wagler's viper

[conleche]

I am getting a Wagler's Viper for a friend, and will not be able to give it to him immediately. The guy selling me the snake has given me extensive information about how to take care of the snake in the meantime, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for me about how to take care of this snake for a week or so until it goes to its new home. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am not extremely experienced working with hots.

[Gregg M]

Well it is not the worst snake some one without alot of venomous experiance can hold onto for a week..... It is a pretty easy snake to care for and not very aggressive..... It is still important that you use hooks to handle it if need be....... If you are only holding it for a week you will not have to handle it too much...... But if you do I would suggest using 2 hooks as tree dwelling snake can use a hook like a tree branch..... You my need the other to push it off the other hook......
They like it on the cooler side between 78 and 85 degrees..... Also kepp it alittle humid maybe around the 60 to 80% area...... Mist it down every other day as they will drink while you spray them but offer a water dish as well....... That should be good enough for a week...... It will be healthy and happy until it gets to its new home....
Good luck.....

[kevyn]

Keep them like you would a GTP. The humidity should be a bit higher though. These wagleri are very prone to dehydration. You may have to directly water them off the tip of your mister, so get one of those pressure misters with the really long nosel. They should be soaked once a week to, to prevent impaction which they are very prone to also. They can actually die from this. They can be abit pissy if you get to into their space, but like Greg said use hooks always. They do have weak venom, but don't take the chance. I really enjoy keeping them, just make sure they have enough water and humidity. There's a good article on them over on Kingsnake, check it out. Also water doesn't bead on their scales, like other reptiles. They are very unique animals. One of the oldest pitvipers.

[conleche]

thanks for the info. i appreciate all the help that i can get. i am not really comfortable with hots, so i will be glad to deliver it to its new home.

[jtpRUGGER]

Ok, I gotta put an end to this evil. I will be the first to apologize to all of you that responded, although it is I that received the worst of this dirty little joke. My girlfriend, here under a fake name (she usually goes by sps on here), is posting in order to prolong a dirty dirty april fool's joke, in which her and scott were trying to convince me that she was getting me a new hot as a present. Scott assured me that she would be ok, as it was just a wagler's, and she DID have a little experience from me an my hots. I was still skeptical, in fact I mentioned lastnight to scott's wife that I thought it was an April Fool's Joke. As I suspected, it is. It is a DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY thing to tease a hot keeper like that...not only was I scared out of my mind that my gf was going to try and house a hot for a week, unsupervised, I was also frantically planning a new arboreal cage. You can imagine my excitement when I thought I was getting a new, healthy, CBB T.wagleri. Furthermore, I suspected I possibly had the best girlfriend ever...buying me hots?! That rocks! I knew Scott knew better, but I had to believe it out of wishful thinking. There should be laws against such evil jokes. I, Josh Phillips, am the April Fool.

[jtpRUGGER]

Scott, not only will you never get to see my panamint female, the chances of you getting any of her offspring have greatly reduced. I still want some of Ali's cooking when I come to florida this summer, though.

[Mother Gecko]

Scott should now be obligated to buy you the snake, and me a gecko! OR a Gila monster which is really just a large fat venomous gecko..

[jtpRUGGER]

Right on, Mike...I agree wholeheartedly...I do have to admit, though, it was at least a decent, well-thought out joke. Would have been really funny if it was on someone else.

[Mustangrde1]

Mike get your Hours First for your VRL. Secound By your own Gila.

Josh It was all her idea... Though I certainly have to admit pulling a joke on you was a pleasure. Had I not been so damn sick lately I could and would have taken it further. By the way seeing as she was the one who wanted to do this to you perhaps it is some sort of mental wish to herself become a hot keeper. This certainly can work to your advantage.

[sps]

Ok, I'll admit it... it WAS all my idea... (and a pretty good one at that) Scott was merely a pawn in my grand scheme. ;)

Oh, and btw Josh, I AM the best girlfriend ever!

[Mustangrde1]

Susan it was a pleasure. just wish i was fealing better and had more time to prepare for this :)