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Posted by Jeremy G on November 26, 2002 at 08:02:48:
In Reply to: False information, or opinions? posted by MsTT on November 26, 2002 at 03:19:47:
My female Aswpidelaps scutatus
Hi TT,
Good points. However, judgeing by my Aspidelaps anyway, I would be very reluctant to say scutatus are a good first hot. I have found mine to be extreamly fast strikeing for an elapid and just as unpredictable as any Bitis or Trim. For me, hooking and tailing is the absolute only way to handle them(besides useing a trap box of cource)because of their spazy antics but time and time again when I go into to hook them, they wiill be sitting in slug style, acting completly placid and then outa nowhere a black or coon looking head comes flying in your general direction, mouth open!.
With that being said, I do admit that scutatus seem to have crapier eyesight then alot of elapids and sometimes they strike way off to the side but when they are intent on biteing you, not just trying to bluff you, they can be pretty darn acurate. They just cant seem to imply this strategy when it comes to food!(they so very often strike and miss their meals completly!)
Also, a newbi keeper, who dosent have a trapbox, is not going to have the experince to properly judge were the snake is on the hook and weather it has the leverage to come back up at your hand or not. When I hook and tail em, it is definately risky buisness and I find myself trying my hardest to keep them off balance to avoide them comeing back up (more so with the lubricus ssp but the scutatus do it too). I have perfected my technique over the past few yrs and find myself very comfortable with it but it isnt something a newbi will know. BTW, I know the ideal way to handle them without a trapbox is the 2 hook method but I have found it to be useless on them. They are way to squirmy and fall off almost instantly!.
Basicly, i still think Aspidelaps may be too advanced for the newbi keeper. They are horrible on a hook and unless said person has a trap box made, they will definately experince problems handleing the little buggers. A.c.mokasen on the other hand seems to be a much better choice, IMHO. Though i do admit, contortrix ssp can be very nasty at times, mokasen seems the least likely to do so. I have kept and caught many pure mokasen and all were rather placid and laid back, allowing themselfs to be hooked with the slightest of ease. Its seem you have to go into intergrade range, were the crazy contortrix contortrix genes are present to experince the fabled "crackhead copperheads":-) Atleast in my experince.
Well MsTT, rthanks for your input and that was a very good post above to Amanda.
Take care.
Peace,
J
