Bitis as a group are not entry level hots, period.

The man who died in Ohio had a name, it was Micheal Peterman and he was an experienced snake keeper and hot keeper. The death was not a result from a "reaction" but due to intravenous envenomation. I am glad he was brought up becuase it illustrates the issue with Bitis perfectly.



These snakes are heavy bodied and that leads to thoughts of them being slow, and it leads to complacency with keepers...he reached in putting a water bowl back with his hand...a mistake made by many people who have kept these animals. All too often it is assumed that if their head is at the other end it is "safe"...these people eventually experience the "levitating gaboon" trick and realize the insane speed and mobility of these heavy bodied, powerfully built, highly venoums long fanged machines.



Beautiful, cheaply available and better left to experienced keepers.





-Riley

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