Sidewinders are amazing!

[stephanbakir]

ZVerDtbPbUI&feature=related
Fixed

[marionsclan]

That is awesome. Did you see her beat feet down the dunes? She was hopping like a rabbit. Wow... thanks for the clip.

[stephanbakir]

Yeh, impressed me.

[shaunyboy]

when i saw your thread title i thought you had got some :yes:

very cool snakes mate

cheers shaun

[whoaxmary]

I was worried for a second. Don't need no crazy french men running arount with hots!
Haha joking of corse.
Great video!!!

[stephanbakir]

I can't wait to get back into hots, they make for great pictures!
Not for a few years though.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I can't wait to get back into hots, they make for great pictures!
Not for a few years though.

Pretty sure its all im ever going to own now.

[stephanbakir]

I'll get back into them once I'm established breeding again.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I'll get back into them once I'm established breeding again.

Good ill be looking forward to this. Im going to a venomous show the 23rd and 24th of July, im going to pick something up there. Im thinking about a Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) for numerous reasons, like there extremely low metabolism, small size, and the nature of there tank. I have a smaller arboreal viv that will support one nice. Not sure yet though, may not get anything.

[stephanbakir]

Eyelashes and African bush vipers are gorgeous, sucks that bush vipers cant actually drink water. Keeping them hydrated is tricky.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Yea they require some work, atleast a weekly soaking for quite along time. Misting there cage and them directly will get them close to the moisture they need, through there scales. But like you said getting it just right is tricky. I really like the White Lipped Viper as well, your opinions on it?

[stephanbakir]

I was under the impression that you couldn't soak a bush viper without killing it? My understanding was that you needed to simulate morning dew by misting daily and you were fine.
White lips are pretty cool, I love the fact that they "lure".

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I was under the impression that you couldn't soak a bush viper without killing it? My understanding was that you needed to simulate morning dew by misting daily and you were fine.
White lips are pretty cool, I love the fact that they "lure".

I was wrong to a degree, weekly soaking isnt required, but it wont kill them =]. Must be a very small amount of water, Soaking for all Tree Vipers is a plus. But yea one to two misting's a day will give it MOST of the moisture they require. Also although it is most commonly believed that they wont drink from a stagnant water source, a water bowl should always be provided because more then one keeper has witnessed there Bush Viper utilize it. Mixed ideas in caring for these animals it seems.

[stephanbakir]

The water dish also helps maintain their morning humidity.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Yes sir. What Venomous species do you plan on keeping? What do you want your first to be?

[stephanbakir]

My first choice would be copperheads/Massasauga rattlesnakes. They are both hardy and make for awesome display animals.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Good choice.. Copperheads are great, real easy to work with, they cooperate very nice on the hook. What more exotic ones are you looking at keeping later?

[stephanbakir]

Lots of great, exotic ones in this post.
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-discussion/86962-name-snake.html

[Will0W783]

I love hairy bush vipers, but if they don't drink water, I"m not sure I'll ever be able to keep one. I work a lot of unsteady hours, so I couldn't be sure to always be able to time its mistings right. Also, I'm not sure if I'll ever trust myself with hots!

[marionsclan]

I love hairy bush vipers, but if they don't drink water, I"m not sure I'll ever be able to keep one. I work a lot of unsteady hours, so I couldn't be sure to always be able to time its mistings right. Also, I'm not sure if I'll ever trust myself with hots!

You could install an automatic mister or fogger. It would be worth it, I think. :)

[stephanbakir]

Timers are amazing when it comes to that :P
Side note: Just got told by a friend that he saw 2 rattlesnakes where I'm going herping this weekend with Kat and a few cousins. Wish me luck, I'll bring a camera.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

yea that auto mister is only like $50 and with a timer it works great.

@stephan Yea get us some pictures!

[stephanbakir]

Last time I went, all I found was a TON of northern water snakes a few garters and a few turtles, not a bad outing though.

[Aaran]

I had a copperhead and a coral snake for a bit , then i got drafted and had to give them up

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I had a copperhead and a coral snake for a bit , then i got drafted and had to give them up


Coral snakes are extremely hard to keep in captivity... Im guessing you have a large amount of experience force feeding Elapids? All the necessary equipment to do so, and had its en-closure in a ZERO traffic area? Im assuming you kept antivenom on hand, which is next to impossible to acquire?

[Jay]

I had a copperhead and a coral snake for a bit , then i got drafted and had to give them up
Drafted in the NHL? What team?

I would love to one day own a Atheris squamigera

[stephanbakir]

I would love to one day own a Atheris squamigera

The only problem with Atheris squamigera is they can't drink so you need to monitor them closely.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Cant decide between them or the Eyelash Viper... The toxicity of the venom is a good deciding factor. Eyelash's have weaker venom then a Copperhead. West African Bush Vipers have no anti venom.. Only a Polyvalent made for other species seems to decrease the venom's pursuit through the body.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

The only problem with Atheris squamigera is they can't drink so you need to monitor them closely.


Mixed opinion's its never been proven that they cant... Some have been witnessed drinking from a water source, others never utilized a water source. They have the ability to drink, just prefer not to, because of the function of there scales.

[stephanbakir]

Yeh, no anti venom = scary!

[stephanbakir]

Mixed opinion's its never been proven that they cant... Some have been witnessed drinking from a water source, others never utilized a water source. They have the ability to drink, just prefer not to, because of the function of there scales.
The fact that they choose not to means that you need to monitor them closely, sucks :(

[Jay]

I'm probably never going to own one. Realistically my first hot will be a "begging hot" Don't flame I know there is no such thing as a "begging hot" Some seem to be easier to work with then others. From my research by choices are, Copperheads and Eyelash Vipers.
So realistically I would be looking at an Eyelash Viper, because they are much nicer looking in my opinion.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

The fact that they choose not to means that you need to monitor them closely, sucks :(

Yea thats how the only bite i know of in America happened. Kid thought his was dead cause it hadn't been drinking, (Good research right???) and reached in to grab him....Bare handed. Snake wasn't dead very much alive, and not happy....

