Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just came acsross this pic at Vemonousreptiles.org. Who keeps a black mamba, one of the most dangerous snakes one can keep, in a 55 gallon tank with some rocks on top of the screen? I hang my head in sorrow.

Thats AWESOME... if thats all the caging they require I think I will go get one now... I didn't know they only needed a 55

Geee and we wonder why hots get banned...

I wrote this a few days ago...the reply had to do with saving $$.

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.

NM

how cluttered that cage is! Ignoring the fact that this Darwin candidate is keeping one of the most dangerous snakes in the world in a enclosure more suited to goldfish, I can appreciate that he has tried to make a naturalistic, visually appealing display. However, judging purely by the looks of things, it would be INCREDIBLY hard to safely remove that snake from that enclosure with all the "furniture" strewn around it. A few branches and a hide or two would suffice just fine for the snake, after all, we're not putting a serpentine Martha Stuart in the cage or anything. All the rest just adds more room for the snake to use to it's advantage in retreating it's keeper, or worse, using as a ballast to launch an unexpected attack. I hate to say this, I REALLY do, but I actually hope that snake is a venomoid, for it's idiot keeper's sake.

Regarding Darwin candidates, why keep a black mamba at all? There are about 2500 less dangerous species of snake to choose from, hundreds of them venomous (but less dangerous) for those who like it hot. It seems there’s a good chance that sooner or later this snake will remove someone from the gene pool. The problem is that the family, friends and neighbors of this guy are in as much danger as he is (well maybe not quite, he probably feeds it by hand!).
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Dennis

Don't you know its got to be fun putting the top back on?

I have to say that I have kept quite a few venomous animals in aquariums and never had a problem with it but you have to draw the line somewhere.

I think this issue is mainly (like most others) dependant on how one approaches it. Aquariums can be used safely if the operator chooses to do so. If you don't choose to make sure you are safe than your caging won't save you. Having said that I sure like front opening sliding glass!

And finally, to whomever has that Mamba. Please make adjustments. You do not have that animal in an adequate or safe enclosure.

be safe

Peter
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Peter and Sara
Beouf River Reptiles

Not only the top, who the hell keeps a polylepis in a cage with a)no shift box and b) with all that crap and corruption in there for it to hide under, on, or around. That is just an accident waiting to happen there.....

np

What also got me was not the condition in the cage but out of the cage. There is a lot of stuff around the outside, so if the snake did get out, there would be tons of places for it to hide. Plus there isn't much work space around the tank. The owner could easily trip or bump into something else while doing tank maintenance.

I don't think its a problem keeping some venomous in aquariums (not a mamba though) The rocks on the lid is unexcusable for ANY snake. I've seen corn snakes push rocks off of lids before.