# mamba's



## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

ok so i just wanted to know does any keep or have kept black or green mambas?

if so what were they like to keep? any pics would be brilliant


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)




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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

that is awesome mate, how big is that?


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

If that's the male, he'll be knocking on for 6ft now, the female is about 5ft


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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

wicked whats it like to keep? i have heard they can be really fast


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

They're reasonably ok unless they get spooked, at which point you may as well be trying to hook water! On the whole they are fairly laid back, but extremely nosey


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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

ok cool, thanks for that

have you or would you keep black mambas?


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

I certainly would keep them! Very specific tho' they have to be CB and they have to be South African


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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

cool, well if you do get any blacks then pm me some pics as i am very interested in them, wouldnt keep them or any other DWA but im very interested in it all


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## DASSIE (Jul 8, 2006)

i have had both and cb blacks are to die for . The wild caught specimans we got in kzn seldom lasted long as they were far too easily stressed . Cb greens look amazing too . So different when they are little and to see them change to their emerald green is a great experience . CB mambas i found fed really well as they have their attitude from birth and open their mouths when provoked so you simply pop a pinkie in it and they soon swollow it down . will have a look for some pics when i get a mo .


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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

cheers mate


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## milsom (Nov 14, 2008)

Western Green 










Eastern Green


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Nice one Ty, that yours or the centre's?


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## milsom (Nov 14, 2008)

stuartdouglas said:


> Nice one Ty, that yours or the centre's?


Hi Stuart, 

the viridis was one of a group I kept for many years, but cant remember which angusticeps it was, probably one we sold. Not currently keeping Mambas.

Cheers

Ty


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## gear21 (Dec 19, 2008)

i have a cb 07 black at the min which is very nosey as soon as viv is open his head is out and looking about, but still dont no how to put pics on or i would, my friend can get small blacks and greens if you are after1


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## mad martin (Sep 4, 2008)

I currently keep 4 Blacks and 3 Eastern Greens
Both species are fairly easy to keep. Wild caughts over 2.5 metres tend to stay a little flighty with regards to Blacks.
I prefer taking pics outside


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## adamholtom85 (Nov 27, 2007)

very nice mate, there is just something about them that fascinates me more than any other DWA


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

mad martin said:


> I currently keep 4 Blacks and 3 Eastern Greens
> Both species are fairly easy to keep. Wild caughts over 2.5 metres tend to stay a little flighty with regards to Blacks.
> I prefer taking pics outside


Hey I am not sure if I have this right but was it you who lived with a bunch of venomous in Africa for a while? I just remember the name mad martin from somewhere & I think that's it...


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

gear21 said:


> i have a cb 07 black at the min which is very nosey as soon as viv is open his head is out and looking about, but still dont no how to put pics on or i would, my friend can get small blacks and greens if you are after1


Look forward to seeing pics of that! Who's the supplier of the poly's? Which species of Greens?

Upload the pics to your album on your profile, then copy and paste the link from your album pic into your posting. We'd all love to see your CB poly'


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

Owzy said:


> Hey I am not sure if I have this right but was it you who lived with a bunch of venomous in Africa for a while? I just remember the name mad martin from somewhere & I think that's it...


 
We had loads of things like that when I was living with my dad. The cat even brought in and killed a baby black mamba. Although this is the same cat who took on a mongoose and won. Vicious little madam she is. But the most regularly seen were puff adders and Black mamba's. There was also scorpions and snakes galore.


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

scooby.ben said:


> We had loads of things like that when I was living with my dad. The cat even brought in and killed a baby black mamba. Although this is the same cat who took on a mongoose and won. Vicious little madam she is. But the most regularly seen were puff adders and Black mamba's. There was also scorpions and snakes galore.


I checked & unless there are two mad martins I guess it is him, he lived with them in a room for charity for a while...


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

Owzy said:


> I checked & unless there are two mad martins I guess it is him, he lived with them in a room for charity for a while...


 
My dad lives in Botswana so not him.  He's a Bill anyway


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

scooby.ben said:


> My dad lives in Botswana so not him.  He's a Bill anyway


Mate you are really confusing me.


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## mad martin (Sep 4, 2008)

Yes it was me


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## Guest (May 1, 2009)

Owzy said:


> Mate you are really confusing me.


 
I get that a lot. :Na_Na_Na_Na::2thumb:


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## excession (Apr 11, 2009)

My brother breeds Black Mamba's - will haste him for some pics


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## *o* (Apr 12, 2007)

a pair of Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen Mambababababa


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

​









Took this at a reptile centre I visited in Kenya​


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

I have never had a snake (and I never will I LOVE HARMLESS LITTLE TORTS:flrt but how do you handle and like these deadly pets?


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

leopardtortoise said:


> I have never had a snake (and I never will I LOVE HARMLESS LITTLE TORTS:flrt but how do you handle and like these deadly pets?


Handle them with hooks and/or tongs. Like them? for the same reasons you like those walking soupbowls:lol2:


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

why would you want to have to handle them with tongs why wouldn't you just get a harmless snakes?
PS tortoises are so fun and cute! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

You can handle them, you just don't a) live very long or b) maintain the requisite amount of fingers. People keep them because they are a fascinating aspect of the hobby. 

