# Keeping of DWA Species



## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Ive always wondered how people who own DWA species deal with the risk of being bitten by there snakes. Out of all the snakes ive owned ive been bitten by them at least once. I cant emagine not owning a snake and not being bitten at least once by it in its lifetime.

Anyone care to shed any light on this? ​


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

learn to use a snake hook and be very very very very careful
Respect the snake.


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

with a colubrid (nonRF) or a boid one doesnt need to use hooks and tongs. With a viper or elapid one does. 

Prime example a good friend has 5 hortulanus tree boas, and it was feeding time the other day. We had all of them hanging on various things around the room (chair, airer etc). so there are amazon tree boas in every direction and lots of rodents in the room...and not a hook in sight. Yes we did get bitten lol


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

Just think about it, if you HAD to pick your snakes up WITHOUT any chance of getting bitten how would you do it?

The husbandry and techniques you use are all about not getting bitten.

Mason


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

its all about minimising the risks to a safe level, ie never touching them unless totally necessary never ever getting within strike range, not just sticking your hand in to grab a water bowl and things like that


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

or get a snake that isnt very venomous


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## Greg (Jun 3, 2006)

No fun in that though


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

I would guess [with no real certainety] that owners of venomous snakes have a little note book to hand with the details of anti venoms, quickest route to the hospital, a big red button on the wall labelled "lockdown" so that in the mega rare/unlikely occasion that the lone keeper is taken down and the snake is heading out the door.. he/she could press... 

ah, thats not likely, but maybe, and i dont know if yourd have to get this from the hospital or you could make it yourself or if you can buy it or whatever [sorry, cluless[ id expect if possible there to be a fridge full of anti venoms for the reps kept..

That and the dont give the animal any chance what so ever to bite you thing are erm..good ideas i reckon..


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

DeanThorpe said:


> ah, thats not likely, but maybe, and i dont know if yourd have to get this from the hospital or you could make it yourself or if you can buy it or whatever [sorry, cluless[ id expect if possible there to be a fridge full of anti venoms for the reps kept..


Well each vial would cost between £300-900 depending on what level of ''venomous'' the bite would be and what species the snake was...

Not only that, you'd have to be given permission to keep these as I believe they're controlled...

As for a fridge full - damn I'd be rich!! :no1:


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

I heard (on the grapevine lol) of somewhere that keeps hots and had a spring-loaded guillotine in the room in case you got bitten on a finger. Would you be able to chop your own finger off though?!:smile:


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## snakelover (Dec 17, 2006)

i have been struck at by 3 out 4 of my snakes, and more than once, never biten! had snakes almost a year, a year in 2months...so 10months lol


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Ive been struck by my racer a few times, only once it actually scratched me, and its bitten me once, just sat there eating my finger after i picked her up. She wasent having any of it 

Probally why i couldent keep a DWA species, i even get panicy about hearing people buying flying tree snakes.​


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

babygyalsw2 said:


> Well each vial would cost between £300-900 depending on what level of ''venomous'' the bite would be and what species the snake was...
> 
> Not only that, you'd have to be given permission to keep these as I believe they're controlled...
> 
> As for a fridge full - damn I'd be rich!! :no1:


oh ok, i figured that if yourd get them at the hospital when needed yourd also be able to hold stock, but thinking about it.. most hospital type things would cost a lot to buy even if you could legally... erm i know what i mean lol.



Andy said:


> I heard (on the grapevine lol) of somewhere that keeps hots and had a spring-loaded guillotine in the room in case you got bitten on a finger. Would you be able to chop your own finger off though?!:smile:


hmm... if its drummed into you "finger or die, finger or die" Then Probably... if you really drummed it into your head.. problem is what if you ahe one of those dreams...and you think yourv been bitten... and BAM.. the next thing you know your waking up in your pyjamas with your belt round your neck and your finger laying down by your bare feet.... 
that would suck.
 not for me no lol... i couldnt keep anyting that if i cocked up [and you know..its possible...lol i do anyway] yourd lose a finger guarenteed or worse.. then nope.. im not spirited enough im affraid.


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## Joey (Jul 29, 2007)

Just from a psychological point, I'm no experienced snake keeper let alone any knowledge with hots, I think it must be a confidence thing. If you are confident enough to keep a non venomous snake, you don't have any fear in handling it (at least not to the point a lot of people would). Even if it does bite you, you're not gunna freak out. Which is why such individuals handle snakes better; on the other hand watching my nervous bf hold our wee baby is amusing, she starts squirming and he starts squirming and they're both a mess! She always handles ten times better with me because I'm not worried.
So if you were to have the kind of mindset of keeping such an animal, I don't think you're by any means 'afraid' of getting bitten. You take all the precautions you can, you're well equipped and versed, so there's no reason to be worried. I think it's called a self fulfilling prophecy. If you're constantly worrying about getting bitten and not concentrating on what you're doing, it's more likely it's gunna happen.
Is that true? Or just a lot of psycho-bs? I'm curious as well, since prior to starting this interest I never knew venomous snakes got kept outside of zoos!


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## brian (Oct 22, 2005)

If you have a snake that bites you you are very aware the next time you get it out and you hope it don't bite again

If you have DWA reptile you don't handle as you know it will want to bite you and may kill you 

If you go down the street of handling your DWA you might as well play Russian roulette


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I have been bitten by a lot of my snakes, but I do not take due care and precautions, because I am not afraid of being bitten, as they cannot do me any damage. It is too much work for me to use a hook and big gloves or use a trapbox or whatever to remove a corn snake from its viv for cleaning, if it's going to bite, no big deal.

I would imagine that those who keep DWA animals have to do so with the knowledge that being bitten could mean death. It could also mean the escape of a snake that could result in death for the next family member to walk through the door. That knowledge makes you take so many precautions when handling that the chance of being bitten is minimal.

You use trap boxes for cleaning extremely aggressive species, you use hooks, you use tongs, you use thick gloves, you keep the room door closed at all times, you only handle when necessary, and most DWA keepers (although not all) only handle when required, not for entertainment purposes.

You don't do that for a corn snake, or a boa, or a royal, or most non venomous species.. and therefore, you get bitten more often.


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## Joey (Jul 29, 2007)

Athravan said:


> I have been bitten by a lot of my snakes, but I do not take due care and precautions, because I am not afraid of being bitten, as they cannot do me any damage. It is too much work for me to use a hook and big gloves or use a trapbox or whatever to remove a corn snake from its viv for cleaning, if it's going to bite, no big deal.
> 
> I would imagine that those who keep DWA animals have to do so with the knowledge that being bitten could mean death. It could also mean the escape of a snake that could result in death for the next family member to walk through the door. That knowledge makes you take so many precautions when handling that the chance of being bitten is minimal.
> 
> ...


Sounds sensible! I didn't know the lengths you had to go to handle a DWA. And I guess having all those precautions performed properly is going to make you more confident in your abilities. I mean, I assume you can't get a license unless you can prove you know what the hell you're doing! Do you have to do some kind of exam?


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