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

[ Hide Replies ]

• Gentle Giants? - graynightblue, Mon May 22 13:17:45 2006
• Dumerils (if they qualify as "giants" - SnakeBiteJunkies, Mon May 22 13:23:47 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - okreptilerescue, Mon May 22 17:45:30 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - jaykis, Mon May 22 18:14:56 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - grunt, Mon May 22 21:29:45 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - snakemanof83, Mon May 22 21:41:29 2006
• I couldn't agree more N/P - bendig, Tue May 23 01:36:34 2006
• I got one for you....LOL - mavericksdad, Mon May 22 22:39:38 2006
• RE: I got one for you....LOL - graynightblue, Tue May 23 16:37:42 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - graynightblue, Tue May 23 16:39:00 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - curt, Tue May 23 15:13:06 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - reptilemadnesstk, Wed May 24 04:24:41 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - Br8knitOFF, Wed May 24 08:35:56 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - jaykis, Wed May 24 18:23:54 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - Chance, Thu May 25 09:32:55 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - Carmichael, Wed May 24 20:58:15 2006
• RE: Gentle Giants? - jaykis, Wed May 24 22:31:56 2006