Feelin' hot, Hot, HOT! Oh yeah!

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 09:58 AM

Because so many of my friends here have asked about what hots my fiance and I have acquired, I decided to start a thread about them. I will say at the very start of this, that I would not recommend anyone to keep venomous snakes. While they are legal in many states and cities (including mine), they are a very serious hobby to take up, and require a conscious, tough decision from the keeper and everyone in his/her family. Anyone that may come to visit you lays their life in your hands every time they set foot in your house. By keeping venomous snakes, you are making the decision to risk your life and the lives of the other people and pets that live with you, EVERY SINGLE DAY. It's a big weight on one's shoulders. However, when everyone agrees to accept the risk and responsibility, venomous snakes can be some of the most rewarding and beautiful captives.

First up- "Green Goblin" -2010 Eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlegellii)

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 10:01 AM

Since I can only post a few pictures per post, each snake will be in its own "reply".

Next is "Gremlin" - female Usumbara mountain horned bush viper (Atheris ceratophora). She's a tiny thing, but has BIG attitude!

stephanbakir · 11-22-11, 10:06 AM

Sexy snakes, but you jacked our name :P We have a carpet python named gremlin with a haunted gremlin body embedded in his head patterns.

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 10:07 AM

Next is "Bisa Ular," my gorgeous Malaysian phase Wagler's temple viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri). Her name means "snake of poison" in Malay. Wagler's are impressive pitvipers, with massive heads and huge pits, but are surprisingly laid-back. Bisa is no exception- a beautiful, scary, pleasant-mannered snake.

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 10:11 AM

Then there is "Shelby," my 2011 albino monocled cobra, Naja kaouthia.
He has his own thread, but here are a few pictures of him anyway!

stephanbakir · 11-22-11, 10:14 AM

Shelby is hot, i hope she brightens up

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 10:19 AM

And finally, here is "Miss Buzztail," a 2009 Crotalus atrox I took in from my cousin, who had almost killed her. She has the most severe case of belly scale rot I've ever seen. I'm treating her with betadine dips and antibiotics, and she is steadily improving. I'm not sure that I'll keep her once she is healed, as my fiance is afraid of her readiness to strike and the risk she poses, but if I do rehome her, I will be very selective. She's gone through a lot, poor thing.

***For more pictures of these guys, check out the following two threads:
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/photo...pic-heavy.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...by-thread.html

Gungirl · 11-22-11, 10:20 AM

Stunning snakes Kim.. you have BALLS! lol I could never own anything like that.

stephanbakir · 11-22-11, 10:22 AM

Could you define the risk of your rattler over the other hots? especially the naja?
Just curious as to how he defines it.

alessia55 · 11-22-11, 10:23 AM

I love all of these guys... from a distance or through a glass pane

exwizard · 11-22-11, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gungirl

Stunning snakes Kim.. you have BALLS! lol I could never own anything like that.

I agree with this totally. I admire this collection of yours but even if it were legal here, I dont think I could ever have anything like this. Awesome snakes for sure!

**lady_bug87** · 11-22-11, 10:31 AM

how do you treat the scale rot if shes trying to strike? I agree with Kat....

Will0W783 · 11-22-11, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Could you define the risk of your rattler over the other hots? especially the naja? Just curious as to how he defines it.

In actuality, I do not consider her any more dangerous. My fiance has bizarre logic processes sometimes. He says the rattler is more likely to bite someone than the cobra, and since it is rated as more potent than the arboreal vipers, he considers that riskier. I do not agree, and would like to keep the rattler if she pulls through. She is far from out of the woods yet.
I don't agree with his thinking- it does not consider that fact that a rattler is usually pretty recognizable as a dangerous creature. Even most people who know nothing about snakes can recognize a rattlesnake. The cobra is only recognizable to non-snake people as a cobra when it is hooded up, and the arboreal vipers are not that terribly dangerous-looking. So why he thinks the rattlesnake is more likely to get ahold of someone than the others is beyond me. I use trap/shift boxes, tongs, hooks, and thick gloves with every single one of them, regardless of the animal's temper, venom potency, or agility. It's just foolish in my opinion to consider any hot more of less dangerous than any other.
In the words of Viperkeeper, "the most venomous snake in the world is the one that just bit you."

stephanbakir · 11-22-11, 10:40 AM

Yeh, but the way i look at it is, most of the crotalus will just ride the hook, when peaved they will ride the hook and rattle, rarely striking but even then... just stay out of range.
Most of the elapids will slither right up the hook, and the cobras will not only climb the hook, but do it shockingly fast. The likelyhood of getting hit by a cobra is way higher then a rattler.

alessia55 · 11-22-11, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Even most people who know nothing about snakes can recognize a rattlesnake. The cobra is only recognizable to non-snake people as a cobra when it is hooded up, and the arboreal vipers are not that terribly dangerous-looking.

I can attest to this. My mom knows nothing about snakes whatsoever. She has known my BP Kaybe for 2 years and when I bought Pika, my baby BP, she asked me what he was LOL. When my mom came to visit me I decided to go through the photos I'd taken of Kim's snakes and asked her to tell me whether or not she knew what the snake in the picture was, and whether or not she would think they're venomous. I showed her the photo of Kim's rattler that I took, and she immediately said "Wow! Is that a rattlesnake?!" She was definitely aware that they are venomous. Then when it came to the photo of Shelby the cobra NOT hooded up, she said "Oh, that's pretty. Kinda looks like that corn snake you had a few years ago!" (not kidding here). The next picture was of Shelby all hooded up and immediately it was "OMG! It's a cobra! Definitely venomous." Her reaction to the photos of Kim's Wagler pit viper was "It looks like it's a venomous snake, but I'm not sure." With regards to the bush viper and the eyelash viper, she said they looked like "mini-jungle snakes" (whatever that means). She said she didn't think that, just by looking at them, that they were venomous. So to the untrained eye, the only "dangerous-looking" ones were the ratter and the cobra when he was hooded. Goes to show how much it would help if more people were educated about venomous snakes and how to recognize them.

I fully trust Kim's ability to handle her venomous snakes. And when she cleans their cages and I'm in the room, she tells me exactly how far away to stand to be completely safe (and then I usually take an extra step back just in case lol). If I want to get a little closer for a photo, it has to be through the glass of their enclosure.