Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys my name's rich, i'm 19 and i'm interested in keeping greens at some future point in my life, however i have never kept snakes before. I know a lot of snake owners and i'm more than comfortable around snakes. I've done a lot of research on a lot of different reptiles so i know that i do want to own one someday and i know that i will be able to handle it once i've managed to get some keeping experience.

What i would like to know is, which species of snakes should i keep now in order to get the most relavent experience? Boas? Pythons? something else?

as far as relevance you should get anything aquatic, but If you want a green you should get a green. As long as you ask questions to owners & breeders & read up on the care & husbandry you should have no problem. Make sure you get a baby & raise it up. I read males get around 13ft, but the females are the 30ft monsters. If you get it now I'd recommend you move out of your parents house within 4to5yrs. I believe if you have reptiles you should be a home owner cause although apartment complexes alow dogs&cats they frown on snakes. I know from 1st hand experience & when she gets too big for the cage you'll need a room. You need to be settled in when she gets big, cause movin around is a hastle when you own a large snake. If your a loner like me you won't get any help.

later

yeah, i definately don't plan on getting a green until i have my own place, possibly until i own a home.

Ok- to the OP I'm glad you have enough sense not to just run out and buy a green "just cuz u want 1" ... and please keep that mentality...

These animals get BIG.... if you want to start with something a little smaller to get a handle on things... try a dumerils boa... red tail boa... blood python... something in that size... they are a bit slow growing, don't get utterly massive, but still give you some time to learn how to handle a larger snake.... (by larger I mean not a corn or ball... there is a difference...)..

anywho... I get a crazy amount of calls to take in the larger species of snakes... and it never fails to amaze me that people with a 6 foot burm or 8 foot retic are freaking out about it being to big... wtf were you thinking when you KNEW you bought a snake that gets WAY bigger than 6 or 8 foot.... D'OH!

Anyway-- sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders... keep asking questions, blah blah blah, get some books-- and get some experience with someone else's snakes... look for a rescue or someone with a personal collection and actually get some hands on experience with larger snakes... make sure thats what you want before you buy it... make sense?

Good luck!

~Beth
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Until there are none, Rescue One! Get ready to welcome the new and improved Oklahoma Animal Rescue Group -- Just a few weeks away from getting our 501c3 status!!!!!

The best advice I can give is that you should try to find someone, possibly through a local herp club, and work with and around large snakes like retics, rocks, scrubs, and yes anacondas if possible prior to owning any of the above. The key here is making sure the person you are learning from is themselves competent and that you get to see them work with fully grown adult animals, learning the proper safety protocols and husbandry required to stay safe and keep the animals healthy. Watching someone work a 3 to 4 foot juvie will have little real value in preparing you for working with an adult.
In my opinion buying a smaller snake to "gain" experience is a bad idea. Buying a boa or smaller python that you really do not want can lead to an unwanted pet somewhere down the road as these snakes can live to be 30 years old themselves and still require proper care even after the "learning" stage is over. Again, try to gain experience by working with someone who owns one of the animals you are actually looking to own.
Big snakes equal big commitment and the knowledge base to competently deal with all that an animal that can live 30 to 40 years and weigh 200 pounds brings with it. Keep in mind however, that anacondas do not really reach lengths of 30 feet and weights of 500 pounds. These stats are pure speculation as NO specimens of this size have been accurately recorded anywhere. A large female will more than likely reach a length of 16 to 17 feet with a weight in the mid 100's. An exceptional female may reach 18 to 20 feet and weigh in over 200 lbs, but again this is exceptional. Males are smaller, usually around 10 feet or so and are not as heavy bodied as the females. Larger males are occasionally found, but again these are exceptions rather than the rule. Still, these are very large snakes and require proper husbandry and diet in order to thrive in captivity. Like the previous people have said keep doing your research and only buy one of these magnificent animals after you are settled somewhere and are comfortable with all aspects of their care.
Best regards,
Shane

Personally, I don't think it's neccessary to go out and get experience handling other large snakes before getting an Anaconda. I mean, as long as you don't buy your snake as an adult, you will have years of experience handling that individual snake by the time it reaches what could be considered a dangerous size. That said, experience with other people's large snakes may help you decide if caring for an animal that size is really something you're going to enjoy.

Although I respect your opinion, reptile rescues are full of large snakes bought as juveniles by people who thought they could handle the responsibility of large snake ownership only to find out that they were in way over their heads once the snake passed the 8 to 10 foot mark. Look at what has happened to the Burmese python due to easy access by keepers who have absolutely no business owning one of these snakes. Reptile rescues are over run by large reptiles such as sulcatas, iguanas, varanids, and large constrictors. Does this mean that no one should own large snakes without first training under someone who does? No, but for the vast majority it is a very good idea as most people do not consider the feeding, cleaning, and sometimes danger in owning these animals. I personally get calls from people who can't seem to handle the responsibility of owning even ball pythons due to the "work" involved in keeping the animal they bought as a juvenile. Large to giant snakes are a much bigger burden on time and funds than smaller snakes and in my opinion most would take a pass if they had to clean out a cage with feces larger then those of a horse or had to deal with a male retic that has entered breeding season and whose personality has temporarily changed from docile to aggressive and dangerous. These are experiences that should be acquired prior to owning these animals as they can't be changed once the animal has reached maturity and the keeper all of a sudden realizes that his/her house now smells like an anacondas backside following a feeding or that they can't really handle a 14 foot angry, pacing snake for the 5 to 7 month breeding season. It is a well known and sad reality that most large snakes sold in pet stores die long before they reach old age. In most cases this is due to poor care and neglect because the person who purchased the snake has lost interest or is afraid of the snake that was a cute 20 inch juvie, but is now a 14 foot 80 pound predator capable of inflicting severe damage to its keeper. I believe that if people are properly educated and still want to own one of these snakes then by all means they should have that opportunity, but the decision should be based on knowledge of what to expect rather than the excitement of the intial purchase. Just my opinion.
Shane