Sea Snake ??

[nmocean]

In Scott Michael's book Pocket Guide Marine Fish, he lists the banded snake eel as difficult to keep, very finicky eater. He also says you should have atleast 2 in. of fine coral sand for the eel to bury in.
I am curious though, this fish does resemble the banded sea snake, how do you tell them apart? It would not be a good thing to buy a banded snake eel, only to find out later that you actually had a venemous banded sea snake!
-Jen

 

[mistergn10]

Originally Posted by Nmocean
It would not be a good thing to buy a banded snake eel, only to find out later that you actually had a venemous banded sea snake!
-Jen
I asked the guy at the store the day I saw it what kind of eel it was and his exact words were it is not an eel it is a sea snake. He also did not say it was venomous or not. Well it is for sure that I will not be going to get it.
You would think if it is a eel it would not come to the top for air!!!

 

[texasmetal]

Wise decision. I love snakes, but I'd never own a venomous one. Even if I never got bit, some curious guest could.

 

[nmocean]

Mistergn10- I would have a hard time buying anything from a LFS, that was not upfront about a venemous sea snake!! It seems that there should be a clear warning label on the tank that contains an animal that is venemous enough to cause death. Texas Metal makes a very good point about someone else getting bit. Maybe all the employees in the store have been warned that it is venemous, but what about customers. Also, can't sea snakes survive on dry land?
Still, does anyone know how to tell the difference between the banded snake eel and the banded sea snake?
-Jen

 

[mistergn10]

The tank it was in did not have anything on it. All the other tanks in the store were labled. I will try to go by there tomorrow and see if it is still there and try to get some more info. The guy I talked to was a rather young kid he may have just left off the part that it was a snake eel. I will say it did look cool.

 

[cartman101]

Originally Posted by Nmocean
Also, can't sea snakes survive on dry land?
-Jen
YES

 

[mistergn10]

Ok I got a chance to go by the store and it turns out it is a snake eel. It had a bands of black and some black spots.

 

[mitzel]

kinda off the subject but in high school I had a friend and his step dad had snakes. all kinds , it was cool. then he got a rattle snake. I never went in that guys house again. somethings are better left to be in nature.

 

[mistergn10]

Originally Posted by mitzel
kinda off the subject but in high school I had a friend and his step dad had snakes. all kinds , it was cool. then he got a rattle snake. I never went in that guys house again. somethings are better left to be in nature.

I have a Ball Python that is really cool but a Rattle snake is a big no no!!!

 

[mitzel]

no lie , they had to pop the lid off and slide it down in the cage to keep it on one side while they cleaned the cage. they would flip the lid open and toss mice in from a distance to keep from getting bit.some people try way to hard to be cool.

 

[pbienkiewi]

Remember, Keep 911 on speed dial. I have it on mine for personal emergencys related to being bitten/stung or cutting my finger off again.

 

[mitzel]

911 hell I have a direct line . kind of like the bat phone or the red phone in the white house. I'm supprised that they dont just station paramedics out side my house. Actually I should just live in the ER I'm there enough. Ah but the rent is to high there.

 

[cartman101]

Originally Posted by mitzel
kinda off the subject but in high school I had a friend and his step dad had snakes. all kinds , it was cool. then he got a rattle snake. I never went in that guys house again. somethings are better left to be in nature.

I had a rattle snake when i lived in florida, it was a pgmy rattler. It was kept out side, very cool reptile

:joy:

 

[mitzel]

Originally Posted by Cartman101
I had a rattle snake when i lived in florida, it was a pgmy rattler. It was kept out side, very cool reptile

:joy:
thats cool but they kept this bad boy right there in the living room window next to the couch.

 

[crashedin0]

Originally Posted by pbienkiewi
Remember, Keep 911 on speed dial. I have it on mine for personal emergencys related to being bitten/stung or cutting my finger off again.
agin can i here the tale

 

[texasmetal]

Even further off the subject..Copperheads are really pretty snakes but I'll take safety over beauty any day. I have 3 Boa's, had 2 Ball Pythons that died of IBD (snake disease that only effects Boas and BP's) and a 7 foot female Boa that had her face eaten off by a rat (yeah snakes are real mean let me tell ya) ..... I had to euthanize her.
My brother tried keeping a rattler, I made him get rid of it. That's just ignorant. They are way too fast and people make mistakes. One mistake could be the last mistake a person makes with a creature like that.

 

[1managain]

Hi, i'm just going to give you my 2cents and then never respond if you have a question because I only read these boards like once a month...
...just wanted to forwarn you.
Anyway, I've had two of these guys before. They will die in your tank. It is possible that if you succumb (sp?) to your curiosity that you will soon be sifting through the sandy bottom of your tank to retrieve the rotting carcas of a once cool looking banded snake eel. They are incredibly impossible to feed and you will never see the thing since it spends most of it's time buryied in the sand. It is a very cool looking creature but, it shouldn't be collected. Resist the urge.