Oh I know what you mean but its just coming up for ways to change the water as safely and stuff like that.
I'm just making a point to not FREE handling.

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Scott

1.1 Royal Python (Python Regius)
0.1 Anerytheristic Motley Corn (Elaphe Guttata)
1.0 Anerytheristic Corn (Elaphe Guttata)
0.1 Normal Striped Corn (Elaphe Guttata)
1.0 Candy Cane Corn (Elephe Guttata)
1.1Huachuca Mountain King Snake (Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini)
1.1 Gray Banded King Snake (Lampropeltis Alterna)
1.0 Western Hognose (Heterodon Nasicus Nasicus)
1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Epicrates cenchria cenchria)
1.0 False Water Cobra or Brazilian Smooth Snake (Hydrodynastes Gigas)

It will probably take a few generations for these guys to 'tame'.

Just as it did with the now 'tame' non-venomous.

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0.1 Jampea Reticulated Python
0.1 White Phase Tiger Reticulated Python
1.1 Lavender Phase Tiger Reticulated Python
0.1 Madu (Honey Island) Reticulated Python
1.0 Purple Phase Reticulated Python
1.0 Tiger Reticulated Python
2.1 Coastal Carpet Python

how many generations CB a snake is has nothing to do with it at all (IMO of course)

I think you've put yourself at a great deal of risk, for a great deal of time to 'proove' something that didn't really need it.

After five months of very, very dangerous stuff (which is entirely your choice, i'm not getting inot the slanging match side of this at all) you've shown that snakes are unpredictable and fully capable of either becoming very tolerant or remaining untolerant.

Anyone who's kept snake for longer than 6 months should be able to say the same. I'm not sure you've actually proved anything, other than you can handle your collection for five months wihtout getting bitten. Perhaps slightly counter productive? certainly doesn't send out the message you think it does IMO.

People aren't going to read that and think "wow, cobras don't tame, I'd better not bother" but rather "see, he didn't get bitten either...just like my mate who does it..."

If anyhting i'd say this encourages free handling rather than deterring it, no points have really been proved, you've shown that a wild animal*, after 5 months of handling, is still a wild animal.


* NOTE - please remember that a corn snake thats 50 generations captive bred is still a "wild animal" it's not been domesticated at all, it still comes out of the egg with the exact smae instincts etc that a wild counterpart would.

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Mason

1.0 of "Quixotic_Axotlotl"





http://masonexotics.co.uk/ourcollection.aspx

Locality Boas and Retics A Passion.

Here is a question for you,

I have been keeping snakes for a while and in this time i have kept a small variety of venomous snakes and worked with sevral more species.

I have so far only had "near misses" when behaving perfectly responsibly with the animals, and my reactions have have in honesty saved me from 2 bites.

I never handle snakes if intoxicated on any substance, i will not have non reptile keepers around me when i handle hots, because i know i am likely to show off and sensationalise, and DWA keepers will obviously not be impressed by foolishness.

That said, would you sell me a venomous species, given that i am only 18?

Or would i have to wait another 7 years ?

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Weren't you the guy who posted pics of you holding a Deathstalker scorp on the palm of your hand?

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http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QwqqRP...eature=related

You actually being serious?

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R.I.P Steve Irwin and all other amazing Herpetologists

I posted pics of fat tails, but yes i have handled deathstalkers. And other things for that matter...

But i did that in a controled enviroment with another handler on hand, in case anything happened, and was stone cold sober.

My point is my free handling of various species has never caused me any harm or any near misses, yet my feeding, water changes etc etc have lead to near misses in the past.

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And what if you had of been stung? im sure theres no av, its called deathstalker for a reason

There IS antivenin avalable, but the chances of me being stung were slim. A scorpion is not a snake and when on the hand it behaves as if it is on a rock or log. It doesnt understand that i am human and stingable.

If i was to poke it with the other hand then of course there is a risk of stinging but this is somthing i wouldn't do.

Basically if i got stung i would have delt with it...But as predicted etc etc i didn't.

If you know the animals well enough and are sure of your abilities, then freehandling isnt that risky.

The biggest names in our hobby have all free handled at one point or another and i would stake money on even the most "anal" keepers having done it at one time or another.

Ray Hunter, one of the leaders in the world, Bill Haast, Probably the oldest hot keeper in the world (97 and still working in the miami serpentarium as far as i know). Austen Stevens, with cobras on his shoulders, one of whom injected a full load into his shirt.

Steve Irwin handled wild scorpions, free handled baby rattlers. When he said "if it bites me its my own fault" people listen and don't question since he was, who he was. So how come every handler who hasn't got a world wide following gets the spanish inquisition ?

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hmm, i don't see what relevance the environment has to do with much (not a dig at you) but animals attack when they feel threatened. If you wanted to handle a venomous *whatever* in any environment then as long as it doesn't feel under threat then you'd be pretty much safe.

don't animals attack for 2 reasons? food and fear?

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