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Originally Posted by Dennis1
From what i understand it (venom) only aids in digestion and may not be harmful to the snake if it is subtracted from its diet,I would like to see some long term studies on venomoids to see what if any negative effects they have
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The problem is it would take a significantly large study group and many years to investigate the potential drawbacks to health in relation to digestion.
The point being it's something we're likely to never know completely.
While it's obvious that venom aids in digestion, it's only speculated that it may not be harmful. Considering that for eons venomous snakes have evolved to utilize that venom in the acquiring and digestion of prey, I feel that it's quite likely that their bodies can indeed suffer if the predigestive properties of the venom are removed.
Whether it's harmful or not to remove that factor from the equation is irrelevant to me, the fact that it is beneficial is enough reason to keep them venomous.
It might not harm the overall health of a snake to fail to provide a hidebox for instance, but many of them obviously prefer to use one, and they benefit from the available security of a retreat within the cage. The fact that being without one doesn't harm them isn't enough reason to avoid using one just to have less cage furniture to clean.
It hasn't been scientifically proven that limiting food intake to keep boas or burms at smaller sizes is directly detrimental to health or longevity, but that doesn't justify the practice just because someone wants a burm, but doesn't want an 18 foot snake.
I have long been an advocate of keeping reptiles for what they are, not what you want them to be. I would like to keep gaboon vipers, but for me personally I can't justify keeping that species in my home when compared to the relative risk associated with working with them. For this reason I admire them in other people's collections, but I have consented that I will most likely never own one.
We're not talking about declawing a house cat, or descenting a ferret to make them more enjoyable to live with. We're talking about the internal workings of an animal and it's digestive processes, something essential to life. The fact that the possibility exists that removing venom could be harmful to this, whether or not it has been demonstrated, should be enough reason not to risk doing it just so someone can own a dangerous animal without the danger part.