Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK ... I got a few opinions from my post and a few friends and family.... I think I have a smaller decision now. I looked into alot of species... and noticed nothing but snakes came up... but I love my snakes... so no big deal... I talked to my mom and dad about space issues and how big of a cage we can build. I still would like to know what you guys think... I am looking at albino burmese or tiger reticulated ... I have read up on them and searched for as much info as possible in the past when I was considering them... and went back and did it all over again this time... I understand the risks and responsibility of owning large snakes... I also still have the trusty ol BP... and I have been searching... but I am being picky about markings and coloration ... I have seen many different size requirements for adult burm/retic enclosures... Just want to know the best size for a adult of either ... Thanks for taking your time and thanks in advance for any help!
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Well considering that you were asking your parents about size of cage you are allowed to build etc..etc..

Can you care for this snake all your life?
Can you take it to college? If not do you have someone that you trust that can care for it.
Can you kill a rabbit? Do you have a supply of rabbits?

Do you have people that are willing to help you clean out the cage, handle, and feed. Because once it gets so big you will need atleast one other person there to do ANYTHING with your snake.
That means if your snake takes a dump at 2 am (and you are up) is there someone you can wake up to help take out the 15ft snake to clean out the cage?

I love big snakes also, and it is one of my dreams to be able to have a nice normal burm. But I have to think realisticly and realize that there is no possible way I could possibly care for or afford the housing and heating of such a large snake.

Goodluck, and just do tons of research.

Don't forget to check your cities laws and bylaws to see if it is legal to have such a large snake where you live.
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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 1.0 western hognose, 1.0 red blood

I appreciate you being concearned for the snake... and trying to protect people from making the same dumb mistakes most novice owners make... I have to say I did expect this responce. I will answer your questions as best I can...

Well considering that you were asking your parents about size of cage you are allowed to build etc..etc..

I asked them about the size cage that they think would fit where I want it to go and about how big of an enclosure my dad is willing to help me build... I am 18, still young... but old enough to know what I am doing and not to do this on impulse. I have been thinking about burms and retics for years and only now and thinking I might be ready... I will NOT get one unless I know I am.

Can you take it to college?

I am going to colledge online for many reasons... but taking care of all my animals at home is a big part of it.

Can you kill a rabbit?

Yep.

Do you have a supply of rabbits?

I have a friend who breeds rabbits and I used to breed mice and rats.. I could definitly go back to breeding food at some point.

Do you have people that are willing to help you clean out the cage, handle, and feed.

There is quite a few poeple who are over my house nearly every day who used to help me clean out all my BP enclosures and who are highly interested in any reptile and would definitly help me out alot... I have talked to them about this already.

Because once it gets so big you will need atleast one other person there to do ANYTHING with your snake.

True... already taken under consideration.

That means if your snake takes a dump at 2 am (and you are up) is there someone you can wake up to help take out the 15ft snake to clean out the cage?

Well my mom would help... but I wouldent wake her up as she works too much... if someone is staying here they would help... also my brother lives here and although he dosent like snakes he would help if I needed him.

I love big snakes also, and it is one of my dreams to be able to have a nice normal burm. But I have to think realisticly and realize that there is no possible way I could possibly care for or afford the housing and heating of such a large snake.

I understand... and that was my big hold back... I am still not positive... just looking into opinions right now... I am giving myself alot of time to think about this... right now I am concentrating on getting my BPs display cage in the works... but in the mean time doing research and getting opinions.

Don't forget to check your cities laws and bylaws to see if it is legal to have such a large snake where you live.

of course.

Thanks again for the concearn for me and the animal... I appreciate people who care enough to not just say "The Retic is prettier... go for it!" or things like that.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Hmmmm. I love normal Burms. They are gorgeous, but get huge and very hard to handle. A 10' burm is a handful for two people. Someone mentioned taking a crap. This is something you will want to clean up ASAP as the smell will kill you

If you absolutely have to have one, I would personally choose a retic. About the only reason is that it does not get as large (round, heavy bodied) as a burm. That being said, it's still a handful. My last boa was 8' long and bigger around than a softball. I'm guessing he weighed in the area of 60lbs. He was just getting to the point where I was going to need two people to handle him.

I recommend finding someone with one of these large adults and spend some "quality" time caring for them. If you still feel the way you do, then welcome to the big boids club!
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Jay A. Martin

lol thanks... I will remember that... I mean I have held (or helped hold ) a few large snakes... actually first one was when the zoo came to our school... it was a albino burmese about 18' long... and a couple others at local shows... but never spent any ammount of time with them. Good idea but I dont know anyplace where I could.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

I think someone that has never owned a big snake or been around some that has do not fully know what they will be getting int 3-4years down the road. That was me aroun 15yrs. ago. I did the research, was warned by more experinced people, still thouhgt I could handle it. My retic grew to arund 15ft. I could not handle her by myself anymore and I am a big man. The people I thouhgt I could count on, wanted nothing to do with a 15ft. retic. I finally had to give it up. You may have people willing to help you with your bps. but a huge burm or retic, you may be on your own. Hve you considerd a columbian boa?

