Red Bellied Black Snake venom

[imported_Varanus]

Great snakes to own for many reasons and a good choice for a first ven, as most a fairly forgiving with keeper handling and husbandry errors. Very basic to keep also, though they must have a cooler retreat available to escape hot weather. I have a hotspot of 30-33c and a cooler end of 25-20c and they spend most of the day shuttling from one to the other. Both my animals are a bit cage defensive (don't know if this is a common attribute), so I just open the enclosure door up and let them come out in their own sweet time. Once out their great handlers.

 

[hugsta]

Just be careful about the venom in these guys, it generally isn't bad but can have serious effects depending on your own personal genetic makeup

A guy I know bought his first RBB a few years, and the guy that sold it to him also said, like many of the above posters, if you get bit don't worry about it, it's not that bad blah blah blah....
Well the guy did bit, as soon as he got it home and was putting it in the enclosure, he rang the seller who said don't worry, it is only a juvenile (2ft -ish) and the symptoms will wear off. He then promptly collapsed in his dinner plate and an ambulance was called. It almost cost him his life as he had an allergic reaction to the bite. He is fine now, but just be warned, different people react differently to different venoms. A bee sting won;t hurt many people, in fact bee researches actually sting themselves to keep up an immunity to their venom, however I am highly allergic to bee stings and was rushed to hospital after my last sting and must go to hospital after any possible sting in the future.

So just be careful and treat every bite as deadly until you know the effects it has on you as a person.

 

[Boidae]

Thanks for the info guys. Yeah I know having a chat to a vens keeper isnt a bad idea, Im considering going up to Pails for Scales and having a chat with Roy up there, as I know he has experience with vens and I think I would learn alot from him, fair bit of a drive though haha

Yeah I know mate, Im gonna wait till im 18...

 

[Psilo]

Honestly and i know alot will not agree but i dont care what the law says i dont think it is appropriate for a 15 yr old to own an RBB under any circumstances, no matter how bright they are they are still 15....JMHO

get over your self mate did you even read the young bloods posts?

 

[Exotic_Doc]

get over your self mate did you even read the young bloods posts?

Rofl mate i did read his posts and im voicing my opinion not because im over myself but believe it or not coz i bloody care about the kids safety which is above all at the end of they, he didnt mind so jump

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Rofl mate i did read his posts and im voicing my opinion not because im over myself but believe it or not coz i bloody care about the kids safety which is above all at the end of they, he didnt mind so jump

i think what he was trying to point out to you is that the kid has already said he wont be getting it for years until he is at least 18 and has done the corses, so saying to him a 15 year old shouldnt have a ven is kinda silly considering he isnt looking at getting one for at least 3 years

 

[hugsta]

Rofl mate i did read his posts and im voicing my opinion not because im over myself but believe it or not coz i bloody care about the kids safety which is above all at the end of they, he didnt mind so jump

I think what exotic_doc posted was fine and I also agree, and I do believe the OP was fine and understanding and also stated that he would not be getting any vens till he was 18, so I don't think exotic doc needs to get over himself at all really.

i think what he was trying to point out to you is that the kid has already said he wont be getting it for years until he is at least 18 and has done the corses, so saying to him a 15 year old shouldnt have a ven is kinda silly considering he isnt looking at getting one for at least 3 years

Exotic Doc didn't just specify about this guy, he was generalising about all 15 yr olds and what he said is correct IMO as well.

 

[-Peter]

So, some kid wants to get a snake and decides to ask about it on a reptile forum. The cheek of it. Lets all jump down his throat and find as many faults as we can.

Lovely snakes red bellies and I can see why you would like to get one. In the mean time get a copy of Rick Shine's Australian Snakes. Its a wonderful book. Next look up venomdoc.com. Its a site and forum run by Bryan Grieg Fry, a very reputable research scientist/ toxinocologist. A very outgoing man and very approachable.

 

[gillsy]

I dont mean to be rude or anything but I thought it didnt matter whether it was an adult or a juvenile, from what I have heard babies are just as venomous as their parents.

They are, it's just the quantity of venom that differs.

 

[Red-Ink]

Mate if Roy is a fair drive from you contact the VHS they may be able to put you in touch with somebody closer to you..

 

[Boidae]

Thanks Peter, and yeah i think i have that book somewhere
Awesome thanks for that Gillsy and Red Ink

 

[Exotic_Doc]

So, some kid wants to get a snake and decides to ask about it on a reptile forum. The cheek of it. Lets all jump down his throat and find as many faults as we can.

Lovely snakes red bellies and I can see why you would like to get one. In the mean time get a copy of Rick Shine's Australian Snakes. Its a wonderful book. Next look up venomdoc.com. Its a site and forum run by Bryan Grieg Fry, a very reputable research scientist/ toxinocologist. A very outgoing man and very approachable.

Thanks Hugsta, what i am trying to say by asking the OP to consider waiting is for him to have alot of time to think about it and make a mature well informed descision. Not to harrass/annoy/or jump down his throat. I think he posted that he will wait till his 18 after my post if not then sorry for not seeing it. Im not being stuck up im just asking the OP to take his time and consider his descision really well. Seems he took it well so why should anyone else have a problem? My post was directed at him

 

[Boidae]

Its all good Exotic_Doc Yeah I dont think I mentioned that I wanted to wait till I was 18 to get one in my original post, I would understand you being a bit concerned if you thought that I was just going to go down to a shop and buy one this weekend.
I made this post so that I could get as much info on them so that when I am 18, and I have done all the courses, licensing and all that stuff, I will be properly prepared to own such an animal.

Oh and what's an OP?

 

[sarah_m]

Oh and what's an OP?

Original poster..... in this case you

 

[Boidae]

Awesome, thanks Sarah

 

[cleobhp]

I dont mean to be rude or anything but I thought it didnt matter whether it was an adult or a juvenile, from what I have heard babies are just as venomous as their parents.

When they are smaller they have smaller quantities of venom, as the larger they are the more venom they have.

Also be careful who you do get 1 off, there are a few dodgy people that will sell wild caughts as captive breds,I didn't find out mine were wild caught untill I confronted this person and he fessed up they were wild caught. But all that aside they are beautiful, and the 1 I have now I wouldn't part with him for anything.

 

[gillsy]

When they are smaller they have smaller quantities of venom, as the larger they are the more venom they have.

Also be careful who you do get 1 off, there are a few dodgy people that will sell wild caughts as captive breds,I didn't find out mine were wild caught untill I confronted this person and he fessed up they were wild caught. But all that aside they are beautiful, and the 1 I have now I wouldn't part with him for anything.

That's with any animal tho.

 

[Boidae]

Awesome thanks for that Cleobhp, yeah Ive definately met a few dodgy herp sellers in my life :\

 

[hugsta]

Actually I must admit, the nicest RBB I ever saw was an albino one, absolutely stunning animal. Unfortunately the old that owned it, and that also wouldn't breed it, had it stolen. So I imagine it has either been shipped off overseas or we will have albino RBBs in the near future.

 

[Exotic_Doc]

Good on you mate, im glad your taking this approach as alot of people dont. Research and ask as much as you can no matter what anyone tells you.