Keeping Hots

I find it very strange that anyone would keep hots purely for the sake of having a hot. For me , anything I keep is purely because I happen to love that snake and have a passion or desire to keep it.

Why have an animal that could potentially kill you if :

a - you arent particularly fussed, it just sounds cool
or
b - you aren't going to take the time to care for it properly and in the manner all venomous should be treated.

I'd say the majority of incidents you hear about are not nessecarily the people who have kept hots all their life and "it was bound to happen", but those who decided to purchase a timber rattler because it was a timber rattler.

I disagree with the idea of progression and qualification for keeping hots too. Just because "Ive kept several large boids for x amount of years" means I can "progress" to a copperhead, from that to a rattler and from that to a gaboon....

My wishlist isnt ranked in terms of the most dangerous, its ranked in terms of how beautiful that snake is, how interesting that snake is or how Ive always dreamed of owning that snake.

At the moment this is what I really really want! Its not madly extravagent , not is it ranked high in terms of venom but I am just so in love with it and find it absolutely stunning and fascinating

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

These are two of my own which I bought because I adore.

White lipped tree viper - Trimeresurus albolabris

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Baby Northern Copperhead - Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


I'm rambling a little I know, but keep what interests you and not what sounds cool! I love our macklott pythons, im pretty sure a lot of people would find them boring, dull, ugly even but our female macklott was one of our first and it doesnt matter how pretty a blackhead or how expensive a retic is, I wouldnt swap her for the world :)

To conclude ......... Ive had far too much caffeine

I agree people buy snakes just for the "look at me factor" but on the other hand I don't agree with people keeping hot's in residential property ! but that's just my opinion.
Those are some beautiful snakes btw.

Beautiful snakes as always Lauren!

For ages I held the view that before I could own a hot, I would own one or more feisty non-venomous snakes first and if during careful handling they should tag me, then that would amount to being tagged by an aggessive hot and so I should maybe leave hot-keeping for another while.

As the years have rolled on, and after keeping many feisty non-venomous snakes, I realise that if you like an animal, can realistically keep it and can develop the necessary mentality and skills needed to maintain it properly, then just go for it.

For the last 3-4 years I've drooled over Eyelash vipers and other tree vipers (that White-lip is soooo cool!), but with a niece and 2 nephews that like to visit the animal room every so often it just isn't fair on those around me that they should be potentially exposed to a dangerous animal. Who knows what the near future holds though :)

I'm fortunate enough in that there are never children at my house.if there were I wouldn't own hots,or the retics for that matter. I think learning from a good mentor is the only way to go.to see the pratices,safety precautions,care and tools nessecary in front of you is important.you also pick up so many good habits

i've kept all manor of snakes for 20+ years.big burms' retics'boas'as well as my hots which i have over 20.people always ask me advice on how to handle/work wiyh them and ask lots of siily questions like as follows.e.g. iv'e got a 12 ft burm and can handle her the best so i think im ready for my 1st hot. but i can't make my mind up between a cobra and a gaboon viper? to me this is mad! and if i offend any 1 im sorry.but the most of these people only see the beauty of the snake not wot it cud do to you if you got tagged!my point being.dont run till u can walk.

p.s. sorry for any spelling errors i've had a few bevies!lol

From a personal perspectice I cannot see myself ever going down the "hot" road at any stage in the future. Risk far outways the beauty in my opinion. Should you ever get tagged in a country like Ireland you could well be in big trouble ad perhaps pay dearly. That is a fact guys however, each to their own and I fully respect that.

Herpalist wrote:From a personal perspectice I cannot see myself ever going down the "hot" road at any stage in the future. Risk far outways the beauty in my opinion. Should you ever get tagged in a country like Ireland you could well be in big trouble ad perhaps pay dearly. That is a fact guys however, each to their own and I fully respect that.

Ditto for both myself & Chris...

poison wrote:.e.g. iv'e got a 12 ft burm and can handle her the best so i think im ready for my 1st hot. but i can't make my mind up between a cobra and a gaboon viper?

Its madness isnt it?? Like theres a qualification

St3ve76 wrote:I don't agree with people keeping hot's in residential property ! but that's just my opinion.

Same I don't agree with hot's being kept in residential propertys theres to many risks that come if it does somehow manage to escape the premises (I know this would be very........ rare but theres always that chance) theres alot of people that could be harmed and probably don't relise how bad the bite is going to be if it does manage to tag someone. Personally I know nothing about Hots so if I was to be bit by one I wouldn't even know what to do and I have experience handling reps so imagine how freaked out a member of the public would be. To be honest if I even found out my neighbour had a hot next door I'd try and get him to get rid of it I have to many children and vunerable people around my premises. I know personally myself though I will never even think about owning a hot as said before the risk outways the beauty of the animal they are venomous for a reason to feed and protect themselfs and in their eyes we are a predator.