When is one ready to own a hot?

[reptilesalonica]

Here in Greece he (boy) is. But in Canana i don't know how much they cost.

[BWSmith]

They run between $100 and $150 in the US.

[marisa]

I must say, I have never really had a huge interest in having a hot snake...but of course those copperheads just draw you in and my mind has thought about owning one of those beauties in a good many years from now.

BUT

After reading your post BWSmith, I have changed my mind that fast. I really personally will never be able to commit myself to the risk they bring into a persons life. That photo really brought the point home for me. I cannot fathom the stupid mistake a person like me could make, ending in that. And frankly in my mind the Copperhead just isn't worth my hand ever looking like that because I got distracted. I am much more comfortable living with the fact that if I have to turn my head, my cornsnake/kingsnake might bite me and thats it.

Marisa

[JD@reptiles]

Well i have been catching herps all my life. i got serously interested about 5 years ago. all i keep that are venomous are vine snakes. i still live with my family, and i will not go further with venomous. i am also only 15 and do not want to make a mistake that i will regret later down the road. i started working with other Non-venomous snakes like rat snakes or crazy green tree pythons with a hook than i started working with them in the wild moving the snakes off the road etc.

Thats how i am getting started!

Jordan

A hard question to answer. I grew up on a ranch in west Texas, and a rattlesnake on the porch, in the barn, by the water trough, or just out and about was very common and by the time I was 8 I was comfortable moving them away from the house or animals on a stick. Cottonmouths were common on the golf course and could get the heart pumping if you hit into the creeks. Of the 9 venomous I currently own only 2 of the WBD (C. atrox) have ever been free handled. The biggest clue for me would be knowing that !100%! of the time the person was focused an aware of the animal. Some of the worst techniques I have ever seen were practiced by long time keepers who had become lax from years of exposure. Tubes, hooks, and tongs can virtually eliminate risk, an experienced keeper can teach handling methods (these can vary greatly between species) but unless it is an emergency I keep my hands to myself now lol. I figure a person is ready for hots when they truely understand 1 tiny mistake can cost them their life or the life of a friend or loved one and they have the competence and experience to avoid those mistakes. Not a good answer but thats ok, hook, tong, and tubing experience don't require a hot snake to begin with, articles and handlers can give an idea of how most species react (forward strikers, multidirectional strikers, ultra-fast animals, slower animals) and general species traits. Even with years of experience there are animals I would never own (some cobras, boomslangs, mambas, and a few other nasties). Oh and my Agkistrodon bilineatus b. is one nasty, snappy, lil puppy lol.
1:1 Gaboon (W.A.), 0:1 Cantil, 1:2 C. atrox, 0:1 C. molossus, 0:1 parabuthus h., and 0:1 Centroides e.

[shaggybill]

Back to what was said earlier, I was looking at the Taylors Cantil yesterday and I was amazed at how much they look like their cousin the Eastern Cottonmouth. Especially in the face.

[reptilesalonica]

Yes, but i like Taylors' much more than eastern cottonmouths because of the yellow-black contrast. Now i will make a new terrarium for my cantil so it is best viewed. Yesterday he ate after 3 months abstention. He was so fast when i oppened he's cage door that amazed me. I want to find a female but here in Greece... it will remain a dream.
~Greg~

[marylyn101]

Venomous are attractive creatures . i think if you can keep such a gorgoues creature i bow to you. i would never go near one and have several dreams of owning an albino viper. but i will never because i know i can't.

[reptilesalonica]

Knowing that it takes you one step further ...It's far more acceptable than some imature hot keepers that put the hot snake family at risks by making impermissible mistakes.
~Greg~