Re: Gaboon Viper

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Posted by Phil S. on February 25, 2000 at 13:52:42:

In Reply to: Gaboon Viper posted by Mercedes Denton on February 09, 2000 at 14:30:11:

The best tip I can think of for safely keeping a Gaboon is not to use side opening cages. They are not as adept at striking upwards and it is easier to deal with them from above. I'm from Florida and currently live in Arizona. I've kept venomous snakes for most of my life (I'm 38) and have never been bitten. Most of my friends who have kept them have never been bitten. One has died of a cobra bite. I liken keeping venomous snakes to skydiving. If you do it right you won't get hurt. If you do it wrong you will die or be horribly injured but most likely no one else will be injured or killed. I think the state should let people do what makes them happy as long as they do it responsibly. If they die while keeping venomous snakes then they died happy. Its no different than racing cars except that auto racing is much more dangerous to bystanders. Hognosed vipers are poisonous by the way. They are found in central america. I don't know what a hognosed "sand" viper is. Currently I keep 2.1 Baja ratsnakes, 2.2 E. Foxsnakes, 2.4 Mole kingsnakes, 0.1 scarlet kingsnake. I have no venomous currently but would like to keep Tiger Rattlesnakes when I can get out and find some.

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: The best tip I can think of for safely keeping a Gaboon is not to use side opening cages. They are not as adept at striking upwards and it is easier to deal with them from above. I'm from Florida and currently live in Arizona. I've kept venomous snakes for most of my life (I'm 38) and have never been bitten. Most of my friends who have kept them have never been bitten. One has died of a cobra bite. I liken keeping venomous snakes to skydiving. If you do it right you won't get hurt. If you do it wrong you will die or be horribly injured but most likely no one else will be injured or killed. I think the state should let people do what makes them happy as long as they do it responsibly. If they die while keeping venomous snakes then they died happy. Its no different than racing cars except that auto racing is much more dangerous to bystanders. Hognosed vipers are poisonous by the way. They are found in central america. I don't know what a hognosed "sand" viper is. Currently I keep 2.1 Baja ratsnakes, 2.2 E. Foxsnakes, 2.4 Mole kingsnakes, 0.1 scarlet kingsnake. I have no venomous currently but would like to keep Tiger Rattlesnakes when I can get out and find some.

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