Flutter your eyelashes!

My lovely female...

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And the male

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Thanks for looking

Oh her colours show up so well in those images, she is stunning Lisa!! Loving his second image, great shots.

So what are the precautions you need to take when dealing with these beautiful guys?

Stunning on both accounts

Sorry Tan, I completely missed your comment, and thanks Wama

Here's another shot of the female, I can't get enough of her (from a safe distance!) - she's just gorgeous :)

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With regards to precautions: I cannot stress how careful and sensible it is necessary to be with these animals. Here are some of the measures myself and Dave take with them :

* They are kept in secure vivs with viv locks, inside a locked reptile room.
* Latin name of species and contact numbers in case of an emergency, and a phone in place in the actualy reptile room.
* We maintain a minimal interference routine with them. We only handle them when absolutely necessary - for husbandry/cage upkeep etc. They don't defecate very often, and they are mostly left to their own devices. They refuse to drink from a water dish, and although we do maintain one in the viv, they always drink from droplets when sprayed. (We had a fogger, it broke so we're just spraying them every other day to keep up humidity until we get another).

* When it is necessary to move or handle the animals, we ensure there is always a second person in near vicinity, just in case. Under no circumstances will either of us handle these animals on our own.

* Decent and functional handling equipment is absolutely necessary and used by us at all times. Under no circumstances are these snakes free handled. Being aboreal, it is quite easy (with a little patience sometimes!) to guide a snake onto a hook, using another hook. They will sit quite comfortably at the end of the hook, and it is important to be armed with two hooks, as the snake could very well begin to make their way up alont the hook they are sitting on.

* In some circumstances, it is necessary to get closer to the snakes and in those circumstances, tubes will be used. We've had no cause to use them yet, but are well prepared if that situation arises.

* Good hook skills are absolutely essential. So is general cop on. we will not work with these snakes if we are tired/hung over/sick etc as you absolutely need to be on the ball and be capable of full concentration.

* We are in the process of building lock-boxes inside the vivs to bring us right up to N. Ireland DWA regulations. Currently we move them into a small spare viv when cleaning,and it works fine, but we want to abide by DWA even though it is not in existence in the Republic at this point in time.

*A note - when there is more than one venomous snake in a set-up, ALWAYS know exactly where each snake is. And remember how impressive their striking distance is

I adore them. It's like starting back at square one. Everything about keeping these guys is so different to how non-venomous are kept. They are not for everyone and they certainly shouldn't be!

I will add to this if I think of anything and contributions from other hot keepers - or indeed people with thoughts on the issue, are very welcome.

EXCELLENT advice Lisa.

Personally I don't keep or ever intend to keep a DWA listed reptile as I know I would never ever be confident enough to look after it, which in turn would inevitably lead to me making a mistake which in turn could result in lost digits, limbs or a life.

I think trying to follow DWA is important and responsible tbh, it's in place for a reason after all and it is only a matter of time before we become more regulated.

Great post Lisa I know i'd love a Gaboon Viper.....but i'm 100% i will never ever ever get one, i'm not cautious enough!!!

My word, look at all my typos!
And I'm too lazy to go back and correct them...

Thanks Tan and Joe I was always 100% sure I would never take on anything DWa listed either! Snake wise, it certainly stops at these. I could so easily get caught up in the appeal of hots, but it is not going to happen. As for gaboon vipers Joe, we brought some home for friends from our last Haam trip - and they are not something I would ever consider keeping. They are absolutely magnificent, but oh so scary!

Good points there Lisa ... and your 0.1 is really nice ... are you going to breed them some day ? If you do, pleas contact me ... new bloodlines are allways needed
"... it certainly stops at these... " never say never, there are so many interesting small "worms" waiting for you ...

Thanks Ari

They are both 07's and have been copulating, time will tell I guess. I will make a proper attempt at breeding them next year I think...
What about yours? Have you bred the schegli yet?

Lisa she is stunning, and some great advice given there too. I wouldn't consider getting anything like that though, I fear I'd end up having a lapse of concentration and end up getting bitten.

The DWA legislation here in the north is quite good (although it hasn't been enforced very well) and I think it's good that you have used it for keeping your own hots even though you didn't have to, very responsible.

lisafay wrote:Thanks Ari
What about yours? Have you bred the schegli yet?

Not yet, my schlegs are 0.1 / -08 and 1.0 / -10 ... have to wait few years until it´s possible.
But I´m looking for 2.1 / 2.2 or even 1.1 ( -07 ... -09) groups from different bloodlines
later this year ... any hints ?

I'll root out the details of the guy we got ours from - we originally had a 2.1 group, but moved a male on. He visits Haam, that's where we met up with him!

unfortunatly the closet i think il ever get to that end of snake keeping will be the hognoses....lol
they are truely amazing to look at, i love the colours on both,
which brings me to a question....
you say they are both 07s....well are they different morphs? as the male is yellowy and the female is grey and red....???

They are different colour phases Hudsy, absolutely. Eyelash vipers have one of the greatest ranges of colours in their natural environments of any snake.

There is some captive selective breeding of different colour phases now as the genetics on some are proven out

Any experience of their strike speed yet ,while feeding only i hope....??
These guys are lightning fast and can strike out before you even realise they've moved
Nice pair there Lisa, has the wee male lost the urge yet or is he still only got one thing on his mind ?

The female's a striker Buddy - a right bad tempered little thing! It's not just the speed, it's the shocking distance they can strike as well that could easily be underestimated and get you into a bad situation! No chances every taken here. it's good in a way that she is like that - it keeps us on our toes and has shown us what they can do if they so please, prevents you becoming complacent.

Neither strikes at food, they just chow down. Both are refusing now at the minute. The male's been bad from word go but the female was fantastic. There's a chance she could be gravid, but I don't know.

The male still only has one thing on his mind! There was another male originally when we bought them. I hear he went northwards and hasn't been any better where food is concerned...

Heard years ago that sometimes upping their spraying can trigger a feeding response due to simulating a rainy season....not sure if true or not though as never tried it personally....
Good luck with them though as they are little beauties and it would be nice to see a few neonates from her soon

I had a mister system in with them, but it broke :( I'm going to stick waterfall setups in with each (in separate setups), and in meantime I'm just spraying well everyday.
Tickling the tail with a hook has definitely helped trigger a response with the female up until now. We'll see how things go! I would love to breed them, but if I manage it at all I will stop at a single breeding as it is such a responsiblity to find suitable new homes for babies...

"... is such a responsiblity to find suitable new homes for babies..."
- I know at least one ...
"These guys are lightning fast"
- fast but not fastest - african house snakes (Lamprophis) strikes faster than these believe or not ... all treevipers are really fast due to their hunting on the trees (??) - you must be fast or hungry up there (just my toughts)
"... it's the shocking distance they can strike"
- one half of their lenght and some other treevipers even more: 3/4 of their lenghts. That is thing what is underestimate ... people don´t know what is "safety" distance for these arboreals (my schleg strike once just to my cameras lens ... too close indeed and I had a lesson what won´t be forgotten).

It is definitely easy to underestimate Ari - and because they tend to be coiled around branches, it can be easy to forget how long the body of a particular snake is! They are almost like springs, hanging on with their tail and springing at you!

Ps. Need to get seller's details from my other half's email, hence the hold up. Will send details to you as soon as I have them

gorgeous pics lisa they ar stunning snakes :) thanx for tat advice to i hope to keep vipers myself but wanna have the right enviroment t do so first :) bit bit bit i'll get there :)