To keep or not to keep, that is... a question

Ok, so i'm in a little of a pickle.
I recently traded for a few snakes and i was expecting three. Well, the guy had a friend who sold the one snake (Het for ghost ball) that he was going to give me. Since he couldn't give me that snake he gave me a pygmy rattler instead. Now, i don't know a lot about venemous (other than it's venemous NOT poisonous :P) but it's really the only hot (other than a gaboon or a rhino viper) that i really liked. It has a beautiful grey with a nice orange/pink color in the middle. Typical pygmy.
Now my question is, as someone who is not a vetran with boids (only been keeping for a year and a half but I still have 11 snakes), is not fully un-knowlegable, doesn't do stupid things (Eat out of my hand snakie!), and really does care for snakes, would it be completely wrong for me to want to try to keep this lil girl? As far as rattlers go, she is a princess. He was free-handling her (yes, he was) with gloves on and she was as tame as a ball python, except with venom and fangs that'll hurt.
Do you personally think that it's an easy snake to care for? Would you recommend me keeping it, since it's in my possession and making a point to learn more about the venemous world or do you think i should find a new home for it or give it back?
Any advice would be awesome and appreciated, thank you!

I highly suggest that considering your experience and situation you find a new home for the pygmy.

With all of the beautiful harmless herps out there there no justification for keeping one that can kill you just because it was a surprise trade addition.

Let us know what you decide and be CAREFUL!!!

Justin

Ditto Justin. She can do a lot more than hurt you if you happen to be allergic to her serum. I would suggest rehoming her and working on getting some practical experience under a knowledgeable hot handler until you are 100% comfortable reading subtle behaviors and being around hots. I work around rattlers 9 months out of the year (C. oreganus) and they are generally meek as puppies and we are very cautious around them. Yet still accidents happen. You cannot control every variable, all the time.

My .02

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
Kat

I say keep it. I also say you need to be careful. You should get some full leather welding sleeves to protect your arms any time you have to do something near the snake just in case. You should begin to apprentice with a hot handler asap. and DO NOT HANDLE YOUR HOT!!!!! if you keep them properly you shouldn't have too. But as I am sure I will get flamed for this response, I think it is a cool opportunity to expand your horizons. a dangerous opportunity, but a good one.

Pygs are one of the easiest to keep venomous but as has been said, be sure it's what you want to do.

Check out www.thereptileroom.org. You can do a search on pygmys in particular and all sorts of help in general. It's pretty much a hot site nowadays.

The owner, Gary, is a good guy and if you pm him with questions he'll eventually get back to you.

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Originally Posted by fattielumpkin

I say keep it.

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Do you have any experience with Hots at all?

I'm really just curious...

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Originally Posted by fattielumpkin

You should get some full leather welding sleeves to protect your arms any time you have to do something near the snake just in case.

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While I have no problem with anyone learning by doing, IF you need this much protection you should NOT be keeping hots.

If you're so insecure in your abilities that you expect to be bitten, you're going to be. Being prepared is not the same as knowing it will happen, which anyone wearing this much armour must be expecting.

With tubes and hooks and proper equipment, there is no need for anything else.

You're more likely to be bitten while wearing gloves, which make your ability to actually feel the snake moving, zero.

Get some training and have some fun.

I LOVE Pyg's. That being said, I would think long and hard before owning one.

You allergic to bees? Maybe your not, but are you allergic to pyg venom? No way to tell unless you almost die. LOL

I think that if your experience with hots was greater, like if you were around hots more, I would say go for it.

But having one 'fall into your lap' probably is not the best way to go about this.

I have absolutely no experience with hot snakes, but if I were you, I'd think about this for a LONG time before make a full decision.

I'd be careful with your decision, though.

Venomous snakes are illegal to keep in Massachusetts

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpets.htm

Snakes:
Regulations regarding the possession of snakes are quite detailed and should be consulted (321 CMR 9.01) for specifics. Some generalities are listed as follows.

Lawful(no MassWildlife permit required):

1. All species of boas and pythons, regardless of size, except rare species, and those listed as Unlawful
2. Shield-tailed Snakes and Sunbeam Snakes;
3. Worm Snakes (except rare species), Thread Snakes, and related species;
4. Several so-called "harmless" snakes, including Brown and Redbellied Snakes, Garter and Ribbon Snakes, Glossy Snakes, Green Snakes, House Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milksnakes, Rat Snakes (except rare species), Water Snakes, the Western Hognosed Snake and certain others.

Unlawful: Emerald Tree Boa, Green Tree Python, African Rock Python, Reticulated Python, and all Anacondas; Black Rat Snake; other rare species, any other snake not specified as lawful. Possession of ALL venomous ("poisonous") snakes is prohibited.

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Originally Posted by OhBalls

Venomous snakes are illegal to keep in Massachusetts

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That makes me wonder, not just this OP but how many other people are breaking the laws. I mean I break laws all the time, Jay walking being the biggest.

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

That makes me wonder, not just this OP but how many other people are breaking the laws. I mean I break laws all the time, Jay walking being the biggest.

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Many people don't know what the law states. I kept sugar gliders for years and didn't know they were prohibited until I lived in Connecticut. Now that I am back in Mass, I re-homed them.

