Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How toxic are massuagas and also is a pigmie rattler more toxic than a massauga? I tried looking online for massuagas toxicity but couldn't find any information on it.

thanks,
john

Not trying to make you look bad but you will probably have more luck with the search engines if you spell the words correctly. Now please tell me thats not a screen top on that tank.

Tom Eason

That was a typo. The snake in the picture is not mine. Its a friends. He uses the snake for herp educational programs. I have seen alot of cotton mouths here and copper heads but not alot of rattle snakes.

john

Good golly, someone needs to go back to school to learn the proper way of showing a timber for an education program. It doesn't matter if its at home or at a show, showing off a venomous snake in a screen topped, glass aquarium is IRRESPONSIBLE. If my insurance carrier found out that I showed off our venomous in glass tanks at some of the shows I do, I'd be out of business. I realize that you didn't ask for feedback but since you posted the pic, I had to respond.

As far as toxicity of massasaugas, there's LOTS of info out there; you just gotta look for it. I will tell you that their venom is very toxic but only doled out in small amounts. Timbers, too, have very toxic venom and pose a far greater threat due to their size (thankfully, they are rather placid by nature).

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

>>That was a typo. The snake in the picture is not mine. Its a friends. He uses the snake for herp educational programs. I have seen alot of cotton mouths here and copper heads but not alot of rattle snakes.
>>
>>
>>john
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Geee and we wonder why hots get banned... If one of the subjects he is trying to "Educate" gets bitten it will set back Herp education perminently!!!

I wrote this a few days ago...the reply had to do with saving $$. I see it's needed AGAIN!!

Now for the "My Opinion about Aquariums" part of this post:

I do not think it's wise to keep Venomous Snakes in Aquariums for many reasons, all of them involve safety. The whine I hear all of the time, "Real cages are too expensive" does not cut it at all. People have no problem spending top dollar for the snakes but really try to skimp on safely housing that expensive snake. When I add a snake to my collection most of the time the "housing" for the animal costs far more than what I spent on the snake. Typically $200 to $300 per enclosure, depending on the enclosure & configuration. People, you can't put a price on safety nor can you take back an accident once it's happened.

Cheers!

Al

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Marriage changes passion;
Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.

many zoos and some of us that work in zoos and have private collections keep venomous in aquariums with screen tops. It all relates to your safety protocols. Agreed, if those of you exhibit hots around the general public, then I would use nothing short of a Neodesha or visions cage. And BTW, when some of us reproduce these guys, the old shoebox inside a rack is still a safe bet, providing you PAY ATTENTION when doing general maintenance. You can't realistically get a few dozen vision cages when that gravid gaboon drops a huge litter! I knew a guy that kept Ophiophagus in vision cages, but the cages opened up at face height! That doesn't seem safe. If it's secure, and you aren't leaning on the screen top (or sides), and you PAY ATTENTION, you'll probably be OK. And as afar as safety goes at the expos, try telling that to the guys exhibiting in deli cups.
Best...
Jim

I agree that the screen top is a safety issue. I do not keep any kind of hots myself but I am interested in keeping them in the future. I do not even wanna consider keeping them till I have learned how to keep them and the safety procedures that gos with keeping them.

electric

I have some locking 10 gallons with pegboard lids that I keep Corals in but thats only in my snake building. I do use neos & visions. I agree with Jim though in reguards to shoe & sweater boxes. I have quite a few on racks to house babies but once again the racks are not for display. I do use Superior Enterprise Deli Displays with small hots such as Coral, Copperhead, and juvenile crots. These are locked and cups are taped.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education