False cobras

[Blaze Mcsmith]

i put a thread up about mud snakes and it might have ran its coarse
so i thought i'd pick a new topic - along the same lines
so people what are your thoughts?:hmm:

[moshirimon]

if you're thinking of FWC, super cool animals. really messy i've heard though as they soil their enclosures very often.

rear fanged and still mildly venomous and should not be taken lightly in my opinion.. just incase!!!

[Blaze Mcsmith]

im aware of the mild venome but most people who have got bit had only small reactions
besides thats not enough to put me off
their really cool snakes , as far as the enclosures go i'll have to think of the best bedding that can can be replaced with ease
ive seen a lot of people do well with them , and they reach a decent size.

[moshirimon]

Yes I know wouldn't put me off either, was just saying how you shoiuld respect it.

[SWDK]

They are cool snakes. A friend of mine has three. Super aggressive feeding response like nothing I've seen before. Check out this video of my friend handling his adult hypo female.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-venomous-forum/93957-video-my-friends-female-false-water-cobra.html

[StudentoReptile]

im aware of the mild venome but most people who have got bit had only small reactions
besides thats not enough to put me off
their really cool snakes , as far as the enclosures go i'll have to think of the best bedding that can can be replaced with ease
ive seen a lot of people do well with them , and they reach a decent size.

A lot of people say the same about western hognose. And you are correct: "most" bites have been mild reactions.

But everyone is different, and you should still respect them. After all, unless you've been bitten by one before, you don't really know how YOU will react to a bite. ;)

[SpOoKy]

Great snakes, but not to be taken lightly at all. The feeding response in them is incredible!
I always enjoy working with mine and they definitely keep you on your feet!

[MDT]

Blaze....just curious....what kind of husbandry research you doing about these animals?

[Blaze Mcsmith]

Yes I know wouldn't put me off either, was just saying how you shoiuld respect it.

oh i have respect for it dont get me wrong
however due to my research i would still interact with this snake.

[Blaze Mcsmith]

Blaze....just curious....what kind of husbandry research you doing about these animals?

not even thinking about breeding just want one and like to observe its behavior for myself unlike the muds where i would like nothing more than to own and breed.

[Blaze Mcsmith]

They are cool snakes. A friend of mine has three. Super aggressive feeding response like nothing I've seen before. Check out this video of my friend handling his adult hypo female.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-venomous-forum/93957-video-my-friends-female-false-water-cobra.html
thanx
that was cool- too bad the video was so short
i wanted to see the wee ones
does he sell them?

[Blaze Mcsmith]

Great snakes, but not to be taken lightly at all. The feeding response in them is incredible!
I always enjoy working with mine and they definitely keep you on your feet!

thats great news- where did you get yours from
and around how much do they run?

[SpOoKy]

thats great news- where did you get yours from

I got mine from a friend who does small breeding projects for certain people. She will not breed and sell to just anyone. Before I could get mine i had to spend time with her while she handled, cleaned cage and fed her adults. She also supervised while i worked with her adult and made sure that I was proficient in using hooks.

Blaze....just curious....what kind of husbandry research you doing about these animals?
not even thinking about breeding just want one and like to observe its behavior for myself unlike the muds where i would like nothing more than to own and breed.

Your answer to MDT`s question about husbandry makes me think that you have A LOT more research to do...

[Ivanator]

I agree with everyone about being cautious with their venom. If you're allergic to bee stings, you'll most likely have a bad reaction to a bite from these. One of my old mangroves bit my friend and we had to take him to the hospital. It turns out that his immune system was too weak to fight off the envenomation. Just be cautious cuz unless you've been but before, you won't know how your body is going to react. Since they're rear fanged though, if they just bite, you don't really have to worry. It's just if they held on and started to chew

[MDT]

Your answer to MDT`s question about husbandry makes me think that you have A LOT more research to do...


I was trying to be delicate, but..... :)
This is exactly where I was going.

[SpOoKy]

I was trying to be delicate, but.....
This is exactly where I was going.

That was me being delicate ;)

This species should not be underestimated. They are smart, fast and stubborn. I watched my friend get chased around the basement by one of the adults because of one mistake. Rear fanged should not equal less respect.

[Blaze Mcsmith]

I was trying to be delicate, but..... :)
This is exactly where I was going.

no need to be delicate im a big boy
ive been stung by bees countless wasps bit by red ants and a few snakes
i take care when when needed and appreciate your concern
however like i said before im still gonna do what i want to do , and im not afraid to ask for help in regards to doing so.

[MDT]

It's not you I'm worried about. I'm worried about proper care for the animal. I just hope you're doing enough homework on your own and not just relying on replies on a forum to provide care for whatever snake you end up with.

[Burgore]

Crazy feeding response?!?! Check out that video.

False water cobra - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldgAImhXrjk&sns=em)

I've never seen a snake chase a f/t prey like this big boy!!!
Enjoy!

