# Sticky  Venomous Reptile Keeping



## CrocKeeper

Venomous Reptiles.......no way away from them. There are so many pictures of some of the worlds most beautiful snakes, so exposure to rattlesnakes, cantils, rhinocerous vipers, and cobras is inevitable. The draw to keep something so beautiful is obvious, but there is a draw among many to keep them because of their danger. 
The question I get asked by many people is where do I start?
My standard answer is DON"T. The reason for that statement is the complications and responsibility involved with keeping potentially life taking animals. Snakes by themselves may be the single most gifted escape artists ever devised! now make that snake a venomous one.....scary isn't it.....many people go out, catch a rattlesnake, copperhead, etc....and put it in an aquarium and think what's the big deal...I am keeping it just fine.....until it escapes, or bites someone through the screen lid, or dies from inadequate care.
What is involved in serious hot keeping?
A facility!
Aphis permits.
Antivenine.
Insurance (as well as checking with your homeowners insurance..as it may be void with possesion of venomous snakes in the home or on the property).
Possible state, county and municipal permits.
Enclosures that lock, and prohibit escape.
Equipment for handling, and understanding of how to use it properly.
Emergency lighting and flshlights liberally sprinkled around the facility.
Thorough understanding of husbandry and disease and parasite issues, as many venomous taxa will only be obtained as wild caught animals, and therfore have unique problems that a new or inexperienced keepr has little hope for of succesful resolution.
Complete understanding of venomous snakebite and its physiological consequences.
Physician packets for the emergency room in case of bites, including numbers to physicians with expertise in snake envenomation, instructions for antivenine use and specific protocol for each and every species you keep.
Protocol established with your local hospital so that they are aware of the possible need for them if a bite ever happens.
These are *BASICS* people and is where we start.....it can and does get more complicated depending on the size of the collection and the species being kept.


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## dark FrOsT

awesome post crockeeper .. thanks so much you putitng all this time into educating us on all our reptile related questions

dark FrOsT


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## acestro

You just saved about 100 really dumb topics from being posted here. Bravo! And maybe someone actually wants to do it right.









A cobra is a beautiful thing, but even with all my years as a hobbyist/scientist/biologist... it just aint happenin'.


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## jmax611

my buddy had a eastern diamond back rattle snake for a awhile before it bit him.

it was not pretty

animal control came out after 3 days of searching in a field he told them it was in and they confiscated his rattle snake, a 14 foot bermese python, a live racoon(feeder for python i caught in my backyard) 3 alligators , a african rock python, and 5 snapping turtles

it was on animal planet on the detroit cops show


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## dark FrOsT

that sucks royally id be so pissed if that was me. i take it they were all illegal.

well at least he can say he was on animal planet


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## Polypterus

jmax611 said:


> my buddy had a eastern diamond back rattle snake for a awhile before it bit him.
> 
> it was not pretty
> 
> animal control came out after 3 days of searching in a field he told them it was in and they confiscated his rattle snake, a 14 foot bermese python, a live racoon(feeder for python i caught in my backyard) 3 alligators , a african rock python, and 5 snapping turtles
> 
> it was on animal planet on the detroit cops show


Yeah and now I have to care for his sorry ass collection because he was an idiot...

Hey croc.(Polypterus here ).How about deleting all this commenting stuff and just locking and pinning your initial statement??

Also if you wish Feel fee to use this:
(Sorry for the linking but I am offering the material for use here)
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7652


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## FohDatAss

CrocKeeper said:


> Venomous Reptiles.......no way away from them. There are so many pictures of some of the worlds most beautiful snakes, so exposure to rattlesnakes, cantils, rhinocerous vipers, and cobras is inevitable. The draw to keep something so beautiful is obvious, but there is a draw among many to keep them because of their danger.
> The question I get asked by many people is where do I start?
> My standard answer is DON"T. The reason for that statement is the complications and responsibility involved with keeping potentially life taking animals. Snakes by themselves may be the single most gifted escape artists ever devised! now make that snake a venomous one.....scary isn't it.....many people go out, catch a rattlesnake, copperhead, etc....and put it in an aquarium and think what's the big deal...I am keeping it just fine.....until it escapes, or bites someone through the screen lid, or dies from inadequate care.
> What is involved in serious hot keeping?
> A facility!
> Aphis permits.
> Antivenine.
> Insurance (as well as checking with your homeowners insurance..as it may be void with possesion of venomous snakes in the home or on the property).
> Possible state, county and municipal permits.
> Enclosures that lock, and prohibit escape.
> Equipment for handling, and understanding of how to use it properly.
> Emergency lighting and flshlights liberally sprinkled around the facility.
> Thorough understanding of husbandry and disease and parasite issues, as many venomous taxa will only be obtained as wild caught animals, and therfore have unique problems that a new or inexperienced keepr has little hope for of succesful resolution.
> Complete understanding of venomous snakebite and its physiological consequences.
> Physician packets for the emergency room in case of bites, including numbers to physicians with expertise in snake envenomation, instructions for antivenine use and specific protocol for each and every species you keep.
> Protocol established with your local hospital so that they are aware of the possible need for them if a bite ever happens.
> These are *BASICS* people and is where we start.....it can and does get more complicated depending on the size of the collection and the species being kept.


EXCELLENT POST!

I was thinking of getting a rattler or copperhead....no mas, huh?


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