Burm or Retic

I originally was looking at SD retics because i was living with my parents and they would mess themselves if they came home to a huge snake.. but im moving out jan 1 and can get wahtever snake i please lol.

ok i know this sounds stupid but whatever, i would like a big snake, but not a HUGE snake, so im picking two of the biggest out there lol. The snake is not going to be power fed, but just maintence fed to let it grow but keep the size down a bit.

What is a better snake as far as temperment and how picky eaters they are? I see everyone with retics, but i think berms are alot prettier.

Anyone care to weigh in? Im not looking to get this till end of Jan/beginning of Feb... so you dont have to worry about a impulse buy and getting over my head

If you would like a big snake but not a huge snake then I wouldnt advice either. There size is the beauty of them. You can get a super dwarf retic or a dwarf burm and they still have almost the general apperance of the larger species but you dont end up with a huge snake.

As far as which has the better temperment question they can both be great pets and they can both be spawns of satan. If you work with them most will calm down and tolerate handling. Both can also be picky eaters or they can be complete pigs it just depends on the individual snake.

If you dont want a huge snake i dont think you should go with a retic or burm. Even if maintenance fed they will still get big. Maybe you should look into a jamp retic or just dwarfs. Jamps will still get big. Some get up to 15 feet. A full grown snake is deffinetly a big snake. I just think if a huge snake isnt what you want, you dont want a snake that has the potential to get 18,20,22 feet long. Especially a big ol' fat burm. :D

Lol, wrong choices. Those are indeed HUGE snakes. Perhaps a Macklott's? If you truly want a giant snake, I don't reccomend anything larger than a scrub. Maybe a Suriname RTB will be a purty good choics.

i dont mind a giant snake its my parents that do. I dont want something that is 22+ feet, anything under that i can handle

If a burm or retic are the 2 you want to choose from I recomend a burm based on the fact that in my experience they're easier to handle when they do get up there in size. But if you don't have the experience with large constrictors I'd say get a boa or a carpet python, raise it for a few years then go get a giant.

You might want to wait a few months after you move out before you even think of getting a snake this big. Are you going to have the $ to pay for the snake and all it needs and unexpected vet bills? Just a few thoughts. And don't forget once they get 8+ feet you should have someone help you while handling, are you going to have someone living with you willing to work with a snake that large?

What about an olive python?

I have no personal experience and only the experience of others I know to go on.
First. Are you really sure you want to clean up the poop of a snake that will poop like a great Dane? I'm pretty sure that at this time I don't, despite my love of the impressive big snakes.
Second. Do you intend to raise your own stock because bunnies are not cheap.
Are you prepared to provide a really secure enclosure, no some flippin aquarium?

Are you prepared for a snake that may be a pusher? You may be forever fixing boo boo's on it's snout because it's wanting to push out of it's cage.

Are you prepared to buy your own home? Apartments are absolute no no's with large snakes.
Are you prepared to have a large enough area, where others will not be in decent weather for the snake to get out and stretch safety?
The giant's are wonderful snakes and at some point I will probably have one, but not now. I have an 11 and 13 year old who sometimes do not listen to mom when she says this is a no no.

If you have all of that in place and have done your research and you have your own place, without some landloard who can lower the boom on you and kick you and your snake out and if it is contained safely so that on one else can be harmed then your at the beginning of the road. No go out and read everything there is to read on their care and maintenance.

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Originally Posted by singingtothewheat

Are you prepared to buy your own home? Apartments are absolute no no's with large snakes.
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Thats not entirly true. I lived in an apartment for almost 3 years with giants. And although it was not pleasant I managed it. I wouldnt advice people to try it but it is possible. This pic was taken at my apartment
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e5...n/DSC00712.jpg

Get a male. They tend to stay smaller and slimmer.

ok here we go

I want to first say i am open to other larger snakes. I love their patterns and dont know many other giant species so these two stick out in my head. I am not dead set on it, just going with what i know. I do not want a expensive morph, i think that the wild colors are prettier than any of the morphs except for MAYBE a supertiger, but thats still a maybe. I know i do not want an anaconda. I do not beleive that yellows are that pretty, dont get me wrong, they are beautiful snakes, just not for me and i do not want to have to worry about a big green and needing a pool inside my house for it to soak in

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Originally Posted by DoubleB

If a burm or retic are the 2 you want to choose from I recomend a burm based on the fact that in my experience they're easier to handle when they do get up there in size. But if you don't have the experience with large constrictors I'd say get a boa or a carpet python, raise it for a few years then go get a giant.

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I currently have a nearly 7 ft BCI, i have not had it its whole life, but i have ahd it the last 4 1/2 feet or so. I do not have experience with giants, but i do with larger constrictors. i have friends with retics that are in the 8-10ft range that i am in contact with two or three times a week

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Originally Posted by Lupe

You might want to wait a few months after you move out before you even think of getting a snake this big. Are you going to have the $ to pay for the snake and all it needs and unexpected vet bills? Just a few thoughts. And don't forget once they get 8+ feet you should have someone help you while handling, are you going to have someone living with you willing to work with a snake that large?

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I do not have problems with the cost of feeding. I have/make more than enough $ to support more than i would imagine a snake would eat. The person i would be living next door too is a friend with more than 2 or 3 giants and he would be there to help me as i go currently to hsi house to help him because he cant find anyone else to help him because they are too scared of thigns that big

Quote:

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Originally Posted by singingtothewheat

I have no personal experience and only the experience of others I know to go on.
First. Are you really sure you want to clean up the poop of a snake that will poop like a great Dane? I'm pretty sure that at this time I don't, despite my love of the impressive big snakes.
Second. Do you intend to raise your own stock because bunnies are not cheap.
Are you prepared to provide a really secure enclosure, no some flippin aquarium?

Are you prepared for a snake that may be a pusher? You may be forever fixing boo boo's on it's snout because it's wanting to push out of it's cage.

Are you prepared to buy your own home? Apartments are absolute no no's with large snakes.
Are you prepared to have a large enough area, where others will not be in decent weather for the snake to get out and stretch safety?
The giant's are wonderful snakes and at some point I will probably have one, but not now. I have an 11 and 13 year old who sometimes do not listen to mom when she says this is a no no.

If you have all of that in place and have done your research and you have your own place, without some landloard who can lower the boom on you and kick you and your snake out and if it is contained safely so that on one else can be harmed then your at the beginning of the road. No go out and read everything there is to read on their care and maintenance.

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i currnetly clean up after 2 60+ lb pitbulls and 1 90 lb pit, i always was raised on a farm, nothing, i mean nothing, poos more than a draft horse and it was my horse so i cleaned up after it.

I will be in my own house, the snakes will be in their own room, and there will be more than enough room for them to stretch out. they will be in professional cages once they become too big/strong to be in a tub

i am reading everything i can see about care and maintenance, one of the places is this post here where im looking for recomendations and ideas :)

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Get a male. They tend to stay smaller and slimmer.

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was already planning on it

I would recommend a Dumerils Boa. They can get to 7 feet (female). Great color too. Females can be a little territorial inside their enclosure, but once they're out of the enclosure, they're puppy dogs.

Do a Google search on them. GREAt SNAKES.

Jim Smith

ive decided im not going with a giant, but rather a costal carpet female, maybe bridge the gap a bit beween large and giant pythons...

thanks for the help guys

Congrats