# Are you guys mental?



## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

Firstly, I'm frightened of your snakes etc! :blush: Most of them are gorgeous though!:2thumb: Just generally, do you DWA guys never think "what the hell am I doing?" in the middle of cleaning/feeding etc? It could so easily go very wrong! Fair play to you , you must have balls of steel! (I just nearly got tagged by a BRB and even that scared the S**T out of me!

Also, do you guys keep them because there is an element of danger, because many are so stunning :mf_dribble: or because some are endangered:devil:? Or for any other reasons? Just a thought. Cheers!


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

That post is bound to wind up every DWA keeper that reads it!

To answer very quickly, no pretty much to all the above.
We don't all have balls of steel, we don't do it as a macho thing and we don't do it for the danger.
We do it for the love of the species. Just because a license is required and the animals in question are potentially more dangerous we keep them for the same reasons some people keep only corn snakes. The fascination and respect for the species.

Personally, I keep them because I find their behavour fascinating and because virtually all the snakes I find the most stunning are DWA listed.

Also it is not as dangerous as you make it sound. Most DWA keepers are highly experienced and know the risks well and exactly how to reduce them.

Regards Laurie


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

:crazy: he got me!!!:gasp:


:lol2:


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

capester said:


> Firstly, I'm frightened of your snakes etc! :blush: Most of them are gorgeous though!:2thumb: Just generally, do you DWA guys never think "what the hell am I doing?" in the middle of cleaning/feeding etc? It could so easily go very wrong! Fair play to you , you must have balls of steel! (I just nearly got tagged by a BRB and even that scared the S**T out of me!
> 
> Also, do you guys keep them because there is an element of danger, because many are so stunning :mf_dribble: or because some are endangered:devil:? Or for any other reasons? Just a thought. Cheers!


Cant speak for any other keepers on the forum but I am barking mad, always have been and always will.

Its got bugger all to do with keeping venomous snakes its the sexual probing I've been subject to by those aliens in the space ship. You know the ones the "Greys" they come down every night probing, poking and getting me to film all kinds of wierd alien porno stuff!

Messes with my head!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hang on I can hear it landing beep beep beep here we go again:gasp:


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## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

OK, wasn't meant to provoke anger or randomness, I'm just interested. Sorry for being a non DWA license holder and curious. Guess I should stick to the other forums. Wow what a friendly bunch!


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

capester said:


> OK, wasn't meant to provoke anger or randomness, I'm just interested. Sorry for being a non DWA license holder and curious. Guess I should stick to the other forums. Wow what a friendly bunch!


I don't think anyone else was being aggressive!


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## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

salvatoruk said:


> That post is bound to wind up every DWA keeper that reads it!
> 
> Clearly not!


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

capester said:


> salvatoruk said:
> 
> 
> > That post is bound to wind up every DWA keeper that reads it!
> ...


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## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

Ok, sorry my bad! Read yours and didn't like the start, why would it wind people up? Thanks for the answers though, I really find it interesting and I don't doubt that you guys know what you are doing! The second reply? Really? Maybe I should have phrased the title better.......


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

No worries : victory:

It could wind DWA keepers up because they put in so much time, effort and money into keeping a collection of venomous snakes so after all that for people to think they are doing it because they have "balls of steel" and are mad might rub them up the wrong way. Hopefuly my last answer helped a bit, if not, anything else you were wondering?


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## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

Sorry we got off on the wrong foot! Balls of steel was my attempt at showing the respect I have for you guys who do keep the dangerous stuff, not because I think for one second it's all bravado. I also understand that many of the venemous species are the most beautiful (it was the post of the Waglers shedding that prompted this thread) I just find it fascinating that people choose to house specimens that are known to be dangerous. I don't think its wrong, but really interesting. Please add more thoughts on here at a more godly hour! I have to be up early to pick up a new turtle, that isn't often a phrase mentioned on the DWA forum I bet but it's about as daring as I go...Merry Christmas guys and thanks for reading!! :notworthy:


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

I would say most keepers like myself naturaly progress into keeping them. When i got my first snake 30 years or so ago i never thought i am going to keep venomous and that is my goal in fact i never evn worked with one untill about 15 years ago and at that time i was keeping big pythons and rare asian rat snakes and FWC's with on obvious interest in them but no urge to keep them, then i mey John Foden and worked with a few and started to get into them and just found them a little more fascinating and indeed challenging than my non venomous/ This was not in a "look at me i keep venomous" kind of way as the only people who new i kept them were keepers themselves and then there were only a handfull. I dont think you need " balls of steel" to keep them but you do need a level head and for want of a better word a bit of nerve. balls of steel attitude leads to bravado and thet can lead to a visit to the local hospital. you need nerve and a level head just like you do with any agressive snake. If you treat any animal with the respect it deserves and handle them in a safe manor then you reduce the risk of being bitten by any snake, if you are nervous and scared of it then you increase the risks and in my opinion you shouldnt have that animal.


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## maffy (Dec 24, 2008)

*Dwa*

Not DWA yet myself, but for some, snakes are kind of an obsession.

When buying our first snakes years ago, a mature friend of the pet store owner said "ah that's it you'll be hooked on snakes now, you won't stop buying them".

We laughed. But he was soooo right! Although it did include other reptiles too! BUT snakes remain my personal fave.

I agree with other posts that its almost a natural progression to hots. Due to the keeping experience gained throughout different species and the love and respect gained for their varying behaviour.

How many people went and bought a hot straight away? Not many I'd say. For me the beauty, respect and experience gained means my first true hot will be the pinnacle of my snake ownership.

Most of all though perhaps its the caring and dedication required to keep such magnificent creatures.


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## maffy (Dec 24, 2008)

*Dwa*

Not DWA yet myself, but for some, snakes are kind of an obsession.

When buying our first snakes years ago, a mature friend of the pet store owner said "ah that's it you'll be hooked on snakes now, you won't stop buying them".

We laughed. But he was soooo right! Although it did include other reptiles too! BUT snakes remain my personal fave.

I agree with other posts that its almost a natural progression to hots. Due to the keeping experience gained throughout different species and the love and respect gained for their varying behaviour.

How many people went and bought a hot straight away? Not many I'd say. For me the beauty, respect and experience gained means my first true hot will be the pinnacle of my snake ownership.

Most of all though perhaps its the caring and dedication required to keep such magnificent creatures.

:no1: :welcome: ps BRB's are gorgeous too!!


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## capester (Oct 18, 2007)

Nice double post! Thanks guys, I am thinking of doing a Uni project on DWA species (not hands on!) Thanks again


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## yardy (Sep 9, 2009)

Will state outright that I'm not DWA and probably never will be as have an OH who is nervous of my non venemous snakes but I can understand the appeal. Apart from milk snakes and some royal or blood or boa morps they are some of the most heart stoppingly beautiful animals on the planet Oh and that's excluding coral reef fish & birds of paradise, but you know what I mean. I used to know a guy who had a DWA viper and it was just because he loved her nothing matcho and defo not to impress anyone. Personally I have kept FWC's in the dim and distant past and also a mangrove snake so I'm not entirely innocent. It is so hard now to get a license that you guys just have to be dedicated, don't think I could do it but best wishes to you and all your beasties from a stray visitor.


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