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

[Dragnbaron]

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 ) 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!

[jkobylka]

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

[janeothejungle]

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

[fattielumpkin]

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.

[wilomn]

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.

[LadyOhh]

I say keep it.

Do you have any experience with Hots at all?

I'm really just curious...

[wilomn]

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.

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.

[Patrick Long]

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.

[Melicious]

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.

[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.