Western Gaboon

[Tails'nScales]

Hey Guys, It's been a long time since I last posted, lurked and stalked sareptiles.co.za
Me and the wife decided to kick-start the hobby up again so from now you will be seeing a lot more of Tails 'n Scales....
Good Luck...

And for the first-in-a-long-time addition.

Lil youngster B.rhinoceros

[venomking]

Would not mind owning one of these would look great in my collection.
nice pic T&S

[Ruan Stander]

Gorgeous snake.

[Eyelash]

Very nice T&S. You've got to love gaboons ! I have a stunning holdback I'm raising as well.

Regards,
Louis.

[Rox6or]

Really cool, I would love to own such a beauty, but until Iv'e got a secure room especially for the venomous snakes I'll have to wait.

[Westley Price]

Beautiful Gaboon (or Rhino viper or whatever the common name is these days )

Out of all the snake species, the eyes of Gaboons always seem the most intelligent to me. It is difficult to capture in a photograph, but if one moves next to the cage, the way the eyes follow you is just scary! Like a sniper just biding his time, haha.

[Mitton]

Very nice, sure the colours will change quite a bit as it grows, keep the pics coming.

[Ruan Stander]

I had a very interesting experience once, which led me to believe that gaboons are not only some of the least intelligent snakes, but also virtually blind.

[Westley Price]

Do share.

[Ruan Stander]

As many of you will know, gaboons will often dehydrate lying centimeters away from a water source, which is already a sign of very low intelligence I would say.

I have an adult female that refuses to eat anything but live prey, so unfortunately that is what I have to give her.
She is in a very large enclosure, so often the prey will go and sit in a corner and the two will not meet for ages. I watch the snakes feeding, so I don't usually have time for this.

In order to get around this problem, I placed a piece of maize/corn/'mielie' which ever you are happy with, at the entrance to her hide in an effort to lure the rat there.

As I hoped, the rat went straight to the trap, and got a nasty surprise. He then ran off and made himself.. Uh comfortable. After a while, her tongue started flicking and she started moving-on her way to lunch.
However as she passed the bait, she began investigating it rather suspiciously, the way she investigates food before she eats it... And sure as heck, there she went, opened her mouth and started chowing it down.

Needless to say I intervened as I don't think mother nature provided for vegetarian gaboons.

[jka]

Great story Predator

[Ruan Stander]

Most unusual yes.
She was obviously in feeding mode and figured that the first foreign object was the food.
That's the reptilian brain for you, one thing at a time.