Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Howdy. I'm hoping some of you fine folks can help me out here. I recently spent the better part of the day educating my friends on what would be a smart starter snake, with pros and cons that i had researched myself, advising they start with a smaller snake to get used to owning taking care of and handling a snake, such as a corn/milk/or kingsnake. I also said if they really were set on a "beefier" snake they could go with a ball python. I really thought i had done a pretty good job and had them searching for a ball or a corn, but then i received a call later in the day, Hey i just bought an albino burmese python...

I've really never done much research on large snakes so i was hoping to get some info from you guys. You know, the basics, husbandry and such. Any tips/advice other than return the snake, I can't convince him to return the snake so that option is a no go. I would really appreciate any enclosure pics too. She's a beautiful snake i just want to make sure she is taken care of.

Any books or websites you would recommend?

Thanks a bunch, and please do post your pics of enclosures, if anyone has any pictures of their enclosures from baby/juvenile to adult that would be nice to show them just what they are in for. I think when they see my "small" 4x2x2 bearded dragon cages and how they take up my whole room they will begin to appreciate just how large an 8ft cage for an adult burm is.

J

Well, this is a very intresting topic. Someone in a post months ago in another forum, stated why get a snake that you do not really want. If your friend can care for a milk snake but wants a Burm, why not just get the Burm. I agree with that post because if he likes the milk snake then he will get the burm eventually, then have a snake he really did not want.

The real question is your friend a good care taker. Will they take the steps required. Who cares about size and space, if they do not care about having an 8ft cage in the living room, and are willing to have the snake over any conditions. I think we have all been there. We also have all had impulse buys.

As far as set up. Cage, waterbowl and newspaper. Otherthings get pooped and peed on and have to be cleaned, its more of a pain. Hide box will be good for awhile.

Other than that, just keep an eye out on it and thats all you can do.

Good Luck. I miss my Burm. She was great. I knew they got big but its another thing when its in your house but you grow with it. Then one day you take them out and your like dang, how did you get so heavy and big.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

yup yup yup.
I stated with a corn snake, then a ball python, then a RTB.
Then when i was 6 months old bought an 11 foot burm. HELLO IMPULSE BUY!!!

That was A LOT of years ago. I agree with another poster- There is a lot you can learn about your burm before its a giant. BUT- IF you have a problem with a HUGE cage in your house- don't get the snake.....

There is a series of books- something like "the complete owners guide to.... ".
When ppl. want to adopt from me- I require the purchase of a good book.
For iguanas- "iguanas for dummies"
but for snakes I require the "complete owners guide to..."
They cover a LARGE amount of info with out all the blah blah blah. If its a giant they want to adopt- they have to come handle our big girl- at a little over 14 ft. she's a sweetie.

Its hard to educate people with out the shock factor. most ppl. that call me and want a burm or a retic- dont have a clue. I've had very few people come here for a burm and want to leave with a burm when they get here.
most see Shivvah and the 40$ pigs in my freezer and say "uh- never mind"....

good luck.
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

oops- when i said "when i was 6 months old" I MEANT 6 months pregnant. duh!
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Six months pregnant?????? That's worse than six months old

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

Here is a picture of some of our cages, they are a little over 7 foot by 2 1/2 feet by 18 inches.

There has been quite a lot of discussion lately in regards to the same topic here in the forum. Check out "Seriously considering a burm", "Temps". After going though those two threads, you should have a lot of good information to get you going.

Good luck.

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Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

>>I can't convince him to return the snake so that option is a no go.

You could try these if you want:
These are from an 11' burm. A female can be that size in a few years. Do you know if he got a male or a female?


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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

you gotta tell the story behind it!

most def tells us that story...i wish I had pics when I got bit in the face by my uncles burm (my bad)Anyways my albino burm is around 8' and is just shy of a year old. I also have a normal male and he is about a year and a half and is shy of 7'. The albino got me when he was around 3'or so..ever since then iv'e had a passion for burms...and the face story..is very long lol, but lets say i waved "hi" to the snake while it was on my uncle and instead of grabbing my hand he got me in the face.