Just curious.....what do you do with these big snakes?

As a newbie to the Python world with my gorgeous BP Ginger..... I'm curious about why people own giant snakes, and how they own them. Do they just roam around your house? What's the attraction to having a 15' snake?

I mean absolutely no offense! These are just questions that I have from ignorance about the giant snakes.....

Thanks!
Pamela


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The same as the attraction of owning a 2 foot snake, do those roam around your house? You just need bigger cages.

Why are people attracted to, interested in, fascinated by anything?

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Originally Posted by pbyeerts

As a newbie to the Python world with my gorgeous BP Ginger..... I'm curious about why people own giant snakes, and how they own them. Do they just roam around your house? What's the attraction to having a 15' snake?

I mean absolutely no offense! These are just questions that I have from ignorance about the giant snakes.....

Thanks!
Pamela


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They most definitely do not roam around the house when kept responsibly. As a knowledgeable and responsibly giant snake owner, one must provide a safe and secure habitat that will prevent the snake from harming itself and others. This includes locking mechanisms that allow only qualified individuals to interact with the animal.

The allure is different with each person. Personally, as a biologist I appreciate them as a vestigial remnant of our evolutionary history. Raw, primordial power and grace. There is nothing more basic yet refined in its movements than a giant snake.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

They most definitely do not roam around the house when kept responsibly. As a knowledgeable and responsibly giant snake owner, one must provide a safe and secure habitat that will prevent the snake from harming itself and others. This includes locking mechanisms that allow only qualified individuals to interact with the animal.

The allure is different with each person. Personally, as a biologist I appreciate them as a vestigial remnant of our evolutionary history. Raw, primordial power and grace. There is nothing more basic yet refined in its movements than a giant snake.

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Correct!
BTW, You guys going to be at the Rocky Mountain Reptile Expo?

Maybe. The last show was kind of a let down. Are you in CO?

Yep. I am a rare South East Aurora guy.. lol. Yeah, I get most my stuff from Justin Greenbeck and Travis

No, mine aren't free roaming for their health and safety. Not only do I not want them interacting with my dogs, but the ambient temps and humidity in my home aren't appropriate for them.

I don't keep just the big ones, though they are my favorites to work with. I think because they're big they're less skittish and defensive than my smaller snakes, so they tolerate handling well. They're also very curious, and mine, at least, will watch the world go by outside of their enclosure rather than hiding and pretending it doesn't exist like the BP's often do.

it's not simply about being large snakes to me. I find the species fascinating in and of itself. No need to make it all about size since Anaconda or Burmese can offer me more weight at a lower cost / risk. Reticulated pythons have a personality about them that is unlike any other species I've had the joy of working with. I started researching reticulated pythons in 2002, and followed their practices in the community for almost a decade before making the plunge myself. One day, things just clicked and it was a green light to start my first retic purchase. It was more addicting than any snake species I've ever raised - from balls, to rattlesnakes, from Carpets, to hognose. Every species has something to offer the observant keeper. Giant snakes are no exception.

And yes - big snakes = big cages + big foods. Big snakes + big food = big poops. :rolleye2:

What type of habitat are they kept in? I can't even imagine where you would find an enclosure for a 20' snake....


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Originally Posted by pbyeerts

What type of habitat are they kept in? I can't even imagine where you would find an enclosure for a 20' snake....

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From Animal plastics, just like any other snake. http://www.apcages.com/home/terrestrial/terrestrial.htm

Anything from a T25 on up depending on the actual size of the snake. Roughly speaking about a square foot of floor space per linear foot of snake, but it depends on the species. I know some people who have set up a spare bedroom or a large closet for their big snakes but that's probably overkill for any but the largest.

An 8x3x2 ft enclosure is more than adequate for even the largest retic. If given more space aggression usually becomes an issue as they begin to feel more threatened and stressed.


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This is very OT (sorry original poster), but reptileexperts- Do you think if retics were given large hides within a larger enclosure, that would help reduce aggression / defensiveness in large spaces? I've seen this topic come up so many times on FB groups it has made me wonder if they simply need a super-size hide.

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Originally Posted by artgecko

This is very OT (sorry original poster), but reptileexperts- Do you think if retics were given large hides within a larger enclosure, that would help reduce aggression / defensiveness in large spaces? I've seen this topic come up so many times on FB groups it has made me wonder if they simply need a super-size hide.

