Posted by Lee on September 16, 1999 at 12:04:36:
In Reply to: Re: Puff adders! A first hot?! A. contortrix was/is reccomended to me. Besides if you screw up with them your not going to need 40 phials of AV. NP. posted by Matthew Scruggs on September 11, 1999 at 12:45:05:
Granted, its poison is quite potent and it is probably the fastest striker in the world, I think bitis arietanes (puff adder) is recommended as a 'first hot' because it is sluggish, somewhat predictable in movement since it moves in a straight caterpillar motion, and is very easy to hook. People frequently get bitten in the bush by these snakes but, in a controlled environment, this shouldn't happen. However, its venom causes massive internal hemorrhaging and a general unpleasant feeling By the way, I live in Florida and a fellow over near Ocoee breeds dendroaspis polylepis (black mambas). He uses shift boxes and never tries to handle what everyone agrees is virtually unmanageable but - - he got bitten several weeks ago. He survived because he self-administered anti-venom immediately after the bite. Case in point, if you get a bitis, be prepared for the possibility.