HOW OLD IS OLD ENOUGH

What do you recommend as a starting age to keep venomous reptiles. what is a good starter snake .i was thinking a pigmy would be a good choice any other ideals.is 14 too young are should they wait till there are at least 18

Well this topic is debatable.. I have been told I am too young to work with them as I am still 17 for another month yet, I know of other people much younger than myself (14-16) working with various venomous snakes. I find it is more of a personal choice (on the mentors part) than anything as they are the ones who are training the person.

Hi Guys,

If any of you live in an area where you need a permit to keep venomous, are there any age restrictions? Not sure what is required from local to local.

Here in Canada there is no permit system, it is simply based on municipal laws. Since I live in a rural area there are no animal bylaws preventing me from owning a venomous snake. There are no age restrictions in which I am aware of but MOST people breeding/selling will not sell to minors (under 18) due to legal reasons. I find your question on age restriction quite intriguing though as I am curious as well because I have never seen a law in which there was an age restrictions.

My person belief is if someone is allowed to get their driver's license they should be allowed to work with a venomous snake. Even though they aren't 18 and "legally" an adult you are allowed to drive a vehicle (The U.S averages 40,000 car accidents a year/about 115 deaths per day compared to 1-2 deaths per year by venomous snakes). I would much rather take my chances with the venomous snake.

I personally think that you should be well over 18 years old. Not only because you have the responsibility over your own health and safety but with venemous reptiles you also carry this responsibility for other persons in the neighbourhood.

But..Don McDougal.. are you 14 or 55 ?
My guess is 14 years old..

Again, most people say a minimum of 18 simply because you are legally an adult but it also depends where you are from and what age your mentor is comfortable with. I believe if you have a mentor, act responsible when around these snakes and can afford the antivenin I don't see a problem with starting at age 16-18.

I am not saying owning a venomous snake at that age, I am simply saying start mentorship than.

I agree with Michiel.

I started when I was 17 with a Timeresurus albolabris, but looking back I think I was much more irresponsible then I am today at 21 years of age. When you're older you see things from a different perspective. You'll think twice, in stead of once, before you do something that might be to risky ore anything.

So I would say you have to be an adult, although it differs for every person..

I myself definitely feel to young for hots ... Very Happy

Guenter Leitenbauer wrote:: I myself definitely feel to young for hots ...

Hurry up! The time when you'll feel too old comes closer and closer. Wink

Back to topic:

As far as I know, there’s no regulation about a starters age here in Germany, although you’ve got to be 16 to buy vertebrates of any kind at all. (Tierschutzgesetz, §11c - http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tierschg/BJNR012770972.html )

I personally would not sell hots to minors, and I refused selling them to people over 18 in some cases. To be honest, most people asking me for hot snakes have been at least in the mid twenties - which of course doesn't avoid them from wrong decisions.
By selling your snakes at reptile fairs or by the internet, there’s just little chance to separate the serious keepers from the idiots. (Following the news the next few weeks may help to get sure.)

No idea what I would do in case of my own kids interested in venomous snakes. Could be my wife would kick my A**, if I allowed them to work with, even if supervised. They hopefully will spend their time with sex, drugs and rock’n’roll until they’re old enough to start with hots.

Peter

Peter Schulze Niehoff wrote:: I personally would not sell hots to minors, and I refused selling them to people over 18 in some cases.

For my interest, Peter:

HOW do You make Your mind up if a potential buyer is capable to handle a hot? Do You have a question catalogue or which criteria do You use?

Hi Guenter,

as I told, „there’s just little chance to separate the serious keepers from the idiots”.
A five minutes talk at an overcrowded reptile fair of course cannot replace a hundred-question-test - which I am not prepared for to ask possible buyers. Much more difficult if you've got only email conversation.
It more has to do with the feeling you have, when you talk to somebody. An experienced reptile-keeper does not ask the same questions than a newbie does - but some of both do not ask anything at all. So I decide case by case - but usually there are just very little total inexperienced people (or minors) asking for hots.
In deed, there was just a handful of customers I didn’t sell to in the past years, as some of them were just fifteen or sixteen, and some seemed to be not well prepared. Unfortunately some of them didn’t share my point of view, but others told me to take some more time to think about keeping hots or not. No idea what they did in the end.

Best

Peter

Thanks Peter Smile

I thought about that often. And came to the realization that I still feel not really prepared enough for hots myself e.g.

Though I have some harmless nonvenomous now for a couple of years and even breeded them one time and usually try always to handle them with the hook, just to get some exercise. But that's my very personal approach.