# Do you Ever get scared?



## ReptileDude (Sep 6, 2008)

as it says above, dont you ever get scared keeping DWA,s the fear off getting bitten.It will happen to everyone sooner or later no matter how much experience you,ve got:blush:...
out off interest whats the Youngest DWA keeper on here?


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

theres nothing to say you will 100% get bitten one day, I agree though chances are high that you will but some people dont and they keep years, im 22 started keeping at 21 probably younger people than me with licenses though for sure, as for being scared theres a certain amount of healthy worry that goes with keeping venomous snakes, but im never scared or nervous when i handle them, any thoughts go out the window and I concentrate fully on the job in hand.


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## ReptileKid (Jul 7, 2008)

whats the age to get a license?
i might look into getting one when im old enough.
i would love an eyelash pit viper!!!


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## Tom_b (Sep 23, 2008)

I was 16 when i started keeping, my first DWA was in my old mans name. lol.

I know keepers of 30/40+ years that are yet to have a bite so it doesnt happen to everyone.


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## chase pets n reps (Sep 29, 2008)

i have been keeping venomous on and off now for 16 years and it still makes me wary everytime i have to work with them but as long as you respect them and what they can do i find them a joy


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

That's a bit like saying everyone who drives a car is going to have an accident eventually.
As Si said, as long as you remain focussed and don't allow yourself to be distracted, follow your own protocols and don't cut corners and retain a healthy respect for the animal then you reduce the probability of an incident to as low as they can go.
There will never be zero risk, you just have to ensure that you have reduced it to its lowest possible level.
Cautious and wary would be better words than "scared"


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

regarding the worry comment, i personally do not feel scared or worried when i am in contact with venomous reptiles. generally for me that comes afterwards and i believe thats the best way because it means you can fully concentrate.


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## crazy about reptiles (Jul 5, 2008)

Im in ireland and we dont have dwa as u probly know but i got my 1st caiman when i was 15.


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## I Love Reptiles (Dec 30, 2008)

I would be! As you said - it will happen soon enough.
My sister's ex-boyfreind had an adder at the age of 22 - there must be a limit on age! I would of thought 18.


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## Mason (Jan 21, 2008)

absoultely no fear at all.Respect yes, but not fear. Thats very different. I refuse to work with animals that make me scared/uncomfortable. that is how mistakes happen.Show respect, but feel fear and yes, you will most likely get bitten.Please don't asusme all keepers get bitten. As has allready been said I know people who have kept for decades and never been envenomated.


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## crouchy (Jan 14, 2008)

Not everyone will get bitten. As others have said some people have been keeping Venomous for decades and never been bitten. 



Mason said:


> I refuse to work with animals that make me scared/uncomfortable. that is how mistakes happen.


I agree with that 100%. I would personally never keep any of the mambas partly because i dont like the look of them but mainly because of their reputation as being impossibley fast and quite agressive. For me the risks of keeping something like that are too high.


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## Mason (Jan 21, 2008)

crouchy said:


> Not everyone will get bitten. As others have said some people have been keeping Venomous for decades and never been bitten.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with that 100%. I would personally never keep any of the mambas partly because i dont like the look of them but mainly because of their reputation as being impossibley fast and quite agressive. For me the risks of keeping something like that are too high.


some elapids make me uncomfortable. Because they have never held much fascination for me i've never really tried to get any experience with them. I once met a spitter that made me feel very uncomfortable, much more so than something faster or more agressive. Elapids aren't for me, certainly not yet, maybe not ever. I got on quite well with Naja kaouthia, even the one that was hell bent on killing everyhting within 4 meters of it. Could possibly see one of those coming here at some point, but even thats years off.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

crazy about reptiles said:


> Im in ireland and we dont have dwa as u probly know but i got my 1st caiman when i was 15.


Depends on which part. Are you talking about Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland? Because NI now does have DWA.


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## snakecharmer (Nov 9, 2007)

I've worked very closely with DWA's (mainly but not exclusively reptiles) for my job since I was 17, though only keep non-dwa stuff at home. Everyoens made valid points. If you start thinking about what could happen, you can get scared, and the you can't do the job safely. You've got to have a healthy respect and understanding for the animals.


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

crouchy said:


> Not everyone will get bitten. As others have said some people have been keeping Venomous for decades and never been bitten.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with that 100%. I would personally never keep any of the mambas partly because i dont like the look of them but mainly because of their reputation as being impossibley fast and quite agressive. For me the risks of keeping something like that are too high.


my male is the most easy going............the female on the other hand ....... 
:lol2:


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## guitarjon (Oct 18, 2008)

I dont think I could ever own a DWA just because I know how much damage they could do and the fact im a natural worrier kinda (im not that bad). Just my thoughts....


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## Lamprophis (Jun 12, 2008)

ReptileDude said:


> as it says above, dont you ever get scared keeping DWA,s the fear off getting bitten.It will happen to everyone sooner or later no matter how much experience you,ve got:blush:...
> out off interest whats the Youngest DWA keeper on here?


"It will happen to everyone sooner or later no matter how much experience you,ve got" - A very bold statement there.... 

Obviously the more times you handle an animal, the chance of getting bitten increases as a percentage, but then again so does your experience of handling... If you are of the opinion that you WILL get bitten sometime then you won't make a good DWA handler.. because with that element of doubt there's hesitation.. I'm not saying you shouldn't approach these animals with caution but too much caution can be a bad thing IMO... 

I agree that if an animal makes you feel uncomfortable you're either best staying away altogether or gaining some experience by watching how to handle them correctly - again it's a confidence thing.


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