Any heladerma keepers out there?

[Frank Castle]

I'm in Cali. We have a huge variety of rattlers over here but what I encounter most are southern pacifics but I've also messed with western diamondbacks, red Diamondbacks and sidewinders

3 of those 4 you mentioned are extremely toxic. Rattlers may not be like Elapids but there are PLENTY of Pit vipers and True vipers out there that will kill you in a heartbeat. I had a few close calls with Rattlers, some wild, one was my own pet lol. I think the Mojave and Northern Pacific Rattlers have the worst bite in American viperidae, but I'm pretty sure atrox, ruber and helleri are right behind them.....I did learn early-on that horridus and adamanteus were very high as well......the Diamondbacks are double-dangerous due to their highly potent hemotoxin............




.....but also because they have MASSIVE venom glands and are not afraid to deliver a lethal dose. Careful with that one lol When it comes to striking, Rattlers are certainly as fast maybe faster than Elapidae, they just have different locomotion so they can't SET-UP a kill strike nearly as fast because of the way they move and reposition their bodies.

Mambas?? I'm not that good yet, My Friend. One day.

 

[Aw3s0m3]

Haha I'm very aware of this! I was just answering your question. When it comes to speed, I was mostly referring to movement and not do much strike. I can't think of 1 snake who's strike is not fast but when it comes to to actual movement, I cannot think of 1 viper that has the agility of an elapid. All vipers are just sit and wait predators where as majority of the elapids will actively hunt their prey