Some of my venomous snakes

[longqi]

crotalid
we get called out for relocating white lips every week
responsible for more bites in Bali than any other snake

our cobras are n, sputarix and kings because no siamensis here
siamensis are much prettier and usually flare the hood
sputarix often hit or spit without even raising their head or hood

 

[Deyendran]

really great pix bud, they're all absolute beauties. amaazzeeeeeddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cheekabee]

Man those are some amazing snakes, whats the licensing regulations and procedures over there BTW. And how much did they cost you, im thinking of moving to the UK when im older lol.

 

[longqi]

Cheekabee
Virtually zero licensing for any reptiles that are virtually harmless [excluding CITES listed animals]

Others such as dangerous vens and crocodiles need a DWA license
If you can prove experience with vens in Aus the license is easy to get
Otherwise I think you have to do an approved course

 

[Crotalid]

Definitely little in size but would pack a nasty big punch!

That's for sure!

Hells bells those are some gorgeous snakes you have there mate. I have always wanted to see a White Lipped in real life.

My uncle has Gaboon Vipers back in South Africa and describes them pretty much as you do. Laid back until they explode into action during feeding time

Indeed, but when you have a pissed off Gaboon that's a site to see also especially when adult! Very powerful

crotalid
we get called out for relocating white lips every week
responsible for more bites in Bali than any other snake

our cobras are n, sputarix and kings because no siamensis here
siamensis are much prettier and usually flare the hood
sputarix often hit or spit without even raising their head or hood

White lips are good fun! Cobras are no fun when they don't hood, that's the whole point in them!! Do you get many call outs for venomous?

really great pix bud, they're all absolute beauties. amaazzeeeeeddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you!

Man those are some amazing snakes, whats the licensing regulations and procedures over there BTW. And how much did they cost you, im thinking of moving to the UK when im older lol.

As Longqi says nothing for 'normal' reptiles apart form CITES.

But DWA license is needed for dangerous things! But a lot of Europe places like Germany don't even have a license. I wouldn't move here the weather is useless!! Lol. Is there no way you're allowed to have exotic venomous in Australia?

 

[Chanzey]

But DWA license is needed for dangerous things! But a lot of Europe places like Germany don't even have a license. I wouldn't move here the weather is useless!! Lol. Is there no way you're allowed to have exotic venomous in Australia?

Buy a zoo

 

[longqi]

Most of our calls are for cobras
but at least 50% of those are not cobras
usually ptyas mucosus or elaphe radiata which can do a pretty good impression of being dangerous if they get stirred up
other vens are banded kraits boigas and pit vipers
rest are retics burmese and various vine snakes keelbacks sea snakes and bronzebacks with a few other rarer ones

 

[Crotalid]

Their temper should have nothing to do with it, and from what I understand most bitis don't move around too much, so I'm not really sure what you're talking about.

Nice snakes OP, jealous of the gaboon forsure, do you keep rhinos?

Sorry i missed your question.

No i don't keep rhino's....yet! I would like some, just a case of when the right ones pop up. I would like the Ituri locale, which are regarded to be the prettiest - however they don't come up as often as the more 'common' locales But soon hopefully!

- - - Updated - - -

Buy a zoo

Bit of an inconvenience...Lol.

Most of our calls are for cobras
but at least 50% of those are not cobras
usually ptyas mucosus or elaphe radiata which can do a pretty good impression of being dangerous if they get stirred up
other vens are banded kraits boigas and pit vipers
rest are retics burmese and various vine snakes keelbacks sea snakes and bronzebacks with a few other rarer ones

Ah right nice! How many times do you get called out a week?

 

[caliherp]

Why would any ven keeper be asking to get bitten??
Most are 100 times more careful than python keepers or there would be bodies everywhere
Good ven keepers never get complacent and simply cannot afford to get tagged so they dont get tagged
That is far removed from python keepers who are always bragging about how often or badly they were bitten

[I keep pythons etc, but have the greatest respect for ven keepers as they are usually in a class of their own]

Cobras seldom bite in captivity and only strike in one direction
Gaboons are explosive but usually telegraph a hit
trickiest one there might be the white lip as they defend themselves very strongly

I couldent agree more. Im in the middle of completeing 1000 hours of experience so i can own non native hots. 500 more hours to go. IMO Cobras are the most easy hot to work with. Mainley because they are verry visiual and really easy to get there attention and work with free handed. Gaboons scare the sht out of me. Because they are so explosive. In the next couple of weeks I get to start working with arboreals. I cant wait. Verry nice collection. That white lip is insane. Keep the pictures comeing.

 

[Crotalid]

I couldent agree more. Im in the middle of completeing 1000 hours of experience so i can own non native hots. 500 more hours to go. IMO Cobras are the most easy hot to work with. Mainley because they are verry visiual and really easy to get there attention and work with free handed. Gaboons scare the sht out of me. Because they are so explosive. In the next couple of weeks I get to start working with arboreals. I cant wait. Verry nice collection. That white lip is insane. Keep the pictures comeing.

Thanks.

