Yeah no doubt and they always will just freeze so they are easy to step on. This one was in my yard!!!! :O
07-23-2005, 01:12 AM
daniel1983
Re: Some Like It Hot!!!!
It seems like at this time of year the little ones are everywhere. I have not been out in the woods yet this summer....but a new pair of snake boots are definately going to be an investment before I go. When I lived in South Louisiana....all I ever saw were cottonmouths.....but in north louisiana....all I see is copperheads, the occasional rattlesnake, and the north louisiana cottonmouths( ha...i would think they are dwarfs...so tiny compared to the ones I have seen in south la)...
07-23-2005, 01:15 AM
wendyhoo9
Re: Some Like It Hot!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel1983
Those are one of the most beautiful snakes, but I sure hate seeing them when I am in the woods....it seems like I am always right on top of them when I see them :D
It is a little unnerving to have a highly venomous creature just a couple of feet from you! I used to work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore in their rainforest (small mammals and aviculturist) but we worked side by side with the herp ppl and botonists. Several years back we created our "Venom" exhibit showing the difference between venomous and poisonous animals. Well, we were packing everybody up (they loan the animals and exhibit to other institutions) and I decided to watch them move the gaboon vipers, eyelash vipers, and my favorite the black mamba. Gorgeous animals all of them! I was standing off to the side by 15 feet (not much when the mamba was easily 9) and nonchalantly leaning on a raised podium.... ;)
Long story short, they experienced herp guys momentarily lost the tail end of the mamba amidst various hooks and she dropped 5 feet from me. My heart dropped to my stomach, but they quickly got her into her burlap home. I later realized they didn't drop her so much as let go to get a better position as no one freaked out, but that was more than enough excitment for me and I happily went up to feed my 2 toed sloths and various parrots!
Not two weeks later a Baltimore Zoo herpatologist died of a fatal bite from handling a gaboon viper in her private collection alone! You'd have thought she would have known the risks and precautions. My little moment of fear was nothing compared to this and made me realize the real responsibility of handling/owning one of those guys and the consequences of becoming complacent or overconfident.
Good luck to you guys and be safe!! :)
07-23-2005, 01:20 AM
daniel1983
Re: Some Like It Hot!!!!
That is sad about that herpatologist....I would hate to meet the extreamly large fangs of a gaboon. I definately don't have the confidence in my snake handling ability to keep hots (and my fiance would definately not go for it). Anyone that keeps or handles hots should always be prepared to deal with a bite from the animals that they keep. When I see hots in the wild, I generally watch but monitor my distance at all times....I have actually been debating getting a nice camera to snap some good pics of them when I see them. Because it seems that some of the most beautiful snakes in the world are hot :)
07-23-2005, 01:30 AM
BrianS
Re: Some Like It Hot!!!!
Yeah it is risky keeping hots but I only have 2 now and it is probably all I will ever have. I'm more into inverts anyway ;)
