Gaboon vipers

Go have a look at my profile picture mate. That Gab is still a baby not very long and those fangs are just bigger than my 4ft Western diamondbacks fangs. They can move alot quicker than the two snakes that you dealt with and pack a much meaner punch to.

I had a gaboon as my first snake..

Do you own a house?

Until you do, don't keep venomous snakes.

The best advice I can give anyone who wants to keep hots is to get a hold of a large, fast, aggressive non-venomous snake and handle it regularly. Every time you get tagged, that could have been a funeral or at the very least tens of thousands of dollars spent on hospital bills.

But yes get experience with venomous under some experienced keeper if you can.

I don't believe there is any use in keeping any aggressive non venomous first. Only thing that will teach you is working with hots!

still wouldnt recomend a gab as a first though just my opinion. Def would recomend getting experience though with someone who has kept hots.

Ps. I agree only thing thats gonna get you used to hots are hots they are totally in a league of there own

I am opposed with getting a non venomous snake to "train" with, it can make you desensitized. And that will lead to a bite.

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Originally Posted by ChrisS

I am opposed with getting a non venomous snake to "train" with, it can make you desensitized. And that will lead to a bite.

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Same here!

You know the non venomous snake can't kill you, so you can pick up bad habits that will lead to you getting bitten with a hot.

When I was being mentored, I went straight into handling a 4ft crotalus molossus. No messing around with learning hook work on a GTP etc.

I had a gaboon as my first hot. I would suggest finding someone with hots in your area and see if they can help teach you the basics first. Also, never handle these snakes or let your guard down. The gaboons will follow you with their eyes and hit you before you can blink.

They are amazing snakes that should be respected and given space.

I believe there is some insurances that you can pay for that will cover exotic venomous snake bites. Make sure these snakes are locked up and no one can get to them. You are liable for anything these snakes do.


I've kept
Rhinos
Gaboons
Death adders
Various rattlers
White lip tree vipers

Get cbb baby gaboons. There are a few people that breed them and they are much calmer than wc.

You can get anything you want regardless what we all tell you but don't be the person who ruins it for all those who keep these snakes.





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I have worked with 3 of the 5 large bitis. I absolutly love them. They are without question my favorite family of snakes followed closely by Atheris. I completely agree with the people here that have stated both that Bitis are not for beginners and that aggressive non venomous snakes are all but useless for training you to keep hots. I have been keeping reptiles for 20 years, and hots for almost 15. I have worked with many species of crotalus, aboreal vipers, many vipers both new and old world, and some elapids. And I can say that without question that gaboons, out of all the many 100's if not 1000's of animals I have worked with are probably the most challenging of all the specimens I have kept. They are without a doubt the most difficult to read in terms of what they are about to do. And adults are so heavy that they are very difficult to lift with even 2 hooks. And tailing a Bitis of any size is IMO an action that is very much taking your life in your hands. Find someone that can show you the ropes if you can. If you can't than I would advise you to at least start with a hot that will not more than likely result in a probably fatal bite if you do make a mistake. Gabs are awsome! But defiantly not be novice keepers. Be safe.