But please don't free handle venomous snakes. You're making a big mistake, these are not toys, it's a very bad idea to free handle. There is just no need to free handle them, you need to get it out of your head it's ok to do it, try that with a Forest Cobra and it will kill you.

But the bottom line is, these are wild animals.

 

[longqi]

We average 5 calls per day in the dry season
But wet season is very different ball game
Last year we had 11 days with 35 calls
Many calls are unsuccessful with either no snake or dead snake
But the locals are learning to leave them alone and call us
So the ratio is steadily improving

Most snakes removed from one house and yard was 17 with 5 different species
But the yard was a snake heaven of old masonry bamboo and leaf litter

 

[beardedman]

ohh ok than im deaply sorry cause ive been told that they are pretty cranky but yeah definets is the white lip there just born cranky

 

[eipper]

Crotalid,

First off lovely snakes, I love Asian Naja and large Bitis are gorgeous. That said handling snakes including species such as melanoleuca is not a death sentence. They need to be handled / managed correctly eg shift boxes, tubes cage dividers etc.

Cheers
scott

 

[Rob]

I couldent agree more. Im in the middle of completeing 1000 hours of experience so i can own non native hots. 500 more hours to go.

How does that work, exactly ? I mean, do you go to a zoo or something and clock on, say, 2 hrs experience, or is it something else entirely ?

 

[Justdragons]

i cannot believe how small the little cobra is.. that green viper is stunning i love the eye,

 

[Crotalid]

We average 5 calls per day in the dry season
But wet season is very different ball game
Last year we had 11 days with 35 calls
Many calls are unsuccessful with either no snake or dead snake
But the locals are learning to leave them alone and call us
So the ratio is steadily improving

Most snakes removed from one house and yard was 17 with 5 different species
But the yard was a snake heaven of old masonry bamboo and leaf litter

Quite a lot then, do you get donations from the government or local authority to do these call outs? Or do you pay for the fuel etc out of your own pocket?

ohh ok than im deaply sorry cause ive been told that they are pretty cranky but yeah definets is the white lip there just born cranky

That's ok, no need to apologise

Crotalid,

First off lovely snakes, I love Asian Naja and large Bitis are gorgeous. That said handling snakes including species such as melanoleuca is not a death sentence. They need to be handled / managed correctly eg shift boxes, tubes cage dividers etc.

Cheers
scott

Hi Scott, Thanks for the kind comments.

Sorry, i think you misunderstood me. I meant if the person was free handling melanoleuca it will get him killed, just as an example as they're more unforgiving compared to some Naja species, especially when they're pissed off.

i cannot believe how small the little cobra is.. that green viper is stunning i love the eye,

She would have been about a 1/3-1/2 that size when she was born! Tiny little thing. Thanks!

 

[euan]

To me it all comes down to experience with handling venomous.
I've litterally handled thousands of Gaboons, the vast majority with no tools at all i.e. free handled. Wild and captive.
I don't see it for me to be a problem.
I've also "free handled" quite a few forest cobras with no problem, again wild and captive.
To me it all comes down to knowing the spp, knowing your ability, and preferably knowing that individual animal.
I see lots of people, and I am not directing this comment at any particular person, rather as a general observation, deride those who "free handle" venomous.
Again it all comes down to an indivuals ability.
Doing it in public is a problem for me, I don't do it.

But I really love Gaboons and miss working with them.
I found Rhinos to be more high strung.
The rhinos exported from Uganda are quite close to Ituri.
I would doubt anything labelled as Ituri, unless privately collected.
Getting into the Ituri forest is not a simple task

 

[Crotalid]

To me it all comes down to experience with handling venomous.
I've litterally handled thousands of Gaboons, the vast majority with no tools at all i.e. free handled. Wild and captive.
I don't see it for me to be a problem.
I've also "free handled" quite a few forest cobras with no problem, again wild and captive.
To me it all comes down to knowing the spp, knowing your ability, and preferably knowing that individual animal.
I see lots of people, and I am not directing this comment at any particular person, rather as a general observation, deride those who "free handle" venomous.
Again it all comes down to an indivuals ability.
Doing it in public is a problem for me, I don't do it.

But I really love Gaboons and miss working with them.
I found Rhinos to be more high strung.
The rhinos exported from Uganda are quite close to Ituri.
I would doubt anything labelled as Ituri, unless privately collected.
Getting into the Ituri forest is not a simple task

For me it's a pointless risk, that achieves nothing. If you want to touch snakes, go get a non venomous snake. The risks far outweigh the cons, I can handle any snake with hooks, so why use my hands and risk a bite? All it takes is one bite. Especially from Elapids and vipers like Gaboons. I appreciate the fact you don't do it in public however.

There are a few people in Europe with genuine Ituri. They aren't in abundance though. I know people with a lot harder to source snakes than Ituri nasicornis. There are some guys who will con you for sure, but you know whose name to trust from the quality and rarity of their collection

 

[moosenoose]

Wow!! Stunning photos and wonderful animals

 

[Slytherin00]

Just a question out of curiousity, how on earth do you get them out of their enclosures? and how do you return them, espically the Cobra which is so quick?