Learning about Venomous Care

Greetings!!

Having looked into the legal requirements regarding keeping of Venomous Species in a previous thread (thanks Nikki for clearing up some of the confusion) I am now interested in where you learned to keep "hots". Was there a specific reference work you used (Rattlesnakes for Dummies) or did you have to learn on the fly?? Also, is there a large "Hots" community in the Northern California area??

The idea of keeping venomous species intrigues me, but I want to see what kind of risk I would be in if I decided to pursue this line of reptile keeping. Would I have to learn everything by trial and error, or is there enough sound advice/guidance that even people with no official venomous training can learn safely??

Thanks for the input, and happy herping!!

I don't post here as often as I'd like, but as a former hot keeper, this is one of my favorite topics! First I would suggest learning EVERYTHING you can about the species you may be interested in keeping in the future and about types of hots in general. As in husbandry requirements,physiology, and components of venom. I would suggest contacting someone reputable that keeps hots already. I learned how to keep and handle hots from a mentor, someone who has kept hots for 20+ years. This way before you even consider getting an animal you know exactly what protocols to use and what behavioral cues to know to say the least. A mentor is the best way to learn as you will learn directly from someone who knows what their doing and have already learned from mistakes. Make sure you contact someone who works directly with species you would like to eventually care for, for example don't find a mentor keeping only rattlesnakes if you want to work with cobras. Ideally your mentor would work with multiple species, but those folks are often hard to come by. Working with hots is not something where you just read everything you can about handling/husbandry and go buy one (it has be done before but I definitely do not advise it).

What species are you most interested in?

Native California Rattlesnakes and Cooperheads are what stand out to me...I like the educational opportunity that having a collection of Native venomous species affords

Best way to learn is by finding a mentor and practicing/learning from them.

PM Skiploder.

He has a local friend that keeps hots. Perhaps you can inquire for him to mentor you.

Or talk to Sam at GBU Enterprises. He breeds albino WDB rattlers.

Thank You for the input and advice; this is exactly the thing I was lookin for.

In general, how do other members of the reptile community view keepers of venomous species?? I know responsible keepers won't flaunt their collections in everyone's faces, but it seems that most hot keepers (at least on here) keep a low profile

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mephibosheth1

Thank You for the input and advice; this is exactly the thing I was lookin for.

In general, how do other members of the reptile community view keepers of venomous species?? I know responsible keepers won't flaunt their collections in everyone's faces, but it seems that most hot keepers (at least on here) keep a low profile

---

I think it is cool that some people keep them....LOVE WHEN PEOPLE SHARE PICTURES OF THEIRS!!! I just worry about the small % of complete idiots who keep them and ruin it for everyone else...much like with any hobby or interest. (personally the hottest thing that interests me are dangerous plants, scorpions and hot fish)