Are we permitted to keep gaboon adders

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Postby Q Ball » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:08 pm

Hey T, I agree about the annies but I understand what they are trying to say. Get an agressive non venemous snake that will fight you all the way and if u'r happy with ceeping something that will try and kill you if it got the chance then go for it. Annies are free handled and hots in my opin should not be free handled. Also remember that it is the responsibility of the guys with experience to let us non-experienced members know what we're in for. For example, I thought I was ready for an anny but was sooo mistaken but I have 2 hots so far that I have no problem with. Can you imagine how any of these guys would feel if they said,"sure get hots and a month down the line you have either been bitten with serious consequence's or killed.

Please anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
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Postby Bushviper » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:23 pm

BigT you do have a point however yellow anacondas tend to stay aggressive whether you handle them like hots or like corn snakes. After a year you should have learnt how to read the body language and avoid situations where it can get at you, beter than if you have only ever kept milksnakes.

Practising on a "not so hot" is not the solution either because different snakes have different ways of reacting to being moved, fed or handled.

Night adders for example hardly ever bite and by keeping one for a year I would not now say you have acquired the skills to be able to work with a mamba or spitting cobra.

None of the "old hands" were put through a slow learning curve and some people lived and others did not. It has to do with your attitude towards these animals. I have seen many "free handlers" and it is just a matter of time before they get bitten.

If you read up what you can about safe handling techniques and caging requirements for various species then you do limit the chances that you will get bitten. In the thread about safety there are some stunning examples of what your caging and equipment needs to look like if want to keep lethally venomous snakes.

The information is out there and once you have sifted through the chaff you will know what the "right" thing thing to do is.

I know of people who had Rhinocerus vipers and only felt how rough the skin was after they had died. They were never handled during their entire life.

I have had a black mamba here for just over 4 years now and also have never felt what his skin feels like.
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Postby Pythonodipsas » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:03 pm

Hey BV - little off topic, but how big was that B Mamba when you got it 4 years ago and how big is it now?
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Postby Bushviper » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:35 am

Pythonadipsas I never measured it when I got it and because I never handle it I still have not measured it. It is not huge by any means.
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Postby Pythonodipsas » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:57 pm

Ok I was asking cause they seem to grow rapidly, especially from juveniles. Can you give approximate size maybe in feet or meters?
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Postby Bushviper » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:32 am

About 2 and a half or three metres long. He has not grown that rapidly but then again I have not been pumping him either.
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Postby Quintin » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:45 am

Hi all,

Also dont want to hijack this thread, but this is quite a good read for handling Venomous Snakes. Speasially for the beginner.

(IM IN NO WAYS ENTICING PEOPLE TO HANDLE VENOMOUS REPTILES)

http://www.snakegetters.com/demo/

This is one of the best sites ive come accross, explaining what to do and what NOT to do..

Regards,

Quintin
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Postby zero5000 » Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:15 pm

If i can put my say in and i know this is an indigenous venomous link, but in the order of ideal first timer hots, i would have to disagree on horned adders and the such and rather suggest an exotic hot in the order of N.A. Copperheads. The venom shouldn't do any real damage, but if your passion lies with adders and vipers, they are ideal because their temprament can differ, but my experience is rather calm and placid and i love my coppers..they are stunning.

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Postby wickets » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:00 pm

Hey, that looks easy when you hang from the wall!! :roll: :roll: . Sorry, too old to twist my neck. :twisted:
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Postby Desai » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:50 pm

Dat was an awesom lookin 1 zero5000!

Although I still am confused about what to keep. I dont mind spendin the money for rare or difficult species. Its just that Im more interested in lizards. Guess il jus have to see. thanks for all the help guys
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