pygmy rattlesnakes?

[ermgravy]

ok so i figure these will be dwa, my real question is would they make a suitable first dwa sp? I dont really have any interest in owning any other dwa animals in the slightest, well thats a lie bush viper are so beautiful! and full size rattlers but i wouldn't dream of keeping either with out years of experience. So could a pygmy rattler work for a first dwa snake? Id love to get one get a bit of experience then build up a breeding project, rattlesnakes absolutely fascinate me. anyone got any good reading material on husbandry of pygmy rattlers they can point me towards?
thanks for your time.
Nathan

[Victor Creed]

Originally Posted by ermgravy

ok so i figure these will be dwa, my real question is would they make a suitable first dwa sp? I dont really have any interest in owning any other dwa animals in the slightest, well thats a lie bush viper are so beautiful! and full size rattlers but i wouldn't dream of keeping either with out years of experience. So could a pygmy rattler work for a first dwa snake? Id love to get one get a bit of experience then build up a breeding project, rattlesnakes absolutely fascinate me. anyone got any good reading material on husbandry of pygmy rattlers they can point me towards?
thanks for your time.
Nathan

I can only give a limited amount of input as I have only owned one for a few years but I have caught close to a dozen in the wild. The thing with Sistrurus miliarus is that they can be very docile and timid, or they can be absolute atrocities and snappy, biting vicious little creatures. It WAS my 1st venomous snake, but I also had quite a bit of experience with larger and more aggressive species before that. If you get one, try to find one that is tame that can be verified or the one selling it will let you inspect it for yourself.

As they are a very small species, they happen to be very flexible and I was ALMOST bitten twice WHILE holding it behind the head, so I recommend a "hook and tail" or similar method. On a lighter note they are very beautiful snakes, but IMO, the "Red" Carolina Pygmys (Sistrurus miliarus miliarus) are the most attractive. I owned a Dusky (Sistrurus miliarus barbouri). Western/Strecker's Pygmys are the lightest of the 3 sub-species, usually bearing tan and brown with some mottling , but sometimes have a stunning baby-blue overall. There is also a Mexican species, S. ravus and more northernly distibuted Massassauga (Sistrurus catenatus) which seldomly gets over 3 feet.

Then I went ahead and just pasted some important info in quotes that you may find useful which I thought seemed fairly important:

"Since this species in unable to produce much venom, it is unlikely that it is able to deliver a fatal bite to a human adult. Brimley (1942) wrote that although it was too small to be really dangerous, its bite "will give the victim quite an unpleasant time for several days." However, bites involving children have resulted in prolonged hospitalization and there are also reports of necrosis."

"These snakes produce venom that is strongly hemorrhagic and tissue toxic, but devoid of any neurotoxins (Ernst, 1992; Van Mierop, 1976). It is somewhat different in that it contains substantial amounts of serotonin and related tryptamine compounds (Welsh, 1967). Antivenin does not appear to be effective in the treatment of these bites, although CroFab does seem to do a better job than ACP, at least in some animal models."

If i'm not mistaken, isn't "tryptamine" the same chemical found in turkey that makes you tired?? And isn't it ODD that serotonin is essential to healthy living,, but it found in this snake's venom?

[Owzy]

No offense & I apologise if I am wrong but I have to admit I can see why they think you are a troll by the name of James... you write exactly the same.

Unfortunately for you if it is untrue no one will believe you when all you say is.... "Just accept me as an equal, that is all that matters."

I know people shouldn't have to 'prove' themselves but your handing out pretty detailed advise & it would be nice to know that someone real is writing it rather than a bored lonely 16 year old. Perhaps just one picture? If you have been keeping for as long as you say you have you should have a hoard of them!

And if you don't want to then don't get upset when people accuse you of being a phantom because they are sick of being stalked & plagued with this lad called James (and others) on any forums he can find.

[Victor Creed]

Originally Posted by Owzy

No offense & I apologise if I am wrong but I have to admit I can see why they think you are a troll by the name of James... you write exactly the same.

Unfortunately for you if it is untrue no one will believe you when all you say is.... "Just accept me as an equal, that is all that matters."

I know people shouldn't have to 'prove' themselves but your handing out pretty detailed advise & it would be nice to know that someone real is writing it rather than a bored lonely 16 year old. Perhaps just one picture? If you have been keeping for as long as you say you have you should have a hoard of them!

And if you don't want to then don't get upset when people accuse you of being a phantom because they are sick of being stalked & plagued with this lad called James (and others) on any forums he can find.

Ok, check this out, since you want to talk about trolling... Here's some advice do some research on me before you start talking out your *SS. I have posted several pictures, my anaconda included. Check my posts, read the threads and TRY....just TRY knowing what you are talking about before you hit that keyboard. Nothing irritates me more than people who talk before they even READ the information that is/has already been present. Open your eyes, use your search function and PAY ATTENTION. I am not a 16 year old Englishmen, I am a 29 year old American who does not want to hear stupid nonsense, prejudiced viewpoints, other people's OBSESSIONS with former members or assuming. When you ASSUME, you make an *ss out of U and ME. Any more stupid ******** questions?

I apologize if I was slightly aggressive....I am drinking and seriously sick and tired of people calling me "James"....I don't even LIKE the name James and IF my name was James I wouldn't tell people, they would know me as Jim or Jimmy or J-DOGG or something a little more hardcore than "James". It just REALLY grinded my gears cuz I JUST got done posting pictures and here you go spurting stupidity before you knew what you were talking about. I have EX-girlfriends for that if I want it, now cut the sh*t and talk about Reptiles cuz that's why I'm here or leave me alone.

Also, how would I have caught Rattlesnakes in the WILD if I wasn't American? No offense and I apologize for getting aggravated.

The topic is "Pygmy Rattlers"....you may begin

[Owzy]

Lol you may not be James but even if your not no one will listen to you now as you have just shown your clearly slightly insane. Oh and if you behave like this when your drinking... stop drinking would be my suggestion.

By the way I have caught rattlers in the wild and I am not even slightly American, its called going on holiday to Canada genius.

[dunny1]

def sounds like james or should i say j-dogg mintram.

[Victor Creed]

Originally Posted by Owzy

Lol you may not be James but even if your not no one will listen to you now as you have just shown your clearly slightly insane. Oh and if you behave like this when your drinking... stop drinking would be my suggestion.

By the way I have caught rattlers in the wild and I am not even slightly American, its called going on holiday to Canada genius.

You know what, My N*gga, I've had enough of your b*llsh*t. Go cry to a Moderator and when they tell you "He's NOT JAMES" , I'll be accepting your apology. This conversation is OVER.

[Owzy]

Originally Posted by Victor Creed

You know what, My N*gga, I've had enough of your b*llsh*t. Go cry to a Moderator and when they tell you "He's NOT JAMES" , I'll be accepting your apology. This conversation is OVER.

Go put on your xmen costume, get one of those numerous venomous and take a picture. Until you do that rather than waste my time with mods I'll just skip your increasingly strange posts.

[dunny1]

that is 100 percent mintram ive went flicked through all the posts he's put up theres no mistaking minty. james if u were a chameleon ud get eaten. cause ur camouflage is shit.

[Owzy]

Originally Posted by dunny1

that is 100 percent mintram ive went flicked through all the posts he's put up theres no mistaking minty. james if u were a chameleon ud get eaten. cause ur camouflage is shit.

If it is then his use of the N word above (which I feel is 100% inappropriate on this forum irregaurdless of my, his or anyone's ethnicity) is probably one of the most pathetic things he has ever done. Does he think if he says that it would convince me its definitely not a chubby white kid from England....