# Colubrids > General Colubrids >  Rufous Beaked Snake?

## purplemuffin

Has ANYONE worked with this AWESOME looking snake before? I'm in awe of how cool this thing is. I saw a few  cbb for sale online and am really interested in one. I know they are rear fanged and fast, but boy are they incredible.



Would like to hear about some first hand experience with these guys!

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## Skiploder

> Has ANYONE worked with this AWESOME looking snake before? I'm in awe of how cool this thing is. I saw a few  cbb for sale online and am really interested in one. I know they are rear fanged and fast, but boy are they incredible.
> 
> 
> 
> Would like to hear about some first hand experience with these guys!


I have both rufous beaked and red-headed beaked snakes.







I would be very cautious of buying claimed CBB - only a handful of people have been able to successfully sex these animals let alone breed them.  A person I consider probably to be the most experienced with this species has a heck of a time sexing them or getting them to even act like they want to breed.

Most are WC and come in with a parasite load.

A second thing to consider is that although they are rear-fanged and disinclined to bite, they are considered by many to be an  improperly categorized elapid; and they also possess a neurotoxic venom comparable to other more lethal elapids.

There have been several papers written on the active neurotoxin in their venom - rufoxin.  Biventer cervicis nerve tests on chicks have shown that the onset of symptom time and severity is comparable to front fanged elapids such as death adders and taipans.  The only difference is that rhamphiophis have a heck of time envenomating humans.

In other words, effective venom but crappy delivery systems.

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_Cendalla_ (11-30-2011),_cmack91_ (12-18-2011),JLC (11-30-2011),_meowmeowkazoo_ (12-12-2011),_Mft62485_ (12-18-2011),_purplemuffin_ (11-30-2011),_Skittles1101_ (11-30-2011),spasticbeast (12-18-2011)

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## purplemuffin

That's interesting, thanks for telling me! I did some research and some people suggested merely wearing long sleeves and gloves would be enough to prevent a serious bite from these guys. I had no idea their venom was that powerful! I had heard of people's arms swelling up, but I will keep that in mind. Don't let this snake bite for sure!

Good to know also about the CBB and WC thing. I had heard about the parasite load, I talked with someone who claimed he purchased one who only lasted a week from the parasite load. Will really try to make sure I know who I'm buying from. Some people seemed to make it sound like they were 'easy' to breed. 

This snake and the asian vine snake are probably the only 'dangerous' snakes I'm really interested in. How much of a risk factor would you say they are? I wouldn't mind not getting to handle them, they seem fascinating to watch and I would love to give mine a beautiful large cage to explore with plenty of space to burrow and hide and search for food. 

That's another thing--How often would they need to be fed? I keep reading about certain colubrids having a faster metabolism and needing to eat more often than a ball python maybe would. Would they work on a 7 day schedule, or is a 5 day schedule fine? Any other basic care tips that might not be found on a care sheet? 

I am glad I started doing research now. It still may be a year or more before I purchase one, but it's never to early to learn, especially with a snake that has venom! But they are TOO cool to ignore.  :Very Happy:

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## Skiploder

> That's interesting, thanks for telling me! I did some research and some people suggested merely wearing long sleeves and gloves would be enough to prevent a serious bite from these guys. I had no idea their venom was that powerful! I had heard of people's arms swelling up, but I will keep that in mind. Don't let this snake bite for sure!
> 
> Good to know also about the CBB and WC thing. I had heard about the parasite load, I talked with someone who claimed he purchased one who only lasted a week from the parasite load. Will really try to make sure I know who I'm buying from. Some people seemed to make it sound like they were 'easy' to breed. 
> 
> This snake and the asian vine snake are probably the only 'dangerous' snakes I'm really interested in. How much of a risk factor would you say they are? I wouldn't mind not getting to handle them, they seem fascinating to watch and I would love to give mine a beautiful large cage to explore with plenty of space to burrow and hide and search for food. 
> 
> That's another thing--How often would they need to be fed? I keep reading about certain colubrids having a faster metabolism and needing to eat more often than a ball python maybe would. Would they work on a 7 day schedule, or is a 5 day schedule fine? Any other basic care tips that might not be found on a care sheet? 
> 
> I am glad I started doing research now. It still may be a year or more before I purchase one, but it's never to early to learn, especially with a snake that has venom! But they are TOO cool to ignore.



It is correcrt that long sleeves shirts and gloves are all the precaution you need with these snakes.  I don't think they are much of a risk to an adult provided that you are comfortable enough handling a large, extremely quick animal and feel comfortable quickly prying one off if the mistook you for a meal.

