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I was driving from my gunsmith to my beach condo when I drove past reptile world in saint cloud Florida. http://reptileworldserpentarium.com I have driven past this place for the last 29 years and never stopped in. On a cloudy rain day I decided to stop in as the beach would suck. It was a great decision - for $11.50 I go to see some cool snakes and talk to the owner George Van Horn. Snakes Black Mamba    Green Mamba   Gaboon Viper  From Asia - King Cobra - massive scary and very impressive   The size and scale of the king cobra  George Van Horn is an interesting guy - survived probably the most venom of anyone in recorded history when a king cobra bit him http://www.orlandomagazine.com...of-a-Serpentologist/  13 bites in 60 years He did think I was crazy for shaking hand with a full grown live croc with his Jaws not taped   Best tourist attraction in Cental Florida and a great value for $11.50. Mike | ||
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Is that Bill Haast's old place? ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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Wow! Those black mamba pics remind me of the grey snakes running between our legs in the long grass and sunning themselves by the tracks just after the wet finished in Tanz, but they weren't all that long. You can have the croc  DRSS | |||
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No This place has been around since 1972 Small facility but pretty cool. Mike | |||
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A question about the croc: where was that? Burkina Faso? | |||
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Mike: Have you ever noticed the croc in the back walking to the water? Hmmmmmm...... | |||
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That was the Miami Serpentarium, went there as a kid and will never forget him milking a giant king cobra about 10 yards from us. | |||
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Reminds me of the old Ross Allen Reptile Institute in Silver Springs. My folks visited it in the early 1950s while Dad was getting his master's in forestry at Duke. There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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Milking these snakes for venom is an incredibly difficult and risky job. Until last week I had imagined that it was easy to do and the snakkes would be passive and controlled. It is the exact opposite - the snakes are aggressive and p@ssed off. There are snakes falling of the milking table. I asked George Van Horn about the bites and he said 13 bites over 60 years of snake handling. A repeated activity with dangerous creatures something will go wrong. He then spoke about the space shuttle program and how risky that was - 2 losses over 135 mission with massive human and technical capital devoted. I agreed with him - I think the risk taken in space exploration by a select few was massive. I am glad there are guys like George milking these snakes cause the anti venom in generates saves a lot of lives in Asia. Mike | |||
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I might have to check this out when I'm down in October. My time share is only a 40 min drive from there. | |||
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When I was young and dumb, I once stuck my hand into the cage of a full grown tiger and petted it behind the ear. Now I know better. With wild animals, no matter how much they are conditioned, you never know when they may be in a "mood". Losing a hand or an arm (or your life), just to take a tourist photo is a really bad deal IMO. I am fascinated by snakes, but I like to keep my distance. Their ability to hide and kill you with a single bite, makes them extremely dangerous. I would much rather face a charging buffalo (with a proper rifle of course), then have a mamba or King cobra come after me. Thanks for sharing. BH63 Hunting buff is better than sex! | |||
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You should - its worth the drive and the $11.50 admission. It's kind of nice to see these snakes up close without being terrified :-) Also go to http://www.whiteoakwildlife.or...eastern-giant-eland/ Mike | |||
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I can't tell from the thread whether that is Bill Haast's old place or not. I believe he passed away at age 100+ (?) and he certainly left a legend behind. So the old Miami Serpentarium closed, but it would be nice if the premises were being resurrected for the same purpose. The displays look good. | |||
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Not the same place. | |||
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Zuma moved to Florida??? Is Uncle Bob next? "The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane." Mark Twain TANSTAAFL www.savannagems.com A unique way to own a piece of Africa. DSC Life NRA Life | |||
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Great! Now I have another reason to try and convince my wife to get the hell out of this Fugly state! MAMBAS on the loose!  USN (ret) DRSS Verney-Carron 450NE Cogswell & Harrison 375 Fl NE Sabatti Big Five 375 FL Magnum NE DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
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Snakes and Crocs...kill them all! | |||
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+1 Hope to hell there's never an natural disaster and they all get loose. Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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Good point. We do not need a breeding pair of black mambas in the wild in Florida. Paul Smith SCI Life Member NRA Life Member DSC Member Life Member of the "I Can't Wait to Get Back to Africa" Club DRSS I had the privilege to fire E. Hemingway's WR .577NE, E. Keith's WR .470NE, & F. Jamieson's WJJ .500 Jeffery I strongly recommend avoidance of "The Zambezi Safari & Travel Co., Ltd." and "Pisces Sportfishing-Cabo San Lucas" "A failed policy of national defense is its own punishment" Otto von Bismarck | |||
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They think that some of the snake problem we have now with pythons and the like came about as a result of a hurricane leveling a place in Homestead where imported exotics were brought into the country. | |||
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Considering the number of exhotics established in the Florida wilderness, I hope none of those escape. That king cobra looks like a young one. They get beyond 17 feet in the wild. My dad shot one in India in the 1950s. They became really rare through the 70s until recently. Now the education and conservation efforts are paying off. Most villagers do not kill them anymore. They are now becoming more common in the wet parts of South India. The eyes and the predatory look of the King cobra are the most arresting look of all snakes IMO. "When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
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We had some jack ass around here who had a king cobra that escaped. This was a year or so ago. This guy had some issues. I can't remember all the details but he faced various charges. IIRC, they found the cobra in a washing machine. I just recently read he gave up all of his snakes. | |||
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I'm pretty sure that is a gator, not a croc. He was right, that action was just plain stupid. Those critters can be incredibly quick. You might do it 100 times with no negative consequences, then on 101, or the first, the gator might turn around grab your arm or leg and head for the water. You probably would not survive. Dumb. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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A year in Jail? That's a MUCH shorter sentence than if it would have bitten a child. | |||
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