Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've always heard people asking what is the best beginner hot snake so it makes me wonder. What is the best first "BIG" snake for a beginner? I'm not talking about a novice...just someone that has never had a snake get over 6ft. Would you start them out on say boa constrictors or bloods and then move them up to the big 5? Would an intermediate be necessary at all? Just looking for your opinions.

Intermediates
1. Bloods
2. Boa constrictors
3. Yellow Anaconda?

The Big 5
1. Reticulated Python
2. Indian Python
3. Green Anaconda
4. Amethystine Python
5. African Rock Python

Should there be any restrictions on owning the big 5? If so what do you think it should be?

I've also posted this in the burmese forum. Thanks in advance.
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1.4 Columbians
2.7 Kenyans
0.3 Ball Pythons
1.0 Borneo Blood
0.0.2 Blue Tounged Skinks
3 Dogs
3 Cats
1 Ferret
1 Wife

No matter what "big" snake you start out with, just remember that each one is potentially dangerouse in its own way. I would say the most important thing is, start out with a juvenile or baby specimen. That way, you can observe its habits as it grows and gain respect for that animal. I have had experience with them all and would say that the retics and burms can be the biggest challenge, especially the retics! These guys get really big and can have there bad days. You have to learn to be aware of these things to avoid dangerous situations. Not to mention the housing and feeding requirements which can get to be very expensive.
If you are serious about it and are willing to learn, then it can be a very rewarding adventure. The only restrictions I would put on owning one of these big beauties is for those who do it just to say they own a big, bad-a** snake. These people are the ones that give the rest of us a bad name. That's something that needs to be stopped. I'm through rambling now, sorry. I hope this has been informative.

MrClean

I'm not really looking for facts or words of caution. I'm not a novice, just looking for peoples opinions on the snakes based on the snake's characteristics only. This is purely hypothetical. Assume that the person is knowledgable, etc, etc.

Personally, I would start someone with a big blood with a bad attitude. Big enough to hurt (makes the lessons stick longer ), but not dangerous. Of the big 5 I would recomend them in this order

1. Burmese (I think these are calmer on average than retics?)
2. Retic (Too alert and less calm than the burmese)

In No Order
Green Anaconda. Harder to care for because of the water requirement.. and more tempermental than the retic or burmese.

African Rock. More tempermental than the retic or burmese...hasn't been bred enough in captivity to select for temperment?

Amethystine Python. I don't know much at all about these so can't rate them.

These are just my opinions. What would you do?
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1.4 Columbians
2.7 Kenyans
0.3 Ball Pythons
1.0 Borneo Blood
0.0.2 Blue Tounged Skinks
3 Dogs
3 Cats
1 Ferret
1 Wife

I see what you're saying, now. It would still be hard to say. I have had burms that would readily take a bite out of you, and retics that you could hardly force to show aggression.
However, I think a big carpet python would be another good choice in prepairing for the bigger boys. They are a bit fiesty at times and can be a challenge to handle, but not life threatening. To sum it up, bloods, carpets, boas, and then go from there. I personally think that nothing can truely prepair you for burms, rocks, or retics except experience with the species themselves. They are in a class of ther own.

MrClean

They get sizeable and are very alert and strong but will not usually attain the HUGE size that a burm or retic can. I have two big females that are a handful to handle but I would not say are life threatening at all. They will be defensive in their enclosure but are great once they are out. They love to go to the highest point they can find (usually your head) and will wrap up onto anything they can get onto. Hope this helped add some other options to your survey. Here is one of my Big Girls with my little girl. Good luck. Frank Kincade.

What about a male jampea Retic. I have one and he is a great snake. Largest we have found of a male is about 10'. I mean you get all the retic and then can go to a normal size. Plus lots of morphs are going to involve dwarf in the future. Also dwarf and retic must be used lightly. Still a 10' powerful predator.
Just a thought.

No Big snake is a beginner snake, End of point. People go into pet stores see little baby burms and the pet store people have no idea and they just sold a large potentially dangerous reptile to an (excuse the term) Ignorant person with extra money (mostly Kids). You wouldn't recommend a burm to a novice simply due to there giant size. A retic, There too alert, and can be scared and startled easily as a baby, and as an adult get large, plus (now in the past) retics were once a very mean snake. A rock, is a maybe if it is tame they don't get large as the burm and retic but can be a lot nastier. Anacondas are defintely no way a beginner snake, and as far as Amethystine, not sure don't have a lot of knowledge about it.

1. Reticulated Python
2. Indian Python/Pimura/Burm(Yes I know all three are different)
3. Green Anaconda
4. Amethystine Python
5. African Rock Python

The best beginner snake...well python, is a ball python. Very Simple snake. Not big, yet not too small. Very Docile, etc.

Also, the bad thing with a baby blood anyway they stress too easy and aren't exactly a novice snake.

Im sure you have all heard this and are sick of hearing it. Just my opinion.

Pat

I don't think this is really a fair question. I personally think that people should get a snake that they love. It's going to live for the better part of their lifetime. If they think they're ready for a giant, they've done their homework, ect., then they should get the one they love if they think they are ready for it. When it all comes down to it, if someone doesn't like burms, then I have a hard time telling them they should get one as a training tool to help them gain the experience for dealing with retics. That's just what I think is most important.