what was ur first DWA?

[leecb0]

for husbandry reasons the easyest will be the White lip vipers.
they are easy to hook and usually stay on it once on and i would say a fairly easy snake to keep if you have kept a few snakes before. there easy to feed in general.

[NightGecko]

Originally Posted by SiUK

image

Nice and safe I see with the missing vent

[NightGecko]

And to answer the question,

The first DWA I worked with was a venomoid Naja haje followed by two fully loaded C. attrox (one of who was just defensive and the other overly aggressive).

I've also worked with C. oreganus lutosus and B. gabonica. I've yet to keep any myself as I'm still being mentored and don't own my own property, but I will some day.

[Victor Creed]

My first was a Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarus) in keeping, and idk what EXACTLY fits into DWA, but also a Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi) , Spectacled Caiman (Cayman crocodilus) and American Alligator (Alligator mississpiensis). I have none of the above anymore.

[snappingchap]

my first venomous were a pair of copperheads, closely followed by a female gaboon.

[terciopelo_dave]

Originally Posted by TBreptiles

HI,
i realy like the dwa thing so thought i would ask about ur 1st.(if u dont mind)

i was just wondering what dwa u started with?

was it a good starter?

thanks



p.s:im not planing on getting one,im to young

With the greatest respect, allow me to answer the question I think you're really asking. You've already said you're too young to keep venomous snakes, so I can only assume that you're simply flirting with the idea of one day keeping venomous. I also assume you're relatively new to snake keeping in general.
What I think you mean by "what was your first DWA, was it a good starter?" is "What is a good starter venomous snake?" Well, to put it simply, there is no such thing as a "starter" venomous snake.
This is a question that gets thrown about by people who expect there to be a corn snake equivalent amongst venomous species. There isnt. Your first venomous snake should be the one you feel most comfortable working with. For me it was a Gaboon Viper, because it was the snake I had handled the most while I was being mentored.
If you intend to keep venomous species you should obtain as much experience as possible with non-venomous species. You need to experience stuck eye caps, retained sheds, problem feeders, mite treatment, etc. Think how you deal with these with non-venomous, then consider how you'd cope if the snake you needed to work so closely with could kill you. Your handling needs to be faultless, and for when it goes wrong (and it will) you need to be adept at improvisation and fast to react.
The most important thing however is your mindset. You can handle, grab, hook and tail, neck, etc. If it isn't dangerously venomous it doesn't trigger that part of the brain that says "survive". That is something you can't train for unless it's on the real thing. The nearest you'll get is a giant constrictor. If you panic when a 20 foot retic wraps a coil over your shoulders because you know it could kill you, think how you'd feel if you had a snake a fraction of the size that only needed to graze you with a fang to do the same.
Think about what I've said. Don't rush into it. If you're still interested, I'm sure you'll find plenty of people here willing to help you.

[Victor Creed]

I agree with Dave 110%, and in short answer or layman's terms, I would vote the species with the lowest toxicity level in their venom. Possibly a opistoglyph (rear-fanged) snake such as a Mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila), Dog-toothed Catsnake (Boiga cynodon), False Water Cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas), or if preferring a Pteroglyph (front-fanged) or Solenoglyph (retractable fangs) snake, I would go with nothing more potent than a Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). Elapidae are ONLY for the VERY experienced hobbyist as well as 95% of Vipers. From what I understand the Copperheads have among the weakest of venom and I've met a few people at Reptile Expos who "claim" their remedy for a bite from A. contortrix is merely swallowing a few aspirin and taking a nap. Not sure how valid this is, but I haven't heard of anyone having serious complications from this species (except allergic reactions), much less death.

Remember, everyone who keeps venomous snakes - there is ALWAYS the chance you could have an allergic reaction to the venom and the chances are great that you will never know unless it happens. Use proper equipment, caution, acute concentration, educate yourself and DON'T do anything stupid.

[terciopelo_dave]

I'm confused. How can you claim to agree with me yet then go on to list "starter snakes"? You list several rear-fanged species, or opisthoglyphous if your prefer, and then copperheads, but to what end? If someone intended to keep rattlesnakes then what good would a mangrove snake be as a training tool? Conversely, if they wanted cobras, why start with a copperhead? Also, stating that you'd go for the species with the weakest venom is pointless. The idea is to not get bitten at all. Potency of venom is academic really.
Plus, why copperheads? They're some of the nastiest little snakes I've ever encountered. Why is that a good starting point?

[terciopelo_dave]

Originally Posted by Victor Creed

there is ALWAYS the chance you could have an allergic reaction to the venom and the chances are great that you will never know unless it happens.

It'd be pretty difficult to know before it happened.

[Victor Creed]

Originally Posted by terciopelo_dave

I'm confused. How can you claim to agree with me yet then go on to list "starter snakes"? You list several rear-fanged species, or opisthoglyphous if your prefer, and then copperheads, but to what end? If someone intended to keep rattlesnakes then what good would a mangrove snake be as a training tool? Conversely, if they wanted cobras, why start with a copperhead? Also, stating that you'd go for the species with the weakest venom is pointless. The idea is to not get bitten at all. Potency of venom is academic really.
Plus, why copperheads? They're some of the nastiest little snakes I've ever encountered. Why is that a good starting point?

Well supposedly getting bit is nearly possible to avoid, so if it's going to happen, wouldn't you rather a bite from a Mangrove, Copperhead or other "low-heat" species instead of a potentially fatal Cobra, Taipan, Tiger snake, Rattlesnake bite? MY 1st was a Pygmy and it was foolish of me simply because they have a nasty hemotoxin that can ruin your weekend....or a few months even. However, some of the snakes I mentioned are reccomended by the experienced venomous keepers I have known through out my life, with Copperheads being #1 on all their lists. Although Gabon Vipers and Rhino Vipers have been known to be relativley tame, their fangs are ENORMOUS, very mobile and have a very toxic venom as well. So my philosophy is "why take chances before you even have experience?"

Of course the ultimate goal is NOT to get bit, but even the best get bit. The most experienced snake-handler/venom-extracter in the (world?) had been bitten over 135 times. I also had the pleasure of chatting/meeting the large-scale Taipan dealer in the U.S., the same man who was bitten on 9-11-2001 and was Medi-vac'ed to the hospital, the only air-traffic on that day. He was REALLY good and been working Taipans for 20+ years, but he STILL got bit. Zero-tolerance, or being 100% of something does not exist, and anything is possible. So it's only common sense for someone trying to gain experience with venomous species AFTER the maximum amount of experience with non-venomous species is aquired.....start with a snake that won't KILL you if you DO unfortunately get bitten.

this is him, but i met him in person and had my own interview: http://www.yourdiscovery.com/video/i...-11-snakebite/

Also, to the OP, Daimondbacks and Puff Adders are completely out-of-the-question for starter snakes. Anything w/ 40% mortality rate or more is foolish to keep as a beginner.