Naja (Boulengerina) sp. "Congo" as a Gateway to Elapiedae

A lot of people asked me in several platforms about the perfect starter venomous snake. Giving a proper answer to this question is quite difficult as every single venomous snake should be respected and putting them under the adjective of "starter" may trick people into believing that the amount of respect expected for another species is not necessarily expected for the starter. This is obviously far from the truth so I usually try to avoid answering "the starter" question.

If I am pushed to give an answer, I usually recommend a well studied species, which is local for the potential keeper, with manageable venom and antivenin availability. However, I am going out of my own box here and will recommend a snake that:

a-is a fast elapid
b-has very potent venom
c-has no antivenin available
d-is not very well studied

The species I am talking about is the undescribed species of African water cobras, genus Naja subgenus Boulengerina, location Congo. I have been searching this species for the last 4 years and I have managed to acquire a captive bred pair about a couple months ago. My experience so far fits to what I have been reading about them. These snakes are extremely docile, quite easy to manipulate and reasonably easy to take care of when the research is done properly. In fact, after the initial stage of acclimation, they get so comfortable, they even stop hooding like a cobra normally does. In the last couple of weeks, I haven't observed a single strike, hooding, gaping or any sort of aggressive behavior from neither of the snakes I keep.

The care is also quite simple. A warm end, a cool end, large water dish and a humid box within the enclosure serves them very well. They are fish eaters in the wild and they take frozen/thawed fish readily. But they are also very easy to switch to mice. Just thaw the mice within a container with warm water and some fish, that's it.

Of course, the animal in question should be a captive bred specimen in good health and this is currently a problem. There is only one breeder as of 2013 and he only produces 3 or 4 animals a year. But when this species is widely available to the hobby, I think I have finally found a snake that I can recommend as a first elapid, maybe even as a starter venomous snake.

Here is a quick video of the species I have described above:

[YOUTUBE]_YAVjAavn14[/YOUTUBE]

For a starter, and I'm serious here, what about a Krait? Rule 1, keep the containment at the lower end of that particular varieties comfort zone. Rule 2, only open the containment during the morning and early afternoons and never at night. There you go. One of the top 10 deadliest, slow, laconic and friendly.

The problem with Kraits is the presynaptic neurotoxins. When these bind, they are there to stay and very hard to combat. So if an accident happens, solving the problem may be very difficult.

I'm foncused. You are suggesting a venomous snake that the presently has no antivenin over a snake that has an antivenin, albeit one with somewhat limited efficacy. Bring me down to speed here puhleeze. But we need to be brutally honest here. Both snakes are far more preferable than the vast number of venomous reptiles that tend to migrate towards Wash D.C. I mean, I'll kick it back in a bathtub filled with Russelli before a luncheon date with a T. Partyius Delusionarius.

Cool comparison at the end.

Let me explain, let's take the worst case:

Krait's presynaptic neurotoxins bind very strongly and do not release. So even if you have antivenom available, what has bonded to the synapses until you get to medical care are there to stay so we are looking at a prolonged period of treatment. Prolonged time on iron longs is a reality, anticholinesterases and diaminopyidines have no effect. And on top of this, kraits are larger and have postsynaptic neurotoxins as well.

Water cobras postsynaptic neurotoxins are as effective as the kraits in killing but they bind reversibly. So if there is serious evenomation, you are looking at the possibility of a few hours of iron lungs experience with acetylcholinesterases until the venom is metabolized down and you can use your diaphragm muscles again.

Not to get off topic but why would you feed an animal that preys on fish and say "hey, I'm just going to get you to eat pinkie mice, even though it'll be harder for you to eat it and it won't provide you with the fish oils you need." That doesn't seem fair in the least.

stewstew8282 said:

Not to get off topic but why would you feed an animal that preys on fish and say "hey, I'm just going to get you to eat pinkie mice, even though it'll be harder for you to eat it and it won't provide you with the fish oils you need." That doesn't seem fair in the least.

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Yeah, there is a constant debate around this. People switch their King Cobras to mice from snakes and black headed pythons to mice from lizards for convenience. IMO, varied diet is the key and I do offer fish as well as I say in the video. But I also know some adult water cobras feeding only on mice and they are perfectly fine after years of captivity.

I will keep supplementing the main mice diet with other options to provide balanced nutrition.

That is always the general rule. The broader the spectrum of nutrients/nutrient sources, the healthier the animals. The big error is a focused diet supplement. As example, humans taking vitamin supplements. Just about any organism benefits from complimentary nutritional sources. You can scarf down vitamin C by the bucket full but the body will only assimilate a tiny amount without the complimentary vitamins and minerals and then, those complimentary nutrients should be as from a wide a number of sources as possible. The partial exception to this rule is carnivores which eat the entire animal. That in and of itself is a broad spectrum nutritional snack bar. As the king cobra living for years eating nothing but frogs.

Somewhat off the subject, it is comical when someone takes some diet supplement and suddenly feels a benefit. Scam artists, known as dietary supplement companies make millions of $$$ a year off that ploy. If a person, or an animal, takes any supplement and feels a difference it means their entire nutritional intake is screwed up and they should completely rethink their entire diet. As example, the latest scam: Q-10.

