Molurus vs. Reticulatus

[blueyedleucistic]

Hi everyone,

after a long time with ball pythons and boas, im really into big snakes and i have the space and responsibility to own one. Im doubting between an albino burm or a retic ( id be thinking of a normal looking one, though i really love purple albino, but dont know for how much they sell),and i really cant seem to decide which one i prefer. Besides the fact that they are two different snakes what would you guys choose and why? in your opinion why does one make a better snake to keep than the other? I would buy as a baby.



Many thanks!

[reptileexperts]

It's going to come down to personal preference. If you want a snake that will be slightly less active, and larger in girth (mostly), burmese is generally the better way to go. But with the current status of the Lacey act, Burmese can not cross state lines so it's something to keep in mind. As of right now retics are not prohibited from crossing lines. . .

Purple Albinos are awesome snakes IMO and are one of my favorite retic morphs. You can get them cheap if you get strictly mainland blood in them (think around 375 shipped for a male, 450-550 for a female shipped). If you want to get into dwarf blood to save yourself some space since retics will consistently get to 17+ ft in regards to females. These will run you significantly higher though, think 1500 from prehistoric pets, around 600 for a male though if you come from a private breeder like the snake pusher.

Again though, everyone will have a preference. My Burmese is a sweet heart, and has never attempted to bite. They are generally slow moving and just kind of sit there. Retics can be flighty, and when you have that large of a snake try and take off, you may have a struggle on your hands ;-).

Find someone local who has each and see if they'll let you see them. Each has a completely different personality, so it's not about what any of us here would do, it all comes down to you!

[reptileexperts]

I will say I prefer retics simply because their personality is not comparable to any other species I work with. They are constantly monitoring the situation. On the look out. Reading your body language. Burmese are kind of like an oversized ball python that can just sit there unless they don't want to be moved ;-)