# how to get into keeping dwa snakes



## roll up boy (Jan 18, 2009)

how do you get into dwa snakes ? i only keep a corn snake :blush: but would love to get into dwa snakes.

could someone explain how they got into keeping dwa snakes please


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## HantsLex (Jun 27, 2008)

I don't have DWA but think you would need to be keeping something a bit more aggresive than a corn snake to get a decent amount of experience.


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## jaysonc3 (Nov 20, 2008)

Get yourself a hook and get an agressive king or false water cobra to practice with.


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## Draven (Mar 7, 2009)

yeah try getting hold of an aggressive snake first (someone suggested FWC) and handle that for awhile and if it ever bites you think to yourself 'i could be dead right now'.
alot of people suggest handling large none venomous before keeping venomous.

not trying to put you off but its a long road getting a DWAL and a DWA snake!
Research research and research and when your all researched out...Research some more!

good luck!

draven


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

Aye thats all good but there is no point buying a snake you have no interest in so look for a mix of the two, don't know how useful this method is any way. 

I would strugle to pay as much attention as when you are handling venomous as 'the fear' is not there...


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## Vipera_berus (Feb 9, 2009)

Yeah I agree, as Stu as pointed out on alot of these kinda threads, even if you get some hellish radiated rat snake or a _boiga/_rear fanged colubrid and learn to handle those with hooks etc nothing is going to prepare you for a proper hot that can cause serious medical problems or death. Best bet is to do alot of research and get somone with a DWAL to mentor you. You may also want to think about keeping a few different species for a long time, I don't think I've ever heard of somone going from keeping a Corn snake to a puff adder .


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## Draven (Mar 7, 2009)

Owzy said:


> Aye thats all good but there is no point buying a snake you have no interest in so look for a mix of the two, don't know how useful this method is any way.
> 
> I would strugle to pay as much attention as when you are handling venomous as 'the fear' is not there...


aye thats a good point


Draven


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

Vipera_berus said:


> Yeah I agree, as Stu as pointed out on alot of these kinda threads, even if you get some hellish radiated rat snake or a _boiga/_rear fanged colubrid and learn to handle those with hooks etc nothing is going to prepare you for a proper hot that can cause serious medical problems or death. Best bet is to do alot of research and get somone with a DWAL to mentor you. You may also want to think about keeping a few different species for a long time, I don't think I've ever heard of somone going from keeping a Corn snake to a puff adder .


Yes, it is difficult to know where to start though, I was told by many people on here I 'wasn't ready' to own a Boiga. I did my research, a lot of it, and I am glad I ignored them. I have had to learn a few things but how else would I have learnt them?

I think it depends on the individual, some people will never be ready for DWA no matter how much research, experience etc they gain. I hope I am not one of those as one day I would like to own a couple of DWA species, however there is only one way to find out... but that won't be for maaany years. Got to finish my degree & get the travels under my belt first.


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## roll up boy (Jan 18, 2009)

thanks for all the advice :2thumb:

ill some some research on aggressive rear fanged snakes and some fast aggressive snakes like the FWC and go from there

if i manage to look after fast aggressive snakes with out getting tagged how would i go about finding a mentor ?


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

jaysonc3 said:


> Get yourself a hook and get an agressive king or false water cobra to practice with.


Sorry but that is utter rubbish!

Do some research on various forums, buy books, buy your own home (very few landlords will allow a DWAL), meet some other keepers, look at the problems if you get nailed, look at the costs (DWAL + VET+ INSURANCE+ROOM MODIFICATIONS ETC), see what you family say, then decide if venomous is your thing.


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## jaysonc3 (Nov 20, 2008)

slippery42 said:


> Sorry but that is utter rubbish!
> 
> Do some research on various forums, buy books, buy your own home (very few landlords will allow a DWAL), meet some other keepers, look at the problems if you get nailed, look at the costs (DWAL + VET+ INSURANCE+ROOM MODIFICATIONS ETC), see what you family say, then decide if venomous is your thing.


NO thats my opinion whats the point in getting all this info if the op finds he cant cope with an aggressive non dwa? Or cant manipulate a snake on the hook?


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

jaysonc3 said:


> NO thats my opinion whats the point in getting all this info if the op finds he cant cope with an aggressive non dwa? Or cant manipulate a snake on the hook?


Not all Venomous species are aggressive so i cannot see the need to compare!

Most of mine are dopy and calm.

Nothing prepares you for dealing with venomous, no training/mentoring can.


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## cervantes (Apr 24, 2008)

slippery42 said:


> buy your own home


Only advice you'll need is right there. 

