Bigger pic???????

[Gregg M]

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/1298gregg_femalegaboon.jpg

[BWSmith]

Very pretty. Midwest hook? Nice to see a Bitis junkie ;)

[Gregg M]

That is all I use..... I see you are a fan of midwest also..... I love those ulta lights for baby bitis...... The only thing I cant get into using are grabbers....... I am a hooks and tubes keeper......LOL..... This is the only snake in my collection that I handle to take pics with in this manor....... She is very very calm and does not even put on a threat dislay when I open her cage........ She is as tame as a ball python but still never freehandled.......... She is actually one of the few bitis that I have that actually seem to enjoy the ride on the hook......

[J_Riley]

She is awesome looking, I must say, the little porker ;) As far as I'm concerned, both of you have bigger balls than me for handling such potentially dangerous snakes...

[BurmBaroness]

One word.................GORGEOUS!!!!

[BWSmith]

Working with hots does not really have much to do with having balls. After all, i am married so they are now my wife's property :D

It is like those that study lions and tigers and bears (oh my!). We all take on a certain risk working with any animal. I would term it "Having the dedication to work with hots". I do not want the impression of hot keepers to be macho, adrenaline seeking thrill Junkies.

Just thought it needed to be clarified.

[nuno]

Very nice!! Are you wearing contacs?

[herm]

God knows you aren't macho!!! lmao

[Xetox]

Beautiful snake!!

[Gregg M]

No contacts in my eyes...... I was born with these...... They look better without the red center though...... And it is not balls that makes me keep these snakes...... It is pure love...... And the handling part just comes with the territory and lots of practice and learning the reaction of each individual snake.....

[Gregg M]

Hey BurmBaroness, Were talking about me or the snake.....LOL...

[SnowFoxx]

There was a snake in that picture? I'll have to look again...

Nope, still don't see the snake!

- Victoria:w

[Matt]

very nice gregg!

[J_Riley]

Originally posted by Gregg M
And it is not balls that makes me keep these snakes...... It is pure love...... And the handling part just comes with the territory and lots of practice and learning the reaction of each individual snake.....

*sigh* sorry guys..let me be a little more plain. I would not be able to justify what I personally would perceive as a risk of handling venemous snakes - I like to look at them, I admire their biology, but I cannot ever picture me hooking a 5' timber rattler on a daily basis (or any basis for that matter). That is what I meant...

[Mustangrde1]

Outstanding little beauty. I think we can tell the owner is proud ,Hell i would be too most the ones i see are imports that look nothing like that . Thanks for a greet pic Gregg

[BWSmith]

If my eyes serve me, that oneof the crosses. I don't see too many crosses being imported. But then again, i'm not looking too hard ;)

[ETET]

Thanks Gregg for such a great pic! She looks like a western rather than a cross to me, and she has a awesome pinkish-orange colored pattern.



ETET

[Gregg M]

She is a pure western...... Only 3 years old and over 3 feet already....... I am super proud of her...... I have a small male that might be alittle more colorful than her...... He has lots of pinks and purples and blues...... He is awsome....... I will look through my computer to find a pic of him that shows his beauty.....

[BWSmith]

i stand corrected. ;)

[Gregg M]

Well BW, I will just take that as a compliment...... You dont often see such beautiful well taken care of gaboon vipers...... Some dont even live past their 2nd year in the hands of some keepers...... Bitis are not as easy to care for as most people think...... I think it has alot to do with keeping them hydrated correctly....... I even go as far as to inject prey items with water....... Gaboons seem to need the most help in hydration compared to other bitis species........ Constant misting, soaking, and what I mentioned above seems to do the trick.......

[BWSmith]

Int he wild, they pretty much lay there and wait for a puddle to form in front of their nose! ;)

[ETET]

You are right BW, they really don't know how to drink. They drink from puddles or water on leaves in nature. Also, Gregg is a expert of gaboon, the tricks he mentioned really do well on gaboons but of course takes alot of time. Recently, I find out train them to drink from a shallow dish when they are new born; they will then drink on its own....of course still have to mist, soak....


ETET