You are absolutely WRONG! Coral snakes of the genus Micrurus are members of the Elapidae family, as are mambas, cobras, kraits, etc., meaning fixed front fangs and a very effective venom delivery system. You must have mistaken the term rear facing fangs, not the same thing as rear fanged. They are also VERY difficult to keep in captivity since they primarily feed on skinks, lizards and frogs. They can be switched over to mice, but you are talking about coming in even closer contact with a potentially very dangerous reptile. I would not recommend a Coral snake to anyone without ALOT of knowledge and hotkeeping experience. Most kept in captivity die pretty quickly. Crotalidae genus would be a much better choice in my opinion for a first hot. But you need experience with handling any hot animal before thinking about acquiring a hot. And contact your local hospitals and Zoos to make sure they have the appropriate, most up to date, NON EXPIRED(which ends up being the case in alot of places) anti-venom available just in case. And ofcourse check your local laws and do some serious research first.
Just talk to a pro herper from south Texas and teaches at a university I just completed a trade with.
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Holy necropost batman!
I find corals all the time in my yard i catch and move them to a further location or my dad will kill them on sight, if you want them ill send them to you instead lol, we have ALOT of babies slithering around my yard currently.Just talk to a pro herper from south Texas and teaches at a university I just completed a trade with.
I mentioned the coral snake I had for a month in captivity,he told me they only eat other snakes.He had some success with scented pinkies and got them transferred over.
As far as the first hot with coral,I strongly would not recommend.You find one just send it my way
Yes that will work,I will come get everyone you get.It will be a great experience for me to learn to keep if not stretching to far breed them in captivity.
Actually they can bite you pretty good as they are Elapidae with those fixed front fangs and the myth they can't bite you could be deadly. The coral snake is the most venomous snake in north America the Eastern Coral snake has actually two fatality's to its name now. Venom wise Coral snakes are a lot like the Krait's which have mostly presynaptic neurotoxins which are deadly but very slow acting. Unfortunately due to this slow acting venom some people don't get medical help and have died due to respiratory failure which is how their venom kill's. As for the amount a Coral snake has to inject to be fatal very little I think a drop of their venom or less is actually fatal due to the fact is it incredibly potent venom. But its slow acting it maybe 8-12 hours before it starts taking effect and when it does take effect it is rapid I like coral snakes but i don't see myself getting one as a first hot
I think anti-venom for these guy's expired recently actually so getting bite could get you in big big trouble.
The banded krait being my favorite Plus Kraits eat mainly snakes if I remember correctly
I'm gonna step up and say that I honestly cannot think of anything more foolish, or dangerous in the long run, than "practicing" for venomous snake keeping than getting a so-called "aggressive" non-ven and pretending it's a "hot". That's like driving around in a 1989 Ford Escort to practice for NASCAR racing, essentially. I keep Coachwhips, and Water Snakes, all of which are supposed to be "aggressive", and believe me, I do not EVER think of them in the same light as any venomous snake. I free-handle Coaches and Water Snakes, and they become dog-tame. Don't think I'll try that with a Canebrake or a Mamba, though, no thanks. It's not the same at all, because in your mind, you always know that the Racer or Coachwhip or Water Snake isn't dangerous and can't actually hurt you, so you don't use the same caution with those snakes that should always be used with even a Copperhead or Pygmy. Those non-vens quickly become tame, and defeat the whole point of trying to pretend that they are dangerous, so you get complacent when handling them, something that can prove to be a very costly mistake when you step up to a REAL dangerous snake. I am definitely not an advocate of substituting a harmless snake that happens to have a bad-and undeserved-reputation for "aggression" for a venomous snake at all when it comes to learning to deal with venomous species. A Coachwhip that calmly drapes itself across your arm after a couple days in captivity is not going to prepare anyone for a fat, perpetually ticked-off WDB...whole different ball game there. If someone wants to get started in "hots", most experienced venomous keepers recommend something that can HURT you, but probably won't kill you, and something for which antivenin is readily available in the US, and that usually means a Copperhead. I've kept 'em, and I never let go of the fact that one can ruin my day in an instant, since I've Been There, Done That. I cannot even think of the feistiest Coach in the same light, not even close, because I know that the absolute worst I'll wind up with if it does bite is a few tiny little pin-prick scratches that will be unnoticeable by the next day. The only way to "practice" for keeping a venomous snake is WITH a venomous snake.
A Cape Cobra
Man your lucky I like those although they have some highly toxic venom even for a Naja but they are one of my favorites Just chased this guy out of the garden.
You are welcome to it if you want to come collect it.
Re: Pittbulllady, I think I would disagree. Get an Asian rat snake, keep it warm and hungry, then if you manage to avoid getting bit for, say, 6 months, you are ready for a hot. (When warmed up and with the program those things are right out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon.)
---------- Post added 10-22-2011 at 01:16 PM ----------
Naja siamensis