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Posted by zak on January 24, 2003 at 17:36:44:
In Reply to: Re: question for meretseger posted by GaboonKeeper on January 24, 2003 at 17:12:34:
:I will have to say that the mortality rate would be much less in captive bred animals..... Fact being they are less likely to get as stressed as wild caughts and they are for the most part much stronger than wild caughts..... Also the fact that they are less likely to have diseases or infections...... Gaboons for the most part are pretty calm but if provoked WILL strike out..... If a gaboon strikes at you and you are in its range, chances are you will get bit..... They almost never miss its intended target..... I have only been struck at by a couple of neonates.... But that is not to say that adults will not strike at you..... My adult have never attempted to strike at me..... They mostly just huff and puff for a minute then relax..... I make it a habit not to tail vipers at all..... They are too big and too strong...... I have done it in the past and lucked out but I do not take the chance anymore..... Especialy with gaboons...... The double hook method is the best for big vipers..... They sit quietly and are quite comfotable on two hooks...... In my opinion Bitis are some of the most rewarding species to work with...... They are pretty easy to handle (even the big ones) but are not the easiest to keep..... They are strictly for the advanced venomous keeper...... IMO......
Hey, thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I also think that CB will have a higher survival rate and like you said the stress of importing greatly raises the risk of disease, etc. I think eventually I will get a pair of baby gaboons and grow with them, but I am not experienced enough to keep them yet and am not even close to being an advanced venomous keeper. I think I will stick with the less venomous species for a few years and then "move up". How hard are they to keep? Do they have specialized care? Thanks again for answering my questions:) Zack
