I thought I'd show you guys some shots of Green Goblin, my fiance's 2010
Bothriechis schegelli (eyelash viper). Goblin is generally a tractable fellow, but has his days where he's just a terror. Eyelash vipers are very beautiful, relatively small arboreal viperids, and their venom is closely related to North American pitviper venom (rattlesnakes and copperheads). In fact, eyelash viper bites are treated with Wyeth polyvalent Crotaline antivenin, which most USA hospitals keep in stock. Regardless, these little fellows can do a fair amount of damage if you're sensitive to the toxins. I know people who were tagged and didn't require antivenin, but I also know of a few people who have permanent nerve damage and scarring from an eyelash viper bite.
While there are NO good "starter hots," many people will begin with an eyelash viper- their small size (18-30 inches) and rarely fatal venom, along with their sluggish nature, make them popular among collectors. They come in a wide variety of colors, from bright red, to pink, to neon yellow, to mossy green, grey and even brown....and combinations of many colors.
Goblin is a green-phase eyelash viper, and he is developing a nice mottled pattern with splotches of brick red, black, and brown. He has more than tripled in size since we brought him home a year ago, and is almost full-grown. He should reach his adult size in the next 6 months or so.
Here is Goblin when we first brought him home- on a pocket sized snake hook (he was about 7 inches long).
And here he is as of last night- he is now about a foot and a half long.
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