Venomous Snake Pictures and Force Feeding Video

Najakeeper

Arachnoprince
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Dec 10, 2010
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1,050
I helped a friend to export some of his snakes to USA and while I was at his place, I took some pictures of his wonderful collection:

Absolutely stunning and evil Cape cobra-Naja nivea



Indo-Chinese spitting cobra-Naja siamensis



Copperhead-Agkistrodon contortrix



Rough scaled death adder-Acanthophis rugosus



Smooth scaled death adder-Acanthophis laevis (Used to be mine)





A hybrid death adder species-Acanthophis sp.



Barkly tableland death adder-Acanthophis hawkei babies all ready and packed



One hold-back baby that was kept for me to be picked up in the future:



Death adder babies are really difficult to start feeding so my friend force feeds them. Here is the video of the procedure:

[YOUTUBE]BFr5yvV0Ybo[/YOUTUBE]
 

pavel

Arachnobaron
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Oct 18, 2008
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That was interesting! Have to admit, I don't know that I could bring myself to do it -- I'd be so afraid of hurting the snake. Why is it so difficult to get the babies to eat? Is it just a matter of not using their preferred prey?


 

Najakeeper

Arachnoprince
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Dec 10, 2010
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That was interesting! Have to admit, I don't know that I could bring myself to do it -- I'd be so afraid of hurting the snake. Why is it so difficult to get the babies to eat? Is it just a matter of not using their preferred prey?


I believe so. This is a mainland Aussie species and they feed on small lizards as babies. My friend has no lizard prey available, so he force feeds. I tried to tease feed her several times before the force feeding but even though she bit, she did not eat. I can not do the force feeding myself with such a tiny snake so the breeder will keep my pair 'till they start eating on their own.
 

kevin91172

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Oct 11, 2009
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Oh yes saw this vid on youtube because I subscribe to you..I got some stories to tell on force feeding,some great and only one not so great....got to watch your fingers is the main thing
 

Najakeeper

Arachnoprince
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Dec 10, 2010
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Yeah, absolutely you gotta watch the fingers while feeding Acanthophis. This tiny little thing can kill you.
 

BimBim

Arachnopeon
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Nov 21, 2011
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44
Nice pictures :D , what was fed to the baby snake in the video? do you have to force feed much or was that one just being stubborn?
 

Najakeeper

Arachnoprince
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Dec 10, 2010
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Nice pictures :D , what was fed to the baby snake in the video?
Half pinky mouse.

do you have to force feed much or was that one just being stubborn?
This is my friend doing the force feeding. It is a very stressful experience for both the keeper and the snake so it is avoided until there is no other way to nourish the snake. A death adder this size can kill you so this is very serious business. When I had venomous snakes, I had to force feed my baby Naja kaouthia(Monocled cobra) and believe me it is not fun.
 

ZergFront

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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May 2, 2009
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1,956
So are you getting venomous again? Is it just this pair?
 

the toe cutter

Arachnobaron
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Mar 20, 2010
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I used to have a Canebrake rattler female that was very timid and I had to force feed her a few times. It is never a pleasant experience especially when you see those fangs vigorously stabbing into they prey item inches from your fingers! I used soft tipped tweezers. Colubrids can be tricky as well, i recently had a 5ft African beaked snake pop his fang out the side of his mouth and attempt to drag it into my thumb. Didn't even notice until I felt a prick from the fang. Not deadly, but rufotoxin can cause some rather nasty side effects like Hypertension and the swelling and pain is horrific!
 

BigJ999

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
188
Ahhh the highly venomous Death Adder :) Its venom is post-synaptic neurotoxin if im not mistaken but they aren't the most dangerous Australian elapid. I think that goes to Pseudonaja textilis (Easten Brown snake) or Coastal Taipan(Oxyuranus scutllatus). I like death adder's though :)
 

gatamer

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Messages
62
i've been in snake hobby several years , but venomous ones no , it's too risky , but i'm respecting the ones who have them :)
 
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