Me teaching

[Dirty Dog]

Ah well, all that talk of having the right permits, and wanting various venomous snakes, etc., had me wondering. I think I’ve see pictures of cobras with a mostly solid dark coloration. And the shape of the head and face seemed similar. So I took a guess.

I would be terrified of some accident that would compromise the security of the tank, if I had a venomous snake.

Some years ago, I saw a fellow in the ER who said he was bitten by a cobra. I said "we don't have cobras in Colorado..." and he said "I do."
No license. At least here, you're apparently required to keep antivenom if you're licensed to keep that sort of thing. He didn't, of course. We found a zoo with some and they sent it to us. The antivenom is NOT cheap.

 

[Flying Crane]

Some years ago, I saw a fellow in the ER who said he was bitten by a cobra. I said "we don't have cobras in Colorado..." and he said "I do."
No license. At least here, you're apparently required to keep antivenom if you're licensed to keep that sort of thing. He didn't, of course. We found a zoo with some and they sent it to us. The antivenom is NOT cheap.

Yeah, that is exactly the nightmare situation I don’t ever want to be in.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Some years ago, I saw a fellow in the ER who said he was bitten by a cobra. I said "we don't have cobras in Colorado..." and he said "I do."
No license. At least here, you're apparently required to keep antivenom if you're licensed to keep that sort of thing. He didn't, of course. We found a zoo with some and they sent it to us. The antivenom is NOT cheap.

about 40 years ago, when I moved to NYS. There was a guy in the local paper talking about how great snakes were as a pet. And in his picture in the paper he had about an 8 foot long Boa around his head, resting on his shoulders.

Within the year he was in the paper again. The boa "constrictor" had done what comes naturally, wrapped around the guy, constricted and killed him by suffocation of course.

 

[Badhabits]

I would love to own Ophiophagus hannah, but Drymarchon couperii is the next best thing. This is Bolo, he is just wonderful. Non aggressive, non venomous,not a constrictor, the longest snake in North America. He is captive bred but the wild version is on the brink of extinction.

Is that an indigo?

 

[drop bear]

I don't hate this advice. Bit of salty language.

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[Wing Woo Gar]

Some years ago, I saw a fellow in the ER who said he was bitten by a cobra. I said "we don't have cobras in Colorado..." and he said "I do."
No license. At least here, you're apparently required to keep antivenom if you're licensed to keep that sort of thing. He didn't, of course. We found a zoo with some and they sent it to us. The antivenom is NOT cheap.

That’s all true. Antivenin not antivenom is very expensive and requires large quantities to be effective. More importantly, the antivenin is generally species specific,so what works for one may not be effective for another. Some products, like the fort dodge crotalid polyvalent antivenin can be effective for many species, in this case, most rattlesnakes. That said, most rattlesnake bites are not fatal, not even in dogs. Most of the action from the venom occurs within 2 hours. Administration of antivenin after that window significantly reduces the efficacy. There is the chance of anaphylaxis from the antivenin itself which would normally require that you test a skin pop to see if there is reaction. Rattlesnake bites can cause serious tissue damage and even compartment syndrome in extremity bites. Secondary infections are the real danger 2-3 weeks out. I have administered 12 vials to a large breed dog 3 hours ant the insistence of the owner after he was bitten on the face and front leg. The thing is you never can tell how much, if any, venom was injected. The dog recovered forthwith after the magical $10,000 in treatment. This is purely anecdotal, as i did also witness a jack russel terrier die in 20 minutes from a rattlesnake bite. I know 2 people that have lost fingers to snakebites and one who had major fasciotomy on his forearm to relieve the swelling and compartment syndrome from rattlesnake bite to base of thumb. His arm looked like a black football. So, for Cobra and the like, you maybe don’t need the antivenin so much as a ventilator like pronto! Cobra venom doesn’t cause local damage as much as paralyze your respiration. If someone can breathe for you, you might survive. Better to hack off the finger that was bitten.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Is that an indigo?

Yep.

Is that an indigo?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Is that an indigo?

He is very special to me. Bestest boy ever. Like a cat in a snakes body.

 

[Tigerwarrior]

That’s all true. Antivenin not antivenom is very expensive and requires large quantities to be effective. More importantly, the antivenin is generally species specific,so what works for one may not be effective for another. Some products, like the fort dodge crotalid polyvalent antivenin can be effective for many species, in this case, most rattlesnakes. That said, most rattlesnake bites are not fatal, not even in dogs. Most of the action from the venom occurs within 2 hours. Administration of antivenin after that window significantly reduces the efficacy. There is the chance of anaphylaxis from the antivenin itself which would normally require that you test a skin pop to see if there is reaction. Rattlesnake bites can cause serious tissue damage and even compartment syndrome in extremity bites. Secondary infections are the real danger 2-3 weeks out. I have administered 12 vials to a large breed dog 3 hours ant the insistence of the owner after he was bitten on the face and front leg. The thing is you never can tell how much, if any, venom was injected. The dog recovered forthwith after the magical $10,000 in treatment. This is purely anecdotal, as i did also witness a jack russel terrier die in 20 minutes from a rattlesnake bite. I know 2 people that have lost fingers to snakebites and one who had major fasciotomy on his forearm to relieve the swelling and compartment syndrome from rattlesnake bite to base of thumb. His arm looked like a black football. So, for Cobra and the like, you maybe don’t need the antivenin so much as a ventilator like pronto! Cobra venom doesn’t cause local damage as much as paralyze your respiration. If someone can breathe for you, you might survive. Better to hack off the finger that was bitten.

