Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking for everyones here opinion on the most gentle of the giant snakes. What do you all think is the most gentle, and why? Thanks.

Widj

n/p

If you are interested in a 'true' giant. Burmese, I feel are the best. If you want something a wee bit smaller than a 10-20 ft pig eating creature. Dumerils are wonderful. A few red tails get pretty good size as well. I have lots of experience with both. I also have experience with other giants, especially not so nice ones. My husband prefers Red Tails and Anacondas (not nice) and I prefer Burmese. as for why i think they're good.... The first burm I got was like a foot long, had poorly shed skin all over her and mites. I payed 120 for her at a pet store. She died after about 6 months. (that was before i started a reptile rescue) the 2nd one i got i found at the flea market. he's 12 ft. He was down on the ground, not 10 feet from rabbits and chickens. kids are kicking him, I actually stepped on his tail. I took him home that day. We've only had one scare with him and that was when my not-so-experience husband took him out of his cage the day after we got him and freaked out after he was out. (I get a cheesy smile every time i tell this story). He came into the bedroom where i was sleeping with the dogs and said what to i do with this snake. I said dont get him out. he said uh... I got up and walked out there. hes laying in the middle of the floor and i just stepped over him and stood there, i said he seems fine, just act normal. my husband goes walking across the floor 'as usual' hes not a light walker either so it bounced the floor, the snake raised up 6 ft off the ground and stared him in the eye. my 350 lb husband is squished into the corner almost in tears and i can't stop laughing. Im crying from laughing so hard and my husband is yelling at me to get him~!! get him!!! I (7 months pregnant) bend over and pick him up about mid way down his body and plop him in his cage and put the lid on, when i turn around my husband is in the bathroom peeing. (im about to die laughing again) it was the funniest thing i've ever seen. My husband is not afraid of ANYTHING... but snakes. anyway. I think they're great if you give them the respect they deserve. we've not had any other problems with him. the neighborhood kids come over all the time and 'play' with him. he's great, even when he's with his girlfriend or about to shed (we dont really mess with him then, thats dumb but we had to once and he was fine).
hope that helped. If you dont have much experience with snakes, id say start with a RT or a Dum. They're great too. They get pretty big but it takes a while. Burms can grow to 6 ft in the first year and that can quickly be a lot to handle, although i'm sure you've heard that 1,000 times. sorry. hope that helped.
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Funny story...can't top that, but Burms can hit 11' in a year, and I'm not the only one to do it. Years ago. Usually, 10 and over is a giant, and Dumerils won't hit 10. Common boas can, and are huge at 10'. BUT, you're right, Burms are the gentlist. Usually. Some people have tame green anacondas, but as a rule, it's Burms.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

its hard to say I have 6 burms and 4 retics and all are big babies so I believe its all in the upbringing

I have raised both Burms and Retics for around 12 years now and I have Amethistine pythons for about 5. In my own opinion, Both Burms and Retics have such different qualities it is really hard to say. Burms are like a sweet but not to bright 4 year old. They are diffintly not the brightest snake on earth. I have a true giant Burm who is just over 23 feet long and 18 years old and she truely is the sweetest gal on the face of the earth. Then again when she was younger every time someone had her out and no matter where she was in the house she would find an Electric Outlet and stick her nose just as close as she could to the outlet and stay in a very rigid position with her nose pressed to the outlet for HOURS trying to figure it out. I have a few others that have exebitied the same behavior. Burms really are SWEET as a general Rule but DUMB as rocks. Burms really also dont recognize there keepers either

Retics on the other hand are of the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to intellagence. I have three adult females that can open a sliding lock and they will come find me when the are let out of there cage no matter where i am at. Almost like hide and seek. I am really not kidding it is kind of eery. Different morphs seem to have different dispositions as well. I personnally think there is no more gentle and passive snake than a Tiger/Super Tiger Retic on the face of the planet. These creatures have the best disposition on earth and are really the "TOTAL PACKAGE" when it comes to the Giants. You have a snake that can be a real joy to handle and interact with as well as a awsome look and when they are truley tame the best companion of the true Giants.

