Posted by:
HappyHillbilly
at Tue Jan 22 13:30:07 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by HappyHillbilly ]
Aha, I see that you've been bit, so to speak.
What I mean is you've been bit by the Burmese Python passion. I've kept many different types of snakes, both venomous & non-venomous, but very few satisfy me like burms do.
I've kept & rescued many reptiles and thoroughly enjoy passing the flame, sharing my passion & experience(s) with others. Here's what I would if I were you:
It's because of keepers like the one you mentioned that there's a need for rescue services. Personally, if the keepr still has the snake and is interested in learning I would volunteer my time to go & teach them in their home, with their snake.
Granted, we can't take the time to teach everyone everything there is to know, but in this particular case it sounds like the keeper's fear and lack of knowing how to pick up a snake is causing the burmese to interperet the actions as aggression towards it. You seemed to have proved that by being able to reach in & get it without incident.
So, you take the time to show them how slow & steady, deliberate movement, with confidence, is needed to pick up ANY snake. I also suggest teaching them to hook-train it.
A hook for hook-training a burmese python, or any other handleable snake, doesn't have to be strong enough to lift the snake, just merely something used over & over, besides a hand, to signal to the snake that it's going to be handled and not fed or harassed. I've got instructions on how to make one for less than 5 bucks if you're interested.
All-in-all, my point is to try to teach others what they don't know about proper handling & basic care when/if we can. Hopefully they'll pick up on it & pass it along to someone else. If it works, then you will have saved at least one from having to be rescued, which I feel should be our ultimate goal.
One red flag I see in your case is that the cage it's in now is too small, and the burm's only 6ft. Will the keeper be able to house it properly when it gets even bigger? Maybe, maybe not. It needs to be discussed.
As for me being able to tell you what you may be in for, honestly, with burmese pythons the only thing I view as different from what you said you've got experience with is - size. Size of the snake & enlcosure. There's a reason they're called "Gentle giants," as you've already experienced. 
Bug us! All you want. Hahaha!! Most of us are here to serve as well as learn.
Welcome aboard!
Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American
[ Hide Replies ]
- trouble..... - winnipeguy, Tue Jan 22 00:13:29 2008
- RE: trouble..... - OKReptileRescue, Tue Jan 22 07:53:37 2008
 RE: trouble..... - HappyHillbilly, Tue Jan 22 13:30:07 2008
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