Starting a Venomous snake collection.

[ViperLover]

I am 16 years of age, and I am wanting to get into the venomous reptile keeping community. I live in Southampton and I do not know anybody local to me, or nearby to help mentor me and give me the correct training and experience before I take the time to transform a spare room into a hotroom, to apply for my permits. I have always wanted to keep venomous snakes, but I am not entirely sure on permit purchasing, mentors and breeders local to me. Please could you help? Thankyou.

[hexem]

You have to be 18.

[stuartdouglas]

Welcome, always nice to get new arrivals so to speak. As stated above, the minimum age for issue of a Dangerous Wild Animals license is 18. You need to apply to your local Authority for this and the costs and conditions of issue vary from LA to LA.
I'm not sure about mentoring, it's a bit of a touchy subject on here, some are in favour of it, some are dead set against it. Try getting in touch with a local reptile club, you've got P.R.A.S just down the road from you, they might have members that keep venomous.

[SiUK]

Hey mate as the others have said you have to be 18 but a good start along with finding someone in your area that keeps already, is read.

Read as much as you can get as much in your head and knowledge about venomous snakes, envenomations, husbandry, different species, natural habitats just anything you can. It will set you in good stead and when you turn up to your council you will have the theory knowledge behind you to back up your application, you can confidently answer any questions they throw at you and generally be knowlegable about the snakes you want to keep, its more than a hobby you have to be passionate about it, prepared for the dangers and willing to learn.

Theres loads of good books about some cheap some not so, but if you want to know good books to get then im sure all the guys on here can throw some at you.

[trueviper]

Are you keeping any snake species in captivity at the moment?
Some might suggest, as you are still quite young, that you begin by keeping slightly aggressive but obviously non-venomous snakes as a way of gaining experiance with handling, cleaning, feeding ect.

You could keep these snakes as if they were venomous and it would be a very good way to help you adopt the mentality needed for keeping them.

[ViperLover]

Currently not keeping any venomous species.

It is a good idea, but I'd much rather keep something like a False Water Cobra or a Southern Copperhead which isn't DWA.

[tengalms]

Originally Posted by ViperLover

Currently not keeping any venomous species.

It is a good idea, but I'd much rather keep something like a False Water Cobra or a Southern Copperhead which isn't DWA.

Wrong,copperheads are DWA,FWCs are not.

Roy.

[SiUK]

all front fanged venomous snakes are DWA, as Roy said a copperhead is most definately included on the schedule.

[mad martin]

So would a Boomslang then not be DWA? Since it is a rear fanged snake.

[Jczreptiles]

While you are too young it may still be a good idea to get familiar with using a hook on some more agressive non-DWA species, just to get some practice in, Nothing will prepare you for the real thing really but it is a start.