View Full Version : Parallax (Cryptelytrops insularis) is finally here!! :-D
Will0W783
06-18-12, 08:19 AM
Oh boy, he's finally home! I'm a huge fan of the Wetar Island pit vipers (C. insularis) and I've been looking for one for a while now. I've been back and forth with several friends who breed them, but things always seemed to not work out...stillbirths, or I couldn't get the money, etc. Last weekend at Hamburg, I ran into Al Coritz, who you guys probably know as Viper Keeper. He lives less than an hour from me and had a few yearling C. insularis, so I was able to get one. I spent most of the day there on Saturday, and I got to clean some cages, help feed, and I saw all the amazing animals. I've been watching these snakes on You Tube for years, so to see them in the flesh was just...unreal. It was really neat how they all seemed to know him and were quite relaxed, but they were wary of me and very curious. A few were downright angry as soon as I walked in, but settled down once I was there for a few hours. It was far better than a trip to the zoo- I saw some animals I will probably never see anywhere else. :Wow::yes:
And, I got to bring my little Wetar home. He's just amazing...absolutely as beautiful as I imagined. They are such yellow snakes, with angular, large heat pits and red-orange eyes. Little Parallax settled right in, explored every inch of his cage and dropped down to look for food. He chowed down on two pinks last night. I need to get him some slightly larger prey at the Oaks show this Saturday. It's really neat how alert and curious he is- he comes to the front of the cage, tongue flicking like mad, when I walk in and come to his cage. He's just awesome, and I can't wait to see him grown up. I feel so honored to have been able to see Al's amazing snakes, and to have one of them in my own house now. ;)
So here is my little yellow gem:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/5ee4b1e6.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/862a5a07.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/20c32b93.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/2bdf14fc.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/cfc15c7b.jpg
Will0W783
06-18-12, 08:20 AM
Here he is chowing down on some pinks:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/3df6239f.jpg
Aaron_S
06-18-12, 08:37 AM
Cool stuff but nope. Not for me. I'd die.
Will0W783
06-18-12, 08:45 AM
They definitely aren't for everyone. But I love them, and now that I've made them a part of my life, I can't imagine being without them. Wetars are exceptional- they are so alert and curious, and watch every movement.
alessia55
06-18-12, 09:11 AM
He is beautiful, congrats! Did you get any other photos while you were over there??
Will0W783
06-18-12, 09:48 AM
I didn't take my camera, because I didn't want to seem presumptuous. I will be going back soon, and Al told me to bring one next time.
snake man12
06-18-12, 09:48 AM
Beautiful snake. I am going to oaks, I hope to see some rattlesnakes and gaboon vipers like last time
Aaron_S
06-18-12, 10:01 AM
By the way. Coolest name.
Will0W783
06-18-12, 11:07 AM
I'll hopefully see you there, Zach. Aaron, thanks. ;) I love using Marvel character names for the tree vipers...they seem to fit them.
shaunyboy
06-18-12, 11:14 AM
Cool stuff but nope. Not for me. I'd die.
^^^^^
same here mate,i'd be dead within a week
he looks great kimberly,such a big powerful head for such a wee snake:)
i think vipers have the best head shape of all snakes
cheers shaun
Will0W783
06-18-12, 12:47 PM
Thanks Shauny, I really love pit viper heads too. They're just so big and angular. ;)
BarelyBreathing
06-18-12, 02:01 PM
He's beautiful!
Beautiful! These guys are a lot of fun. Like you said, they're very active and alert for an arboreal viper. Quite bitey, too :)
Will0W783
06-19-12, 08:50 AM
Bitey arboreal vipers are fun, botis! Fortunately Wetars aren't too large, so I can stay out of the range fairly easily. For some reason, I find angry arboreal vipers to be enjoyable and amusing. They are predictable- and that is better than a snake that pretends to be your buddy for years, only to one day destroy you.
I agree, docile snakes can cause one to become complacent. I like my snakes with a little personality, too. The wetars will definitely keep you on your toes. When agitated, mine like to rush the front of the cage and try to jump out at me...lol.
jaleely
06-19-12, 09:10 PM
Love love love! Id keel over no matter how much practice i had...but oh they are so beautiful! Good pic : )
marvelfreak
06-19-12, 09:16 PM
I'll hopefully see you there, Zach. Aaron, thanks. ;) I love using Marvel character names for the tree vipers...they seem to fit them.
