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Breeding Bitis
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by BwViper on May 11, 2002
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I am planning on breeding Gaboons, Rhinos and Puff Adders this coming season. The only problem I have with that is I have never tried to breed snakes in this small family. I have heard it is hard to get them to breed. I do want to cross breed all three in the future. But for now I just want to do the Gaboons, what do I need to do to get them ready to breed or get them in the mood? How big or how old do they have to be to breed. I have a 4 1/2' male, a 4' male, a 3 1/2' male and a 3 1/2' female. I want to breed the two 3 1/2' gabbs because they are both West africans and the best looking gabbs I have personally seen. What are some good guidelines I can go by or some good tips on breeding them? I would like to know some of the DO's and DON'TS before I start. I would really appreciate any information that I can get before breeding season comes around. Thanks, BwViper
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RE: Breeding Bitis
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by IGULFAST on May 12, 2002
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Hmm.. Your pic... If you think that is the proper way of handling Bitis-species (or any other "Hot") my only advise to you is; Stop keeping venoumous snakes!
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RE: Breeding Bitis
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by Langaha on May 12, 2002
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I don't really know anything about breeding Bitis species, because I haven't tried it or studied it. But I just wanted to say, that I think it's great that you are going to try it, and that I'm sure you have confidence in your abilities to keep venomous snakes safely. I personally love Bitis species, and hope to have some captive in the future. Good luck, and I will try to find some info on the subject for you.
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RE: Breeding Bitis
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by Jurliki on May 13, 2002
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I agree with IGULFAST. This is not a safe way to handle hot snakes, did you know?. Itīs a miracle you hadnīt a bit in the photo session!. If I were you, I will never try this anymore....
Itīs an advice, i hope you to take it seriously the next time....
And excuse me, Idonīt have experience breedin' Gaboons. Sorry!
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RE: Breeding Bitis
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by BwViper on May 13, 2002
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Ok, where do I start? First of all, I do feel very confident in my abilities to handle Venomous and Non-venomous snakes. I do have fear of being bitten and I have been 3 times (by HOTS), in which I was lucky all three times. Might I add that I was not handling any of the snakes I was bitten by, although I did get tagged by a copperhead in which I provoked. I know that all snakes are wild animals and can change your life in just a fraction of a second. I do not in any way just grab a "HOT" snake and hold it. I study my snakes and watch them very closely. I observe their attitudes and how they react to been taken out of their cage. Most snakes calm down drastically once they are out. I feel very confident in my ability to manipulate snakes in general and to calm them down enough to handle. I have been dealing with snakes since I was three years old ( I am 27 now) and I used to take the meanest snake I could find and deal with the multiple bites on top of bites until I could figure out how to handle the snake without stressing or upsetting it. I have yet to fail in manipulating any snake except for one and that is my male Western Diamondback. I have handled snakes that people said wasn't possible because they were so aggressive, needless to say I did in most cases with no effort. But on the same token you have to know what snakes are not going to be submissive. You have to have respect for these awsome animals and I DO NOT handle my hots on a daily basis. I never just reach in their enclosure without proper hooks or tools. Handling "HOTS" is not for everyone, but for me it is and I have to. Look at it this way,( yes I know you don't compare venomous to non-venomous), but you take two Burmese pythons (or any other non-venomous snake), one mean and one not, what happens after you work with them for a while? The nice one usually stays that way and the mean one USUALLY calms down to AT LEAST a tolerable level.
I really don't want to make anyone mad (IGULFAST), but I really wanted some information on the question I asked before, not someone questioning my my ability to handle "HOTS"! I DO consider myself a safe person with my "HOTS", I have had most of them for a while and have learned their attitudes and mood swings. All I want is some good information on breeding the Bitis family. It is probably my favorite family of snakes, between that and Naja. I am always up for constructive criticism so please, give it to me, but please, give me some info on my question about breeding. Thanks, BwViper
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RE: Breeding Bitis
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by IGULFAST on May 14, 2002
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Ok, i still think you shouldn't handle Bitis in that manner. My experience with Bitis species tells me that they are among the most unpredictable "Hots" i have worked with. Yes, they are usually very calm end fairly easy to handle. But at eny time they can freak out and bite with accuracy in any direction. And the large Bitis-species (The "Puffers") have a vare nasty venom wich cause severe necrosis. The way hold the Gaboon in the upper left and lower right photos actually puts your head within striking range - The last place you want to be bitten by a tissue-damaging snake. If you continue to handle your Gaboons in this manner I think it you will probably get tagged eventually. Never consider a venomous snake "Tame" or predicable. You may think you know your snake but remember that they are undomesticated WILD animals.
I only have experience breeding B. nasicornis (only worked with single gaboons and Puffadder specimens). I think it is fairly easy to thing to do. For about 4-6 weeks I reduce the photo-period with 1-2 hours and reduce temperature a few degrees and keep the slightly drier (not much since they are sensative to dehydration). After 4-6 weeks raise the temperature and photoperiod to normal and keep them very moist (simulating "rainy-season"). I keep them separate for about one more week and then put them together. Watch out for obesity, especially in males. Obese males seldom copulate.
Cheers
Stay Safe
/Igulfast
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