Hi Olive,
I currently dont keep anything ven, as to get my ven licence renewed i have to get a first air cert, so i wont have anything for another week or so. But I have kept:
Inland Taipans, western browns, both species of black whip snakes, three species of adder, pale headed snakes, small eyed snakes, Mulga Snakes, Pygmy mulgas and a bunch of the smaller things like moon snakes and a couple of the simoselaps. I have kept a few other things for breif periods of time as well.
I am currently in Darwin but do travel around quite a bit in search of herps!
Generally I am against freehandling elapids. Ive done it before, and I think most ven keepers have. But its not something I'd do again. If people want to do it, well it is their own choice! I just hope they dont cop a bad bite! Having said that though, there are a few people around who can freehandle vens very safely. The only time I would call someone stupid for doing it is if they are an inexperienced keeper. How the hell is someone who has kept rbbs for 6 months going to know when the snake is likely to strike, etc. Its people like that, that anger me. because obviously when the story hits the newspapers, it doesnt help the image of the snake too much!
PS - Please ignore all spelling mistakes and grammatical (is that even a word..?) errors... Its late!