All this information you just stated reminds me that I need to Stay the hell out of the woods to the best of my ability.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I don't hate this advice. Bit of salty language.

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40k members, that’s a lot of preppers!

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

All this information you just stated reminds me that I need to Stay the hell out of the woods to the best of my ability.

Nah. No worries if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. Rattlesnakes are, for the most part, very mild tempered until provoked.

 

[Badhabits]

Indigos are cool. They used to be around when I was a kid, you could find them around certain types of open forest areas. Not anymore. Used to also be lots of eastern diamond back rattlers. Haven't seen one in years. Massive for a rattler. Spent the first third of my life living on a lake, lots of snakes in general. Dogs used to get bit by copperheads on a regular basis, never knew one bigger than a small terrier to die from those. They'd just get sick for a day or two and be back to normal with no medical attention. Our black lab got bit on the neck and face by one just 3 or 4 years ago. Gave her some Benadryl for the swelling, she was fine the next day. The interesting part was that was my current German shepherds first exposure to one. He sparred with that snake before I got it, now he kills them. Every now and then we'll find a mangled copperhead body in the back yard, head always chewed off. Good dog. My father had a German shepherd that would kill rattlers. We saw that dog snatch them up and whip them around to kill em. A good shepherd is actually faster than snake.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Indigos are cool. They used to be around when I was a kid, you could find them around certain types of open forest areas. Not anymore. Used to also be lots of eastern diamond back rattlers. Haven't seen one in years. Massive for a rattler. Spent the first third of my life living on a lake, lots of snakes in general. Dogs used to get bit by copperheads on a regular basis, never knew one bigger than a small terrier to die from those. They'd just get sick for a day or two and be back to normal with no medical attention. Our black lab got bit on the neck and face by one just 3 or 4 years ago. Gave her some Benadryl for the swelling, she was fine the next day. The interesting part was that was my current German shepherds first exposure to one. He sparred with that snake before I got it, now he kills them. Every now and then we'll find a mangled copperhead body in the back yard, head always chewed off. Good dog. My father had a German shepherd that would kill rattlers. We saw that dog snatch them up and whip them around to kill em. A good shepherd is actually faster than snake.

You from Florida or Georgia?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Indigos were extirpated by development. They require the Gopher tortoise burrows to survive. No gopher tortoises means no indigos. The indigos eat venomous snakes. The Orianne Society is breeding and releasing tagged indigos in places where they were previously found. They have had real success. For everyone reading this, Do not kill Black snakes! In Florida even harassing one is jail time. There is a Texas species and a Mexican species as well, but the Florida indigo is the largest and the most docile.

 

[Badhabits]

Southern part of South Carolina. Indigos were always rare here but now they're gone altogether. My father spent most of his life working in the woods and swamps, he used to take me out snake hunting. We didn't hurt them but he spent time teaching me how to handle them, safely as you could anyway (venomous species very common). Since we lived on a lake, anytime we found a king snake somewhere it would be brought home and released on our property since they also ate poisonous snakes. Still infuriates me that people will kill snakes without even identifying them.

 

[Badhabits]

There are people who say it's possible the indigo still exists over in the savannah river site, but I don't believe there have been any confirmed.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Southern part of South Carolina. Indigos were always rare here but now they're gone altogether. My father spent most of his life working in the woods and swamps, he used to take me out snake hunting. We didn't hurt them but he spent time teaching me how to handle them, safely as you could anyway (venomous species very common). Since we lived on a lake, anytime we found a king snake somewhere it would be brought home and released on our property since they also ate poisonous snakes. Still infuriates me that people will kill snakes without even identifying them.

Surprising in South Carolina. What year was the last time you saw one?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Southern part of South Carolina. Indigos were always rare here but now they're gone altogether. My father spent most of his life working in the woods and swamps, he used to take me out snake hunting. We didn't hurt them but he spent time teaching me how to handle them, safely as you could anyway (venomous species very common). Since we lived on a lake, anytime we found a king snake somewhere it would be brought home and released on our property since they also ate poisonous snakes. Still infuriates me that people will kill snakes without even identifying them.

That’s really cool. Makes me smile.

 

[Badhabits]

The mid eighties. There used to be pine savannahs here, there still are but they're almost gone now. People who hunt quail still maintain some similar habitat on their land but it's not quite the same. Those were indigo habitat, from what I understand the only habitat here where indigos existed here. My father was a surveyor and took me with him a lot as kid, he'd spend weeks at a time working around these areas so I probably spent way more time in the woods than most other kids. He was very much into nature and took the time to teach about things.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

The mid eighties. There used to be pine savannahs here, there still are but they're almost gone now. People who hunt quail still maintain some similar habitat on their land but it's not quite the same. Those were indigo habitat, from what I understand the only habitat here where indigos existed here. My father was a surveyor and took me with him a lot as kid, he'd spend weeks at a time working around these areas so I probably spent way more time in the woods than most other kids. He was very much into nature and took the time to teach about things.

My early childhood was in the hills of souther coastal Oregon. We lived 8 miles up a gravel road, with Cedar/Myrtle/fir forest and bogs. My grandfather was a consummate woodsman/hunter/equestrian who took me with him since I was 4. I was an only child so I spent lots of time roaming the creek and woods with my dog. Nearest neighbor was over a mile away. Then my dad got busted for counterfeiting so we sold the ranch and moved to Long Beach California to be closer to the federal prison at Terminal island when I was about 9.