|
RE: "How To Care For Your Pet Forest Cobra&qu
|
Reply
|
|
by rabbitsmcgates on October 17, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Yes, I only have two mini-hooks, but I ordered a Standard hook and tongs. I'm not sure that is even something an African Forest Cobra would tolerate but I need them for the Mambas anyway, though they are actually very calm compared to the Forest Cobra.
I would like to go on record as saying that almost no one should have a Forest Cobra, they are psycho, dangerous snakes that could overwhelm you with their bulk if they threw themselves at you before sharing their venom. When mine bites a rat it flips out and bites the rat, and the substrate, and the cage, and the ceiling. If it bit me I cannot imagine what it would do....
|
| |
|
RE: "How To Care For Your Pet Forest Cobra&am
|
Reply
|
|
by LarryDFishel on October 18, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
That's a Forest Cobra for ya! :)
I have one that visiously and repeatedly attacks the water in it's bowl if it sees it moving when I put him back in the cage!
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by psilocybe on October 18, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Not to flame, but your post is more than a little disturbing. You essentially admit to buying a forest cobra while knowing very little about how to care for it safely. This is a no-no with any reptile, even a ball python, but the consequences are much more severe with a forest cobra, obviously.
One question I don't believe anyone has asked yet: Do you possess SAIMR (SAVP) poly AV, or at the very least, know the nearest location where it is? You mentioned you keep mambas, so you should already have this arranged, but then again you also mention only having mini-hooks...I know at least 1 keeper who prefers using midwest mini's on mambas up to 6 or 7 feet, but I can guarentee you she has a few standards lying around in case she needs them.
Like has been said before...perhaps you should consider finding a new home for the forest...a big, aggressive, extremely deadly elapid that you admittedly have no experience with is not a good scenario for you or the rest of the venomous herping community.
If you decide to keep the beast...well...good luck. You'll definitely need it.
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by erk on October 18, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
"Like has been said before...perhaps you should consider finding a new home for the forest...a big, aggressive, extremely deadly elapid that you admittedly have no experience with"
Not to mention the rest of his collection! This is clearly an accident waiting to happen.
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by tj on October 18, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
After reading the OP's profile, I have to comment.
What is your goal in herpetoculture?
"Test new things as they occur to me"
I'm taking it that's what you're doing, sounds abit impulsive.
What advice do you have for new venomous keepers ?
"There is no reason to ever touch your snake, I never do. If you are calm enough they will be too. Wait five years between getting your first and second venomous."
Are you following your own advice?
Do you still live in Indiana? If so, do you have the required permits?
Not flaming, just asking.
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by psilocybe on October 18, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
To the OP,
You see, the funny thing is...there are a ton of experienced elapid keepers who will gladly play with mambas, king cobras, brown snakes, taipans, cobras, etc. all day long, but have absolutely NO desire to keep N. melanoleuca. Their reasoning is valid...these snakes are DANGEROUS. Not that mambas and the like aren't, but there is something about forests that set them apart from most other elapids, and snakes in general. Couple their generally evil disposition (sounds like you got one that fits this profile) with extreme agility, insanely deadly venom, and straight out willingness to bite, and you have an animal that is the elite of the elite. There are some people that are insane enough to want to keep these animals, but they ones that are still alive are extremely experienced elapid keepers who probably worked with every other large elapid they could before they ventured into forest territory...no offense, but you don't seem to quite meet this criteria...you essentially admit this in your original post.
Again...consider finding the snake a home with a keeper who already keeps these animals and or has experience with them. We aren't here to flame you, we are deeply concerned for both your well-being as well as the snake's.
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by rabbitsmcgates on October 19, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
Well, I've changed my profile just slightly to make you happier though not answering all the questions. And I have very mixed feelings about getting rid of the snake. I normally NEVER get rid of an animal once I get it. But it is in the Classified for people to consider. I thought I was afraid of the Green Mambas until I got this cobra and saw how bulky and psycho it is. One problem is that I think that whoever I sold it to will be killed by it and so it would be unethical to sell it to anyone. hmmmmm....