Beautiful snake. I really like the name to. One thing Parallax is from DC comics not Marvel.
Will0W783
06-20-12, 08:20 AM
Oops, thanks Chuck.
marvelfreak
06-20-12, 09:06 AM
Oops, thanks Chuck.
Lets just hope your Parallax doesn't have a nervous break down, kills off all the Guardian of the Green Lantern Crop and try taking over the universe. lol
Will0W783
06-20-12, 12:13 PM
LOL! Well I'm going to keep him well-fed, so hopefully he doesn't have any reason to go after the Green Lantern corps!
marvelfreak
06-20-12, 12:20 PM
LOL! Well I'm going to keep him well-fed, so hopefully he doesn't have any reason to go after the Green Lantern corps!
You know he is Yellow which is their weakness so bet he could take if he wanted.
I just realized my kids are right i am a dork. lol
Will0W783
06-20-12, 01:33 PM
Haha, I'm a dork too. The moment I saw the Green Lantern movie I told my fiance, "I will have a snake named Parallax...just you wait."
We have Green Goblin, Mystique, Pyro and Loki (all eyelash vipers). I also have a carpet python named Electra.
bladeblaster
06-20-12, 03:57 PM
niiiiiiice :)
The ventrolateral stripes in males not present? I guess the insularis subspecies don't have them? Interesting.
Hannibalcanibal
08-24-12, 12:59 PM
can this one kill you? ha ha sorry i'm too much of a noob to know :3
can this one kill you? ha ha sorry i'm too much of a noob to know :3
Any venomous bites can cause an anaphylactic shock (allergic reaction) and kill you. There is no way of knowing whether you will have such a reaction until venom enters your system.
Having said that, I believe the Cryptelytrops venom isn't known to be very fatal; however factors like size of the snake, nature of the bite (area, venom dosage, dry bite), person's health and age can all contribute to a critical situation.
Hannibalcanibal
08-24-12, 01:59 PM
i see :D i'm a venom noob, so i wouldnt know :p
I am very much of a noob myself.. No need to down play your own experience or knowledge, we all learn something new as we go - even those who's been doing since the year beyond our births.
The only problem is when people become self-righteous know-it-alls.
Will0W783
08-24-12, 03:40 PM
etc pretty much nailed it - the venom isn't considered commonly fatal, but it can be. Even a hognose bite can potentially kill someone if they are allergic to the venom or particularly sensitive. All you can do is train, be prepared and exercise utmost caution whenever dealing with venomous reptiles.
I've done a bit of research into their venom, and it's actually fairly toxic, for a small arboreal. It can cause severe coagulopathy and haemorrhage, and has an untreated lethality rate between 1 -10%. There is also no anti-venom for this species.
There is also no anti-venom for this species.
There is the 'Green Pit Viper Antivenin' made in Thailand, but I hear it's quite expensive, especially to import.
These insularis are great, I know both you Kimberly and Brian own one.. Perhaps I will one day. I also like the blue ones that come from Komodo.
From what I've read, neither the Thai, nor any of the various Trimeresurus A/V are really effective. Hopefully, I'll never have to get any first hand knowledge on the subject:)
From what I've read, neither the Thai, nor any of the various Trimeresurus A/V are really effective. Hopefully, I'll never have to get any first hand knowledge on the subject:)
Stay extra careful friends!
Also, I hope the show goes well for ya today, wish I could swing by.
Will0W783
08-26-12, 11:19 AM
Insularis venom can be quite nasty stuff....remember, snake venom is modified saliva so it's going to contain lots of lovely proteases, fibrinogenases and such to "digest" the prey. The untreated lethality rate (1-10%) is fairly low, about the same as a copperhead envenomation; however, you would not want to leave the bite untreated due to the likelihood of permanent damage, even amputation.
Cryptelytrops is the newer classification of some of the Trimeresurus species, and insularis is basically an isolated subpopulation of the green tree pitviper (Trimeresurus albolabris), which is used to create the Green pit viper antivenin.The antivenin is fairly effective, but since insularis has been isolated for a long time, it has evolved some unique compounds that the antivenin isn't terribly effective against. So one should be careful to avoid envenomation.....just as one should be with ALL venomous species, regardless of antivenin. Sometimes the antivenin is worse than the bite, if you have an allergic reaction to it.
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