Reptile & Amphibian Forums

and no, i dont have venomous and i'm not getting venomous. Some time ago someone posted a list of good non-venomous "training" snakes. What snakes would you consider to be the best training snakes out there. i know there is nothing like working w/ venomous, but as far as hook experience and behavior, whats similar? thanks

I wish I could tell you a simple answer to your question. Not all venomous snakes behave the same even among individuals. Rattlesnakes, terrestrial & arboreal elapids, terrestrial & arboreal vipers, all have vastly different handling techniques. To "practice" with non-venomous snakes,doesn't do it either. You KNOW that if you "mess up" with a non-venomous, there is no consequence to an improper handling technique.

The first step is to get your hooks and tongs and tubes and shift boxes and any other handling equipment you may intend on using. Use them on every snake you can get your hands on. Do this often. Familiarity and experience starts with the basics and as you build your skills you will know the next questions to ask

Ian

Ian is right on. It really doesn't matter what harmless snakes you are going to work with; every venomous snake has its own tendencies. You can work with 5 copperheads from the same brood and every one will behave a little differently. The key is to become completely comfortable in using the various equipment that you will need to use; do it all the time with your harmless. I don't know how old the original post is (if h/she is a minor, then I am not even going to recommend a venomous herp) so I need to use caution in how I dole out advice.

If this person is "of age" and is looking for a good beginner venomous snake (I don't like that term but its all I can think of), I would recommend one of the following: pygmy rattler, rock rattlesnake, western massasauga, copperhead or an eyelash viper if they are looking for something a bit more exotic; although any of these has the capability of delivering a lethal bite, it is quite rare and would be very unusual; but, you could easily lose a digit or two.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>The first step is to get your hooks and tongs and tubes and shift boxes and any other handling equipment you may intend on using. Use them on every snake you can get your hands on. Do this often. Familiarity and experience starts with the basics and as you build your skills you will know the next questions to ask
>>
>>Ian
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I didn't realize that an eye lash viper could be considered a beginner venomous. If I ever lost my mind and thought I could actually handle one that is what I wouldn't mind attempting.
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

A few things to consider is someone working with any hot should have more than adequate experience with non venomous snakes so an eyelash viper isnt too far out of the question. They can be a bit difficult but nothing an experienced keeper should not be able to handle after working with many difficult to keep nonvenomous. They can be relatively simple to set up to where use by tools can be done nearly all the time for cage maintenance. You can also set them back in a front opening enclosure to keep yourself out of strinking distance when using your long hemostats for feeding and tongs for replacing single piece substrates and water dishes. Just don't get beginner snake and "first hot" too close to overlap.

LOL, so I guess keeping it in a plastic Gladware container would be out of the question?

Thanks for clearifying it and breaking it all down for me. I knew he wasn't saying run right out and get one but sometimes its easy to forget little bits and pieces of keeping venomous.

My wife was working at a zoo when they had baby eyelash vipers born - Now that is something I would never want to deal with! Tiny tiny snakes that can kill ya (or at least make you loose a couple of fingers).

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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

np
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

One non-venomous snake that could be a good "practice" snake would be one of the Nerodia. They are usually pretty aggressive and fast. I've also been told coachwhips and racers are good for practice too.

That being said, husbandry wise, every snake is different. Just because you get good with Nerodia, doesn't mean your ready of a cobra.

depends what type of hot you're considering...if you're open to suggestions,i think a copperhead is a good choice(i have seen these guys run the gammut from dog tame to pretty nasty,even more personality variation within this species than other n.american pit vipers....but they don't 'ride' a hook as well as say a crotalus species(large/'true' rattlers)...lol,yeah have fun working with nerodia,or racers/whipsnakes for that matter,lol....i mean you may be in for a long 'training period' waiting to tame or master a nerodia...but yes i agree that racers and whipsnakes are similar in movement and temperment to elapids(fast,a little nervous/high strung)...yeah definitely get the hook(s),tongs,and safe enclosure ready before you get the snake,too...btw to ask if there's a non-hot that is a lot like a crotalus-fat,ambush type predator,not that fast,but with such good strike speed and range is sort of an oxymoron,i know of no such snake.however i do have a couple pine snakes that do a damn good atrox impersonation....if you are gonna go with an eyelash viper,something close to them? i think a tree boa/python is a good choice(never worked with either,but you can get some tree boas for relatively small $$(think amazon tree boas)-in fact green tree pythons are dropping in price,i've noticed...besides,these boids (esp. the chondros and corallus) are truly beautiful and apparently interesting/challenging snakes in their own right-but challenging in a way that you can't die from,lol...their personas can be feisty/unpredictable enough to keep you on your toes,too,a will their long teeth...yeah like others said,always keep in mind,there CAN BE as much temperment variability within a single species of snake as from person to person....hope this helped,good luck and be safe