first hot
- Thread starter blackghostknife
- Start date
I read in REPTILES magazine a while back that copperheads and eyelash vipers were the recommended starter venomous snakes for various reasons, but I'm sure that others have their own opinions on the matter, too. I believe that some of the factors that supported those two snakes included availability of the snakes and their antivenin, striking distance of the snakes, temperament of the snakes, and overall adult size of the snakes.
Another important thing to remember is that there may be local or state laws that prevent you from keeping venomous animals plus it's highly recommended (sometimes required) that you do some form of training before taking the plunge. You'll also have to be at least 18 years old (sometimes 21) to purchase the animal depending on where you get it and what state you're in; no vendor worth their salt is going to sell a minor a hot snake.
Another important thing to remember is that there may be local or state laws that prevent you from keeping venomous animals plus it's highly recommended (sometimes required) that you do some form of training before taking the plunge. You'll also have to be at least 18 years old (sometimes 21) to purchase the animal depending on where you get it and what state you're in; no vendor worth their salt is going to sell a minor a hot snake.
Do you have experience with hots? If not, don't get one. If so, I would say something Sisturus(Pgymy Rattler) Pretty, small not too bad.
Agree with the warnings above. Even "mild" hots are not to be taken lightly.
I have cared for a few hots in an institutional setting. Copperheads were definitely the most laid back BUT this may lead you to become too careless when dealing with them. I know a guy who was nailed by a copperhead for this reason. Copperhead bites are relatively mild (you probably won't die) but still pretty nasty. There is an antivenin that works for copperheads, cottonmouths, and at least some rattlesnakes that is reasonably widely stocked in the US. Still, be sure to find out which hospitals in your area (if any) stock it. At least at the time I was dealing with hots, there was only one hospital in my entire state that stocked antivenin, and they only kept enough on hand to start treatment on one patient. Apparently the stuff is pricey and has a short shelf-life, so hospitals have a hard time justifying having it on hand unless they get a lot of snake bite cases. It is very unlikely that any of your local hospitals have antivenins for more exotic hots like cobras or kraits.
*EDIT*
I would also add- if you are really interested in venomous snakes, don't be discouraged by the difficulty of getting one. Volunteer at a local zoo, nature center, university, etc. where venomous snakes are kept. This way you can gain some valuable experience with less danger (since you'll have more experienced people with you).
I have cared for a few hots in an institutional setting. Copperheads were definitely the most laid back BUT this may lead you to become too careless when dealing with them. I know a guy who was nailed by a copperhead for this reason. Copperhead bites are relatively mild (you probably won't die) but still pretty nasty. There is an antivenin that works for copperheads, cottonmouths, and at least some rattlesnakes that is reasonably widely stocked in the US. Still, be sure to find out which hospitals in your area (if any) stock it. At least at the time I was dealing with hots, there was only one hospital in my entire state that stocked antivenin, and they only kept enough on hand to start treatment on one patient. Apparently the stuff is pricey and has a short shelf-life, so hospitals have a hard time justifying having it on hand unless they get a lot of snake bite cases. It is very unlikely that any of your local hospitals have antivenins for more exotic hots like cobras or kraits.
*EDIT*
I would also add- if you are really interested in venomous snakes, don't be discouraged by the difficulty of getting one. Volunteer at a local zoo, nature center, university, etc. where venomous snakes are kept. This way you can gain some valuable experience with less danger (since you'll have more experienced people with you).
Cro-Fab costs something like 2,000 a vial and you would need approx. 15-20 vails. Also there is no need for Copperhead antivenin(If it even exists, which I doubt) all you need is morphine to mitigate the pain.
The best starter snake is a species that you have experience with. There are some species I may steer you away from in the beginning but mostly, it is up to you. Find someone near you that keeps hots and get some experience with them. I worked with venomous for two years before I ever got anything with fangs and even then, I was not ready. You have to be an expert with a snake hook and try to never touch the snake at all. Also keep in mind that if you have any issues that may require veterinary assistance that you are on your own. I have had to remove rotting fangs from my eyelash vipers mouth before because one broke when it struck at the hemostats I was using for feeding.
Bottom line, this is not something to rush into. Think about it long and hard first.
Bottom line, this is not something to rush into. Think about it long and hard first.
copperhead AV is Crofab polyvalent.
+1 Snakeguy
I also trained with a mentor for roughly a year (and would still be doing so if I had not moved out of the area) and when I trained I focused on elapids, mostly cobras, because that is what i am interested it. I am somewhat confident in my abilities handling cobras and when I do get my own hot I will be starting with a cobra...because that is what i am familiar with. Would make no sense for me to get a copper head when i have never worked with them outside of short interactions in the wild.
regardless of what your state laws require (which is something to be aware of btw) you SHOULD get training for at LEAST a year with an experienced hot keeper. Focus on what you want to keep and learn about those. If you want to keep a wide variety then the training should take you twice as long if not more so. You can practice your hook handling techniques on non venomous snakes or semi-hots (like mangroves) but realize that this is not a substitute for the real thing. Many people will say that you should get a highly aggressive non hot, or a semi hot to prepare yourself for hots.... and neither of those methods is at all useful. no matter how hard you pretend that snake is deadly venomous you know in the back of your mind that it's not so you will be more relaxed, even if it is unconsciously. DOES NOT prepare you for having an actual deadly animal on the hook....
Hot handling takes a real passion and if you are not deadly serious about it then walk away now. You will be intentionally putting yourself into harms way and one wrong move could end with an agonizing death. Never forget who is really calling the shots when you work with venomous.
I also trained with a mentor for roughly a year (and would still be doing so if I had not moved out of the area) and when I trained I focused on elapids, mostly cobras, because that is what i am interested it. I am somewhat confident in my abilities handling cobras and when I do get my own hot I will be starting with a cobra...because that is what i am familiar with. Would make no sense for me to get a copper head when i have never worked with them outside of short interactions in the wild.
regardless of what your state laws require (which is something to be aware of btw) you SHOULD get training for at LEAST a year with an experienced hot keeper. Focus on what you want to keep and learn about those. If you want to keep a wide variety then the training should take you twice as long if not more so. You can practice your hook handling techniques on non venomous snakes or semi-hots (like mangroves) but realize that this is not a substitute for the real thing. Many people will say that you should get a highly aggressive non hot, or a semi hot to prepare yourself for hots.... and neither of those methods is at all useful. no matter how hard you pretend that snake is deadly venomous you know in the back of your mind that it's not so you will be more relaxed, even if it is unconsciously. DOES NOT prepare you for having an actual deadly animal on the hook....
Hot handling takes a real passion and if you are not deadly serious about it then walk away now. You will be intentionally putting yourself into harms way and one wrong move could end with an agonizing death. Never forget who is really calling the shots when you work with venomous.
I will likly start with eyelash viper(if a certain one is ever gravid). Im staying away from anything that requires cro fab. Its just too g damn expensive. Though I do want a pygmy rattler. This isnt a decision to take lightly.
After seeing multiple cobras(including snakeguys) I will not work with them nor suggest them to any beginner. Dumb, but insanly fast and constantly hyper. Gabbys are calm, but venom is horrendous and they are stubborn.
I plan on sticking to aborels myself. Eyelash, temple, whitelip, waglers etc.
After seeing multiple cobras(including snakeguys) I will not work with them nor suggest them to any beginner. Dumb, but insanly fast and constantly hyper. Gabbys are calm, but venom is horrendous and they are stubborn.
I plan on sticking to aborels myself. Eyelash, temple, whitelip, waglers etc.