We could ask why you don't just buy a bowl, turn it upside down and throw lettuce at it every now and again:lol2:


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## pythonpower (Apr 24, 2007)

stuartdouglas said:


> You can handle them, you just don't a) live very long or b) maintain the requisite amount of fingers. People keep them because they are a fascinating aspect of the hobby.
> 
> We could ask why you don't just buy a bowl, turn it upside down and throw lettuce at it every now and again:lol2:


 
:lol2: love that one very good:lol2::lol2:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

stuartdouglas said:


> You can handle them, you just don't a) live very long or b) maintain the requisite amount of fingers. People keep them because they are a fascinating aspect of the hobby.
> 
> We could ask why you don't just buy a bowl, turn it upside down and throw lettuce at it every now and again:lol2:



LMFAO... appropriately answered... :roll2:


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

Come now torts are cool and an easy pets I wish I could say the same for mambas :lol2: 
So do you think of keeping dangeous thing a sport :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Alex27 (Jul 26, 2008)

leopardtortoise said:


> Come now* torts are cool* and an easy pets I wish I could say the same for mambas :lol2:
> So do you think of keeping dangeous thing a sport :Na_Na_Na_Na:


liar :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

do you think they are cute?
:devil:


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## Alex27 (Jul 26, 2008)

leopardtortoise said:


> do you think they are cute?
> :devil:


nope there wrinkly like ballbags :lol2:


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

How many people get bitten by them when they are in captivty?
Do you know anybody?


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## Alex27 (Jul 26, 2008)

leopardtortoise said:


> How many people get bitten by them when they are in captivty?
> Do you know anybody?


see they're boring :2thumb:


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

hey at least you can't die from a tortoise bite :lol: :lol2:


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I dunno, a really big tortoise could do some pretty serious damage. More likely though you'd get something like a sulcata that took a fancy to moving your fences or having noisy public "relations" with a bin or something. I have to admit, I don't see the personal attraction to keeping a mobile rock that craps like a horse even if they DO eat up all the weeds in your garden - but you obviously see something in them that I don't.

I do not currently keep any medically significant venomous species (I almost said "no venomous" but we do have a Western Hognose and I do wonder about Nile monitors). I am fascinated with several of them - the helodermatid lizards, the varanoid lizards, crotalid snakes and Vipera species. I have met an absolutely fascinating cobra - he was a brilliant, beautiful animal, inquisitive, apparently intelligent (for a snake) and I just cannot see them as "monsters" despite the possibility of a lethal bite. For that matter I have personal experience that a crotalid bite is not always fatal and in fact does not always require lengthy hospitalisation - I stepped on a rattler while hiking as a teenager.

Some of the most stunning colours and patterns come from the venomous species - there is quite simply no snake to match the intricacy of Gaboon and Rhino vipers. The green of those mambas is amazing - as is the black mouth of a black mamba. 

As for "not handling" ... well, not everyone has pets just so they can get them out and play with them. Some people want stunningly beautiful animals to look at - which is why people keep aquarium fish, too. Although as a VERY small child I used to get my plecostomus out of the tank to pet him, this was not beneficial to the plecostomus and if my parents had kept a lionfish instead it could have been pretty tragic for me too. But I can still appreciate the beauty of a well-kept aquarium (and don't feel the urge to get Mr Fishie out to play) - so I can definitely see the appeal of a beautiful snake that is look-but-don't-touch.


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

leopardtortoise said:


> Come now torts are cool and an easy pets I wish I could say the same for mambas :lol2:
> So do you think of keeping dangeous thing a sport :Na_Na_Na_Na:


mambas are cool and a piece of cake to keep (husbandry wise, I don't want to give the impression that they are a suitable snake for beginners to the hobby)

as for likening it to a sport, definitely not. In a dangerous sport, part of the appeal is the risk and adrenaline rush. If you get an adrenaline rush when dealing with venomous snakes, then it usually indicates a near miss and there's something wrong with your handling methods. Exciting is a word that isn't usually bandied around amongst venomous keepers.


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

I have been tube feeding a Jnr Green Mamba for a couple of weeks. Not something I enjoy doing.


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## excession (Apr 11, 2009)

Can see my bro's WC mamba's in this short vid Durban Snakes.

I dont think I understand the desire to keep DWA snakes personally, but he it nuts and lives for it.


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## LEdwards (Jan 6, 2009)

Does anyone know if Blacks have been bred to Greens? Might be a stupid question but im guessing its do-able.


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## bosvark75 (Feb 5, 2008)

*Full Flight*

Heres a couple of wild Black Mamba shots I took when on holiday in South Africa 2005/6........... Enjoy



















Thanks


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## ipsilon (Oct 27, 2007)

In agreement with the tortoise thing. Never seen the appeal. Nor do I see much appeal in fish. Both strike me as being half pet, half ornament.


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

ipsilon said:


> In agreement with the tortoise thing. Never seen the appeal. Nor do I see much appeal in fish. Both strike me as being half pet, half ornament.


