Sudden loss

[chamberlinglass]

@ViperKeeper Just out of curiosity, do you have any more snake fangs, and would be willing to sell them? Especially, the fangs of King Cobras, and Gaboon Vipers, as these are my all time favorite snakes. In case you're wondering what my intentions are with the fangs: I have some antique "medicine" style glass bottles with cork tops, and I think a few fangs in them would look nice, as well as make a great conversation piece on my fireplace mantle. Please let me know if you're interested or not.

[viperkeeper]

@chamberlinglass I have a collection but I don't part with them.

[TheAmericanReptiles]

hey, do you believe that venomous snakes should have their venom glands removed? I was just on this website where that is all they do, I wonder how it would digest its food? its venom is its first step of digestion

[viperkeeper]

@TheAmericanReptiles No!!

[WolfRunnerMajestic]

Kermit has the cutest expression I have ever seen on a snake :) Out of random curiosity do you think that snakes have emotional needs?

[viperkeeper]

@WolfRunnerMajestic Yes, they at least have maternal instincts.

[Vermont12685]

just WONDERFULL pictures of that beautiful mamba. I´m very impressed!

[holmanftw2212]

Why is the Krait looking dehydrated ?

[viperkeeper]

@holmanftw2212 Maybe because he just arrived from Indonesia?

[jaytdark1991]

im sorry for you loss VK

[stixfigure1679]

Were we truly lucky or can eastern greens be that friendly?

I was also curious about the snake import laws in the 90"s, how did the guy that we buy him from get him and not know he was a mamba?

Thanks!

[viperkeeper]

@stixfigure1679 Interesting story. I have no idea what the Florida laws were in the early 90's but they have strict laws for venomous now. Eastern Greens are Mamba's through & through and very dangerous snakes. That said, each animal has it's own comfort zone & personality. It will act accordingly within those boundaries, some scary dangerous, some docile.

[stixfigure1679]

Ironically the vet called that very same day freaking out asking us to bring the snake in tank and all. We told him he had died and he told us we had angels watching over us and to still bring him, tank and all, not to touh him. So we got there and the vet to Munch and pried him mouth open, pressed a pen to the roof of his mouth, and out popped his fangs. We had been living with an eastern green mamba for three months. He never showed any signs of agression.

[stixfigure1679]

The vet said he was absolutely 100% positive that he was not a northern green and didn't feel comfortable letting us take him home. Well my brother threw a tempertantrum so the vet allowed us to take him home with the promise that we would leave him in his tank until his friend who was a herp expert could identify him through the pictures he took. So we brought Munch home and sadly he died about a week later.

[stixfigure1679]

I don't know how many times I woke up with him curled up in my bed with me. Anyway after having him for about a mnth and a half we got worried when he refused to eat so we made an appointment with a reptile vet to get him checked out, which was in September of that year. When we brought Munch to the vet I remeber standing in the room and pulling him out for the doctor to see and the vet jumping backward and saying "Woh, what type of snake did you say he is supposed to be?" , "A northern green"

[stixfigure1679]

...In July of 1993 my mother, younger brother and I moved from CT to Orlando, FL. A couple weekends later we vistied a flea market where my brother saw, and became completely fascinated with a snake that one of the pet vendors had. Even I who was a little weary of snakes at the time fell in love, so with some nagging from her children my mother agreed to bring Buttmunch home. Buttmuch was an awsome snake he loved to climb all over us and was quite the escape artist, I

[stixfigure1679]

Hi Viperkeeper, I don't know how often you read the comments to your videos but I have a story that I would like t share with you as well as a couple questions.

[TheGhostScorpion]

lol and that is how the tooth fairy take snake's teeth

[brnleague99]

Heard about a snake researcher who was scratched on the finger (not bitten). Just scratched by a Gaboon viper fang...and his hand hurt for four days.

[viperkeeper]

@brnleague99 I think Austin Stevens said that....

[brnleague99]

@viperkeeper ....damn, you are good. *grin*

[Moshburger420]

awwww... how did little red die?

