Some of my snakes...

[Floof]

Now that I finally have my computer back (it died... Which happens to me a lot, it seems like... And then I lost the charger... Oops), I felt like celebrating by posting up some pics! Unfortunately, they're not very recent because I also lost the charger to the camera (oh, yes, my mind is in fine form this month, don't you think?), but eh. Pics are pics, right?

Without further ado...

First up is Dee Dee, a hatchling corn snake (late '11, I think)...

Dexter, a yearling Hypo Lavender corn snake who's very small for his age... Really need to get an update pic of him--he's started developing some nice orangey-pink hues with his last couple sheds.

Here's Volvagia, a Whitewater Rosy Boa... This is probably my favorite pic of her... I was short on clean feeding bins so had her on my bed, and when she lunged for her f/t mouse, she missed and got the pillowcase instead. She really didn't want to let go, either...

And for anyone who cares to see the pic of when she did finally figure it out: WARNING! Do Not Click Me if You Are Squeamish about Snakes Feeding!!

Shruikan, the Anza Borrego Rosy boa... She's even WORSE about food--always looking for food, and taste-testing everything! (Including the mattress, when I set her down to take this pic, my hand on at least 2 occasions, the snake hook more times than I care to count, the nylon keys lanyard at the pet store she came from, and on a couple occasions a plastic doggy nylabone...)

Toby, the yearling San Diego Gopher snake

And my beloved (but still nameless) Woma Python... Not a very good pic, but the only one I have what with the hard drive crash and the dead camera battery. Heh.

That's it for now! Thanks for looking!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Very nice! Love the rosies and the woma!

 

[ascott]

Very nice....my fav is the gopher snake

I would love to house snakes, but I am the big dumb sissy that can not feed live food----I have stupid hang ups about being responsible for making things go from live to dead.... but alas, I know this about myself so work with it....

They really are very pretty.

 

[Floof]

Thanks, guys!

You know, Angela, you don't have to feed a snake live prey... Every single one of my snakes eats pre-killed very readily. I've never had one that would only take live prey (though there are stubborn ones out there). If you look at the picture of Volvagia coiling her mouse (linked, under her killing the pillow case), you'll notice the mouse is drenched and definitely not alive--20 minutes before that picture, it was living in my freezer! Definitely makes for an interesting conversation on that rare occasion a visitor opens my freezer... After a good bulk order, there's hardly any room for the food! Lol!

Honestly, I'm not sure if I could have snakes if they could only have living prey. It's not so much that I'm sentimental toward their food, it's that I would always be SOOOO stressed and worried about those darn mice/rats biting back and hurting my precious babies. Rodents can do a lot of damage if they want!!

 

[webskipper]

Very nice pictures.

I like snakes that very smart.

The Anza is definitely aware of the camera.

My snakes will sit and study you. Very aware, and do recognize the difference between my friends and strangers.

Oddly, the house is quiet while my Reptiles are brumating.

 

[mel262011]

you have some beautiful snakes

 

[Floof]

Thanks!!

Yes, the Anza is definitely very aware. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call her smart, but "aware" is the perfect description. She's always on the look-out for food, and very keen on movement. During that same photo session, a couple times I tried getting a shot of her head, but no go--she'd bend her head backwards to keep watching my hand! At one point, her head was completely upside-down because my hand was behind her... Why she didn't just turn her head is a mystery to me--I imagine it would be very awkward to try grabbing a prey item from that angle!

That food drive and "awareness" is exactly why I got her. I fell so deeply in love with her attitude, and the fact that she's always up and staring at you in the off chance you might be edible.

There is definitely something unique about interracting with an intelligent snake. Rattlers are such impressive snakes... Almost makes me sad that I'm too much of a wuss to try working with them (I just know I'd screw up and get bit!).

 

[webskipper]

Whoa!

Vipers are not to be considered lightly. I only was gifted one after a good friend was sure I was ready. Like holding and force feeding and pro tools. Double lock cages, etc. Never buy a viper that is native to your country.

