Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just wrote a rather long article about how I handle my hot's with my tools not my fingers, but I lost it I think my computer is popping out on me. as some of you my already know I was given a baby Grate Basin that's on a starvation diet before it gets Any skinny-er Ive decided to force feed it, every thing went well he has something in his stomach now. the only problem is I've broken my Law about handling My HOT's I'm putting myself at risk for an envenomation. What I'd like to know is how HOT is a baby great basin is it Worth the risk to my self to force feed this snake, I'm hoping that I don't have to do it again maybe that was enough to get his mooter running

...hot enuff & if you hafta ask the ?....you know you shouldnt be messing w/it. Force feeding vipers is as lame an idea as their is, most of them are not rare, & if offered the right food (in your case sceloporine lizards) & @ the right T... & @ the right time of year... (3 months from now)....they are easily maintained when handled w/ tools.
If you choose 2 continue to do this...be sure to post your bite jpgs & I wish you a speedy recovery..provided you have insurance...cuz I dont wanna pay 4-it

well a neonate sidewinder less than 6" long resulted in the use of 8 vials of crofab and a sore finger for about 3 months and that was just from trying to photograph it. Cost of the hospital stay $14,000 for one night. The viridis group have some toxic snakes in their fold, I wouldnt risk the potential damage for such a common snake.
Now is that baby lutosus worth that much to you???

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Cheers
Lateralis
"I would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right"
Marion "Doc" Ford

Yes your right I guess I just needed to here it, I still don't like to see any herp just wast away, well I gave it a head start If it wants to live it's up to him....OH yea just for the record its a little harder to get HOTS in CANADA.

Don't get me wrong the last thing I want is to be envenomed, but as Farr as the hospital fees go I live in a country that provides free health-care for it's people.

Do you (or you country's hospitals) stock Crofab or Bioclon?

...or whatever I was saying..heck why didntcha say so to begin w/..some of us love your peaceful/secular/intelligent....way of living up there..(but w/o such a powerful federal system...like were getting now...)...anyway...
Yeah, post us some jpgs of the critter & the cage data/feeding/temp history...& we'll hep ya out 4 sure...a lutosus in Ca is 100x harder to come by..Id think than here in their range..
W/ your short days..it may be hardwired to shutdown regardless of T...if it can see a window...??

Beers / RxR

I agree with you and hate to see any animal decline. While I would not risk the potential bite to save it, I wouldnt give up yet. there are some other techniques you can use to assist feed that will not endanger you as much. As Regal said, it could just be the snake reacting to the seasons. Juvenile crotes probably dont get many meals before their first sleep so I would not worry too much unless the snake is showing obvious signs of starvation/dehydration. If it has decent weight, try cooling it to around the high 50's low 60's for a month, keep water in with it and check it daily. After a month, "wake" it up and try using scented fuzzies. I have a neonate sidewinder that has been less than cooperative and only eaten 5x since September but is doing just fine. Springtime will probably result in an increased feeding response. Oh yeah, cherish your medical care up there and be glad you dont live in the US where medical care is rated by how much money you have. Of course if you are an illegal alien you can get good care for free in California. Does it work that way up in Canada?
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Cheers
Lateralis
"I would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right"
Marion "Doc" Ford

...well, since Lat & Regal brought the subject up... America, "Land of the Free", is anything but. I am ashamed to say that my country has become the most oppressive, imperialistic force on the planet. And in Califonia, over 200 new laws went into effect six days ago. For the good of all presumably. I can't cite one of them, but I for one, do not need any government's protection at that cost.
Thanks. I feel a little better.

I think they only pass laws to protect the movie stars in that state....

Chris

>>...well, since Lat & Regal brought the subject up... America, "Land of the Free", is anything but. I am ashamed to say that my country has become the most oppressive, imperialistic force on the planet. And in Califonia, over 200 new laws went into effect six days ago. For the good of all presumably. I can't cite one of them, but I for one, do not need any government's protection at that cost.
>>Thanks. I feel a little better.
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U.A.P.P.E.A.L.
Uniting A Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League

wow i am not an expert,self-procalimed or otherwise...but what the hell are you doing with a snake that is venomous,and you don't even know how venomous it is!!??please with all due respect that i can muster-get rid of that snake-if you live within the home range of that subspecies,pick a nice butte/mesa/talus/etc. and let it go,perhaps better yet give it to someone who is more experienced in keeping or to help you pick a nice spot for release.my two cents,stick to non-venomous,man!

..now that i see you liva in canada.the rest of what i said still holds.

I guess if I was going to go on a nice drive to realise all of my HOTS I mite want to think about getting a tuneup on the van first, oh ya and a pilots licence mite help to....thank's for the advice there smarty pants....as for the people that were trying to help thanks. I think some of you are right, putting it into hibernation my just be the answer.... but at the same time my speckled's are eating like pigs.

I"m in a bit of a rush so didn't read the rest of the thread, but Al/phobos had a great description of what he did to assist feed his little neonates. A good discussion on the topic.

Ian

My cumputer poopt out on me I just logged in on my Mom's, so I might be away for a couple of days. As far as not knowing how hot a great basin rattlesnake is, my question was....how hot is a baby that is only a couple of months old...and yes all our hospitals carry anti-venom...our heath care system covers all Canadians visits to doctors and hospitals and whatever...we pay through the nose in taxes!!!!