What was your first hot ???? - Experts Forum at VenomousReptiles.org

What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Fabian on April 24, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
I see a lot of posts about peoples first hots. Did you buy your first hot snake to suit your wants or did you buy a first hot because it was the snake you really wanted ? Did you buy a copperhead or a Western diamondback or a cobra for your first hot snake ? I believe that in most part people buy a first hot snake because it is a snake they would rather have that what they should really start with. I am not saying everyone but, a lot of the people I know did not start with a snake that they should have but, rather one they really wanted. And for the most part that was rattlesnakes.

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by CFoley on April 24, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
::gulp:: C. atrox. then T. albolabris, i was influenced poorly, and taught myself improperly while beginning with venomous, fortunately I have made a turn around, did things the way i should have, talked and worked with ALOT of people. Now I have 1.2 Naja kaouthia (1.1 albino, 0.1 het), 1.1 Naja pallida, 1.0 Naja naja (indian).

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by diamondbacklover29 on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
Good question, Thank god I didnt go with my heart and get a Western Diamondback. Thats the snake I was set on,until I took some advice and got a Broadbanded copperhead.People talk down to first time "hot" keepers, but as u know, we all must start somewhwere. Although these are two totally different snakes its good to get acclimated and used to handling a hot,instead of jumping right into something we're not ready for. Accept all advice from someone who has been down the same road as us. Just take it slow as im doing,and listen to the advice we're given!

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Buzztail1 on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
My first hot(s) were a Canebrake Rattlesnake (that's what the field guides were calling them back then!) and a Copperhead that were sharing a piece of tin in Suffolk, Virginia. I later traded the Canebrake for a pink neonate Canebrake and training with exotic venomous such as cobras, gaboons, etc and the copperhead gave birth to something like 11 neonates in my cage (would have to check my notes or the article in a previous newsletter for the exact number). In those days there were no hot shows. The only venomous mail order place I knew of was Herptofauna out of PA which I later heard was shut down due to wildlife law violations. The world has grown smaller and it is much easier to get ahold of snakes that are much deadlier than the level of our experience has prepared us for. Just my own views (and experiences) Karl H. Betz

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Fabian on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
I forgot to tell you about my first. It was a WC cottonmouth. And it was a bad first. 2 foot and crazy. (I learned the hard way) It really does matter what venomous snake you should start with. This was all way before I ever know about this place or any other forum like it. I would like to add that though I have taken a lot of bashing here. I have use it all in my favor. There is always going to be people that have to put people down for one thing or another but for the most part the people on this forum are very helpful and knowledgeable and if you are new to hot herps. you can learn a lot here just buy asking. And please ask away for your own safety. The love for hot reptiles can over power you. As said in the other posts. You can buy a very dangers snake easy now a days. It will be up to you to make the right decision. Your life and others depends on it. A deadly bite is really only a sec. away done wrong. Ask lots of questions, if poss. find someone with experience to help you learn. start with a snake that chances are will not take your life. I started off on the wrong foot and had to back track (BIG TIME) Thank you SHHS members for being here to help us.........Fabian

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Snake17 on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
My story is a little different, my first hot herp was a wild caught Euro Adder(Vipera berus berus) in 2001. Since than I had only had native species,a all venomous ones: Vipera berus, Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, Vipera ammodytes montandoni, Vipera ursinii moldavica. Just Thursday I caught my first exotic venomous snake,in Greece, a subspecies of Nose-horned Viper that doesn`t live in Romania, Vipera ammodytes meridionalis and I like bragging about it. I would love to have some other european species next, like Vipera aspis, latasti, lebetina or xhantina and of course the traditional copperhead, cottnemauth, rattlers(a lot of species), puff adders, gabbyes or rhino vipers, Bothrops, Trimeresurus and all sort of elapids, especialy Ophiophagus hannah, Naja siamensis, Naja nivea, and mambas.

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Phobos on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
I started keeping hots back in 1973 with a good old Northern Copperhead. I had a friend that had some and learned the "ropes" from him. After a year of working these and some advanced experience taking care of the reptiles at a local Wildlife Center (Museum of the Hudson Highlands) I learned to care for all of the local snakes including a huge yellow phase Timber Rattlesnake (C. h. horridus). This led to a position at another nature center where I was the caretaker of their reptile collection and the grand prize; access to the back areas and professional keepers at the Bronx Zoo reptile house. I then had a captive breeding program with a friend where we CB Coral Cobras & Gabbys. As you can see there was a PROGRESSION of training and experience, inclunding MENTORING. Yes, it does take time but there is only one right way to be responsable for the animals and yourself. Best, Al

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Fabian on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
Phobos, That was a grand prize...... Man bro. that had to have been so cool to be able to learn from them and be able to be back there and a part of it.......Fabian

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Fabian on April 25, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
snake17, Hey bud. Is your Nose-horned Viper eating ? Is that the snake with you on your profile ? Fabian

RE: What was your first hot ????	Reply
by Snake17 on May 6, 2004	Mail this to a friend!
Fabian, sorry for answering so late. The snake in my profile is a different nosehonrned, a female. My male still hasen`t ate. I`m going to hibernate him. Sorry again for answering so late.

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