Work hard and get yourself somewhere to live, then you can make whatever choices you like.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

slippery42 said:


> Do some research on various forums, buy books, buy your own home (very few landlords will allow a DWAL), meet some other keepers, look at the problems if you get nailed, look at the costs (DWAL + VET+ INSURANCE+ROOM MODIFICATIONS ETC), see what you family say, then decide if venomous is your thing.



That advice couldnt be more perfect. Im in the process of buying my own flat at the moment but the space is a big issue as i wont have a separate room. Therefore ill be waiting a few years until i move and have read up a fair bit more before i take the plunge (no matter how much stu badgers me to get my licence... lol)


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## Caz (May 24, 2007)

slippery42 said:


> Not all Venomous species are aggressive so i cannot see the need to compare!
> 
> Most of mine are dopy and calm.
> 
> *Nothing prepares you for dealing with venomous, no training/mentoring can.*


While I agree with your other posts I think watching experianced DWA keepers and being around them when they are performing routine viv maintainance tasks can be invaluable. Perhaps 'training/mentoring' are the wrong words.


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

Caz said:


> While I agree with your other posts I think watching experianced DWA keepers and being around them when they are performing routine viv maintainance tasks can be invaluable. Perhaps 'training/mentoring' are the wrong words.


 I totally disagree? who taught them? nobodys methods are right, and the only ones that are wrong are those used by those who have been on the sharp end.


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Moshpitviper said:


> I totally disagree? who taught them? nobodys methods are right, and the only ones that are wrong are those used by those who have been on the sharp end.


Absolutely! Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. Everyone has slightly different methods and it is supremely arrogant and conceited to say "my methods ae the ones that others should be employing, therefore I'll teach"

As Graeme said, not all venomous snakes are aggressive, nor is hook training essential. I fail to see how dealing with an ATB will give you the techniques needed to keep a terrestrial viper. It seems as if every person bases their opinions of venomous snakes on a large, extremely fast moving, very nervous, very aggressive, arboreal elapid. I would venture that nobody would even attempt to keep such a snake as a first "hot", therefore the experience/skills needed to manage such a snake would be gained over time and by dealing with less challenging animals, such as a 2' long, calm, arboreal pitviper.

It would be interesting to see how many people offering suggestions as to the best way forward for the OP actually own/have worked with venomous snakes?


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## Caz (May 24, 2007)

stuartdouglas said:


> Absolutely! Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. Everyone has slightly different methods and it is supremely arrogant and conceited to say "my methods ae the ones that others should be employing, therefore I'll teach"
> 
> As Graeme said, not all venomous snakes are aggressive, nor is hook training essential. I fail to see how dealing with an ATB will give you the techniques needed to keep a terrestrial viper. It seems as if every person bases their opinions of venomous snakes on a large, extremely fast moving, very nervous, very aggressive, arboreal elapid. I would venture that nobody would even attempt to keep such a snake as a first "hot", therefore the experience/skills needed to manage such a snake would be gained over time and by dealing with less challenging animals, such as a 2' long, calm, arboreal pitviper.
> 
> It would be interesting to see how many people offering suggestions as to the best way forward for the OP actually own/have worked with venomous snakes?


You're missing my point - or perhaps I didn't make it clearly. (And yes I have worked with venomous snakes.)
My point being that first hand experiance - working with/being friends with and watching/working @ a zoo or LSTM and generally being around venomous snakes when they are handled by the above can only increase the OP's general experiance.
I didn't advocate keeping a non venomous species as a practise substitute.


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Caz said:


> You're missing my point - or perhaps I didn't make it clearly. (And yes I have worked with venomous snakes.)
> My point being that first hand experiance - working with/being friends with and watching/working @ a zoo or LSTM and generally being around venomous snakes when they are handled by the above can only increase the OP's general experiance.
> I didn't advocate keeping a non venomous species as a practise substitute.


I would agree that generally "being around" a keeper to observe routines for feeding, cleaning, moving etc is definitely a benefit. It gives one an insight into typical behaviours of snakes and would/should give a person an idea of what sort of animals they would like/would be best suited to keeping.


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

Can i point out that i have previously kept venomous... and I work with a friends collection... not for mentoring purposes... just keeps the wife off me back.


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## Incubuss (Dec 19, 2006)

I cant see how any none venomous will help when keeping a dwa. Your mind knows that if an atb taggs you, you will be ok. This means you will deal with them in a different way. Your mind will work in a totally different way if it knows a bite can be fatal.

I agree that you need a lot of experience with snakes, but that is only to know how to read them and how they behave.


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