ajm

Anyone keep a big snake? (no not trouser snake )

I have been looking at getting a python for a while now, probably a Royal (ball) Python, but I have noticed that there are quite a few larger species for sale because their owners never took into account the fact they might grow that big! Then they try and sell them or palm them off on zoos etc. which is a real shame.

I saw this beautiful albino burmese python today that was probably only a third grown and had been returned to the shop because it was "too big".

It is for this reason I am thinking of getting one of these as it would be more deserving of a good home, and I have the space etc....

Bearing in mind it could reach 15-20 foot long and weigh 200 lbs has anyone have any experience in handling large examples? I am aware they do eat a lot, for snakes anyway, and require quite a lot of attention....

will it be a rewarding ownership experience though?.... will it become an unmanageable burden or will I end up strangled and partially digested?

Chip Sengravy

with any luck, yes

ajm

ajm

Tiggs

ajm....what does your wife/partner think of fish/snakes in the house????

peachy wrx

i used to own a beautiful boa constrictor a few years back! grew to about 8 ft,about half its adult size,and even at that size the power it had was unbelievable......i'm not the smallest bloke but it was stronger than me!!!! i'd speak to someone who really knows what there doing like a zoo etc before doing anything!

anybody whos seen the guys on telling grabbing/wrestling huge snakes are either very very experienced or very very stupid!

just read what i wrote and it doesn't seem any help at all!

ajm

in my experience women love the piranha, they just don't want to live with them... which suits me just fine!

What does your missus think of having a sarcastic, antagonistic bore in the house?

ajm

Yes, speaking to experts is definitely a necessary... I just wondered if there were any owners out there!

I hear you about the power of the things... there was a case of an 11 ft snake killing a 15year old kid!

http://www.anapsid.org/coloburm.html

It was a snake that had lived with the family all its life too.... just shows you can't get complacent!

I saw a programme with some south african nutter (snake expert) trying to wrestle an anaconda in the amazon... literally in the amazon... it looked like he was going to drown for a while!

peachy wrx

wow it doesn't suprise me a young lad died! and that one wasn't that big either!

the reason i got rid of my snake was because of its personality! it would go for a week when you could do anything with her then the next she'd be like a wild animal.......once she started to get a fair size she used to worry me abit and i'd never get her out on my own........way to dodgey!

peachy wrx

also alot of the big snakes pythons/boas/anacondas have alot of small teeth that face down to the back of its throat so once they do get a hold you can't just pull your arm out again (if that makes sense)

Dracoro

A snake as a pet, it's not right. I've a bit of a phobia about them. However I do think many of them are beautiful creatures like sharks, just don't want to be anywhere near one!!!!

I prefer pets you can cuddle etc. NOT the other way round

Tiggs

[QUOTE=ajm]in my experience women love the piranha, they just don't want to live with them... which suits me just fine!
QUOTE]

ahhhh.....live alone then, that explains a lot.

David Lock

Cats are their favourite food - would that be a problem for you?

ajm

LOL!

*My* snake would be different from all the other snakes... it would never kill anything.... if it did eat a cat well.... that's what they do.... it's just nature... it would be cruel to keep it locked up 24/7 afterall

John Catlin

Could be the answer to cat sh*t in the garden then ?

BlackadderII

Hi ajm

I really liked this thread, i'm a great "exotic pet" lover sadly with children now i dont have the time to keep them. I've had a few different species of pet but my limitation of snakes sadly lies in the singular ownership of a grass snake some 15 years ago.

A close by neighbour had a 15" boa that he let climb up the side of his house, he kept it in a converted loft. He once told me that the snake was was one of the most interesting reptiles he's ever had the pleasure to own. Yes i have to admit it looked a handful but most certainly great fun. The Albino looks fantastic btw you sound like you know your reptiles so go for it, you have nothing to lose, it will be a great experience, i hope there aren't too many cats near you Just remember that cats arent indiginous (sp) to this country and neither is the snake so let natural selection take its course, afterall the sparrows of todays urban life have to run the gauntlet so why not the cats

Please more pics, the snake is awesome !

Neil Smalley

I would'nt get a python as a first snake. Try a corn snake, much easier to keep, a little smaller(5ft when grown) and you won't need 3 people to get it off you.

http://www.livefoodshop.co.uk/forum/

Leslie

We used to have an Aldrovandi Rock Python (Italian) as a mascot on my first squadron, (No 88 Squadron). H e was no problem and we used to take him flying until he escaped once and it took a couple of weeks to find where he had hidden in the plane.

He was not that big though. Think a full size python might be a constant worry. Not so much losing him as that he might come looking for you!

Les

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

AJM,

I'd recommend a Royal python. They grow to a reasonable, but very managable size, look very nice indeed and are extremely placid! Lovely creatures....(unless you're a rat) One proviso though, some can be notoriously bad at feeding, particularly if their living quarters aren't set up appropriately. They've been known to starve themeselves to death. SO make sure you research their habitat requirements carefully.

I wouldn't advocate getting a large snake as your first one. When they get over 12 feet you really need two people to handle them safely. Burmese Pythons can vay in temprement, but are usually placid and nice to be around. They always grow to a good size though, and if they did turn nasty........ Indian Pythns are usually even more even tempered and placid, but they grow even bigger!!

All the best.

NS04

peachy wrx

oh and if you do go for a huge snake steer clear of the reticulated python as this is a true monster! longest snake in the world and an attitude to match! the anaconda which is sometimes avaliable is slightly shorter but built much heavier and is a zoo only reptile as you'll need to convert your house to have a full size swimmimg pool for then to be happy!

just avoid both mate!

peachy wrx

totally agree with NSO4 the royal python is a beautiful managable snake and ideal in every way!