Very good description of the species. All Venomous snakes should be treated
as deadly whether they have antivenin available or not.

Pandinus97 said:

Very good description of the species. All Venomous snakes should be treated
as deadly whether they have antivenin available or not.

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Agreed.

Peek-a-boo



Naja sp. "Congo Water Cobra"

IMHO, anyone who wants to keep venomous snakes should first be administered a few micrograms of rattler venom under the skin on their shin. Several hours of uncontrollable eye watering and limping for a solid week should give them the perspective to make a sound decision about hot hugging.

The Snark said:

IMHO, anyone who wants to keep venomous snakes should first be administered a few micrograms of rattler venom under the skin on their shin. Several hours of uncontrollable eye watering and limping for a solid week should give them the perspective to make a sound decision about hot hugging.

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Red spitter venom in the eye for a few seconds would also be a good deterrent.

I kind of disagree with you, Najakeeper, but not completely. Water cobras are a decent starter, but I think people should start with something local but not super docile. Local so the antivenom is readily available, and not docile so they don't become complacent. I've recommended people get a nasty water snake before a venomous snake so they have practice with a snake with a bad attitude that won't kill them. In my area I think copperheads are a good first. Small, not too dangerous but will make you respect them if you get a bite... when I lived out west I'd recommend sidewinders for the same reasons.

We've banged on this topic before. I again suggest an Asian rat snake and seeing just how long you can go without getting tagged. You don't get venom but it makes up for it with a seriously dirty mouth. A nice case of angry cellulitis is as good as getting envenomed.

Thistles said:

I kind of disagree with you, Najakeeper, but not completely. Water cobras are a decent starter, but I think people should start with something local but not super docile. Local so the antivenom is readily available, and not docile so they don't become complacent. I've recommended people get a nasty water snake before a venomous snake so they have practice with a snake with a bad attitude that won't kill them. In my area I think copperheads are a good first. Small, not too dangerous but will make you respect them if you get a bite... when I lived out west I'd recommend sidewinders for the same reasons.

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I think there is no single way to this but starting with something that will challenge a bit is also a good idea.

By the way, Got Fish???

Interesting snake, I like your vids and posts. Interesting how that snake moves like it's cousin here in the US, the Coral snake, not so nervous as the coral though.

Galapoheros said:

Interesting snake, I like your vids and posts. Interesting how that snake moves like it's cousin here in the US, the Coral snake, not so nervous as the coral though.

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Thanks mate.

Corals are amazing looking snakes. Too bad they don't adjust to captivity well and it is impossible to find captive bred snakes. Some snakes like Corals, Fea's Vipers, Hairy Bushvipers etc. are very beautiful but I guess they are not meant to be captives.

Here is a new feeding video:

[youtube]LXvxLN-_PDE[/youtube]

She is coming close to 60cm even though she is still somewhat thin. Growing very fast...

Thistles said:

I kind of disagree with you, Najakeeper, but not completely. Water cobras are a decent starter, but I think people should start with something local but not super docile. Local so the antivenom is readily available, and not docile so they don't become complacent. I've recommended people get a nasty water snake before a venomous snake so they have practice with a snake with a bad attitude that won't kill them. In my area I think copperheads are a good first. Small, not too dangerous but will make you respect them if you get a bite... when I lived out west I'd recommend sidewinders for the same reasons.

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I'd recommend Sidewinders, any of the Massasauga group, including Pygmies, or Copperheads, as a first "hot" snake. If you're gonna keep hots, START with a hot, one which, like you said, has readily available antivenin but which is venomous and can definitely hurt you. Pygmy rattlers, in my experience, are the "Napoleons" of the Crotalids, and have an attitude that is way out of proportion to their diminutive size, so they will keep you alert and focused for sure.

I totally disagree with getting a non-ven of any kind to "practice" for keeping a "hot" snake. You are always going to know in the back of your mind that if you DO get bitten, you won't be hurt. A Water Snake would be the worst possible candidate, because I have never seen one that, even without frequent handling, didn't turn into a fat snake-shaped bean bag toy within a couple of days. They settle down very quickly and 99% won't bite or strike again ever(except over food) after the initial capture. Most Ball Pythons are high-strung compared to the typical Water Snake!

The Water Cobras are interesting snakes, though. They have a really distinctive look about them that really reminds me of a true Sea Snake, especially their heads, so I have to wonder if these Elapids are a sort of evolutionary transition between land-based Elapids and those which are entirely marine and feed totally on fish.

pitbulllady

pitbulllady said:

The Water Cobras are interesting snakes, though. They have a really distinctive look about them that really reminds me of a true Sea Snake, especially their heads, so I have to wonder if these Elapids are a sort of evolutionary transition between land-based Elapids and those which are entirely marine and feed totally on fish.

pitbulllady

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Interesting question as their heads do look like sea snakes and they have trouble swallowing any large prey item that is not fish. But these are inland snakes, which hunt in freshwater lakes. So in my opinion, rather than being a link, head shape is an example of convergent evolution. Both feed on fish, therefore have a fish eater's head shape.