First venomous

[whytepizza]

Any ideas on what a good first venemous snake would be? Everyone keeps telling me a rattler but i doubt that's a good one to own first without alot of experience.

 

[Gary O]

There is no hot that will get you ready for another hot. There is no nonvenomous that will get you ready for a hot.

The best first hot(venomous) is someone elses. Train first.

 

[Gary O]

Also I believe it is illegal to own in New Jersey

 

[SerpenXotics]

Yes it is gary, But you can get a permit I have heard through the grape vine that there is at least 2 permited venomous keepers in NJ.
Joe

 

[SerpenXotics]

the permit is not wasy to get by any means

 

[whytepizza]

Ah, i don't live in jersey anymore. I'm torn between New Hampshire and Pennsylvania now (although i still work in NJ). My folks live in NH and my mother has cancer so i am up there every weekend.
Anyway, i was just wondering, not necessarily something i would do now, but figured i would look into it for the future if that was something i wanted to do. Was wondering if there was one that was easier to care for than others because of its disposition, size, temperment, toxicity, etc.
Everyone in jersey is all hognose gung-ho. saying, "they are too venomous!." Yeah, okay keep your 'hot' hognoses and i'll look into real venomous for the future.
So, i was just wondering if there was a hot that people recommend more than others. I'm not looking to get a hot as a novice, just want to do my research first. any advice would be helpful!
Thank you!

 

[whytepizza]

Oh yeah, and venomous permits. I did y research on that, there is a loophole... not that everyone needs to know.
...buuuuut... The permit for hots is the same as the permit for poisonous frogs (which are one of the few animals still allowed in NJ). NJ is about to concider the heterodon family a hot as well, which is stupid...
Anyway, the permit allows for the keeping of poisonous on the paperwork but says nothing about species.
The only bad thing, is if someone from the wildlife office finds out you're keeping hots they can revoke any and all permits to house any species altogether, including dogs and cats. The local police, on the other hand, can not look this information up without calling the wildlife office.
With that said, the negatives greatly outweigh the benefits of breaking the law. If found you can face up to 5 years in jail and a fine of UP TO 10,000, not to mention if a hot gets loose and injures someone.
The other loophole is a field catching permit. I am a falconer as well, and you need a special hunting and trapping licence to do so. anything that is jersey native can be legally caught and kept with a trapping permit (which is next to impossible to get unless you have an animal that needs to hunt in order to live) and that includes hots. If the falcon/hawk kills something endangered or non-new jersey native it can eat what it wants in the field but you must leave the carcass and report the death to the authorities. All species that you collect from the wild must be edible by the falcon/hawk. Note, that nearly all falcons/hawks cannot eat hots.

 

[Mooing Tricycle]

Uh. Poisonous and Venomous are two different things..... I dont really consider that a Loophole.

 

[whytepizza]

Uh. Poisonous and Venomous are two different things..... I dont really consider that a Loophole.

Good point. Just going off what i was told by a friend in Matawan NJ who has hots. NEVER something i would recommend doing, it's a horrible idea to do it that way anyway, and can get you in loads of trouble.

 

[Gary O]

Uh. Poisonous and Venomous are two different things..... I dont really consider that a Loophole.

I do not think he found a loop hole. I would really just call Fish and Game or the DNR for the state. Ask questions. It is better that way

 

[Gary O]

Ah, i don't live in jersey anymore. I'm torn between New Hampshire and Pennsylvania now (although i still work in NJ). My folks live in NH and my mother has cancer so i am up there every weekend.
Anyway, i was just wondering, not necessarily something i would do now, but figured i would look into it for the future if that was something i wanted to do. Was wondering if there was one that was easier to care for than others because of its disposition, size, temperment, toxicity, etc.
Everyone in jersey is all hognose gung-ho. saying, "they are too venomous!." Yeah, okay keep your 'hot' hognoses and i'll look into real venomous for the future.
So, i was just wondering if there was a hot that people recommend more than others. I'm not looking to get a hot as a novice, just want to do my research first. any advice would be helpful!
Thank you!

Hognose have been studied and one of the top venomous minds in the world has papers out saying the Hognose is venomous. Is it harmful to humans? No

But I believe in this. You want a hot. But you do not even know what you want. So it tells me you want a hot just to have a hot. If you trully want Western Diamondbacks a copperhead is not going to get you ready. As they act different. And later the copperhead will be a throw away hot becuase you got it just to get it you know.

In PA there are a lot of hot keepers. Look some up and see if they will help you out in handling.