Delboy2

I had a Burmese Python and a Boa Constrictor which I kept together in the same Vivarium for just over 10 years, the Boa was a female and measured 7-8ft long and the Burmese was a male measuring 10-11ft long. Unfortunately I recently lost both through illness within eight weeks of each other and am absolutely gutted
When looking into large reptiles (snakes) the thing to consider is that female snakes normally grow larger than males and they do have vast numbers of teeth which are extremely sharp, a voracious appetite and are extremely powerful. The thing that must be remembered is that as stated, snakes can be unpredictable so they must be treated with respect - I never had a problem with either of mine in the time I had them

Cheers

ajm

Sorry to hear about your snakes Delboy

Were their illnesses related? I have heard nightmare stories about IBD virus and the like....

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Don't I know it!

Had a Boa from a baby and they can be pretty snappy when young. I reached in the viv once and it struck me, as it did I pulled my hand back. I remember looking at my hand thinking blimey that didn't do a lot.. then the blood started coming It'd made dozens of razor like cuts where I'd snatched my hand back as it bit.

I've currently got a large boa (which I px'd my nasty little ****e in for) and it's very placid.

Delboy2

The vet didn't seem to think so - I hadn't had any problems with either snake in ten years which the vet thought was excellent. The Burmese I thought was about to shed from the colour of his skin but seemed extremely lethargic, so I took him to the vet who said he was dehydrated and would keep him over night to re-hydrate but unfortunately died during the night He said Burmese's do tend to suffer from kidney and heart related problems at around this age (10yrs) so diagnosed this as a probable cause of death. The Boa on the other hand deteriorated after the Burmese didn't return from the vets - she became stressed as she and the burmese had been together since juveniles and developed a bacterial infection. We had to inject and bathe her in water for 6 weeks every other day to combat the infection which we actually overcame but it had already damaged her liver/kidneys so she gradually got weaker until we decided she had had enough
I would say a Boa's teeth when adult are around 5-6mm long and are expendable as they shed too & are replaced by new - had to open my Boa's mouth regularly to inspect when she was ill for colour change and mouth infections.

Cheers

RRH

Not sure I can add a lot after reading the thread, apart from to carefully check how it's been reared and what its been fed on, and, probs, most importanty, how aggressively it feeds.

Royal Pythons are a pain to feed although usually reasonably good pets. if you can get them to eat.

Rock Pythons, particularly african, tend to be quite highly strung and can be aggressive.

Burmese / Indian are placid if hand reared and used to humen handling- and I mean daily, rather than weekly. Bear in mind this snake is going to get BIG so you need to think about what will happen when she gets too big for the vivarium.

Boas can be ratty, and don't even think about a retic unless you're a reclusive psychopath as they're rather dangerous unless you know how to handle them. I think it's 12 x pound for pound strength of a human?

SeanT

I have kept reptiles since a very young age and over the years housed or kept alot of snakes and lizards.....

I think the one piece of advice that is constantny given and you should defo take in is do not touch retic's, they are only for very experienced keepers and so aggressive and dangerous, the thing is people take them in because they are either very cheap or free......

Indian pythons, are lovely creatures, have had one and handled many large and small and never had any issues, they are good feeders and make excellent pets for people that are into snake keeping.

I have one male red tailed boa from small and he was again very placid and good feeder.

Royal Python is what I currently own, he is my son's pet and is very placid and excellent temperament....Ive never had any issues with feeding but it is well documented that they can be,....I would recommend this as a good starter snake to keep if you are set on keep one of the Python/Boa family.....

Just as a thought have you ever thought about keeping iguanas, if you have the space and are after a real character these are superb animals....as with beig snakes you have to be aware that they do grow big.

Asides picking your animal and researching it, I would say you need to research its enviroment and make sure that everything is just right to keep it healthy and happy......abit like your fish i guess..

Good luck

Sean

Gutmann pug

Much as I like snakes I just dont see the big rascles as much of a pet? Once they get to the point where they are stronger than you or anyone else who might want to handle them then they are no longer a pet and more of a threat surely?

Gary

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Similar story with large dogs really Gary. It very much depends on the individual animal. I had a mate with a 16 foot Burmese Python who was 'potentially' lethal. It certainly could have killed you much quicker than any venomous snake, yet it did not seem to have a nasty bone in its body. That said, you'd never take a chance with an animal with that power. He was never handled unless two or more people were present, even though one strong adult could manage him. He also had a Tree Boa (about 4 feet and no real danger to a human) who was a snappy little sod!

Boas seem very variable in temper, some refuse to bite no matter what, others are just completely unapproachable!

Royal Pythons are almost invariably very gentle and even tempered. They also don't really grow to a length where they would pose a threat to people. Feeding can be a worry, but there are ways to pursuade a reluctant feeder.

Echo what has been said about recticulated Pythons. Way too aggressive and way to big to be reasonably kept at home. Indian Pythons seem to be very highly thought of by keepers and generally regarded as gentle giants. They can grow nearly as large as the recticulated though, so way too much for most keepers.

NS04

ajm

Right here's the update....

Following my initial enquiries and talking to the guys at the reptile shop I had a phonecall from them last week to tell me they had a smaller 5ft female albino burmese python that had been handed in by some muppet who hadn't appreciated what he had bought (not from them). I went to take a look and fell for her straight away. She was about to shed so we didn't want to disturb her, so I left her there and arranged to pick her up today!

She was a little pissy after the journey... I guess scoobies don't sound (feel) too great to snakes, but all I got was a bit of hissing, she didn't make any moves to strike.

She is in a temporary vivarium whilst I build her a proper home that she can grow into!

Any suggestions for a name?