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I'm probably never going to own one. Realistically my first hot will be a "begging hot" Don't flame I know there is no such thing as a "begging hot" Some seem to be easier to work with then others. From my research by choices are, Copperheads and Eyelash Vipers.
So realistically I would be looking at an Eyelash Viper, because they are much nicer looking in my opinion.

A Copperhead is a beginner hot.. No questions about it... When i get back from work ill explain in detail why if anyone disagrees.

[stephanbakir]

Yea thats how the only bite i know of in America happened. Kid thought his was dead cause it hadn't been drinking, (Good research right???) and reached in to grab him....Bare handed. Snake wasn't dead very much alive, and not happy....
There is almost no reason to bare hand a snake you don't KNOW is dead, even then hook the silly thing unless you know 100% that its gone.
A Copperhead is a beginner hot.. No questions about it... When i get back from work ill explain in detail why if anyone disagrees.
I agree, for multiple reasons.
That being said, hots are hots, unless its a mild rear fanged snake, the bite will still suck REALLY bad, just less then dead.

[Jay]

As a hunter, I see owning hots as this. I can easily take down a coyote with my .30 30 (Cobra) or I could try with my .223 (Copperhead) Both rounds can still kill the coyote, no questions.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I agree, for multiple reasons.
That being said, hots are hots, unless its a mild rear fanged snake, the bite will still suck REALLY bad, just less then dead.

Yea to make points past the venom which is mild. ( Mild because its not the weakest, Cottonmouths/Eyelash Vipers/Bushmasters/Olive Whip Snake are all less toxic) A Copperhead isnt going to be overly aggressive, its going to ride the hook no matter where your going even if its no higher then a foot off the ground, (they hate heights) They don't exhibit the "lunge" strike like allot of Crotalus do... One thing against them, which for me gave me experience and a chance to learn (while being taught) how to properly force feed a venomous snake.. They are horrible eaters at a young age. Copperheads are sorely misjudged by alot of the "snake community" and the general population.


@Jay0133: Good analogy, only thing id like to add is instead of a .30/30 make the Cobra a 12.77mm. hahaha

[marionsclan]

If I EVER would own a hot then it would be a brown Mamba and a Western Gaboon Viper. Check out Mr. Brown on the Viperkeeper (youtube). He is hilarous, dangerous, but hilarous. And I love the way the Gaboons puff up and hiss. Ever seen the inclined S shape when they are extremely pissed off? That looks so awesome.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

If I EVER would own a hot then it would be a brown Mamba and a Western Gaboon Viper. Check out Mr. Brown on the Viperkeeper (youtube). He is hilarous, dangerous, but hilarous. And I love the way the Gaboons puff up and hiss. Ever seen the inclined S shape when they are extremely pissed off? That looks so awesome.


Your stating that if you ever chose to own a hot, you would go out and buy A: a Mamba? With out prior Elapidae experience? or B: One of the most unpredictable snakes on this planet, with the most accurate strike of all snakes...? LOL ill give you an option C: Stick to watching Viperkeeper hahah :)

[marionsclan]

Your stating that if you ever chose to own a hot, you would go out and buy A: a Mamba? With out prior Elapidae experience? or B: One of the most unpredictable snakes on this planet, with the most accurate strike of all snakes...? LOL ill give you an option C: Stick to watching Viperkeeper hahah :)

hahaha that's why I added the EVER in capitals because I don't ever see that happening but they sure are awesome and fear imposing creatures.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

hahaha that's why I added the EVER in capitals because I don't ever see that happening but they sure are awesome and fear imposing creatures.

hahah:) Please dont. Just cause Mr. Brown is chill, doesn't mean that the next Mamba is going to be as well. Aggression isnt the word, most Black/Brown Mamba's WANT to kill you. Goes to say with most Elapid's (exceptions are the Sea Snakes and Coral Snake)

[stephanbakir]

I wish I could go back in time and buy my buddy Mark's king cobra. That thing was a doll, hooded for display only, was almost 12 feet long. Never once struck and never turned on itself quickly.
One of the most mellow snakes I've ever worked with, if only they all were as mellow as this individual snake :(

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I wish I could go back in time and buy my buddy Mark's king cobra. That thing was a doll, hooded for display only, was almost 12 feet long. Never once struck and never turned on itself quickly.
One of the most mellow snakes I've ever worked with, if only they all were as mellow as this individual snake :(

Rare attitude, I would love to spend time with a snake like that.

[stephanbakir]

Rare attitude, I would love to spend time with a snake like that.
I would have loved to aswel, but that was back when I was scared of hots. I started working for them after the king died :(

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

I think this may be my next snake... Not 100% sure, i still have a few things to work out.


Cryptelytrops venustus
http://i52.tinypic.com/2z6h5lh.jpg

[stephanbakir]

Love their pattern/head shape.

[forkedtongue]

That mocassin viper is absolutely beautiful! wow!

life is so ironic that 90% of the most beautiful, stunning, or alluring things in this world can kill you dead as the bacon you had for breakfast.

[stephanbakir]

I think this may be my next snake... Not 100% sure, i still have a few things to work out.


Cryptelytrops venustus
http://i52.tinypic.com/2z6h5lh.jpg

How did you go from a Cryptelytrops venustus (Brown-spotted Green Pit Viper) to a gabby :P