New denizens and breeding updates!

[Will0W783]

It's been a while since I posted...so I figured I would give a few updates. I've had a really awesome couple of months snake-wise.
In early October my large female eyelash viper dropped 18 healthy babies. I've sold 16 so far and the two remaining babies are growing, eating and doing great.

A friend of mine had been looking for some rare Vogel's vipers to add new blood into his breeding group and I found a local guy selling a pair and got them for my friend. In return, he sold me his breeding trio (1.2) of Cryptelytops macrops (large-eyed pit viper). I'd already had one female from him, so I was thrilled to add the remaining animals. We are not 100% sure, but to the best of our knowledge this is the only breeding colony of macrops in the US. The male was confirmed breeding with the German bloodline female before they came to me, and I've caught two confirmed locks as well. My friend also traded me one baby eyelash for a male Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus so I can raise it up and get a colony of those going. I have a 2011 female from him and I picked up a 2011 hypo patternless girl as well so there's a trio of evil purps now! Hopefully they will be ready for breeding next year.

I also received a breeding pair of Trimeresurus puniceus (ashy hump-nosed pit viper) from the seller of the vogeli. I haven't caught these two breeding, but was told they had been active a few months ago.

Finally, I couldn't resist picking up a baby female white-lipped viper (Cryptelytrops albolabris) from my friend at the show. She is precious and very beautiful.

I caught my pair of Usumbara horned bush vipers (Atheris ceratophora) locked up after their last feeding. It was not something I'd expected, as I don't think anyone has successfully bred them in captivity yet- I'm hoping against hope that the female becomes gravid and I can see babies. But, it's a long shot.

I'm incredibly excited about the new additions, the eyelash babies I successfully got started and off to new homes, and the prospects for next year's breedings- it's so rewarding to finally get my viper collection in a good place for producing rare, beautiful babies! :-D

macrops breeding:


Male and German female:


Other two females:


Patternless hypo purpureomaculatus female:

[Will0W783]

Hypo purp again:


Puniceus feeding:


Baby male purp:

[Jim Smith]

While I find your snakes beautiful and fascinating, I absolutely can't understand any hobbyist keeping highly venomous snakes. It seems to me that there are two kinds of people who keep venomous snakes; those who have been bitten and those who will get bitten. Please don't take my comments as derogatory in any way. I understand that different strokes for different folks, but it's the different strikes I'd be concerned about. All that said, your snakes are indeed beautiful and from the sounds of things, you're breaking some new ground for herpers if you get your Usumbara horned bush vipers to breed in captivity. Thanks for sharing and please keep us posted.

[LadyWraith]

Amazing collection as always. Love pics of all your feisty little hots.

[Aaron_S]

Balls of steel Kim. Balls of steel.

[Charis]

Those macrops are beautiful!

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Balls of steel Kim. Balls of steel.

My thoughts exactly....

[Will0W783]

Thank you guys for the kind words! Jim Smith, I'm not offended at all- venomous snakes are NOT for everyone, and unfortunately there are too many people that keep them for questionable reasons (i.e. I'm a bada$$ look at me!).
While I cannot speak for any other keepers, for me it is simply an awe and fascination with the vipers that lures me to keep them. I love all snakes, and enjoy them all. However, vipers are so poised, confident and the physiology (development of heat pits, different fang shapes for venom delivery) is simply so amazing to me that I consider it an honor to get to work with these animals on a daily basis. I try to make my enclosures as naturalistic as possible so the snakes can behave in as close to a natural way as possible.
I do understand and respect their power and inherent threat...they could potentially kill me with one strike. I use hooks and wear Hex-Armor needlestick resistant gloves, but in order to keep hots, one does need to make peace with the fact that they are deadly and can kill you. You have to realize that, keep it in your mind and understand the nature of the snakes. A good keeper will strive to minimize his/her risk as well as to minimize stress to the snakes, but there is no completely safe way to keep them.
I'm ok with that, because I get to spend my life caring for what I find to be some of the most amazing and beautiful creatures on the planet!

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Thank you guys for the kind words! Jim Smith, I'm not offended at all- venomous snakes are NOT for everyone, and unfortunately there are too many people that keep them for questionable reasons (i.e. I'm a bada$$ look at me!).
While I cannot speak for any other keepers, for me it is simply an awe and fascination with the vipers that lures me to keep them. I love all snakes, and enjoy them all. However, vipers are so poised, confident and the physiology (development of heat pits, different fang shapes for venom delivery) is simply so amazing to me that I consider it an honor to get to work with these animals on a daily basis. I try to make my enclosures as naturalistic as possible so the snakes can behave in as close to a natural way as possible.
I do understand and respect their power and inherent threat...they could potentially kill me with one strike. I use hooks and wear Hex-Armor needlestick resistant gloves, but in order to keep hots, one does need to make peace with the fact that they are deadly and can kill you. You have to realize that, keep it in your mind and understand the nature of the snakes. A good keeper will strive to minimize his/her risk as well as to minimize stress to the snakes, but there is no completely safe way to keep them.
I'm ok with that, because I get to spend my life caring for what I find to be some of the most amazing and beautiful creatures on the planet!

Very well stated. As a venomous keeper as well, it's the uniqueness of these creatures that keeps me interested. I also like the Cobras and other non vipers. I enjoy the ability to educate others on the importance of these snake in the wild and why they should not be killed on site. Being you stated the safety equipment you use it is obvious you are a responsible keeper. I feel like my life is in more danger when I get in my car to drive to work, then it is when I handle one of my Cobras to move him to another tank so I can clean his. Life is full of risks.

[venom_king]

very nice snakes i know that this has been done a thousand times over but from experienced keepers but as i starter..well soon to be!! but would naja nivea, cerastes cerastes and a agkistrodon contortrix be good starters ie handles on hooks well not so aggressive at the moment i'm researching there venom so thanks for all the replies!!

[MizCandice]

Look at the vivid greens your animals have, simply stunning! I however am an admirer from afar. I will never keep hots Im sure but for those responsable enough to mantain them in a safe (as much as possible) and humane way more power to you! Question though, what is that you feed the babies along with the pinky, is it chicken and beef?

[Starbuck]

miz candice, it looks to be a pinky cut into halves

[MizCandice]

Thanks Starbuck!

[Will0W783]

Yes, it's pieces of mouse pinky. The little purpureomaculatus male will not eat a whole pinky, even though he could get one down. He's extremely feisty and I had to keep sticking food in his mouth and trying to get out of sight before he dropped it to strike again. It ended up looking like a massacre in that cage....

[SnoopySnake]

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Male and German female:

They're all gorgeous! Venomous snakes are not my cup of tea, but beautiful and fascinating none the least. Why do these two have different eyes?