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Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by TheFifthDay on November 10, 2008
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I don't really care about the subspecies, I just want one that I can use as sort of a training snake. And how much do they normally cost?
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by pitbulllady on November 10, 2008
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A "training snake"? For what? I've got several Nerodia of various species, and the only thing they can "train" me for is not to get up from my easy chair too quickly while watching tv while the Water Snake is on my lap, lol. I've had Ball Pythons with WAY more attitude...come to think of it, I've had dish rags with way more attitude, too. I've never had a Water Snake that did not become "floppy-tame" within a couple of days, and I've had a lot of 'em. Maybe try a Black Racer or a Amazon Tree Boa-yeah, there are tame specimens, but it usually takes some work and a few bites at least to get them to that point. Even my Corns are not as laid-back as my Water Snakes are.
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by theemojohnm on November 10, 2008
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Jon, Sharon brings up a good point. With enough handling, alot of NErodia do calm down. But, they can be very nasty, especially wild-caught specimens.
Most agree that Nerodia can be VERY pissy.
The point IS NOT to handle your Nerodia with your hands, so that it becomes acustomed to it. Treat it EXACTLY as you would if it were a fully-loaded venomous snake.
Again, you caught me just about a month late. I have sold all the baby Midland, Banded, Northern, and Blotched watersnakes I produced in the spring.
Good luck in finding one. They're out there, it just may take a bit of searching.
Take Care.
~John Mendrola.
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by LadyBloodRose on November 10, 2008
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If your going for a snake to train with honestly I would take on a black racer, their fast an keep you on your toes, anyt ime i feel like i need extra practice out comes my red tailed green rat snake an he an i dance around an play tag haha.
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by agkistrodude on November 10, 2008
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Wild caught coachwhips are fun too.I try to catch them just to see if I can without getting bit.I've heard that they will tame down over time though. I've never kept one more than about 10 minutes. Marty
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by JSargent on November 10, 2008
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i keep around a dark couchwhip as my "black mamba"...seen some big guys run when it almost jumps out the slide box....i would think they would be good practice snakes, as the black racers don't do well in captivity, and both are lightning fast...good practice for cobras or other elapids i would think, but i only keep vipers, so i'm no expert...
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by theemojohnm on November 10, 2008
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I too agree that the coachwhips and racers are probablly better for :training" for Elapids, but think Nerodia probably work better for some of the Agkistrodon (ESPECIALLY cottonmouths, which is what Jon is wanting to keep once has has enough experience), as they tend to strike more "solid" that a coachwhip or racer and the body structure of Nerodia tends to be a bit thicker.
All in all, I feel that Nerodia behave more appropriately for someone want to "train" for Cotton with. Of course, there are still some major behavioral differences, but must less so than with a Coachwhip or racer in my opinion.
The truth is, there is nothing that will accurately prepare you for the real deal, but I think a large grumpy Nerodia may be one of the best choices for such a "trainer species".
Take Care.
~John Mendrola.
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by pitbulllady on November 10, 2008
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All of my Nerodia, with the exception of the two hold-back, het-for-hypo youngsters I kept off of my hypo Midlands female, are wild-caught. I've reached into boxes of freshly wild-caught Water Snakes, which included some hefty specimens, and picked out snakes and not had so much as one strike at me. Musk and poop, yeah, but bite, no. I've only had one bite me, and that was a baby Northern at a reptile show, but to give the little guy credit, I'd just handled a Chain King right before I picked up the little N. sipedon, so that might have accounted for his panic! I've never NOT been bitten when putting my hand into a tankful of baby Ball Pythons, though; I never fail to wind up with at least one hanging off my hand by its teeth. A big nasty-tempered Ball would be a perfect stand-in for a Cottonmouth. Then again, I've got tame Coachwhips, too-picked up two new ones(Easterns)at the Columbia show that were supposedly really vicious. The male makes fake lunges with his mouth open, somehow inevitably failing to ever reach my hand, or managing to always shoot past it, and calms right down once I pick him up. The black-phase female is just a sweetheart, although the seller described her as "evil" when I asked about her temperament. I don't know-maybe it has to do with the way you approach and handle a snake as to whether it tries to bite, although I have no intention of putting that theory to the test with a real "hot" snake! I guess if I "picked at" one of my Nerodia, I could make it feel stressed enough to strike at me, but what would be the point? I've caught real hots, and have the equipment for safely handling them, and have never lost track of the fact that at the very least, they can ruin my day, and I just can't imagine that one of my non-vens is a venomous snake and make myself handle it as such.
And, oh...here's one more dealer who has, or has had, at least, various Nerodia for sale: http://markmlucas.com/ . I've never bought reptiles from this guy, though I've talked with him about tarantulas before, so I can't vouch for the health of his stock.
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RE: Does anyone know where you can buy Nerodia?
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by theemojohnm on November 10, 2008
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Well, Sharon, if Nerodia being rather snappy for alot of people seems unusual to you, let me say that your "luck" with even baby ball pythons seems a bit strange to me.. LOL..
Of course, you are correct in saying it is all how how one approaches the animals when reaching for them, I still, along with many others, feel alot of Nerodia are alot more "wound up" compared to other snakes.
You should come herping up here in Southwest PA sometime for the N. s. sipedon, now ALMOST ALL frestly caught specimens of the local Northerns are "evil" to say the least, no matter how one approches, even striking at you mid-body while walking past the cage.. LOL..
Nerodia is the only genus of non-venomous snakes I keep, and have kept them for many years. I have bred almost all Nerodia spp. many times, and stil;l find them fun to work with. Although, from my experiences, especially with the Broad-Banded, and local Northern watersnakes, they can be very snappy. I actually have a VERY comprehensive care guide that I hope to finish soon. Would you mind looking over it some time in the next month once it is finished?
I havent come across to many extensive Nerodia keepers, and its nice to finally find a fellow Nerodia fan. =)
Take Care.
~John Mendrola.
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