[viperkeeper]

@Moshburger420 No idea, Bob found him while I was away.

[Moshburger420]

@viperkeeper sad face

[Moshburger420]

@Plaktfighter the venom sacs have been removed

[TheMtb416]

hello my name is marshall and a big fan of your videos. you have a beautiful gaboon she very pretty. me i dont deal with them i deal with rattle snakes i grow up with rattle snakes my favorite is the yucatan neotropical rattle snake. i respect what you do and hope one day i will get to your level.

[simman4427]

i know you probably dont but by any chance do you have a boomslang?

[viperkeeper]

@simman4427 Not currently in the collection.

[arfcomaddict]

People keep referring to "tame" snakes in the comments. I'm reminded of an incident several years ago where a rare white tiger killed a zoo keeper. Some members of the public called for euthanizing the tiger. When another keeper was interviewed he said, "You can take the animal out of the wild, but you can't take the wild out of the animal."

[viperkeeper]

@MrPokemon1208 No

[akonitony2]

What do you think of a water bowl with an aeriation stone going in it to water these guys?

[viperkeeper]

@akonitony2 That's alot of trouble/ high maintenance.

[akonitony2]

@viperkeeper You're probably right, plus you wouldn't get the hands on with the water squirter, and as I'm sure you know, you don't use it, you'll lose it.

[garciajennifer223]

So why did little red die? You didn't explain. It wasn't from falling was it?

[viperkeeper]

@garciajennifer223 No Idea, I was out of town and Bob found him.

[YoungCesar1000]

''i could have a slow death''...then pokes it with a stick LOL 9:50

[Earthdogbonzo3]

The "Mister Rogers" of venomous snake husbandry! As a twelve year old kid in 1971, the clinical detachment of Bill Haas left me chilled, that and his method of pumping nutrient paste deep into the stomachs of his serpent charges(it facilitated better venom extraction). Have you, or do you plan on publishing any books? Which books might you recommend?

[viperkeeper]

@Earthdogbonzo3 I have a 2 part video on books you should get.

[ItsElliottIdiot]

why dont u just keep a water bowl in the cage? seemed like the snake was really thirsty..

[jla2358]

do you collect or keep shedded fangs?

[viperkeeper]

@jla2358 Yes

[syn420951]

when Kermit went away after he was done drinking it looked like the snake said "thank you, see ya later !!!" lol and the last snake on this video was like "YAAAAY!!!! FOOOOOOD!!" lol

[Elvira0925]

Kermits my fav. Is he still with you?

[viperkeeper]

@Elvira0925 Yes



[Snakehunter0930]

Man Im sorry that your little red died! I hate loosing snakes!

[Truthseeker4449]

Is mr. Bunger feeding yet, I know this was posted 2 years ago

[viperkeeper]

@Truthseeker4449 He's a dangerous rodent feeder

[tinytomlinson]

Do you ever use the tubing meathod to handle a snake? Getting the snake to crawl part way into a plastic tube and then holding them so they cant get out of the tube. It seems like a good idea to me because as long as the head is held in the tube the snake is harmless.

[viperkeeper]

@tinytomlinson Not so easy to get them to do that.

[MrBbrooks23]

@tinytomlinson yeah trying to get a snake to go down a small clear to tube is not that easy and mostly only researchers do that to do medical or scientific studies like skin samples, i would assume the snake hates it very much considering it would feel like he was being eaten, but i have seen the tubing method your refering too

[KukiDoDo]

Hello Al, it's Siva here! It's really cool the way Kermit drinks - almost cute!

[unalphabet]

how did the snake die

[viperkeeper]

@unalphabet Not sure, since it was the day after giving birth I'm sure it was related to that.

[belleghem]

here comes lil red your the next contestant on the floor is hard. :P

[javcky]

Such a beautiful mamba you have... how old is Kermit? Of course my fave is the queen Gamby herself. Gabby is a gorgeous girl.

[viperkeeper]

@javcky Kermit is featured in the current video.