Thats my opion and I am sticken to it

Thanks

Brandon

N/P

I had a 16' 230 lb. albino burm about 7 years ago when I lived in Florida,and her name was Petunia,...until one day after school my friend and I came home to my dad doing cage cleaning duties...and this kid is totally afraid of snakes...anyhow I went upstairs to change and he went into the living room to watch tv...as I came down the stairs I saw my dad standing in the doorway of the living room just grinning from ear to ear,so naturally curious I walked into the room and there is my friend lounging on Petunia who is coiled up sleeping in the middle of the floor (the room was dimly lit)he heard me laughing and asked what was so funny...we told him to look down,needless to say he freaked...he was jumping up and down screaming "I thought it was a beanbag!" over and over again,finally he calmed down and actually got over his fear soon after and we called her Beanbag from that day forward...

I can just imagine the look on his face when he saw that it wasn't a bean bag. That is an amusing story. hehe I've never met a burmese or retic yet. I do look forward to the pleasure of it tho.

Widj

You had my gf laughing her bum off when I read her that story. I bet that was truly hilarious to see. I wish you could have gotten a picture of it to share. Tho i can imagine seeing a snake raised six feet off the floor staring me in the eyes. I think that may have given me the shakes a bit too. lol Wonderful story tho, thank you for sharing!

Widj

Burms and Retics- Have had giants of both. I agree that retics are likely the more intelligent of the two, but my 16ft. burm was not at all a stupid animal. Had to take the handle off of his cage (inside door knob of a walk in closet) cause he figured out that all he had to do was crawl on it enough and that eventually it would open. He had been in every room of the house that way (except my sisters), so naturally he would always go straight to that closed door and would again crawl on the handle and attempt "open" the door (we kept hers locked with a bolt).
My neighbor down the street (two houses down and accross the street), loved him so much that he would not put chlorine in his spa so that my snake would soak in it (even with occasional accidents in the waterIf you let him outside, 10 out of 10 times he would cross the street, go straight to his fence, climb it (6 ft wood fence) and go straight into the spa. It was hilarious. Not the tidings of an animal as stupid as a rock. As far as owner recognician, I do think he was able to recognize me, but with retics there is absolutely no doubt about it, they recoginize you. Lots of retics are super gentle, but as far as the general numbers go in my opinion there is not a sweeter more gentle snake than a burm- Curt

OLIVE PYTHONS. They are nicked named Gentle Giants and get very big like 20 ft. Bob Clark sells them. Real cool color, look them up.

I second that vote for Aussie Olives- they're the BOMB!

The most intelligent snake I've ever owned!

http://www.vpi.com/5VPIBreeders/OlivePython/OlivePython.htm

A very active and alert snake, with super fine scales which makes them reaaaaal smoooth! Nothing comes close to the simplistic beauty of an olive green/brown on top, fading down to a cream colored bottom...

//Todd

I think my Papauan Olives are more intelligent than my aussie olives, but not to be trusted, lol

Kinda like trusting a Scrubbie.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

I'll third the olive vote. They do get large, though not generally 20' UNFORTUNATELY....gah, I could only imagine a 20' olive. I had a pair not long ago and the female was around 12' and pretty massive. She was very easy to work with and incredibly gorgeous. Every time I try to remember what exactly it was that went through my mind the day I decided to sell them, my foot involuntarily flies up and kicks my own arse. Stupid...stupid move. One of these days, I *will* have them again.
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

Although every snake is an individual, certain species show certain "wiring" for good behavioral traits (aka "gentle giant" status). Here's some good choices assuming you have the resources, experience, and ability to care for a large snake:

1) Burmese Python: I normally don't recommend them but most are usually very docile but extreme caution needs to be exercised during feeding. This is really the only "giant" species that I would recommend.

2) Boa constrictor: a great choice for a big snake but one that will normally remain very docile....common boas are easy to get through herp adoptions and they are beautiful creatures.

3) Olive Python: Amazing creatures, big but easy to manage, great personalities

4) Borneo short-tailed python/Red Bloods: Girth of a giant snake but wrapped up in a 6-8' body making it a great choice. They are pretty snappy as hatchlings but with consistent handling become very tame.

5) Coastal Carpet Python: largest of the carpets, these snakes can become very gentle, very impressive as big adults.

6) Dumeril's.....nothing needs to be said; plenty of people said why they are good choices; and they are.

HOpe this helps a bit.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>I am looking for everyones here opinion on the most gentle of the giant snakes. What do you all think is the most gentle, and why? Thanks.
>>
>>Widj
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

'Cept my young bloods will flip over backward to try to nail me. Wonder if the kids will outgrow their bad habits

And.....if you can afford them, Black headed pythons. Tame as kittens. My female is almost 8' in a bit less than 2 years.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC