What Does the Term "Hot" Mean in the Reptile Industry?

In the pet industry, like most industries, there are certain terms and slang used to describe various species and types of animals. In the reptile world, one of the most common terms heard on message boards and the like is "hot" and it can be confusing. The term is actually a simple way of saying that a reptile is venomous. This term is primarily used to refer to venomous snakes, but it can also be referring to some other venomous reptiles such as the Gila Lizard and others.

Primarily a hot reptile is a venomous snake. Many people think of a venomous snake as a poisonous one, but this is actually not so. No snake is poisonous. They are venomous because they inject their toxic venom. Poison is ingested. Still, a snake that is injecting venom is scary enough regardless of what it is called.

In the pet industry, one of the biggest issues is when an amateur handler attempts to keep a "hot" snake for a pet. For example, a young teen happens upon a rattlesnake in the woods and attempts to capture it to place it in his hamster cage at home. Snakes are incredibly good at escaping enclosures, and this can lead to deadly circumstances. The problems do not end there for the amateur, however.

Even if the amateur pet owner is able to properly put the snake away, they still are in grave danger. So too, is the snake by the way. It is illegal to keep hot or venomous reptiles without proper license and in some places illegal period.

An amateur pet owner will have to feed the snake at some point, and many underestimate the speed and distance with which a venomous snake can strike. Many snake bites come about in this manner. Even the professionals get bitten occasionally so you can imagine what happens with amateurs.

If you are considering a snake as a pet, it is a good idea to first keep several reptiles that are largely harmless such as corn snakes, ball pythons and the like. These snakes are great first snakes, and they are much less likely to cause you trouble. In the unlucky event they escape, you will not be hunting down a deadly snake, right?

Sources:

"Keeping Venomous Snakes", PetSnakes.com