As for bites, I know of no reliable accounts since not only do they very rarely bite, but they would have to chew on you for an extended period of time to get anything resembling even a small dose of venom in you.  Again, they possess a _neurotoxin_, so someone complaining of extensive swelling probably is, well, forget it.

There are peope who have successfully bred _oxyrhyncus_ - but only a couple.  However, I've run across several people who have claimed to have bred them.  In every single case the more I dug into their claims the more I found they were full of BS.

Only one person I know has successfully bred _rubropunctatus_, and although I can attest that he actually did breed them, he was honest and upfront that he had no idea why they did it and no idea he even had a pair until the female became gravid.

A large cage is a good idea with these animals when they become adults - juveniles are extremely skittish and won't make use of a large enclosure.  As for food, they can digest their meals in 24 hours if given a hot spot of 88 to 90 degrees.  Juveniles can eat every five days or so, I feed my adults several small prey items once a week and usually fast them every fifth week.

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## purplemuffin

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge of them! Who is the other person you know who has info on them? You can pm me if you like, but it's cool if he doesn't want you to share his information though!  :Smile:  Just love learning new things. This is a very fast snake, I'm used  to my boa and ball--are there any in between snakes that could get me used to the speed of it's movements so I feel comfortable handling it in the future? 

Alright, so when the snake is young give them a small enclosure where they can hide.. I can handle that.  :Smile:  do they have any humidity requirements? I haven't seen any mention of humidity so far in the few care sheets I've read.



Also, how do you care for a snake with a huge parasite load? The reptile vet we usually go to does not treat venomous snakes, and I've found that to be the case with a lot of herp vets. How do people treat hots for illnesses like that? I suppose I would just have to find one willing to treat the snake?

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## Skiploder

> Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge of them! Who is the other person you know who has info on them? You can pm me if you like, but it's cool if he doesn't want you to share his information though!  Just love learning new things. This is a very fast snake, I'm used  to my boa and ball--are there any in between snakes that could get me used to the speed of it's movements so I feel comfortable handling it in the future? 
> 
> Alright, so when the snake is young give them a small enclosure where they can hide.. I can handle that.  do they have any humidity requirements? I haven't seen any mention of humidity so far in the few care sheets I've read.


There's nothing I can recommend that would prepare you for the speed of a rhamphiophis - especially a juvenile one.  This is an animal that you need to give lots of time to acclimate and then keep handling sessions short and positive for a long time until the snake calms down.

As for humidity requirements, whatever your snake room ambient humidity is should be fine.  I've never had an issue with my animals and my ambient is between 30 and 40%.

You need to take a fecal sample to the vet to diagnose internal parasites.  The vet will then prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen.

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_purplemuffin_ (11-30-2011)

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## Anatopism

This is an interesting thread. Rufous Beaked Snakes are one I've wanted since I discovered them, but they seem very difficult to come by! Not much information out their either.

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## purplemuffin

I'm glad this post could help you too, Antopism!

Again, thanks for the help Skiploder! I can't wait to come back here one day and post when I do get this little beaked beauty! Maybe over the next year it will gain some popularity and become a bit more common in the hobby?  :Smile:  Would be nice to have more choices so I can pick the healthiest one!

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## FalconPunch

read this

http://housesnakes.net/blog/other-sn...african-snakes


he links to a university herpetologist that has worked extensively and bred this species. I would contact him for information.



and someone shoot ME a link for where I can buy one of these guys, besides this busy scientist.

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## Skiploder

> read this
> 
> http://housesnakes.net/blog/other-sn...african-snakes
> 
> 
> he links to a university herpetologist that has worked extensively and bred this species. I would contact him for information.
> 
> 
> 
> and someone shoot ME a link for where I can buy one of these guys, besides this busy scientist.


Jack Spirko used to post here.

Where's the link to this herpetologist who has extensively worked with and bred them?  The only link I see is associated with the madagascar cat eyed snake.

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## FalconPunch

It was an email address he posted for more information or to acquire a snake.

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## Skiploder

> read this
> 
> http://housesnakes.net/blog/other-sn...african-snakes
> 
> 
> he links to a university herpetologist that has worked extensively and bred this species. I would contact him for information.
> 
> 
> 
> and someone shoot ME a link for where I can buy one of these guys, besides this busy scientist.





> It was an email address he posted for more information or to acquire a snake.


Let me clarify:

Where does Jack say that the link he provided in the madagascar cat eyed snake section has worked extensively and has successfully bred _rhamphiophis_?

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