 
I guess the world would be boring if everybodys passion fell into the same subject!


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

How can anyone *not* like mambas????


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

stuartdouglas said:


> How can anyone *not* like mambas????


They'd be more interesting if they had a big nose:Na_Na_Na_Na::Na_Na_Na_Na::Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

I do not personally keep mambas but have given medical care and boarding. Every species of snake has its own appeal. I personally do not work with them due to there agility and speed but enjoy Forest cobra and Cape Cobra. 

There are those that consider my choice as a problem but it is personal appeal. Interestingly I have puffadder. These animals scare me more than a mamba due to speed and temperament.


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## Vipera_berus (Feb 9, 2009)

leopardtortoise said:


> I have never had a snake (and I never will I LOVE HARMLESS LITTLE TORTS:flrt but how do you handle and like these deadly pets?


I don't think I'd call a mamba a pet personally, beautiful as they may look.


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## FluffySheep (Aug 25, 2008)

I saw a Black Mamba in a reptile shop near me a couple of months ago, first time I've ever seen one in the flesh. Fantastic looking snake and looked very inquisitive!


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Vipera_berus said:


> I don't think I'd call a mamba a pet personally, beautiful as they may look.


Venomous reptiles are most definitely not pets!


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

There two types of venomous keepers. Those that have been bit and those that will be bit. The difference between the two is time.

Never be fooled in thinking you wont.


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## mark elliott (Feb 5, 2007)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> There two types of venomous keepers. Those that have been bit and those that will be bit. The difference between the two is time.
> 
> Never be fooled in thinking you wont.


 yea and i'm one of the "still waiting" at the mo.
regards mark


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

If you want to dance with a Cobra, you had better know your steps. LoL


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> There two types of venomous keepers. Those that have been bit and those that will be bit. The difference between the two is time.
> 
> Never be fooled in thinking you wont.


*Once bitten never forgotten!
*


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## mark elliott (Feb 5, 2007)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> If you want to dance with a Cobra, you had better know your steps. LoL


 he certainly keeps me on my toe's.
regards mark


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

slippery42 said:


> *Once bitten never forgotten!*


I'm with you there !!!


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> There two types of venomous keepers. Those that have been bit and those that will be bit. The difference between the two is time.
> 
> Never be fooled in thinking you wont.


still though its not good to spend all your time wondering if todays the day


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

In that case, get bitten first thing and get it over with!!!:lol2:

(note to the feeble minded: that was a joke and in no way suggests that you should do any such thing)


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

Cape Cobra or a Mamba has the ability to minimize the chance of getting bit again later.


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> Cape Cobra or a Mamba has the ability to minimize the chance of getting bit again later.


Sorry, I don't understand that at all? Could you rephrase?


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

The chances of being deceased are good so saves you the trouble of being tagged latter in life. In short being tagged once can be enough.:bash:


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> The chances of being deceased are good so saves you the trouble of being tagged latter in life. In short being tagged once can be enough.:bash:


ooo I get you now : victory:


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

I did 7 days ICU due to a Cape Cobra bite. The venom is very similar to a mamba and arguably more toxic.
 It took three weeks before I was able to operate a motor-vehicle due to my central nerves system repairing itself.


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## retri (Mar 5, 2008)

FluffySheep said:


> I saw a Black Mamba in a reptile shop near me a couple of months ago, first time I've ever seen one in the flesh. Fantastic looking snake and looked very inquisitive!


what shop?


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

I just think you have to have some confidence about you, to get into the mindset of sooner or later its going to happen is an unhealthy way to think, some people dont get bitten for years, other people do, alot of it is how careful you are how well experienced you are, if you play with fire chances are one day you will get burned but if your reckless with it that day will come far sooner.


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

SiUK said:


> ...to get into the mindset of sooner or later its going to happen is an unhealthy way to think...


I work with these animals nearly every day of my life and I find that it is easy to become over confident without thinking twice.
 It’s like driving a vehicle. Sooner or later someone is going to bump you or you are going to bump someone else. This fact does not discourage us I from driving or does it?


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## FluffySheep (Aug 25, 2008)

retri said:


> what shop?


Shropshire Exotics. It was a while ago though and I've not been there for ages so I'm not sure if they've got any now.


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

Snakes Incorporated said:


> I work with these animals nearly every day of my life and I find that it is easy to become over confident without thinking twice.
> It’s like driving a vehicle. Sooner or later someone is going to bump you or you are going to bump someone else. This fact does not discourage us I from driving or does it?


yeah I know what you mean, but I dont get into a car every day and think today I might have an accident, if I did then I probably wouldnt lol, I have provisions in place in case I got bitten, but I dont walk into the room to work with them thinking what if todays the day, because for me personally it would mess with my concentration.


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## Snakes Incorporated (Jun 27, 2006)

SiUK said:


> …dont walk into the room to work with them thinking what if todays the day, because for me personally it would mess with my concentration.


I agreed as I never worry about it either but I am talking about those people who believe that they are “bullet proof”. In my opinion it is complacency that is the real danger with most things we take for granted.


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