[Blaze Mcsmith]

It's not you I'm worried about. I'm worried about proper care for the animal. I just hope you're doing enough homework on your own and not just relying on replies on a forum to provide care for whatever snake you end up with.

there's no need to fear-
when i do something its all in or nothing-100%
this is just another medium for discussion but not my life line- lol
i love snakes so i come here to here for stories and every now and then gain a new insight on a few things but by no means am i a rookie and or ignorant of the facts i just sloppily put things out the and see what the responce is
sometimes its people telling me things i already know and am very well aware of
sometimes its the angry know it all who has only one perspective and doesn't take into consideration the various complexities a topic can evolve into and last but not least there's that kindred spirit who somehow happens to comprehend
the meaning of my thoughts and give a valuable opinion.
ps this is not just for my appreciation but those who choose the same path.

[MDT]

cool...sounds good

[SpOoKy]

Not trying to argue or start anything but when you are asked about husbandry and you come back with an answer stating that you don't plan on breeding, it makes people wonder how much research in general you have done.

[StudentoReptile]

I believe this was touched on in another discussion a while back, but the venom of bees and wasps and ants is not the same as that of rear-fanged colubrids. Because you lack an allergic reaction to one does not automatically mean you will "safe" from a bite from the other.

[MDT]

I believe this was touched on in another discussion a while back, but the venom of bees and wasps and ants is not the same as that of rear-fanged colubrids. Because you lack an allergic reaction to one does not automatically mean you will "safe" from a bite from the other.

True...allergic mediated response has no bearing on envemonation and its effects on tissues. Two totally different issues. But, hey...he's gonna do what he wants to :)
Best of luck....

[Blaze Mcsmith]

thanks guys - this is a future project anyways i dont have the funds for it now nor the set up , however if a mud snake comes along i'll go out of my way to make it happen.
right now im just waiting to get one of my favorite snakes hopefully by next week.

[Will0W783]

I owned a FWC for two years, but unfortunately I traded him to a friend that was looking for one and I needed more space. They can get BIG, and they are a heavy-bodied colubrid so they are very strong. They need fairly high humidity, but not as high as, say, a GTP or ETB. I kept mine very successfully on thick layers of cypress mulch and a bottom layer of Jungle Floor mix (cypress, peat, etc). These guys like to dig and rearrange the cage frequently. They need a good, sturdy hide. The FWC will also need to be provided with adequate swimming/soaking area. Mine spent about a third of his time in his water, so you must be prepared to change the dish at least once a day or provide a filtered pond area in the cage. They are very high activity snakes, so a large enough cage to provide swimming is a must anyway. My juvenile FWC lived in a 4' x 2' cage from yearling to when I parted with him. Adults can reach 6-8 feet in length, and do best in a cage that is at least 6 feet x 2 feet.
Also you need to look out not only for the toothy end, but for the tail as well. My FWC loved to tail lash, and it could hurt if he hit me hard because of his strength. It was like being whipped. The feeding response is also INSANE on these guys- only other species I've seen to compare to it is the reticulated pythons or actual Naja. My FWC would lunge out of his cage for his f/t food and rip it off the tongs, so feeding could be a challenge. You are best with a sliding door cage, as this allows you to crack the door open only enough to slide food on tongs in and then partially close it behind the food so the rampaging snake won't go for take-out dinner.
Don't underestimate their venom- they are rear fanged, but that does not mean that the venom itself is not potent. It is very potent, and contains similar compounds to Crotalidae venom. Some people consider it on par with timber rattlesnake venom potency. The FWC has a very poor delivery system, however. This means that it is not able in most cases to give a full envenomation. Being rear-fanged, it will need to latch on and "chew" its venom into the prey. If you get a feeding bite, you can end up with a moderately severe envenomation if you can't remove the snake quickly. People have ended up in the hospital following FWC bites, although MOST reactions are quite mild. Key word there is MOST, as there is no telling if you will have an allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylactic shock and even death.
That being said, I was never bitten by my FWC. One time, I got nicked by a fang as he missed his food and brushed past my hand. He didn't latch on, but the cut bled copiously and took longer to clot than it should have given the size of the wound.

[Will0W783]

For some reason, my computer froze and posted that before I was done writing, lol.

Anyway,

So their venom.....handle them with care. They can be considered a "warm" snake....they are not without risk, but they are not full-on deadly venomous. I did free-handle my FWC but I never put a hand into his cage. It was fairly easy to tell what mood he was in when I went to hook him out. I wore gloves when handling at first, until he was more conditioned to being handled. It is recommended that you handle this species with gloves, due to the presence of venom, or that you use a hook/tail or two-hook method to move them. Also, don't expect to be able to get near the snake near feeding time, or for several days afterwards...they stay in feeding mode quite persistently.

Good luck in your future endeavors with this species; they are fascinating snakes and very fun to keep, if you are careful and well-prepared.

[StudentoReptile]

Kimberly, would you say that in terms of size and temperment, keeping these guys are similar to cribos/indigos?