[toaturner1988]

I was wondering what you sprayed on the second mouse that you fed the crate? Was that a multivitamin to help get extra nutrients into him or a flavoring to try to entice him, or something to lubricate it to make it go down easier? I've thankfully never had to force feed any of my reptiles, so I was just wondering what that was for.

[viperkeeper]

@toaturner1988 Don't remember...it was 2 yrs ago

[xXKRiSTiNXx1990]

rip lil red

[xXKRiSTiNXx1990]

"mr fuzzy lost a foot" LOL

[xXKRiSTiNXx1990]

GABBY IS SO COOL!!!!!!

[xXKRiSTiNXx1990]

KERMIT RULES!!

[StrongDee]

omg..her head looks like a leaf

[theghosthunter1983]

GABBY RULES!!! The spitter is cool also. How come red only lived 3 years?

[viperkeeper]

@theghosthunter1983 Not sure why he died :-(

[theghosthunter1983]

@viperkeeper That a real shame. What a beautiful snake.

[stephennigga1]

why do you use the squirt bottle as opposed to water bowls, if you dont mind me asking, is it to sort of build a relationship and trust with the animals?

[viperkeeper]

@stephennigga1 Yes, exactly!

[stephennigga1]

@viperkeeper thats cool, i would do that with my retics but 18 foot 150 pound snakes drink alot of water so it would take a really long time just to do one, but i can free handle my snakes without the risk of one bite killing me, sure they can kill me but its easy to earn the trust as neonates then they are giant ropes basically as mature adults, but yea ive always wondered and i had to ask to be sure

[KatieJean1985]

Will Kermit drink from a water bowl?

[viperkeeper]

@KatieJean1985 It hard to get him to drink at all....so I think he does.

[dragon3600000]

kermit is a well tamed mamba, your doing a good job

[viperkeeper]

He's not tame, just does not feel threatened.

[dragon3600000]

I see, either way, always keep your gaurd

[viperkeeper]

yes

[apdorkfish]

@viperkeeper it's true; no one can tame a wild animal, because the animal will always have those wild instincts within him regardless if it was breed in captivity.

[ADbowling2000]

@viperkeeper Wild animals will always be wild. Does not matter what the situation is, because the snake is always going to have its wild natural instincts.

[HipHopAsh2]

So what happened to little red? Was it naturel causes? little red was a very beautiful snake

[viperkeeper]

Don't know. I was away and Bob found him.

[Regius101]

Kermit is a beautiful mamba

[r1ckz0mb0]

Your videos are awesome

[CoD5WaW4LIfEz]

Can u send me a Snake tooth for my tooth collection please im a 11 year old boy please

[seahawk120]

you have the coolest snake collection i have ever seen

[riverat70]

do you breed your own mice and rats?

[viperkeeper]

No, too much time and effort involved.

[Rudi1034]

That's a HUGE fang!!! I love her head...it looks like a leaf...good camo.

[sadisticscorpion]

KERMIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mandmreptiles]

if you dont have anti venom for the krait why dont you milk it? the krait is gorgous.

[viperkeeper]

I have serum...

[gekperson]

wow that krait is beautiful

[JBDVD]

I am really curious, I have kept captive boas and pithons for decades, never had hot herps, so forgive my ignorance.

I often see you giving water to the snakes with a pipette or a bottle, I can understand the reason for that for desert snakes, like your Cerastes cerastes, but why with the green mambas? Wouldn't it be easier just to keep a water bowl for these tropical species?

[viperkeeper]

This way I know they're drinking, also they see me not as a "threat" to them.

[Ribbitmefoot]

Did Mr Bunger keep the 2 fuzzies down Al?

[viperkeeper]

Yes

[Glassybubbles1231234]

R.I.P Red :'(

[morphavolo]

ok so when u let go of his head how do u make it so it doesnt come back up and hit u?

[viperkeeper]

You don't...that's the tricky part :-)

[Golfer011940]

Please answer this - Are sheadded fangs hazardous?

