Preparing for a big snake

Im bound to get a burm, retic, or annie sooner or later (biggest snake iv handled is 5ft) and i would like to hear the opinions from the pros.

Handling
Enclosure
Care
Feeding
Maintnence
etc.

I dont trust google searches which is why im asking, all opinions are welcome. Hopefully the opinions in this thread will help other future "big snake" owners as well.

You might consider a Jampea dwarf retic. They dont get as huge as a mainland but not as small as a super dwarf. Here's a video to give you a good size on what appears to be an adult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBaSo...feature=relmfu

If I had a monster snake I would just let it have free range in my living room and just put heat lamps in the entryway so the snake would chill there most of the time. Then if anyone ever breaks in... most people will brave a dog, but how many people would brave a 20 foot snake?


Now to be serious. I have seen people convert walk in closets into "walk in enclosures" and thats about all the help I can offer lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twist

You might consider a Jampea dwarf retic. They dont get as huge as a mainland but not as small as a super dwarf. Here's a video to give you a good size on what appears to be an adult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBaSouEa3ws&feature=relmfu

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What a beauty!! :O

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

If I had a monster snake I would just let it have free range in my living room and just put heat lamps in the entryway so the snake would chill there most of the time. Then if anyone ever breaks in... most people will brave a dog, but how many people would brave a 20 foot snake?


Now to be serious. I have seen people convert walk in closets into "walk in enclosures" and thats about all the help I can offer lol

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Lol thats epic haha

Im bound and determined to get a Green Anaconda some day but the thought of handling a 10ft+ snake seems overwhelming, same with maintnence and feeding.

Man thats a pretty snake. I think when my wife finishes school, when I dont live in a 2 bedroom apt and when my son is perhaps 4 years older...oh and if they dont get banned by then...I am so getting a Jampea!

Stepping up to a giant is a big step. Handling an adult giant is nothing like handling a 5 foot snake. Even a 10 ft 'tic or burm may only be twice as long but will be exponetially larger in weight. Right now I have a 9ft dwarf albino retic who is about 18 pounds but when you hold him he seems to be about 50 with him tugging and trying to explore everywhere.

Maintainence is also a lot more work. First you have to deal with putting your snake somewhere, hopefully you have an extra holding cage. Then cleaning up after them is a whole different story! Big snakes means big mess, especially with my 'tic who seems to make a mess out of his cage EVERY time.

You're going to have to consider where you are getting your feeders, local or will shipping be required? Shipping large feeders is usually pretty expensive along with the initial cost of the actual feeders. Also with a big annie you'll probably need a seperate freezer to keep the feeders unless you have a good amount of extra room in the one you currently have.

As far as an enclosure either building one or converting an extra room will be best. Unless you have the extra cash to buy one but why not try and save some cash? Boamaster I know makes a big 10 footer which would be good for most giants, though a female green annie, and possibly a huge female 'tic would be best in an extra room. The initial enclosure will be expensive along with a larger electric bill since you have to heat a huge amount of cubic space.

Then you have to consider your safety when feeding, handling, cleaning etc. You can't handle a 18' annie, tic or burm alone, 10 ft is getting up there where having two people would be nice. Do you have anyone willing to help you with moving your snake to another enclosure if need be?

These are all big considerations to take in and the choice to get a giant should not be taken lightly. The irresponsibility of so many others taking such a giant lightly is what has put our community in the situation it is in. Do as much research as you can, try finding someone local who could let you handle their giant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

If I had a monster snake I would just let it have free range in my living room and just put heat lamps in the entryway so the snake would chill there most of the time. Then if anyone ever breaks in... most people will brave a dog, but how many people would brave a 20 foot snake?

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When I moved into my apartment complex, my landlady informed me that someone tried this. She had an appointment with them to bring someone in to fix the sink. They let her and the repair guy in and she said there was about a 15 foot (I am assuming a burm, but she had no idea) snake just loose in the living room. Now, these apartments are 550 square feet, which is indeed as small as it sounds, so that snake would have looked far bigger than it was in that little living room! They allow pets that are not cats or dogs, but after that incident, they do not look kindly on snakes. Soooooo... I just didn't tell them I had one. Doubt my little BP will be any trouble.:D hahaha!

Moral of the story, snake people are hilarious.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redstormlax12

Stepping up to a giant is a big step. Handling an adult giant is nothing like handling a 5 foot snake. Even a 10 ft 'tic or burm may only be twice as long but will be exponetially larger in weight. Right now I have a 9ft dwarf albino retic who is about 18 pounds but when you hold him he seems to be about 50 with him tugging and trying to explore everywhere.

Maintainence is also a lot more work. First you have to deal with putting your snake somewhere, hopefully you have an extra holding cage. Then cleaning up after them is a whole different story! Big snakes means big mess, especially with my 'tic who seems to make a mess out of his cage EVERY time.

You're going to have to consider where you are getting your feeders, local or will shipping be required? Shipping large feeders is usually pretty expensive along with the initial cost of the actual feeders. Also with a big annie you'll probably need a seperate freezer to keep the feeders unless you have a good amount of extra room in the one you currently have.

As far as an enclosure either building one or converting an extra room will be best. Unless you have the extra cash to buy one but why not try and save some cash? Boamaster I know makes a big 10 footer which would be good for most giants, though a female green annie, and possibly a huge female 'tic would be best in an extra room. The initial enclosure will be expensive along with a larger electric bill since you have to heat a huge amount of cubic space.

Then you have to consider your safety when feeding, handling, cleaning etc. You can't handle a 18' annie, tic or burm alone, 10 ft is getting up there where having two people would be nice. Do you have anyone willing to help you with moving your snake to another enclosure if need be?

These are all big considerations to take in and the choice to get a giant should not be taken lightly. The irresponsibility of so many others taking such a giant lightly is what has put our community in the situation it is in. Do as much research as you can, try finding someone local who could let you handle their giant.

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Thank you a bunch, this was EXACTLY the kind of information i was seeking. Iv been considering a green annie for awhile now, but like you said i have been trying to plan everything out...enclosure, feeding, help with handling, ect. I still feel that i need a few more years of experience, and maby find a someone near by who has one that i can try and handle to see if its something i even want to invest in. Im friends with a few reptile shop owners that have 8-10ft burms and retics that are as docile as a pup, iv considered asking them if they could train me to hold one and also maby get some info from them as well.

I know its a big step but iv always wanted a green annie every since i was a kid, i guess as long as i have the determination, time, and money i should be ok lol :gj:

Such a good Ideas! big snake in a door.
I think that is really cool.