I KNEW you were a Jay walker...it's those beady eyes!! :P :D

.......

Keeping a venomous animal is more then a "should I" situation.

There are many many factors involved here.

Is it legal? Are you ready? Are there others within the home that if something was to happen could be injured or will need to assist you?

I have a feeling that your answers to these few questions will be wrong. Coming to a forum and asking should I is another big clue at the real answer to your question. I am in no way trying to bash at you here, I am a retired venomous keeper and I have helped another on this very forum get where he needed to be to keep HOTs.

There is just so much wrong with someone keeping a venomous animal just because they "can". It affects the entire keeping community when something happens.

There is a saying in the HOT community "Not a matter of if you get bit, its a matter of when". That saying is there for a very real reason. One bite from a "not very HOT" snake can cost you and your family in the range of $10,000 in medical bills.

I am not gonna say you should or shouldnt. That is a decision you will have to make. However I think you answered your own question when you posted this.

One other thing that really bothered me on this post.....I have my share of typos here and there, but spelling venomous wrong every time.....hmmm

I agree with jkobylka completely.

And as a side note: If you free handle hot snakes, you're begging for a severe hospital visit or worse...

Oh no no no no, i would NEVER free handle her. To me that is really stupid and irresponsible.
Yes, sorry for the typos, i was writing this at work and got kinnda sidetracked and didn't check my spell checker. I donno what's worse: having it or not learning from it. And yes, i know kinnda and donno or not words :D
Anywho, thank you all for your opinions! I have actually found a way to rehome it and keep it... sorrta.
I am going to learn under an experienced keeper and he will allow me to keep it at his facility in CT. That said, he is licensed to keep hots. So i will be able to learn on my own snake. I think it's a good compromise and i am grateful for the opportunity. I was actually very worried about keeping it because i have other people and animals in my own home. I don't want to put anyone at risk for a stupid mistake i make, even if it is a 'semi-hot' snake.
I highly doubt i am allergic to its venom (although like it was said, you never know until you almost die.) i have no allergies to anything, not even poison oak or ivy or peanuts, lol.
Anyway, i did not want to put anyone in my neighborhood or home in danger because of a stupid mistake that could have been avoided.
Oh, p.s. i didn't realize HOTs were illegal to keep in MA, i picked this girl up in PA this past weekend.

I am glad you found a spot to house it at. I see you picked it up in another state so you broke two laws getting this animal, one for having it and another for bringing it across state lines without the permits.

And so you know, Pygmy rattlesnakes are not semi-hot....they are very hot for their size. There are just not as many cases documented on bites do to their behavior and habitat. They do get to a decent size as well....not like the bigger buzztails but still respectable.

I think you made a wise decision in re-homing it and I respect you for it. Learning from someone with experience is the very best way to introduce yourself into the venomous world and gain some much needed respect for these awesome wonders of the snake world.

Carry on and happy herping!

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

That makes me wonder, not just this OP but how many other people are breaking the laws. I mean I break laws all the time, Jay walking being the biggest.

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In MA we can't even keep GTPs - it's ridiculous. (but burms are ok? wtf?)

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Originally Posted by Morphie

In MA we can't even keep GTPs - it's ridiculous. (but burms are ok? wtf?)

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I know, I really really want a GTP too :(

here's what you should do. find a hot keeper in your area. tell him/her what you just received and tell him you would like him to keep hold of it and apprentice with him so you can get more experience with hots. once he/she thinks you have the hang of it, then take it home. this way you learn and get to keep the snake.

Wow I have never actualy been around hots before other than an a few unexpected suprises in the woods, and at a few shows. I do not think that I would ever feel comfortable enough handling them or having them in my home. Even if I did I do not feel that it okay for me to put my wife and kids in that predictament if something ever did happen. Because accidents do happen. I think that many hot snakes are beautiful, but I am perfectly okay with someone else owning them and watching them on youtube, lol. Goodluck and be careful!

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Originally Posted by OhBalls

Venomous snakes are illegal to keep in Massachusetts

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpets.htm

Snakes:
Regulations regarding the possession of snakes are quite detailed and should be consulted (321 CMR 9.01) for specifics. Some generalities are listed as follows.

Lawful(no MassWildlife permit required):

1. All species of boas and pythons, regardless of size, except rare species, and those listed as Unlawful
2. Shield-tailed Snakes and Sunbeam Snakes;
3. Worm Snakes (except rare species), Thread Snakes, and related species;
4. Several so-called "harmless" snakes, including Brown and Redbellied Snakes, Garter and Ribbon Snakes, Glossy Snakes, Green Snakes, House Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milksnakes, Rat Snakes (except rare species), Water Snakes, the Western Hognosed Snake and certain others.

Unlawful: Emerald Tree Boa, Green Tree Python, African Rock Python, Reticulated Python, and all Anacondas; Black Rat Snake; other rare species, any other snake not specified as lawful. Possession of ALL venomous ("poisonous") snakes is prohibited.

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says it all....if it weren't 4 the law i sure as hell would keep it. but it is always nice to get a freebee, i can't believe he sent you a hot as one. i have kept hots,my buddy had a pygmy, nice little snake, good color, but one of his rats got loose and ate it!!