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Why hots?

B

BlueCrowned

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No judgment... just curiosity. I look at the venomous classifieds frequently because I find it interesting what all is out there to buy. I just can't wrap my head around any good reason to be putting your life in danger owning hots. A lot of these species have nonvenomous lookalikes. Green mambas for instance, you could get any number of green snakes that look very similar. I will admit some of the pit viper and cobra types are very attractive but not enough for the risk to me. So why keep such dangerous animals?
 
For me, they are a test of and a way to improve my abilities to "read" reptilian body language, as well as truly incredible animals that are just as worthy of time and attention as those that are non-venomous.

That said, keeping hots is definitely not, and should not be, for everyone. It requires and demands a greater level of responsibility and maturity from the keeper, as any mistake that results in a bite or an escape can be damaging to the reptile keeping hobby as a whole.

And there are certain hots that I know I will never be willing to touch, as they are either too fast, too potent, too intelligent, or any combination of the three.
 
I refuse to touch mambas, taipans, and king cobra's at a main top three. There are a few miscellaneous others where there is no antivenom produced for them, which I want nothing to do with.

As I am still training, they are way outside what I can deal with. Even if I were as comfortable with hots as my mentor is, I wouldn't touch them as they are all fast, intelligent/twitchy, and potent (My mentor is of the same mindset).
 
Makes sense... Some of the hots are really pretty I'll give you that. I really like the look of cobras and the gaboon vipers have some really unique markings. Thanks for your input.
 
I can remember when many years ago my wife and I visited Hank Molt's place and had a particularly unsettling experience. You had to knock on the door, and he would look out through a sliding peep hole to see who was there. He let us in and then locked the door behind us. They were unloading a shipment, and while doing so, a black mamba got away from someone and was loose in the room. They caught it quickly, but it seemed like an eternity to me. We were trapped with a fast and lethal wild animal, with our backs to the door, and had visions of Connie getting bitten there and dying right before my eyes. When I regained my voice, I told them we needed to leave, NOW.

Beyond catching the odd copperhead or two, never had any interest whatsoever in keeping or handling venomous reptiles. Keeping wild animals can be stressful enough without the added component that their unpredictable nature could result in a really, REALLY bad day for you. I think anyone considering keeping hots should spend an hour or two every now again viewing images of the results of a venomous snake bite to remind them what is at stake if they make a mistake.

Source of photo: http://www.rattlesnakebite.org/rattlesnakepics-htm/
 

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I think that the law and insurance will go hand in hand over the next few decades to make those who voluntarily partake in non work related extremely dangerous activities liable for their own medical costs if something happens.
The law already places financial responsibility for tort injury that occurs to others on the keepers of 'wild creatures' which include reptiles, if the wild animal causes such injuries.

Looking at the photo above, I can't imagine how a keeper would feel if there was a slip-up and the hot bit his wife or child, and their hand ended up looking like that.
 
BlueCrowned said:
No judgment... just curiosity. I look at the venomous classifieds frequently because I find it interesting what all is out there to buy. I just can't wrap my head around any good reason to be putting your life in danger owning hots. A lot of these species have nonvenomous lookalikes. Green mambas for instance, you could get any number of green snakes that look very similar. I will admit some of the pit viper and cobra types are very attractive but not enough for the risk to me. So why keep such dangerous animals?
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Some people just want to be more extreme or exotic than others...bragging rights so on....i think it's silly

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I've only personally met one person who does, he milks them and sells the venom to labs and large pharma companies under his own corporation.

He also can't find an insurer who will write him a health or life insurance policy so he keeps enough cash in the bank (actually multiple banks due to FDIC limits) to cover hospitalization in case he gets tagged.
 
I agree with Crotulas people just want bragging rights and honestly I think it’s the younger generation like me. I heard about a fourteen year old who bought two gaboon vipers. It didn’t end well with the police. But there are honorable people who milk as said above the snakes. To save and help future diseases and disorders. There are a few snakes that hold the key to cancer. I have a question though. Are boigas considered hots? I would love to work with this genus (after quite a bit of experience later). There not listed as venomous here they’re under Other Snakes.
 
Roscoe09 said:
I agree with Crotulas people just want bragging rights and honestly I think it’s the younger generation like me. I heard about a fourteen year old who bought two gaboon vipers. It didn’t end well with the police. But there are honorable people who milk as said above the snakes. To save and help future diseases and disorders. There are a few snakes that hold the key to cancer. I have a question though. Are boigas considered hots? I would love to work with this genus (after quite a bit of experience later). There not listed as venomous here they’re under Other Snakes.
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For medical purposes, research, and zoos... I agree...looked up the boigas ...they are neat...says the biggest risk is infection....they are rear-fanged and mildly poisonous...it says they rarely bite....got my info on Wikipedia

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That's what they said about boomslangs too until someone died... There are a few rear fanged species I find interesting but I won't risk it. You never know when you might have an allergy either.
 
Yeah I read that they’re similar to hognoses but the colors make it look more dangerous. I think venomous snakes to stick to professional and not the ambitious.
 
BlueCrowned said:
That's what they said about boomslangs too until someone died... There are a few rear fanged species I find interesting but I won't risk it. You never know when you might have an allergy either.
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Boomslangs are definitely poisonus...I worry about allergies too...thats why I want have a lionfish or scorpion fish in my saltwater rank lol

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Yeah... But until someone was bitten and died they were not considered to be of huge concern due to being rear fanged! Read an interesting article about it when researching beaked snakes.
 
Roscoe09 said:
I agree with Crotulas people just want bragging rights and honestly I think it’s the younger generation like me. I heard about a fourteen year old who bought two gaboon vipers. It didn’t end well with the police. But there are honorable people who milk as said above the snakes. To save and help future diseases and disorders. There are a few snakes that hold the key to cancer. I have a question though. Are boigas considered hots? I would love to work with this genus (after quite a bit of experience later). There not listed as venomous here they’re under Other Snakes.
Click to expand...

I disagree on the "younger generation" statement. If you go to any show that deals in venomous, you will notice that it is predominately older keepers that are selling. I do know a few people around my age that keep hots as well, but most of the keepers I know are quite a bit older than me.

Also, pretty much all venomous vendors refuse to sell to anyone under the age of 18, where some go as far as under the age of 21 can't buy. A case of a 14yo with gaboons, if true, shows a serious breach in terms of consideration for the hobby.
 
I don’t mean younger people selling them. I’m talking about the younger inexperienced buying. I too see at expos the older generation selling. I do think that people should be IDed before buying venomous snakes like alcohol. I mean no offense to the responsible younger generation. I graduate you for your success. I my self would not be able to do this.
 
I would think that people selling venomous snakes are taking on one hell of a risk of liability if there is an injury or death caused by those animals. Would any insurance agency offer those sellers product liability insurance? Heck, I guess you can't claim that the product is defective if the venom does what it is designed to do and delivered in a manner consistent with the "design". Just a shame that your hand got in the way.

With the public being as lawsuit happy as it is, I would certainly be VERY circumspect about the returns outweighing the liability in selling hots to the general public. Regardless of age. "Logic challenged" and careless people come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.
 
WebSlave said:
I would think that people selling venomous snakes are taking on one hell of a risk of liability if there is an injury or death caused by those animals.
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Exactly. Many times injuries from wild animals including snakes are judged by an 'absolute liability' standard. That means even if the seller had no bad intentions, and even if he took the utmost care housing and transporting the snake, if there is an injury, he can be many times held liable.
 
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