wrong here ) is if this person gets nabbed by his wanting to keep a hot and does get tagged or something else happens, and by his post, possibly more laws comes down ? If you want to argue about the " inherently dangerous aspects " of the 2, I would say that the PIT BULL would be more to worry about on a un-responsible keeper than his keeping of a hot ! Not saying that the original poster is un-responsible keeper of that Pit Bull but statistics show.....NOPE! Don't want a debate on the Pit Bull or other breed inherently dangerous dog breeds syndrome. Again my .02 cents worth ?
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

not sure what you were just saying, but you must not know anything about the pit bull world and or taking sides, because an irresponsible pit bull owner/irresponsible snake owner would not be comming onto a forum getting help and advice and asking questions. they would just go out and buy the dog/snake/gun/whathaveyou and screw the repercussions.
everyone else, but thanks for all the info anyway. definitely do not want to ever get bit, so it sound like the risk would be too high. thanks anyway

oh and i didnt want something that i can show off, i like how some of them are flashier than nonvenomous. the rhino viper for instance (i think thats the one... with the blue and purple?). anyway. wont be getting one.
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1.0 alb. okeetee "Grissom"
1.0 American Pit Bull Terrier "Vanyel"
0.1 Somali "Willow"

no . If you read my post I'm not taking sides and encourage the keeping of hots if all is known and researched ( may not of come off that way though ). And to the Pit Bull thing, I have bred Rotties and have had friends and still friends with Pit Bulls and They ( pit bulls and others )are un-predictable in many situations as some of my Rots came to be in certain situations. know that as breeders and keepers. They are by the term of insurance companies and others being inherently dangerous by their actions. I was simply pointing out the same message again of no animal in themselves is anymore dangerous to keep compared to other animals, guns, or what have you if kept responsible and or by responsible people. Yes, though the fact is that the specie may in fact be dangerous in the term of being dangerous as in other things whether animal or not. Explosives combustible materials under just about everybody's sinks, vent less gas heaters, etc. the list could go on and on......does anybody see bans of venomous saltwater fish/animals that carry more of a load of venom than any venomous reptile ?
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Actually in Florida we have laws limiting the possession of fresh water stingrays.

As for the rest. Give them time and they will think of it.

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