Due to traces of venom that maybe inside the fang????

[viperkeeper]

Undetermined but potientally hazardous.

[Golfer011940]

Are fangs sharp? Or are they just blunt, but able to be forced into the prey by the animals jaw pressure

[viperkeeper]

As sharp as the doctor's hypodemics

[humpingbird]

Why you dont feed live rats but frozen ones?

[viperkeeper]

I've talked about this many times. Look at all of the other threads for answer

[gnarley123321]

Hey al sorry to hear about little red

[am1068]

"Mr. Fuzzy just lost a foot" LMAO you just don't get to use that line everyday!

[rayioriorayiorio]

rip little red :'(

[badkittyamy]

that is probably the coolest thing I have ever seen. Thank you for posting these vids. I'll chose to stick with my BP's and live vicariously through you with the hots lol.

[fabioproductions]

R.I.P little red :D

[faething]

Such a shame about Little Red!! I think seeing him in one of your close up shots was the first time I ever caught myself thinking, "Wow... Cute snake!" I feel badly for you that he's gone. Though he was one of a kind, I hope you'll be able to enjoy the company of another like him someday.

[JK7992]

are coral snakes very well tempered

[viperkeeper]

No, gennerally not

[cindyao]

THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING, THANKS!

[zach01313]

do you have a hognose viper? if you do, do you or can you make some vids

[viperkeeper]

There is video already on my channel.

[zach01313]

K thanks

[DLlama]

You used snakes to feed the crate? What kind?

[viperkeeper]

Cornsnakes, Racers

[DLlama]

Why do you water your snakes with a bottle instead of a bowl?

[viperkeeper]

Because I can see them actually drink rather than relying on guessing if they are drinking

[Bodacious468]

is a venomoid a venomous snake with the venom removed?

[viperkeeper]

It implys that the venom gland and ducts are surgically removed, but that does not mean they will not grow back.

[zmingy]

at 9:38 it looks like a heart!

[ucntstopthis]

R.I.P mr.red u will be missed =]

[bored693]

Poor Mr.Red, though I never met him I was fond of him. :(

I would really like to know why he passed?

[webkinznick81]

is mr red dead :- (

[viperkeeper]

Mr. Red has left the planet.

[saiyid79]

Aah i figured it out. sad to hear mr red is gone, i was fond of him too. I loved his stroll video that you posted..

[saiyid79]

What was the sudden loss? was it gabby's fang you were pointing out?

[frigginbeavercorp]

do you have black mambas

[viperkeeper]

Yes, look in my back catalog.

[davi8052]

hi there. firstoff i want to say you are wonderful with your "friends". but i do have a question. you mentioned venomoid, i have heard that just because a snake has had the procedure there is still a chance that it was not done properly or they may even still become venomous again. is this true..

[viperkeeper]

Very true...

[ghostcamo]

hey how comes they dont have water dishes

[viperkeeper]

Not all snakes will drink standing water from a dish.

[fart1fart1]

While force feeding "mr. Bunger" you mention that you don't currently have an anti venom on hand. Do you keep an anti venom on hand for all your snakes? Does anti venom have a shelf life and have to be replaced?

[viperkeeper]

I have A/V for many of the species I keep, however, it does have a 3yr shelf life and will need replacing from time to time. As for this species I have A/V on hand for the same species but from a different region, whcih may or may not be effective.

[Tarzan07330]

where do you get your A/V from?

[viperkeeper]

The A/V fairy of course!

[Cougarmint]

I'm sorry about the loss of Little Red. He was a favorite and will be sorely missed.

[MoreilaMatt]

Hey al do you ever get tired of not being able to handle your snakes without haveing the chance that you could be killed at any moment.

[viperkeeper]

No, never

[t3nu]

do you have a venomous colobrids

[viperkeeper]

I have a Mangrove Snake

[RobTheGamer]

AL! Jeez man, I have never seen you be that careless. You have your bare hand within striking range of a green mamba! You of all people know how fast they are! He could have tagged you anytime he wanted! (Not trying to tell you how to do your job or anything, I was just shocked!)

