It is not true that people handle Gaboons like harmless snakes. They know Gaboons are very venomous, but will not harm unless threatened. They also believe a gaboon will only bite a person, if he has a spell cast on him. Africans believe a lot in witchcraft,  and believe a witch can use a gaboon viper to kill someone.
The Fat Tail is considered a very fearsome creature.  They believe anyone bitten by a Fat tail will die. In some areas, they believe one must smear his or her whole body with feces from  a very old woman, or else will die from a fat tail bite.

, my experience has been that the hunters are all very cautious (most scared) when dealing with anything venomous, Nobody else touches reptiles. The pic. was recently sent to me from my friend in Senegal. He collects many snakes and takes them all around (by Bus) to the different city's to sell for "magic". The venomouse stuff gets beheaded , the live stuff is mostly rocks and balls. BIG MAGIC !

Ernie Eison
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

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