|
1-10 of 14 messages
|
Page 1 of 2
Next
|
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by ALA_herp31 on November 30, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I was 18 when I first went to work at a Zoo nere my house. I worked with her venomous snakes under another Head Curatur for 2 years. He tought me a lot about handling, feeding and careing for the Hots we had at that time. When he left to go to work at another Zoo, I took hes position as Head Curatur and worked in that position for another 3 years. The first Species I had expeareance with was a Eastern Cottonmouth, I was so jumpy and nervice it was pitaful, but at the same time I was excited to finaly be able to share space with probably my favoret Species of venomous reptile. Thats the extent of my keeping, I have not been able to keep any in the past 8 or so years because I live with family that dont cotton to snakes the way we do "LOL". Not very exciting but thats my life "LOL" .......Happy herping Wally
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by Snake17 on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I just reached the age of 14 when I srtarted but I started with something less dangerous than even a copperhead, a euro adder. Gradualy I evolved to keep all 4 species of venomous snake native to Romania and now a pope`s viper.
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by Phobos on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Hi Phillip:
I was 16. I kept Nothern Copperheads & Nothern Timber Rattlesnakes.
Just some additional thoughts to share:
Remember times have changed. Back then if you got hurt is was your fault you were handling venomous snakes. Now it's your parents fault for allowing you to keep/handle them.
For comparison: Then if you got hurt on the school playground it was an "accident" now it's the schools, board of education, the parks department, and the manufacturers fault because they build and allowed you access to such a dangerious place/device.
This is why many of us "seasoned" Herpers are not for under age herpers to keep Hots because the parents get into significant trouble too. Just a very different set of rules you play by.
Best,
Al
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by PIGMAN on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Well I first started keeping and catching snakes, lizards, and turtles by the age of three years old . Snakes like eastern kings. black rats, racers, rough greens, watersnakes, redbellys, brown snakes and garters etc. By the time I was 13 I caught my first copperhead. By the time I was 16 I had nearly 100 rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths that lived in my bedroom at my parents house and then have kept, studied, bred ,and field researched southeastern pitvipers and promoted their conservation and snake education from then on. Now I am 28 years old and I dont keep that many venomous snakes in my house anymore (except for some aboreal vipers) the rest have a house of their own and since I no longer live with my parents they sleep better at night now since all the snakes moved out with me in 1997
Zach
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
Anonymous post on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Enlightening point, Al. In this day and age, people sue. Afterall, it's the "American Way". Before my time when the internet wasn't in use, obtaining national and international herp related news wasn't easy. Now internet communities have evolved. Liablilties such as minors keeping and having accidents w/ venomous snakes are magnified. Many venomous bites that herpetoculturists endure are often occur w/in the first 3-5 years. This not only explains the necessity for mentorship training, but also the reason we must appreciate accountability to our peers and why we must observe and respect the code of the hobby and the law. Such accidents negatively affect venomous herpetoculture as a whole.
It's difficult to instruct others to not do the things you know you have done. I understand developing fascination, drive, and enthusiasm. We all do. Understainding past mistakes, past acts of potential mistakes and possible outcomes is much easier. Waiting until you are 18 to keep venomous reptiles isn't a deprived liberty. Feed your head instead.
In the pursuit for discovery......there will be mistakes along the way. Listen to the "Yodas"....
-The Phantom
@ 14 various Agkistrodon and Crotalus sp, and 1 Boiga dendrophilia.
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by Scootertrash on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I was 15. My brother and I brought home a copperhead that we had caught down near a creek near our house. My mother went ballistic. She had this book that she used to look up every snake we brought home. This is when I started keeping venomous. I was bitten by a neonate copper when I was 7 because I did what every child of that age might do, reached for it.
Clayton
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by bush_viper17 on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I was 9 when I had my first copperhead. My brother and I were walking down the driveway and saw one and it still had the sulfur yellow tail.
|
| |
|
RE: When you first started?
|
Reply
|
|
by bush_viper17 on December 1, 2004
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
My first rattlesnake experience was when I was 13. I stayed up all night and was walking beside a little stream in front of my home. I was walking down a trail about 20 yards from my home. I looked down and nearly stepped on a big canebrake. My first thought was that someone let there pet boa get out. It looked like a boa because of its size and color. I got a stick and a little metal bucket. It crawled off towards a tree and then I saw its rattles(I dont remember how many it had) I picked it up on the stick and tryed to catch it. Then out of no where behind me I heard my uncle running down to me. He had a gun in his hand. My stepdad was there too. I tried to make the snake leave. It wouldnt leave because of all of the commotion. It was just looking at us rattling. Then 5 shots later the snake was dead. I wanted to blow my brains out after that. THe snake when measured was 5'3"
|
| |
|
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.
|
