I wouldn't even know how to begin to estimate, but half seems about right, if not more. Most people who buy a burmese (or any other snake for that matter) don't need one and really don't understand what it takes to keep one. They have no concept of a big snake until they really experience it up close. A lot of it lies on the purchaser, but it has been my experience that many of the pet stores that sell these animals do not do a good job of explaining just what owning a burmese entails. If they really were honest, they wouldn't sell very many. So uninformed and unprepared people buy these snakes and then get a dose of a real live burmese and then don't want it anymore. Sometimes people only see the glamorous side of keeping big snakes, namely the attention they draw when others see them, but don't worry about the nitty gritty of keeping a big snake (feeding rabbits, cleaning up horse sized poo, going the extra mile to keep them warm in winter months, etc., not to mention the fact that their adult burm is capable of doing real damage to them or others). It really is an unfortunate situation.

My albino female is 10 years old, raised from a baby. She is a giant, and very tame. My male is the normal pattern, and is about 6 years old. I've had him for over 3 years (he was a rescue). He was a bit nippy when I got him, but with a little attention and a regular feeding schedule, he calmed down quickly. Recently, I have had several calls from a fellow in a neighboring county trying to convince me to take his son's big albino female. I get quite a few of these calls to live in such a small community.

Most burms in the pet trade don't stand a chance. Unfortunate.

RP

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