I think I can count on the people who would be helping me... there REALLY close to me and have always been helpfull and said they have no problem with the big snakes... expecially if they got to watch it get big... ya know... I TRIED to like the boas... I REALLY did... there awesome snakes... just not my kind of snake.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

OK, I read the entire thread. Have you considered a compromise? Maybe a snake that does not get quite as big as a Burm or retic. Maybe a male boa? They are a handful but managable for one person. I had a breeding pair before the birth of my daughter. The female was an easy 12' and the male maxed out around 8' to 9'. Let me add that he was BARELY managable at this length. If you have the funds you could consider a dwarf retic. I may be wrong since I do not have experience with them, however; to my knowledge the females hit around 10'. Please do the research before pursuing one because I am not 100% sure.

Well, just some thoughts.

Good Luck! Ohh, you have some COOL parents!!! My mom and dad would have had a stroke at the idea of large boids, lol.

Let us know what you decide.

Toddg

P.S: Seriously rethink Burm and Retic. There are difficult to deal with especially if your particular snake is or becomes aggressive. Once, my female boa broke the glass door of her cage when I walked in the room. All I did was walk past her and she had a history of being VERY docile. Ya just never know. Think about that... a 12 foot pissed off snake
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1.1 Balls - Male het/albino, Female 66% het/albino
***Fingers crossed for next season!!!***

Yeah my parents are pretty awesome... my mom is my best friend. I looked into dwarf retics... but I just can't dish out that much... I have tried and tried and tried to like the boas... but I just never have and I can't bring myself to... I mean there awesome... but just not my kinda snake. The reason I am asking now is so I can get all the info and opinions I can before I make a decision...I have a while... but I will be sure to let you guys know what and when I decide. Thanks for the imput.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

I can't offer you anything you don't already know, but I just want to share a story.
A friend of mine (I know, another "I know this guy" story) has been breeding and keeping every reptile you can imagine (big boids, hots, everything) for the last 20 plus years.
He used to do the shows at schools and what not. He was telling me just a few weeks ago about the time right in the middle of a show, a big Burm he had used for shows for years, doubled back and struck him right on the side of the face.
Now this guy is six foot five, of average build, but a big guy.
It must have hit him on the boxers sweet spot, B/c he said he saw a blur of it coming then woke up on the floor.
His assistants managed to put the snake away without it hurting him further, but it's just another reminder of what can happen.
Good luck with whatever you do get
TomChambers

yeah I am fully aware... sorry to hear about that... but it happens. Expecially when a snake is stressed out with a room full of kids.... LOL I probably would have bit him too! LOL
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

I've seen both nasty and nice bloods.
By nasty I mean bite you for fun(j/k I know they are reptiles, and incapable of such actions).
And I've held some docile adults for ten to fifteen min. durations, and they were quite placid.
There are some real beauties out there too.

just a thought, I haven't owned one so I can't say how the docile ones were overall.
TomChambers

ummmmm.... no..... just no.... I LOVE my snakes ... pythons being the best IMHO... but I think bloods are .... just no.

P.S. not to offend any blood owners... just not for me.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

I take it from your post that you are in high school or earlier. Are you planning on college? If so, it's doubtful you will take a large snake with you let alone have the time to manage it. They are also much harder to 'unload' should the need arise. I would stick with small snakes for now.
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(¯`·.¸¸.·´Kane`·.¸¸.·´¯)

I am out of highschool and going to be taking courses online...
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Nice snack for a burm or retic. Personally, I would never have a snake that large or dangerous around small children. I used to keep "hots" until my kids came along - no reason to take chances.
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Jay A. Martin

Yes... someday I will... not any time soon.... but I do not intend on letting a python that large (or any for that matter) roam free in my house... nor do I intend on caging my child with the snake... I know they get out... but I would never let any child that is small enough to not know how to get out of the situation be alone even if I DIDN'T have ANY snakes... no way my child would be unsupervised in my house untill they are AT LEAST 13... and by then I think if they see a huge snake comming at them... they have the sence to move. Keeping in mind that my children will be educated on the animals I have and on what to do in situations like that. Not trying to argue... but any pet comes with a caution lable... and I understand that... I also understand it is ALOT longer lable on a retic... but I know quite a few herpers that I chat with who have MANY retics or burms or rocks and even condas who have kids. If I didnt want the risk for my kids... I guess I would have a house with no pets at all... but I honestly would have to debate kids if it came to that.... I LOVE kids... but I LOVE animals.... I would have MANY more... but my mom dosent like animals... so my 2 dogs and cat and the snakes are enough... she dosent mind the snakes... but fur is her enemy LOL....
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

All in all, I would have to gladly encourage you to get an Albino Burmese Python, retics can be nasty, don't take the risk.
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GOT HERPS?