Take it slow.... no reason to rush into death lol...bad joke

 

[Mooing Tricycle]

Take it slow.... no reason to rush into death lol...bad joke

LOL yes, but a true one. and i agree!

If you are seriously interested in getting into hots, TRAIN. I dont care if you train for years and years, BUT DO IT. You will be thankful you did, and, if you feel its not right for you, you can leave knowing the animals are well cared for, and under someone elses responsibility. You dont have to worry about getting rid of an animal you dont feel you should keep.

I dont keep hots, and while ive thought of it * yes, they are SERIOUSLY beautiful animals* Its not at all high on my list of... wants. But i know that if i did get serious, id train under someone i trusted. for a good. LONG. time.

 

[whytepizza]

Hognose have been studied and one of the top venomous minds in the world has papers out saying the Hognose is venomous. Is it harmful to humans? No

But I believe in this. You want a hot. But you do not even know what you want. So it tells me you want a hot just to have a hot. If you trully want Western Diamondbacks a copperhead is not going to get you ready. As they act different. And later the copperhead will be a throw away hot becuase you got it just to get it you know.

In PA there are a lot of hot keepers. Look some up and see if they will help you out in handling.

Take it slow.... no reason to rush into death lol...bad joke

Yeah, i know hognoses are no threat to us, or any opther species. In my opinion they only have the fangs to stop toads from inflating on the way down.

As for hots, yes i do want a hot, but i don't want one now, i want to do my research first. I figured this would be a good place to ask about them and get some information and ideas for any future involvment. I'm in no hurry, but figured i would ask and see if there was a good species that would be better than others. I want to do as much research as possible before i get anything and will not get anything just to get it. No sense in neglecting an animal that is not wanted.

My interest peaked because of my mother, she works as a microbiologist at Dartmouth College and worked an a strain of anti-venoms and cancer drugs (which she had an intrest in because of her own illness). She worked with alot of hots (hopefully she didn't handle them herself) and used to talk to me about them. So, a few years ago i did some research in NJ and found on guy who had them, but he isn't that smart about it (sorry, Greg).

Anyway, i'm just doing research, 'tis all. So like i said, any information would be helpful.

Thank you guys for all your concern, i appreciate it. You all seem to care about the animals as to avoid any needless neglect or harm. I respect that greatly.

 

[Gary O]

I care about the animal, the hobby and you.

I am a hot keeper. I keep a few of this and that. But what I am saying if you do nto know what you want then you have to choose that first. I have several different species. None act the same.

Take Pigmies. Low venom yield nasty venom though but should not kill you. But they are snapping machines and hard to hook. Almost have to scoop them 90% of the time. And they do not just bite once it is over and over and over.

Take Copperheads. Many say start with this species but this is another species IMO that do not hook well. Their venom is not as bad as others but still you never know.

So lets say I tell you to go get a copperhead. You get bit and have a reaction to the venom that could kill you.

Every snake is different. That is way I say train find out what you like.

Hots can be fun but it is not something to get into just to have a "real" hot.

you want great advice. Buy this book

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/reviews/detail/158

http://www.reptileeducation.com/index.php?pid=15

One of the best books written about safty. BW Smith is a cool guy too....

 

[whytepizza]

Awesome, thank you! i just bought the Venomous snake in captivity book yesterday and have been reading through it a little. I'll study it like a Bible, no worries on that.
Thank you guys for taking the time to give some advice on everything, i would hate to give you all a bad reputation because i made some stupid mistake that could have easily been avoided.
Anyway, i will look into seeing if there is someone near me who might be able to show me how to work with them for the next few years, and see what i think might be a good snake to put my dedication into (my fiance will be jealous), but she has her snake food.... i mean rats.
On the ironic side, i was hit by a heterodon nasicus kennerlyi yesterday night. She got out of her cage because my landlord left the lid off when he showed it his new girlfriend, i had just cleaned the rat cages, and she (the snake) latched onto my ankle and tried to eat me. Love the little girl (the snake again) to death, but she's (the snake and the landlord's girlfriend) a bit slow. I'm allergic to bee-stings to thank goodness for rear-fangs. Just a realization of how much prepardness needs to go into owning, containing, and caring for a HOT.
Thanks again guys! i will be on asking more question in the forums in the future to make sure i am getting correct information, in the future.

 

[whytepizza]

And i promise, if i ever get a hot i will NOT put it in my mouth to impress some chick. Just had to get that out.
What was the guy thinking?!?