# Best snakes to prepare with for DWA?



## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

Hii, I've been reading up quite a bit on copperheads and western diamond backs, I am only 17 at the moment and wont be applying for my license as soon as im 18 etc cause obviously i need to get some proper experience as i dont particularly want to end up having some kind of disaster, might not be the most fantastic ones to start with but just wondering what kinds of snakes people have had to prepare for dwa? I know taiwanese beautys are meant to be good ones, should be picking up a FWC some time before christmas hopefully (whether thats any good for this i dont know, just like them) but if anyone could reccomend anything that might be ideal for getting an idea of these kind of snakes that would be great

I have had snakes since I was 6 but dont think that things like corns kings hoggies etc are anything to go by for experience wise although my royal does like to attack people alot so is there anywhere in particular that could be reccomended that has dwa to start looking and possibly getting a bit closer to the actual animals?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Ermmmm we have Tai Beauties and they are just like very big corn snakes lols.


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

nothing really prepares you except the real thing, taiwanese beauties are good to try not to be bitten by but dont act anything like a viper would.


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## crouchy (Jan 14, 2008)

Also it depends on what you are wanting to keep on your DWA. No point learning how to hook an ATB if you are getting a gaboon.

But whatever you get it cant be a tame animal. A tame animal that will just let you grab it is pointless experience. Are tai beautys that agressive? The only ones i have experience of have been tame.

If you are looking at getting something like an eyelash viper or a white lipped viper then id suggest an ATB as a good trainer snake. But dont forget that you must at all times treat it like a DWA animal


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Our Tai Beauties are very tame. 1 is a little boulshy but i cant see how these can prepare u anymore than a corn or a burm can. Or am i just being stupid and missing the point lols.


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

Cheers, yeah the only tai beauties Ive come across have been pretty evil. Im hopefully going to be picking up an FWC this weekend at rodbaston if my parents will lend me the money etc too : )


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

by all means look into snakes, things like tiger rats, and other aggressive snakes are good. but also dont react like the venomous stuff. like someone has mentioned, no point training with an aggressive boa if you want a mamba. 

i would say the best thing for you to do is get a mentor once you have some more experience with differant species. that is the best way - the only way to prepare for venomous is by experiencing them first hand - albeit with experienced people to guide you and explain/instruct/show you techniques and methods


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

just seen where you are - whereabouts in staffordshire mate?


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

Yeah that sounds best tbh, I'm in Hednesford/Cannock nearish to Walsall, bout 20 mins awayish lol


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

not near the stoke side then!


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## gizzard (May 5, 2008)

wouldnt a cornsnake that is a rescue from a home that was not caring for/mistreating it work just as well as any snake? if it wants to bite you every time you look in the cage couldnt this give you smewhere to start?
if you cant find one i have a black corn that fits the description (we didnt mistreat it but it couldnt be handled and is just getting worse and i want to get rid of it... i would accept a tenner for it!)


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

no because it wont help prepare for many snakes. a striking pissed off corn wont help for the likes of Bitis, Echis, Daboia, etc. or Bothriechis for that matter. its not just about not getting nailed, but about understanding the species, understanding how they react to situations, and how you can react to them, whilst keeping safe


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

carpy said:


> not near the stoke side then!


Nope lol I have a few friends at uni over that way and thats about it lol


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

gizzard said:


> wouldnt a cornsnake that is a rescue from a home that was not caring for/mistreating it work just as well as any snake? if it wants to bite you every time you look in the cage couldnt this give you smewhere to start?
> if you cant find one i have a black corn that fits the description (we didnt mistreat it but it couldnt be handled and is just getting worse and i want to get rid of it... i would accept a tenner for it!)


 
Lol I have a royal just like this, I've had him since he was a hatchling, ironically hatching 06/06/06 apparently. He just likes biting people and no matter what we do, it just attacks me or whoevers closest. I think with DWA you need things a bit quicker with a bit more of a bite, with corns I guess you can calm them down by not backing away as much, we had an adult given to us that was just purely insane, I let him bite me a few times, picked him up and whatever and now hes as calm as anything, id do it with the royal but dont want to cause a load of non feeding and all that (you know what theyre like lol)


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

PresidentDead said:


> Lol I have a royal just like this, I've had him since he was a hatchling, ironically hatching 06/06/06 apparently. He just likes biting people and no matter what we do, it just attacks me or whoevers closest. I think with DWA you need things a bit quicker with a bit more of a bite, with corns I guess you can calm them down by not backing away as much, we had an adult given to us that was just purely insane, I let him bite me a few times, picked him up and whatever and now hes as calm as anything, id do it with the royal but dont want to cause a load of non feeding and all that (you know what theyre like lol)


it depends on the species. if you want a gabby, dont bother with a fast bitey colubrid - its about as much good as a boat in the desert.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

you need to work with things as close to the "real" thing. I for example would love to work with eyelash vipers, so I've been trying to spend as much time around arborial and semi-arborial snakes, mostly ATB, ETB and GTP, but also Boiga and some more agressive rat snakes. However, as was said before, if you wanted to work with say, Gaboons, these would all be pointless as a Gaboon will react nothing like any of those species. Biggest problem I have is finding local mentors....


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

Any idea on what might be good for a gaboon? They just seem to be something thats kind of difficult to replicate (worded badly i think lol), I might start off with something a litte "easier" well not easier as such but something I have more chance of preparing for a little more, I do like the looks of a few other vipers, then again most things I could probably get used to if I really wanted to. Things like puff adders always seemed pretty interesting too, I'll have to do a lot more reading round/mentor searching etc but at least now ive got a few more ideas : ) Thanks


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

if you can find a bloody aggressive blood python i guss that would be a good place to start. not always easy though!


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

carpy said:


> if you can find a bloody aggressive blood python i guss that would be a good place to start. not always easy though!


Would have been my suggestion, but I'm sure one of the DWA keepers will be able to suggest something else too


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

Rain said:


> Would have been my suggestion, but I'm sure one of the DWA keepers will be able to suggest something else too


i think if im honest the best way to understand gabbys is work with them.

i did everything in reverse though so i dont count. cept i havent got dwa - no time or money so dont have captive dwa in the uk.


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

Yeah thats an idea, well I was thinking about getting a couple of blood pythons anyway after I saw a nice pair a few weeks ago, so hopefully I can pick up one that is particularly psychotic, if its got an attitude anything like my royal then that'l probably be a good starting point. : )


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

most royals are dopey and soft!!!!


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## PresidentDead (Nov 2, 2008)

I know :| I got unlucky, its just pure evil, flies at you every time you open the door to change the water or anything, never known anything like him, great feeder though, sheds perfectly every time etc


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