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gaboon vipers
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by marmar on November 23, 2011
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i really would like a gaboon, i dont really no the behavior i read about them and some people hold the without protection, in my mind that is very dangerous. but i would really live to know more about them from someone who has worked with them
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RE: gaboon vipers
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by CanadianSnakeMan on November 23, 2011
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Hi Marshall,
You would be correct, freehandling a gaboon viper is a very, very bad idea. Whatever you do, never completely freehandle! You may need to put your hands on the snake at some point for treatment etc, but you should always make maximum use of tools and restraints.
First, I applaud your decision to ask questions before jumping into buying a gaboon viper. My experience with the species is that they are usually docile, but not to be underestimated.
Despite their unwieldy size, they can move extremely quickly when given the proper motivation. I always use 2 hooks when handling them, as tailing a gaboon is an invitation for disaster. I've seen my female spin completely around 180 degrees in the blink of an eye while I was moving her with 2 hooks.
They tend to put on a big show when agitated. Before attempting to bite they hiss loudly and will raise the front half of their bodies off the ground. If you ignore these warnings, they will not hesitate to sink the longest fangs of any venomous snake deep into whatever they can get hold of.
Gaboons are a big species with big consequences if you are bitten. Perhaps it would be a better idea for you to build your expeience with native venomous. At least that way there will be antivenin somewhere nearby and perhaps a doctor or two who have seen bites from those species before. With exotic venomous, there is no guarantee that a doctor will even administer antivenin for liability concerns even if you are lucky enough to find some (as far as I'm aware, most exotic antivenin is not FDA approved). Although the SAIMR/SAVP Polyvalent antivenin is fairly common, you may still find it harder to track down than a good dose of CroFab.
Here's my personal opinion: You are young and the species is not going anywhere. Why not get more experience on native venomous? At least that way there are some more reliable treatment options in case of a bite. Gaboons are a nice species, but in my opinion not a good choice for the novice venomous keeper.
Is it even legal to keep venomous in Michigan? Why not come accross the border to Ontario!? :) They're legal here (for now)...
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RE: gaboon vipers
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by seiken2 on November 24, 2011
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Currently there are no State laws regarding the keeping of venomous snakes in MI. There numerous local ordinances and you need to be aware of ones that are in your area. However, keeping an exotic snake like a Gaboon viper can be very dangerous. People who free hold these animals are just asking for trouble, even with a Gaboon. Gaboons tend to be docile except around feeding; however, a bite from a large Gaboon is a serious matter. It does not make sense to free hold one. Having kept hundreds of these snakes in my lifetime I can say from experience that they are one of the least aggressive of all as a group-but that does not make it safe to handle them. Would you constantly stick a loaded revolver in your mouth with the safety off because you think that the chances of it going off are slim?
If you have no experience with venomous snakes I suggest you meet someone who has and get instructions on how to safely care for them.
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RE: gaboon vipers
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by LarryDFishel on November 27, 2011
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http://www.madprogrammer.com/snakes/gaboonstrike/
I'm going to sort of disagree philosophically with the advice given about paying attention to a gaboon's warning behaviors...
It shouldn't matter, because you should NEVER, EVER, EVER have any body part within striking distance of a gaboon. You WILL NOT react fast enough to avoid a bite if a strike comes your way.
The only reason the warning signs should matter is to tell you if the snake is about to leap off the hooks (as they sometimes do) and that you should lower him to the floor before that happens.
MOST of the time, MOST gaboons seem to be fairly easy to work with. Occasionally, they can go a little spastic and make things interesting (they can crawl much faster that you might think).
More importantly, there is simply no room for error with a gaboon. I would say that close to 50% of the deaths of snake keepers in the U.S. that I've heard details of were from gaboons or puff adders (same genus). Given how many species are kept in this country, that's saying somethings...
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RE: gaboon vipers
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by CanadianSnakeMan on November 27, 2011
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Larry,
Of course you're absolutely right (great shots of the gaboon strike BTW). They have increibly fast striking speed an warning display or not, nothing fleshy that isn't food should be anywhere near them.
I was just trying to illustrate te way they typically behave.
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