Hots-getting a mentor

[Coebro]

HEY!
this question is probably the most important question of my life...
when im older i am wanting to become a herpetologist and buy a petshop i have a lot of expirience with snakes their behavoir patterns and a lot about them because i have studied them all my entire life. i am only 13 but i am interested in buying and keeping VENEMOUS snakes when i am older for my pet shop as well as other reptiles of course. Beccause i am thirteen i am not able to purchase any sort of venemous snake at the moment and i do not currently have a mentor. i have thought long and hard about this job i want to create and i figured i would start to get mentored now or in a couple of years. but i have a couple of problems i live in sheffield England and i will have to puchace a DWA lisence when i am 18 years old but to get a lisence i need a mentor and in england i cant really see there being one so i need to find one. i am not a stupid little kid who dosnt know the risks i know every risk including death and this is my life i am talking about.Do u know any place i can havae venemous snakes in england and keep them and do u know any mentors here? i dont want u took hook me up with one i just want to know if there are actually here . i think now i am pretty young its the best time to start
this would be my job and life keeping and breeding hots so please reply
Aaron
Coebro

[carpy]

hey mate. i am in a similar position to you, only i am 17. my advice is this, instead of jumping into the bandwagon, which you are, take it slowly. i have had a long time to choose my career path, and i am still not entirely certain. i have kept various species for a fair amount of time, and currently have some pretty awesome rear fanged snakes, some of which i believe are the only ones in the uk. i have had experience with various with wild hots. i would say instead of trying to jump into the deep end, satart by keeping more snakes. what do you currently keep.

Alex

[SNAKEWISPERA]

Totally agree with Carp's.
And most mentors wont even look at you because your 13, too many risks,

[Coebro]

i know i meant in couple of years to come

[Coebro]

i have thought bout this long and vey hard n i think starting in a cuple of years would be the best uopyion my opinion though
and i have kept
milksnakes
cornsnakes
pythons
kingsnakes

[carpy]

right, tell me exactly what you have kept, how long for, etc. then people can gauge your experience levels. you dont have to go straight to hots, there are lots of animals that can really help you gain experience for when you do keep venomous, without the risks, which will be far higher for someone with less experience.

Alex

[glidergirl]

I doubt you will be able to find anyone to mentor you for a good few years yet I'm afraid. Could you imagine the headlines, 13 year old bitten whilst handling a venomous snake, the mentor would be put through the grinder.

Take this time to read up and study venoms and their effects and also it would be nice to look at the good side of venom too. There's lots you can be doing, improve your knowledge on welfare and husbandry etc.

[Coebro]

i have kept 4 cornsnakes 2 cali kings 1 ball python 2 milksnakes planning on a lot more ok just calm down

[Declan123]

us calm down...? maybe you should calm down..?

[Coebro]

not u