Future elapid keepers.

[Den from Den Pythons]

Seeing as there are a few courses now available teaching the correct handling and husbandry requirments of elapids, i'm interest to hear how many python keepers are contemplating "graduating" into elapid keeping? What are the main species of interest for you guys? We're in the process of upgrading our collection of Redbellies with anticipation of sorting new ven keepers out with some good 'starter' elapids.......

Thanks guys
Den

 

[Ozzie Python]

done one course with jonno, hopefully in the not too distant future i'll be able to do the husbandry course. would love a rbb, but i fell in love with the collets at the course, as such i must have one!!!!

 

[hornet]

i am yet to do a course but will do one sometime in the near future. My main species of interest are adders(thanks alot sdaji) but for a starter will be going for something cheap and more suitable for a beginner like RBBS

 

[Chimera]

I would love to get into Death Adders, however both my wife and I are into Pythons and she's not keen. Don't think it's fair to push the point too far.

Maybe down the track

 

[DiamondAsh]

I fall into the 'future' ranks. I'd love to have one or two, but while I've got six young kids in the house it won't happen for at long time. It's not that I wouldn't trust my own husbandry and safety conditions, but kids will always find a way.

 

[dragon170]

I have the same problem ash waiting for mine to go to school. will be doing the course soon though for removal.Always been interested in RBBS as seen heaps as a kid and always found them quiet and fascinatingly beautiful

 

[Miss B]

Would love to own an Adder one day but I'm not sure yet whether I will or not and if I did it would be a loooong way off. That's pretty much the only elapid species I have any interest in. I'm somehow doubtful that my partner would be too keen on having one around the house though :lol:

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

Adder's are a good 'hook sitter', although keep in mind, they are very "cute" but deceiving. They will strike straight up without warning and with lightning speed. An adder was one of my first, very inviting.....

Collett's are top little blacks, getting hard to find. Hopefully more will become available in the near future.

 

[Whisper2]

i plan to as soon as i am legally allowed.
i would love RBB's and tiger snakes to start off with, then adders and brown snakes prehaps.
long way to go until then though....

 

[hornet]

Adder's are a good 'hook sitter', although keep in mind, they are very "cute" but deceiving. They will strike straight up without warning and with lightning speed. An adder was one of my first, very inviting.....

Collett's are top little blacks, getting hard to find. Hopefully more will become available in the near future.

so would you say adders can be a suitable first ven? I was thinking since they are so placid but strike with lightning speed its so easy for one to get overly complacent with them and would be better off "training" with something a little less ven?

 

[Vincent]

Collett's are top little blacks, getting hard to find. Hopefully more will become available in the near future.

Their not that hard to find. Shane Black breeds them. So do a few others.

 

[TANN-MANN]

After I do my time on a basic license I will be looking at upgrading to vens...as well as after I get enough cash to do one of Jonno and Sharna's husbandry courses.

species looking at keeping include RBBS, spotted blacks, tigers, collets (Agree with Ozzie python there...that was one hot little collets) not to keen on adders, next step would be to move onto mulgas and western browns....hell i'd like to have a pair of each species...although there is no way the misus will comply with that lol

 

[djfreshy]

I really would love a Golden Crowned. Something about these little guys. Really quite beautiful but alas there doesn't seem to be any around.

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

Hey Hornet,

Different people have different ideas on what makes the ideal first elapid. My preference is a RBBS, although an adder was one of my first. I don't know if keeping blacks would necessarily help in the experience of keeping adders. Adders are ambush preditors making them a different kettle of fish altogether. They look so calm and inviting, hence the danger of complacentcy. Top snake to keep although alot of respect and thought must be given when 'tinkering' in their enclosure.

JMO
Den

 

[TANN-MANN]

I fall into the 'future' ranks. I'd love to have one or two, but while I've got six young kids in the house it won't happen for at long time. It's not that I wouldn't trust my own husbandry and safety conditions, but kids will always find a way.

put a biometric lock on the door...they cant pick a fingerprint plus they are getting fairly cheap these days and look kinda flash

 

[zulu]

Adder's are a good 'hook sitter', although keep in mind, they are very "cute" but deceiving. They will strike straight up without warning and with lightning speed. An adder was one of my first, very inviting.....

Collett's are top little blacks, getting hard to find. Hopefully more will become available in the near future.

Hook sitters hey den and cute LOLz top snake the death adders for sure,used to put their food in the cage and that was it with those fellas,a bloke i know was bitten by a huge red common adder from straight up vertical.used to find bue belly blacks good captives,eat good and active but if you have horizontal opening doors to cage can near jump out at you in their anticipation of a feed!

 

[Vincent]

Different people have different ideas on what makes the ideal first elapid.





Den

If you only plan to keep Adders, then go ahead and start with an Adder. But if you plan to keep other types, Adders are useless as a first Elapid. The reason is, Adders wont teach you a thing about how to handle/keep the other type of Elapids. You could have kept dozens of Adders for years, and it wont help one bit when your new Brown or Taipan jumps out of it's box. At least with a RBBS, you'll learn and improve as a handler. JMO.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

If you only plan to keep Adders, then go ahead and start with an Adder. But if you plan to keep other types, Adders are useless as a first Elapid. The reason is, Adders wont teach you a thing about how to handle/keep the other type of Elapids. You could have kept dozens of Adders for years, and it wont help one bit when your new Brown or Taipan jumps out of it's box. At least with a RBBS, you'll learn and improve as a handler. JMO.

Amen
I was just trying to find the words for what you just posted..thanks shane..

 

[hornet]

when i do get elapids all i plan to get are adders so i might just go with a A. antarcticus first then move onto A. pyrrhus and wellsi if they are available

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

Thanks Shane, good point. The best advice I could give new (or soon to be new) elapid keepers is to quiz seasoned elapid keepers. Everyone has different ideas and methods on what to keep, how to keep it and what to start out with. Listen to keepers that have extensive experience with elapids eg. Jonno Lucas, Greg Prostamo, Shane Black etc. Take everyones thoughts and opinions and combine them to suit yourself. Make sure you are sensible when choosing your first elapid. By NO means should anyone jump into eastern brown or Tai's. I've been keeping elapids for 10 years and I still don't own any coastals! In saying that, i've only recently been instructed on the correct way to handle such respect demanding animals as Coastal Tai's. Know your limits and be sensible when your time comes to upgrade from 'starters'.