Originally Posted by hhmoore

Venom serves 2 main purposes - 1) it subdues the prey in a manner which (usually) leaves the snake free from harm, and 2) it plays a huge role in digestion of prey, often beginning its work before the prey animal is eaten. This is especially true in viperid species with their highly cytotoxic venoms. What the venom does is literally destroy tissue by breaking down the cellular structures, making it very easy to process. Without it, the digestive process takes longer (which is not a huge issue in captivity because they aren't exposed to dangers as in the wild, but can lead to problems if the snake is handled/manipulated too soon after feeding).

Originally Posted by hhmoore

I mentioned earlier that i had, at one time, kept a few devenomized snakes. One of them, a gaboon viper, died at approximately 16 months of age because his digestive system failed. The rat just sat there and began to rot inside him. he looked pretty normal for about 3 days, then began to swell. The swelling increased daily, and by day 6 he began to stink of decomposing flesh (ever smelled a rat that has been shoved into the warm part of the cage and left overnite, or a 2 day post-feeding regurg? nothing in comparison to this). The stench permeated first the room, then the whole floor of the house. 2-3 days later, his color changed to a sickening greenish/grey and black fluid began to ooze out of his mouth when he moved. He died a day or two later. (my vet, who ordinarily doesn't do hots, was out of town...and I couldn't get another to even see it) It was truly an awful thing to behold.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

Aside from the digestion issue, a venomous snake without venom is unable to defend itself - this becomes an issue when some fool opts to toss in a live rat, or when (as instructed to do regularly in Venomoid Inc's certification) one is "testing" the effectiveness of the surgery.
Then, take into consideration the potential for harm in the case of a mishap. An acquaintance of mine was bitten by a "devenomized" black pakistan cobra. The onset of symptoms was fairly slow, taking place over several hours, but followed the expected course. he ended up being flown to a regional "snakebite center" and treated. I believe mechanical ventilation was necessary. He suffered longterm problems due to organ damage (liver, kidneys, and ?), not to mention motor function. These are 2 of the reasons I am opposed to 'voids. (the rest I pretty much posted earlier)

Originally Posted by hhmoore

As for morphs, the negative effects are largely those caused by inbreeding. In the wild, these animals would have poor survival rates because they would stand out in their surroundings, making them easy targets.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

Microchipping, when properly done, does not harm the animal. I believe the biggest risk is of infection, and that is easily avoided with proper technique.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

And the descenting of ferrets, at least that is a surgical procedure...so at least closer to the basic idea. but the animals are anesthetized, and the surgery is done under sterile conditions.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

One of the major objections of adversaries of 'voids is the conditions under which the "surgery" is performed. another thread on here shows an example of one setup - it features a board, some nails and a rubber strap - I'll try to dig that up when I finish this. At one time (from what I have heard), the incision was made from the outside, but people didn't like the scarring. Now, the incision is inside the mouth. Historically, the snakes were not anesthetized, but strapped in place with a metal brace holding their mouths open. I know of at least one person that used to inject silicone to prevent the caved in head look (it was probably just silicone caulk). The mortality rate is huge, AND if you do a bit of reading on the subject, you will find that it is not a "simple" procedure. Veterinarians, that are familiar with reptiles and the anatomy/physiology of hots, that have performed the surgery on dead subjects, have commented on how difficult it was to isolate the gland (so as not to remove/damage other things) and that they would not feel comfortable performing this operation on a living subject. Yes, I understand that everything is learned, and that with practice, it may become a skill...perhaps even considered "simple" - but how many deaths are caused in the process? and why is this acceptable?

Originally Posted by hhmoore

Yes, I am very against 'voids - but you will rarely see me ranting on the subject. people aren't going to change their minds because of anything I say, and I realize that. But I still say - if you don't want a venomous snake, or don't have the skills to "handle" it...DON'T BUY IT. If you want something that won't hurt you if you screw up, buy a cornsnake...or if you want more of a challenge, a redtailed ratsnake or a whitelipped python.