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by BREEZER on October 19, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
LOL...i just love the description of the forest in the free classifieds add!
Quintin
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by Atrox788 on October 19, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
With Taipans and Mambas, aside from green (which as a norm Ive found to be as squirly as forest cobras lol)you usualy have to do somthing to stir them up to that level. They can be skidish yet still remain calm (in the case of Taipans) and almost all polylepis I have worked woth were extreamly docile and calm. With them genneraly if you keep your movments very slow and dont spook them they are managable.
Forest Cobras on the other hand are never calm in my experince. They always appear ready to dance, even when not hooded. Having one out of a cage is almost assureing an open mouth charge.
Anbother thing I have noticed with them is that they dont usualy seem to run first. Most of my encounters with Taipans led to them being extreamly alert and jerky but always looking to escape. Forest on the other hand were always looking to kill you!
Every species is capable of produceing specimens that act out of the norm. Sme Taipans may give most Forest a run for the money in regards to blood lust but as a norm they are usualy more managable. Forest on the other hand are like 90 percent +.
Oddly enough I have found there to be alot of behavioral differences between the typical black phase forrest and the kaki or brown phase. The blacka re hell spawn. The kaki were actualy just as docile as a big Bannded or snouted cobra O.o Ive only ever worked with 2 of them but have observed many and all were usualy very clam animals compared to their glossy couterparts.
If I had to list a top 5 for elapids it would go as fallows (top five reffering to working with them. Im not takin venom toxciity into account at all)
#1 Forest for all of the above mentioned reasons.
#2 Taipan. Some of these guys never calm down and in genneral they seem to keep a runny disposition. However, they seem in my experince more willing to retreat then fight unless realy pushed. With that being said the most dangerous and pants wetting enocounter I have ever had with a snake was with a taipan. 7fter went ape on me and a buddy while trying to measure and weigh her. It took the both of us, each equiped with a set of gental giants about 20 mins to get the snake back in her cage. She sprayed her venom everywhere! inculding on my shoes.
#3 Eastern Green Mambas. I dont know why but every specimen I have worked with made me shudder. They were all so extreamly fast and unpredictable in their movments. I didnt see alot of actualy killing attempts by them but the speed and eratic behavior always gave me a not so pleasant about them. ON the same note the viridis (westerns)I have worked with were usualy very calm. however, these were LTC HUGE adults so maybe that was why.
#4 Eastern Browns. O.O These guys are umm, interesting. EXTREAMLY wirey and quirky in their movments. Not as agile as the before mentioned but still very un predictable.
#5 Black Mambas. I have handled probaly 10-15 specimens in my life and everyone one of them were extreamly docile in everything they did. Even feeding was done at leasure. They were at the same time probaly the most aware snakes I have ever worked with. While hooking and tailing they always had one eye on you, always watching you and what you were doing. With slow movments I have never seen one go nutts. I mention them in the top 5 only because they are Black Mambas and if one were to get riled up there is no more dangerous snake in the world. Not even forest can match the capibilities of polylepis. These are the most dangerous snakes in the world if they want to be.
Anyway, I know this post is out of the scope of the OP original discussion but im bored at work and had nothing better to do :p
BTW, these are all MY experinces and are not said as fact, save for the forest cobra lol
|
| |
|
RE: Guide to "How To Care For Your Pet Forest
|
Reply
|
|
by rthom on October 19, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I've worked with a King Brown,Jamason's Mamba ,Red spitter , and an Indian Cobra. The Red Spitter ,named psycho, was a nightmare to work with.But after working a King Brown and a Jamasons Mamba, old Psycho wasn't that bad. You got soaked but all things considered the psycho was a piece of cake. They all are "upper level"
herps.The Indian seemed down right sedate,and he was runny as hell.
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
