False Water Cobra

[riddick07]

She came in April 2019 but I haven’t taken many pics of her. She‘s much calmer at a year old compared to her baby thrashing about She will be 2 in October/November can’t remember her exact hatch date but I bought her December 2018 but the weather was so cold that year, plus holidays, we couldn’t ship until April. The one thing I wanted in one of these was a really thick eye stripe that went pretty far down the neck. She has come thru for me and has a beautiful mask going on!

Here she is!

The natural color variations are quite large for these so it’s hard to know how they will turn out, so it was just luck to get that mask I wishing for on her! This is her breeder baby pic to see where she started.

Also, mom & likely dad. Opposites haha. I think so far she has landed somewhere in between!

 

[wrench13]

Impressive! Never heard of these before, thanks for showing me a new species. Do you keep anti-venom on hand? We used to keep a few rattlesnakes, and managed to convince the Bronx Zoo to give us some, otherwise we wouldn't have kept them. You can never tell.

 

[riddick07]

These are rear fanged and a bite doesn’t usually even cause a reaction. Reactions that I’ve seen documented aren’t usually serious unless you have a bad allergic reaction to that particular type. Antivenom wouldn’t be needed. You would need to be really chewed on for awhile to get a good amount chewed in anyway. The old world tarantulas I have are honestly more of a problem.

I wouldn’t have them if there was a risk for any real life threatening issues. Venomous that could kill me or cause loss of body parts is a no go for me haha. It’s my line for animals I won’t get. The old world tarantulas are kind of borderline for me since some you can have some very uncomfortable reactions for a decent period of time. I’ve just been being extra cautious with those since it didn’t sound like a fun time for sure!

They get the name nickname false water cobra without being an actual cobra because they have a little mini hood that they flare out when annoyed. Kind of like how rat snakes rattle tails in the leaves to try and scare. She flattens everything out when she’s super annoyed. Looks like someone squashed her with a car lol.

They are actually a pretty laid back species overall. Except for food time. They get so insanely excited about food. I usually just drop food right in front of the hide entrance and she’s basically on it before it hits the ground even if I wasn’t in view haha. The only iffy time I had with her was food time where she got extra extra excited for me opening the cage and came shooting out like a rocket trying to grab food. First time she ever did that and I didn’t even have food at the time and just wanted her water bowl lol. The only other species I have with a similar reaction is the bull snake but that one isn’t quite as bad.

 

[Flboy]

Really nice! I helped a buddy delouse a spitting cobra once! Snake hooded, he controlled the head, me, mid, third tail! A lot of strength!
We had a hog nose in our garage once and the wife froze thinking it was a cobra! She then was sure I was even crazier than diagnosed when, laughing, I walked over to it! Perfectly true to fashion, it fell over! It then vacated the garage! One of my best snake experiences in my life!

 

[riddick07]

Really nice! I helped a buddy delouse a spitting cobra once! Snake hooded, he controlled the head, me, mid, third tail! A lot of strength!
We had a hog nose in our garage once and the wife froze thinking it was a cobra! She then was sure I was even crazier than diagnosed when, laughing, I walked over to it! Perfectly true to fashion, it fell over! It then vacated the garage! One of my best snake experiences in my life!

Lol hognoses are so dramatic about life. The videos of them playing dead are always the best. I’m pretty sure they definitely hold the drama queen title.

 

[Scott]

Beautiful snake, how many do you have?

 

[Scott]

Impressive! Never heard of these before, thanks for showing me a new species. Do you keep anti-venom on hand? We used to keep a few rattlesnakes, and managed to convince the Bronx Zoo to give us some, otherwise we wouldn't have kept them. You can never tell.

Whoa, rattlesnakes? I assume you admired them from a distance but did not handle??

 

[wrench13]

No,Scott, we insanely did handle them, even milked them for venom. Thats why we got the antivenom from the Bx Zoo. We used to keep a timber rattler and a Northwest pygmy rattler in the same cage, and one day, in a feeding frenzy, the timber bit the pygmy and KILLED IT. Whoda thought rattlesnakes can die from rattlesnake bites?

 

[Scott]

No,Scott, we insanely did handle them, even milked them for venom. Thats why we got the antivenom from the Bx Zoo. We used to keep a timber rattler and a Northwest pygmy rattler in the same cage, and one day, in a feeding frenzy, the timber bit the pygmy and KILLED IT. Whoda thought rattlesnakes can die from rattlesnake bites?

Amazing, had no idea one could keep and handle rattlesnakes. Did they get to know you and easily submit, or was it always like handling a Star Trek bottle of anti-matter?

 

[riddick07]

Beautiful snake, how many do you have?

I just have this one for false waters but there’s 60ish snakes. I sold a few to friends or back to breeders for projects that came up, so my numbers have gone down not up for once:52: If my two breedings go well that’ll change quickly lol

 

[wrench13]

What do you think Riddick? Do snakes regconize their keepers and getmore familiar - your opinion?
Mine - is no. if they can't eat you and you don't try to eat them, they pretty much ignore you. If handled, like pythons and boas, your pretty much a warm tree for them to crawl around. Ours ( and we had as many as you have, or more) never showed preference or a dislike for one person.

One day we have to swap snake stories - I bet you have some great ones !

And yes Scott, rattlers got handled like they were anti-matter. We managed to never get bitten and need that anti-venom.

 

[riddick07]

I agree with you. I’ve never noticed a particular preference from them either. My one corn likes to poop on my mother every time she handles it but I’m not sure what that would mean lol

I’ve never really noticed handling help them become more friendly either. I’ve only noticed them growing out of it from baby to adult. But I have adults who are a$$holes no matter what you do. I have 2 old world rats that are highly offended that you dare to breath near them haha. I’ve also seen people say handle your Retics to keep them used to you or something. But I don’t consistently handle them and they are fine. Just don’t smell like food and pay attention to body language so you can snap them out of food mode if need be.

If I ever lost it I’d get a gaboon viper. I love those things! I see them at shows all the time. Besides the whole death/limb loss thing I’m just not coordinated enough for the hooks to use with venomous. I’d end up dropping one hook, getting one caught on something or stabbing my eye out somehow...all while the snake would be long gone or chewing on my foot or something lol

 

[wrench13]

Funny you shuld say that about retics, ours was the biggest a-hole of them all. You could always count on him trying to bite you when handled, so we were ready for it. Another nasty one was a emerald tree boa, with the extra long fangs in front like most aboreal snakes and lightning speed strikes, it was another one to be very leery of handling. Pain in the butt to feed too.