Welt der Gifte (Salzburg) Welt der Gifte Salzburg - News and Discussion

It's not comparable to a fierce snake or a Black mamba when it comes to potential venom potency, but as with other Trimerusurus bites, the symptoms and outcome can vary individually, from local swelling and pain to generalized edema, bleeding disorders, mild to severe kidney and cardiovascular problems, necrosis etc. etc.

 

Nah, too much red tape. A bandy-bandy should do for a true blue ankle biter.

 

Due to the current COVID-19 situation in Salzburg, another lockdown starting next week has been officially announced by the local authorities. Meaning that we will have to close WdG to the public as well, potentially till Christmas. Whether we will be reimbursed for the lack of income during that time has yet to be seen, but, based on previous experience, is rather unlikely.

 

Good luck!

 

I found an interesting larger venue for WdG in a small town in Upper Austria. Affordable, more space, good central location, accessible for disabled people, lots of closeby free parking lots, even big enough for several buses, lots of possibilities. The direct neighbours would have been a pizza restaurant, a bakery, a music school...and a swinger club. Well, if the local community had been fine with that for 20 years, they wouldn't mind me and the WdG. Or so I thought.

The landlord was initially intrigued and supportive, the mayor OK with it...So I sat down and wrote the first federal application for a dangerous animal husbandry license this week. Since this is a different federal state, I would have to apply for all my licenses again. So be it...I finished it in record time (not the first time I've done this, and sleep is overrated...)and sent it in this Tuesday. The bureaucrats in charge discussed it and told me that it looked very promising. So far, so good. My wife already started planning.
About an hour ago today I received an email from the potential new landlord, stating that the red tape was too much for him and that he had chosen an easier renter. He apologized, wished me well on my future quest, blablabla. Not the first time I have been in this situation, and most definitely not the last time. Well, que sera, sera, it is what it is, life goes on, virtual hugs & prayers, fingers crossed...and all those other oh so motivational and yet practically useless phrases. Together with the ongoing COVID-19 correlated restrictions, lockdowns, my rather bothersome main job etc., this hasn't been the best year for WdG and myself, but well, the next year is coming up soon, with the chance to finally find improvement (I wouldn't bet on it, though...).

 

A few news-worthy bits:

- The Austrian COVID-19 regulations have been considerably eased; all visitors are now allowed to come in without FFP2 masks or prior testing / vaccination certificates.
- I found an interesting potential new venue: an old factory hall in Mattighofen, Upper Austria. The responsible estate agents, however, don't seem to be very keen on doing any business; no replies to calls, Emails...
- The 2021 bill for electricity and heating just came in. Ouch...
- We have a new reptile species on display: a juvenile Tricolor hognose snake (Xenodon pulcher). While quite common in the pet trade, this mildly venomous little snake is pretty rare in zoos. Afaik, WdG is currently the only European zoo displaying the species.

Tricolor hognose snake by Batto posted 6 Mar 2022 at 6:41 AM

 

Wonderful! Reptiles are often so colorful and beautiful!

If I were a Max Mustermann, I would prefer to have WdG as a neighbor to a pizzeria. They are quiet, they don't smell, they stay locked in their boxes and usually die from cold outside them. The only problem may be school buses. Plus their owner is a nice person and first on the shooting line, so to say. Try some tourist town, people there should be more understanding. Someplace in Switzerland?

 

Thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately, the majority of potential landlords and municipal stakeholders both in Austria and Germany automatically switch to panic mode and turn me down once they hear anything about "live venomous animals", "toxins" etc. Many are very old-fashioned, narrow-minded and know very little about the matter at hand. Furthermore, it's much easier to rent your premises to some internet startup, craftsperson, logistican, bored trophy wife, Pokemon card collector etc. without the entailing noisy schoolchildren, potential dangerous animal escapes, busy visitor traffic, high water / power demands...that WdG would bringt along.
Nevertheless, it just baffles me how low the stakeholders rank the educational and touristic potential of WdG. Especially given that Salzburg already is a popular touristic town, with the corresponding prices. The latter would probably not be any lower in Switzerland.

However, there's little use in lamenting. Instead, I will continue with my search. And play the lottery...

 

My landlord has offered me a larger room than the present venue in the very same building. Though still far from the size I envision for WdG's final form, it's almost twice the size of the current space and might allow for general visits during the week, other than the guided tours.
It didn't take my wife and me long to accept the offer. The next months are going to be even busier than the last, but in the end, this will allow me to add a small marine tank as well as maybe adopt a massive black beauty that has been waiting for me in the venomous underground department at the reptile shelter in Munich for quite some time.

 

@Batto do you mean a black mamba?

And what Species are housed in the Marine Tank?

 

1. Nope.
2. For that, you and all the others, except for @Giant Panda , would have to finally get up and visit WdG.

 

Papuan Black Snake?

 

Tempting, but no. ^^

 

Yesterday I received the first ZooChatter at the current Salzburg venue. Let's see how he will describe the visit, including weighing the Archimandrita tesselata.

The new Golden Spitting cobra and the melanistic Mangrove pit viper are a lot of fun to work with, especially for our trainees.

 

All-clear: Our exhibition was spared the consequences of yesterday's major fire at the nearby slaughterhouse. All the animals are doing well.

Due to the police roadblock, no guided tours could take place today for the time being.

Großbrand: Kein Ammoniak ausgetreten

 

Starting this month, we're going to move WdG to the ground floor to increase the venue.

A small article about WdG by yours truly will be published as part of the BIAZA campaign "Vital Venoms & Practical Poisons" at the end of October.

 

1.2. juvenile Seoane's vipers (Vipera seoani) have arrived at WdG.

 

Thank you. However, I'd recommend to wait with your return a bit till the move is completely finished and the little vipers have grown to a more representative size.