At some point that little girl rattler in the pic will no longer be a daddy's girl. And oh she is.

Furthermore, venomous wounds may never restore full functions and may cause other health concerns.

 

[Floof]

Exactly why I'm too afraid to ever have one. Sorry if "screw up and get bit" sounded too casual--my point was, with my luck and coordination (or, lack-there-of), if I tried interacting with hots... Whether it be coming across one while field-herping (though I'd like to think I'd be smart enough to stay out of strike range...), training to be a hot keeper, or in the possession of my own, I would undoubtedly eventually mess up in some seemingly little way that ends with myself bitten. Which, again knowing my luck, would probably be a very "wet" bite (I hope I'm using that term right) and end invariably in utter disaster.

Hence, I will never own a venomous snake, no matter how enticing they are. My tone may be light, but I don't dare take vipers, or any other hot, lightly. Heck, even hognoses make me nervous, if you can believe that, and they're hardly considered "warm"!

On another note, why never buy a viper native to your country? Forgive me if it seems like a dumb question, but it's not something I've ever heard before... (But then, I don't make a habit of learning the "rules" of the venomous hobby, either...)

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

On another note, why never buy a viper native to your country? Forgive me if it seems like a dumb question, but it's not something I've ever heard before... (But then, I don't make a habit of learning the "rules" of the venomous hobby, either...)

I think this is might have been a typo but I'm not sure [shrugs]. From what I understand, I would think think the opposite is true. Keeping a venomous snake from your own area (state, country, whatever...in our case, the U.S. is pretty big and diverse!) would be ideal, since local hospitals would likely only stock antivenin for local species.

For instance, unless you stock the antivenin for cobras yourself, it probably isn't wise to keep one here in the Southeast U.S. Better stick to copperheads, eastern diamondbacks, timbers and cottonmouths.

Of course, it can never be said enough that you should ALWAYS be prepared and get proper training (ideally with a mentor) before acquiring a venomous snake of any kind. You can NEVER have enough experience!

 

[webskipper]

Buying them promotes the trade of removing the wild specimens.

And doing so only breeds the quiet ones. Between the rattlesnake roundups and the poaching all the loud rattlers will be removed leaving a silent defenseman.

Yes hospitals do carry the antivenoms.

 

[Floof]

I think this is might have been a typo but I'm not sure [shrugs]. From what I understand, I would think think the opposite is true. Keeping a venomous snake from your own area (state, country, whatever...in our case, the U.S. is pretty big and diverse!) would be ideal, since local hospitals would likely only stock antivenin for local species.

For instance, unless you stock the antivenin for cobras yourself, it probably isn't wise to keep one here in the Southeast U.S. Better stick to copperheads, eastern diamondbacks, timbers and cottonmouths.

See, I know I've heard this before, and it certainly makes a great deal of sense. If I'm going to be bitten by a hot here in Utah, I would much rather be bitten by a Great Basin rattler and be able to be treated for such ASAP than have to wait for them to track down the proper antivenin for a non-native (or, worse, completely exotic) species and have it flown in from another state entirely.

I get the argument concerning wild collection, but, from my understanding, a lot of the US's native hots are being captive bred in the hobby by now, aren't they? Again, I don't know a great deal about the venomous trade, but that would be like saying don't buy a gopher snake or a king snake because it's native to this country and it could be taking away from the wild population... But that argument is moot if you're purchasing a captive bred specimen. (And one would hope that someone pursuing the keeping of venomous is conscientious enough to look for CBB, vs buying from the first random dealer they run into with WC hots on their table.)

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Just for the record, while their numbers will NEVER equal that of captive breeding corns or kings or ball pythons or whatever, there are a fair decent number of hot keepers who breed several venomous species (both U.S. natives and exotics) in captivity, including diamondback rattlers, copperheads, monocled cobras, gaboon vipers, and more.

Taylor does have a point. Very many species of harmless herps are not commonly CBB either, yet still popular, including many species of our own beloved tortoises and turtles. Where does one draw the line? Very interesting topic...