West African Gaboon Viper

KD35WIN.AS.ONE · 07-30-11, 07:16 PM

Pictures of my West African Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica) feeding and first housing.

Check out the blood from just the fang, on the F/T mouse.
He is being housed in a locked model #332 Vision Cage.
The flash is making the cage seem a lot brighter than it is at night in the last picture.

stephanbakir · 07-30-11, 07:18 PM

Hes a cutie! Vid him puffing, its louder then most people think :P

blindfireak40 · 07-30-11, 07:44 PM

LETHALLY ADORABLE!! I wish I had the experience/guts/everything else requisite to keep something like him!! Beautiful

Jay · 07-30-11, 08:20 PM

Beautiful. When I have enough time and more knowledge I am planning to own a hot, thinking of a cotton mouth or copper head, but this is not for years.

Uncle_Rev · 07-30-11, 10:34 PM

Fricking amazing looking!

SnakeyJay · 07-31-11, 02:03 AM

He looks amazing x

Lankyrob · 07-31-11, 05:27 AM

Awesome, my mate has one and recorded the "huffing" sound - it is terrifying to hear it!!

brylecc1989 · 07-31-11, 07:53 AM

Absolutely stunning!

ladyjustice33 · 07-31-11, 09:56 AM

I have to relocate a cotton mouth (we call them moccasins down south) and a copper head out of my yard at least once a year down here in southeast texas and people on here want one as a pet, lol !!! I don't know about in captivity, but moccasins emit the worst smell!! We have a lot of them down here and I can be down by the pond at the park and tell where one is just by the smell. When one gets in my yard from the ditch behind it, 99% of the time I smell it before I see it. Last week alone I had to save two speckled kings and a western mud snake from my shepherd and all wild snakes I've dealt with emit that musk that stinks when they are frightened but the moccasins just smell period and they will chase your a** too, lol !!!

KD35WIN.AS.ONE · 07-31-11, 12:18 PM

Thank you everyone for the kind words, he is a joy to work with. He is settling in now, in about two weeks ill post some more pictures on this thread for anyone that is interested.. If anyone has any questions about him or his keeping let me know.

Anyone here ever had any experience with WC Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnakes?

Lankyrob · 07-31-11, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KD35WIN.AS.ONE

Thank you everyone for the kind words, he is a joy to work with. He is settling in now, in about two weeks ill post some more pictures on this thread for anyone that is interested.. If anyone has any questions about him or his keeping let me know.

If you dont then you might just feel the wrath of the BANHAMMER!!

stephanbakir · 07-31-11, 01:12 PM

Or worse.... the BANHAMSTER!!

KD35WIN.AS.ONE · 07-31-11, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephanbakir

Or worse.... the BANHAMSTER!!

hahah the what??

stephanbakir · 07-31-11, 08:33 PM

KD35WIN.AS.ONE · 07-31-11, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay0133

thinking of a cotton mouth or copper head, but this is not for years.

The copperhead is an amazing snake,getting a subadult, established eater is probably the safest route to go when keeping hots. To hone the the basics and and get a very repetitive safe rhythm going. Minimal stick work experience is required, although i recommend having logged many hours of stick work with various species of pit vipers before attempting to own one. The use of a trap box which is not always necessary for this species is also a way to increase safety and should be on hand before acquiring any venomous snake. Mentoring is the key, you will gain a very small amount of experience working with non venomous snakes that will transition over to keeping venomous snakes. You need to have logged hours taking care of a Copperhead or other species of Pit Vipers under the eye of someone with atleast a decade of experience. That being said do you plan to get a mentor? if/when you have decided to keep a Copperhead?