Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby it_bit_me » Mon May 07, 2012 6:10 pm

The comment was aimed at you.

The only problem I see here is people coming on to the forum and not using common sense. We can not tell whether he is 14 or a raging alcoholic on weekends. To ask the "experts" to recommend you a lethal reptile on a open forum is not fair.
If I'm gonna be an old, lonely man, I'm gonna need a thing, you know, a hook, like that guy on the subway who eats his own face. So I figure I'll be Crazy Man with a Snake, y'know. Crazy Snake Man. And I'll get more snakes, call them my babies, kids won't walk past my place, they will run. "Run away from Crazy Snake Man, " they'll shout!”
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Shamrock » Mon May 07, 2012 6:16 pm

spinnerak wrote:The point I am trying to make is that a youngster looking for his first COBRA has not had the opportunity of dealing with them first hand...


How did you come to the conclusion that he has not had the "opportunity of dealing with them first hand"?
Don't worry, its completely tame . . .
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby levi_20 » Mon May 07, 2012 6:20 pm

spinnerak if your opinion of mathew.reynolds is correct then your abrupt judgmental response would only make him buy a cobra faster to 'prove you wrong'. This site is for ADVICE and not harsh judgment in my opinion, and that is all that mathew was asking for.
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby shadowfoot » Mon May 07, 2012 6:29 pm

@Jamster, Im saying he should forget about a cobra altogether and get the Coral, not get a Coral and then a cobra.
Shining brightly, even for a split
second, is better than living a
dull-grey life for eternity - Jing (King Of Bandits)
A life without gambling is like
sushi without wasabi - Gintoki (Gintama)
I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it - Steve Irwin
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Shamrock » Mon May 07, 2012 6:41 pm

I'm with Jamster, the guy has already decided that he wants a cobra . . . why not help the guy make an informed decision, but give advice and information with strong word of caution?
Don't worry, its completely tame . . .
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby spinnerak » Mon May 07, 2012 7:36 pm

levi_20 wrote:spinnerak if your opinion of mathew.reynolds is correct then your abrupt judgmental response would only make him buy a cobra faster to 'prove you wrong'. This site is for ADVICE and not harsh judgment in my opinion, and that is all that mathew was asking for.

Are you going to pay his medical bills in the inevitable event that he gets tagged ??? All I am trying to do is to give him the facts. And it will be sad if he does not listen to the voice of reason... And quite frankly petshops should be governed in respect of selling highly venomous snakes to individuals who clearly have no understanding of the risks they want to take in obtaining said reptiles
"Have you ever noticed? Anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac."
George Carlin.
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Westley Price » Mon May 07, 2012 7:53 pm

A bit of debate is healthy, but guys please don't let this get personal.

Why has no one bothered to ask Matthew what snakes he has kept in the past? I think that makes a massive difference.

I agree, from his posts he does not appear to be the most experienced keeper, but we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Matthew, I know you're probably overwhelmed with advice/comments, but here's my 2c:

Don't go for a cobra...yet. These snakes are not very forgiving and you will pay with your life even for the smallest mistake.

There are many other species which have similar temperments to cobras, bur are not as potent.

USe the search bar in the top right of your page and search the words "starter hot." you will find TONS of info and suggestions. I now you are not a starter with venomous, but this will give you some nice ideas to work from.
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby shadowfoot » Mon May 07, 2012 9:14 pm

I think the problem is that its kind of difficult choosing between the cobras.
Do you choose a Cape Cobra because its one of the smaller ones, but then you also get one of the most venomous cobras. All of them has a lot of negative points to them. Rinkhals, even though they arent true cobras are spitters which is a negative.
You might be lucky and get a very calm snake, but they are so unpredictable.
Shining brightly, even for a split
second, is better than living a
dull-grey life for eternity - Jing (King Of Bandits)
A life without gambling is like
sushi without wasabi - Gintoki (Gintama)
I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it - Steve Irwin
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Jamster » Mon May 07, 2012 10:11 pm

Sorry I meant shadow foot not firefly, you both have anime chicks as your avatar haha.

My apologies shadow foot I thought you meant as a replacement.

Remember Michael said...he is not planning on rushing anything.

Anyway, I think the point is from some of the stronger responses you got Michael is that there is no such thing as a good starter cobra. You can only be prepared and get as much experience as possible before getting your own one. Also long before you get the snake make sure you have all the necessary snake bite treatment equipment at your disposal and know how to use it properly. I say this because that little roll of bandage might be the only thing between getting to hospital in time and not getting there in time.


Good luck :) PS red spitters are evil ;)

Thanx for backing me up shamrock, appreciate it. And thanx for the input there Wesley getting us back on track :)
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1.1-burmese pythons
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby shadowfoot » Mon May 07, 2012 10:35 pm

No problem Jamster.
Michael, I think you have had some positive and negative advice and feedback, its mostly up to you now. Just remember to be careful when working with them.
Shining brightly, even for a split
second, is better than living a
dull-grey life for eternity - Jing (King Of Bandits)
A life without gambling is like
sushi without wasabi - Gintoki (Gintama)
I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it - Steve Irwin
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby shadowfoot » Mon May 07, 2012 10:38 pm

Sorry, I mean Matthew :P
Shining brightly, even for a split
second, is better than living a
dull-grey life for eternity - Jing (King Of Bandits)
A life without gambling is like
sushi without wasabi - Gintoki (Gintama)
I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it - Steve Irwin
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Jamster » Tue May 08, 2012 9:11 am

Sorry I also said Michael!? And not matthew,used to seeing Michael here on the forum haha
1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Hoss » Tue May 08, 2012 9:44 am

Yeah and I don't think Michael should have any cobra's either ;)
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby Smeegle » Tue May 08, 2012 9:50 am

Jamster wrote:Good luck :) PS red spitters are evil ;)


I'm always amazed at how experiences vary amongst different keepers of cobra's. Perhaps we can explore this further? I keep quite a few of mainly indigenous cobra's, and in my experience I would rate them as follows in order of easiest to scariest:

Forest Cobra - Very easy to keep. Not agressive at all, never hood. Happy and appreciative captives. Very intelligent.

Red Spitter - I have an adult pair and they are an absolute pleasure to keep. Never seen them hood or spit. Not very clever snakes but such a pleasure to keep.

Rinkhals - These huff and puff a lot, and like to spit but they are pretty easy to handle and aren't very brave snakes.

Cape Cobra - These I find to be very fast, but quite shy and would rather back down when confronted.

Mozambique Spitter - Horrible things that spit like mad and never seem to settle down much. But pretty easy to handle as long as you always wear a full face mask.

Snouted Cobra - I have quite a few of these and they are very agressive. They charge you with an open mouth and want to kill you. Not very bright.

It will be interesting to hear from some of the other guys how they rate different cobra's in captivity. Of course all of these are very dangerous animals and safety precautions are always adhered to.

Thanks for reading:)
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.
- Dale Carnegie
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Re: Need help on choosing my first cobra!!!

Postby leogecko » Tue May 08, 2012 10:15 am

I knew this would make for good reading!!love how everyone is judged and treated as kids on this site,that's what makes it such a great site!
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