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Eric, it's important right now that you distinguish yourself from Kevin (Irwin).
You asked some questions and stated that you had an interest at some point in the future, specifically mentioning that owning a hot would happen when you were an adult AND had the experience needed to do so.
Kevin showed up, claimed to have a copperhead, that it wasn't dangerous in a clinical sense and that he "practiced" for owning a venomous reptile by handling a BURM.
I know that I, and I suspect Scott, think you have the proper attitude and approach. I still wouldn't let you anywhere near my venomous collection without your parents being in the same room the entire time and likely not even then. If you were to be bitten, I would be sued. I think it's important for anyone who's interested in herps to be encouraged but that has a limit. I wouldn't shove you into a pen with an eight foot gator, I wouldn't tell you to feed a croc monitor mice with your fingers and I wouldn't let you within ten feet of a rattler without some glass between you and it.
While venomous snakes and venomous keepers are not HerpGods or some elite group who's better than other keepers... the ones who keep their animals in a way which is safe and legal put a good deal of time and effort into being able to do so. Scott has actually written out an interesting piece (he might be kind enough to add a copy here) explaining how in Florida, someone's first venomous snake costs a year of their life and about ten grand. Or the equivalent in time and effort anyway, because of the way the permit system works down there.
Anyone who does keep venomous animals in a responsible manner has a vested interest in making sure that other people do the same thing. When uppity lawmakers and anti-pet trade activists start introducing stricter laws, the first and most easily targeted group of animals are those which are venemous. Despite the fact that the majority of venomous keepers are some of the most responsible and detail minded individuals to ever own a reptile, the public (who knows nothing about the hobby really) can easily vote to pass a law or elect a legislator that will make permits more and more difficult or even impossible to obtain. The kind of thing which REALLY sets off the anti-reptile crowds are people, especially kids, being hurt. There are hundreds of kids bitten by dogs every day but it generally only makes the news if nothing else happened and never goes beyond a local level. If Kevin were to be bitten by his copperhead (which certainly DOES need medical attention or he's going to end up with the nickname "Lefty") it would have to be reported to the hospital. The hospital is obligated to report significant injuries to the police when a child is involved, they or child protective services would investigate and they would find...
A minor... who watches the Crocodile Hunter... who got bit by his pet snake. It would be on TV and in every newspaper, no question. The result of that... "Won't someone please think of the children?!" and proposed bans on venomous snakes. Bans that would affect every reasonable, responsible individual who owns them.
If it comes right down to it, I don't really care what anyone else decides to do. Until it starts or has the potential to affect ME. I don't want to lose MY animals because HE went and did something ignorant.
Tanith... while I generally am directly opposed to warning labels that demand common sense (Do not use your hair dryer while sleeping), I think this thread shows fairly plainly that people have mistaken your suggestion for using similarly mannered nonvenomous species to learn restraint and handling techniques and taken it to mean "I owned a burm, so I'm ready for a copperhead." If all you *meant* to say was that using a hook on a rat snake will give someone a FEEL for how it's done and greater comfort when they approach a venomous animal, you might want to make that a bit clearer. If you truly think that someone playing around with a pair of tongs and a blood python is ready to own Bitis sp. well... That's a whole seperate discussion.
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