[viperkeeper]

Not careless, calculated.

[RobTheGamer]

Brass balls, Al. Big ones. =) Braver then I am, even around my non-venomous Red Rat Snake. (His teeth are like needles, lol, and he's nippy)

[acefigther93]

its like u have a good realitionship with higly venomaous snake ....ur the man

[BassPlayer85]

Very nice vids. Love the green mambas.

What exactly are you using to water them there? I could really use something like that.

[viperkeeper]

I use a "laboratory wash bottle" to water many of my snakes.

[fvar86]

Hey Al, do you have more spitters? can you make a tape of them?

thanks

[DilaBagomee]

Poor little red he was my favorite red spitting cobra.

[crocodilehunter150]

Frozen zoo?

[Reptiguy425]

those mambas are beautiful, are they as venomous as the black mamba, and are they known to be aggressive?

[viperkeeper]

Mamba's are defensive not aggressive. If you don't attack them they are fairly calm.

[Reptiguy425]

sorry bad choice of words, but anyway theyre beautiful.

[kondro86]

thirsty snake. lol

[leightweight420]

what did you say your deadset against?

is that when there is no venom? why are you against it?

[viperkeeper]

I won't get into a debate about it...it's just wrong.

[leightweight420]

dont worry, i wasnt trying to debate... I just never heard of it before.

[StkProductions8]

such a cool snake.....

[nexivdr]

sorry to hear about red, he was really my favorite snake. i remember one day i was having such a horrible time and i seen you posted a new video of red and it truly made me smile. he will be missed dearly. take care

[IMCOnAir]

what to say more about LittleRed. - Yes, it was a cool snake of very interesting personality. Keep him in mind! Your great videos always will remember and teaching us these species are wonderful and great work of nature. - ElJay.

[Tehyamz]

Im sorry about little red, he was a funny little snake. Overall another awsome video, keep up the good work Al!

[puddingzombie]

sorry for your loss al

[dayoyomasta]

hey al im SOOOO sorry about Lil'red and i dont meen to be pushy or any thing but how did he pass???

[viperkeeper]

Bob found him dead this week while I was away. He was in my eyes one of the healthy-est snakes I had. He fed on Sunday and was fine till Wednesday.

[dayoyomasta]

oh, so sorry about him al

[JohnCaven312]

i shed a tear for little red.  what a snake he was. Did you find out what caused his death? Might want to if you havent so gabby or the others arent next./

[rattlergr]

Really sorry very sad thing find one of your animals dead...

[aidentalontarrat]

little red was a really cool snake Al, i feel for your loss. and only three years old... what a shame.

[Najakeeper]

Hey Al,

So sorry about Red. As you know I have been keeping two of these babies and it would really hurt if smt. happened to either one of them... Really really sorry...

Yasin

ps:That Kermit watering shot was one of the best.

[jpatt2]

sorry about red al. he had great camera presence, and always was entertaining when he fed. he had a great personality.

[nexivdr]

sorry about red, such a horrible thing to have happen. i remember i used to watch your videos when i was having a bad day and seeing little red's antics always made me smile. blessings - Josh

[SAsgarters]

Sorry for your loss, Al. Little Red was one of the most fun to watch.

[zapfin]

sorry for your lose...

[roswald07]

Aw Geez Al I am sorry to hear about Lil' Red he will be missed.

[Silky2dope]

aww :( sorry to hear will be missed

[anngus]

sorry for your loss al little red was a star will be missed

[reflexrg]

Oh poor snake.. How did he die? Seeing as he was only 3 years old, I am gussing it wasn't from old age....

[Jabbe90]

Condolences from Norway. I'm so sorry for your loss. Red was a very beautiful snake.

[ricky888iow]

sorry of your loss al little red was the 1st vid i watch from u rip :(

[8yeah8]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO He was my favourite!

[RobertCrotalus]

So sorry for your loss, Al.. We'll miss Little Red.. RIP little spazoid