False Water Cobra - Page 2

heloderm · 12-01-09, 10:27 AM

This guy joel is a tool, bro please stop giving bad advcice about venomous reptiles, it would be best for you to not even answer posts!

As for problems with them eatting, scent with fish, silversides or minnows, it works great for getting babies going also!

Crein · 12-01-09, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heloderm

A hognose or false water cobra for a first good starter hot?! I highly disagree!

People who have not been allergic have also had reactions from an fwc bite.

I think you need to check your sources, you are obviously reading bad info!

Taking a bite shouldn't even really enter your head, keeping these guys won't make you think twice.

These are pretty hott and can give a nasty bite, but to most, they will treat them as another harmless colubrid.

by no means did i wanna suggest to stick your hand in a tank and take a bite from either a hognose or a FWC, however, my sources are very good and on quite afew other forums iv seem em used to pick up good hook skills and habits simply for the fact that 9 out of 10 times there are no serious danger other then swelling nd a bruise. i completly understand that the idea of keeping any snake is to never get bit, which is what i ment to imply

oh and i also dont believe these should be used instead of hot trainng and apprenticeship. but from what iv read even some of the hot keepers people have apprenticed under start em with a FWC or hognose simply because their venom is no king cobra or viper venom.

MegF · 12-01-09, 01:40 PM

I've never known anyone that has gotten a hognose as a substitution as a hot. Most just get them as pets, and I hazard to guess that quite a few people out there are unaware that they are venomous at all. I am like The others...I use a hook for the most part to remove them from the cages and gloves if I'm not sure what's going to happen and usually both at feeding time. They are the most aggressive feeders ever and frankly that's when I feel I have the highest risk of being bitten. My female is great. I free handle her and have been treating her eyes twice a day with ointment, giving antibiotic shots etc and she's been a gem. Never once has she attempted to bite and I feel quite comfortable with her. Now the male...while he's never bitten or attempted to bite, he's much more squirrely, has a tendency to fully hood up if you touch him and is just generally more jumpy. I use a lot more caution with him and always put on gloves to pull him out of his cage.

Crein · 12-01-09, 03:25 PM

i really ment more tword the FWC for the intro into hots, but i do agree precautions should be taken

heloderm · 12-02-09, 07:21 PM

Males in general are more squirmy and will try and get away at first. I don't use a hook with these guys at all but I'm pretty careful with how I work with them. Just be careful and if you are bitten don't let them sit there and chew on you! Sorry about the other post, It's pretty difficult to type from a black berry sometimes!

Will0W783 · 12-02-09, 08:26 PM

Lol. Yeah don't let any snake chew on you, especially a venomous (rear- or front-fanged). If you do a search on this forum, you'll find another thread that shows a video of Nigel Marvin being chewed by a FWC. He apparently was fine other than some swelling, but it is a good example of what NOT to do with a snake, let alone a FWC.

MegF · 12-03-09, 04:06 AM

My female is so different from the male as far as calmness. She really is terrific. I free handle her, put the ointment on her eyes without worry. Even wipe anything off her mouth that gets on it. Poor thing is getting so fed up with the ointment by now.....all she does is try to squirm away though. I'm hoping she'll shed soon so that I can see how the eyes look.

Will0W783 · 12-03-09, 07:10 AM

Awww poor girl. I hope after a shed her eyes are bright and clear again.

MegF · 12-04-09, 05:58 PM

Me too. Her boyfriend is now in blue. Maybe if he sheds, she'll get the vibes and shed also. It's making me crazy waiting and she doesn't want to eat either which is also giving me fits. They are a fast metabolizing snake and it's never good when they don't have their voracious appetites. I think the daily ointment and everything else is putting her off her food. She still looks good weight wise though.

Will0W783 · 12-06-09, 08:56 PM

I can imagine all that would make her lose her appetite poor thing. They are fast metabolizing though. I'm actually trying to switch mine over to frozen/thawed, but no luck again this week. He bit at it and grabbed it but dropped it right away and started hooding and lunging around. How long can they safely go without eating? I know to get a snake to switch over you generally have to get them pretty hungry, but I don't want him to go too long. It's been two and a half weeks. He's a year and a half old.

MegF · 12-07-09, 03:55 AM

She's been 3 weeks although she finally ate the other night. She showed no loss of body weight though at that time. Make sure the f/t is very hot and very dry. You can rub it dry with paper towel to really fluff the hair. It's usually too wet and puts them off although mine will eat anything. Are you offering with tongs?

Will0W783 · 12-07-09, 09:08 AM

Yes I'm offering with tongs and moving the item around and twitching it. Rogue bit it but then let it go right away and went into his usual spazz mode- hooding up and leaping about the tank, lunging around and slapping his tail all over. My little brother was over to visit and went white when he saw the lunging..lol. Rogue's a good boy but he can look quite intimidating for a little guy!

MegF · 12-08-09, 03:48 AM

You might just try leaving it in there then and let him find it. Try having 7 ft of lunging, tail slapping, BITING hydro some time. The male is a psycho I've decided! I'm glad I was wearing gloves the other night.

Will0W783 · 12-08-09, 05:37 AM

Yikes! I hope Rogue calms down by the time he gets to that size!

MegF · 12-09-09, 06:47 AM

Yes it's always a fun time in the hydro barn