# How do mambas behave in captivity?



## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

What's it like dealing with mambas?
How do you find mambas disposition, behavior, good and foul?
What makes a mamba hyper spaced and how do you find dealing with a hyper mamba? Most videos I have watched show them to be quite the handful.

How do different species of mamba differ in behavior? For example, are some species more frisky than others or bolder or even more laid back?
I know behavior mostly depends on the individual snake though but from watching and reading about mambas from time to time some species seem more high strung or quick to get hyper spaced.

Typical behavior and methods of dealing with situations is also something I'd like to hear of.. 

How do they differ in size?

Mambas I would be particularly interested in most would be jamesons, eastern green and the western green mambas. (I love my green snakes)


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## mad martin (Sep 4, 2008)

> What's it like dealing with mambas?
> How do you find mambas disposition, behavior, good and foul?
> What makes a mamba hyper spaced and how do you find dealing with a hyper mamba? Most videos I have watched show them to be quite the handful.


They have certain behavioural patterns that make manipulating them easier. Most mambas (from a wild experience) are nervous and really just wanna get away. They become aggressive when not given the chance, and while some settle down in captivity, some never lose that disposition. Hyper again depends on the individual, and dealing with it is pretty much like dealing with it calmed down. Its one of the few snakes you do not want to make angry, they don't do dry bites. Most videos you watched were by idiots that really shouldn't be allowed near snakes. Use a strict protocol when working with them, and you will be fine. 



> How do different species of mamba differ in behavior? For example, are some species more frisky than others or bolder or even more laid back


?

In order of frisky, again out of a wild experience: Jameson's Mambas, Black Mambas, Western Green Mambas, Eastern Green Mambas.



> Typical behavior and methods of dealing with situations is also something I'd like to hear of..


Watch my vid on working with mambas and you will get the idea



> How do they differ in size?


They are all large, very very strong snakes


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

Firstly, my personal experience with Mambas isn't huge and certainly isn't anything like Martins but to get more experiences down I'll answer 



> What's it like dealing with mambas?


Extremely rewarding and enjoyable simply! They are one of those snakes you can just sit and watch for hours and never get bored of their behaviours.



> How do you find mambas disposition, behavior, good and foul? How do different species of mamba differ in behavior? For example, are some species more frisky than others or bolder or even more laid back?


I have only kept Western Greens and Blacks but they were quite different in disposition. My viridis is not aggressive. He's quite a bold confident and curious snake but any quick movement and you will spook him. Which is the last thing you want as the speed and agility is like no other snake I've worked with.
The polylepis on the other hand was very shy and nervous when I got him. He rarely came out of his trap box and if he did he was usually still hiden. He would turn defensive as you looked in the vivarium and if you got closer he would spread a hood and gape. After a few weeks I removed his trap box and after a nervous few days he settled right down as he was not so hidden and got used to seeing me. I removed the trap box because I knew his disposition would not change otherwise and the way I saw it when I had to clean the trap box or even box him up he would need to be removed by hooks and hand so I wanted as calm as snake as possible. It did work well and he calmed down but was still a snake that I had tremendous respect for and given half a chance if you over-stepped the mark with him he would have still bitten you no doubt.



> Typical behavior and methods of dealing with situations is also something I'd like to hear of..


I only remove the Mambas from their vivariums when they need to be cleaned and I usually do this by hook and tailing them from their vivarium to another or into a large RUB. It is worth mentioning that trying to get them in a RUB is far far harder and after trying a couple of times I now make sure I have a free vivarium nearby to put them in as they are much more willing to go into those. (a problem I don't have with any of my vipers or cobras). If you are only removing them for cleaning there's not much else you need to worry about. Trap boxes do work well and can save you trouble but if your Mamba already has a shy and nervous disposition these may just make it worse. All the usual stuff applies oviously, very long tongs for placing food items in etc. It's easier just to place the mice/rats in the vivarium and leave it. Getting them to strike feed I have found easy but it isn't essential and is just another opportunity that a mistake could be made and before you know it a 7ft mamba is flying out the open glass towards you!



> How do they differ in size?


For Greens average of 6-7ft and Blacks can go 6-10ft. Although I only know of 1 in the UK around the upper size limit. Average is probably 7-8ft.



> Mambas I would be particularly interested in most would be jamesons, eastern green and the western green mambas.


Westerns are just amazing. I think I have a thread up with pictures of mine if you're interested. He's a bit over 7ft and is an absolute joy to own. Easterns have never grabbed me personally. (it's the detail in the scale outline I like of westerns). As for Jamesons, they are my dream mamba, probably even elapid but there's just one pair in the UK that are not available and as for the rest of Europe, I've been trying to get some for a while and had no luck. Had many people tell me they are getting them in but as of yet noone has come up with a single specimen. Also there has been none at any of the European shows. Nor any Dendroaspis sps. at all that I've seen now I think about it!

Hope that helped a bit 

Laurie


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## Piraya1 (Feb 26, 2007)

Thanks for the answers guys, great stuff: victory:


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## Skorps (Nov 23, 2009)

mad martin said:


> .
> 
> 
> Watch my vid on working with mambas and you will get the idea


I watched your Video on YouTube and really enjoyed watching it- (I watched it twice!)

xXx


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## mad martin (Sep 4, 2008)

Thank you, watch this space


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## bushviper (Dec 27, 2009)

*Mambas....mmm*

I have been catching and keeping venemous snakes including hundreds of mambas (yes ...I said hundreds) for over 30 years. If you have decided to keep mambas... here are a couple of pointers.
Often handling babies can be a lot more dangerous than handling adults. The reason is they can lift their own body weight easily and are extremely agile. Babies are also more likely to empty everything they have into you. (I don't agree with someones comment that mambas don't deliver dry bites as I have seen dry bites by both polylepis and viridis although few and far between.)
As far as species go, D. viridis and polylepis are on top of the biting pile. I also know they are probably the most intelligent and high-strung. I have had viridis that know when the sliding glass has been opened! These two are also known to tag you two or three times before you can even move. As you know this behaviour differs snake to snake and I have had 13ft black mambas that have been positively docile. Dendroaspis j. kaemoisea, j. jamesonii are next down the list followed by angusticeps. 
As regards to sizes polylepis is the biggest up to 4.3 metres (+/_ 14 ft). adults average 2.5 - 3.5 metres.
Jamesonii next then angusticeps and last but not least viridis.(ave 2-3 m)
Another thing to consider is that full envenomations by black mambas up until 1979 were 100% fatal!
If you are going to keep any mambas, handling is best left to the pros and if you can devise a hiding box manipulation method (for cleaning, moving and maintenace) it would be best for all involved. Once safety is secured you will be rewarded with the most awesome, interesting and intelligent of snakes...


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