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While I realize that the plural of anecdote is not data, I have a nine foot two year old purple male rattling around in a 96"x30"x18" enclosure. His prior owner had him in a 48"x30"x18" and he was fine in it.

I make hides for my larger snakes from plastic restaurant bus tubs, and he has one. He's also not aggressive or defensive in the least. All of my larger snakes do use their hides regularly.

Great info Bcr! I've often wondered if the increased aggression / defensive behavior in a larger cage simply meant that they needed a hide so that they felt comfortable. I guess you would need to do an "experiment" by putting a hide in with an animal that became cage defensive when put into a larger viv and see if it helped to really see if it makes a difference.

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Originally Posted by artgecko

This is very OT (sorry original poster), but reptileexperts- Do you think if retics were given large hides within a larger enclosure, that would help reduce aggression / defensiveness in large spaces? I've seen this topic come up so many times on FB groups it has made me wonder if they simply need a super-size hide.

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in my experience with my 11ft male retic, i had him in an 8x3x2 and he did just fine, i have tried giving him a hide but he became more cage aggressive with it in there, he would go into a strike position when i opened his enclosure while he was in the hide and had a couple times where he struck as the door was opening. i took the hide back out and had no further problems after that. some may like hides but in my experience i dont have a hide in the enclosure when they reach a certain size. the cage he was in had good privacy with 2 small windows and no lights and i havent had any problems without a hide in there with him, and when i had my burms in the same kind of cages without hides, they had little to no aggression, my big female burm (12+ft)had never been aggressive in that enclosure. but i guess it really depends on the animal itself if they need a hide or not.

Thanks for your replies - fascinating info.......


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Yeah, hides are hit or miss and all about individual snakes. Just like cage size CAN be correlated to individuals versus the idea as a whole. But these people who claim they need rooms - well that's nice to look at, and sounds good on paper to places like PETA maybe, but in actuality its just not a needed thing - and can be a bad thing.

I've seen people put 10' snakes in a 6x3x2 and it refuses to eat and has aggression. They moved it back to a 4x2x2 no aggression and pounds food normally.

I have a 8' Jampea Goldenchild in a 6x3x2 and he does absolutely fine eating, pooping, shedding, no increased aggression.

$0.02

Setting the possibility aside, do the big guys have as much personality as the BP? Our Ginny is such a sweet girl.

Last question - what do you feed big pythons? Rabbits?

Rabbits, chickens, ducks, lambs, large guinea pigs and piglets were the main food sources for my large constrictors.

I think most big snakes have way more "personality" than BPs, especially my Retics that i had. They are so fascinating and intelligent, truly remarkable creatures.

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Originally Posted by pbyeerts

Setting the possibility aside, do the big guys have as much personality as the BP? Our Ginny is such a sweet girl.

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Our big guys (and gals) all have an abundance of "personality". I won't delude myself by saying they "love" me or they crave affection like a dog or cat will, but many tolerate or even seek out interaction with people.

Retics will run the gamut just like any other species; some will be chill, some flighty, some nippy or defensive, etc. We purposefully avoided buying any female babies that didn't tolerate handling right out of the egg, and our two mainland males are adults who were known to be chill even during breeding - some males can become difficult when they mature.

That's not to say we're not careful with them, or that they won't change in the future, or we take stupid chances during handling sessions - a bite from an adult retic is gonna hurt! As newcomers to bigger snakes we knew we lacked the experience needed to keep a difficult animal though, so our purchases were driven first by temperment and then by morph.

Am I really the only one with a snake door in my back door?

That's an interesting question (original post).

Seeing how you are entering the snake hobby with a royal, let me use myself as an example.

I bought a royal for my son's 9th B-day 3 years ago, knowing full well I'd be the primary care giver. I was pretty neutral about the whole reptile gig in the beginning. Then I started to research more, and became further interested in the biology of snakes. I've probably put in a masters degree worth of study and research into these animals and learn more daily. It's a hobby for sure.

My first thought when making the purchase was "I can't own something over 5 feet". After about 6 months I was so enamored by constricting snakes I started looking at various species and became hooked on boa constrictors. Once you raise a snake from a juvenile to adult, the size doesn't play into the equation as much as you'd think. A truly interested keeper will learn all they can about their species, and in many cases other types as well.

Size is certainly something to be respected and cared for responsibly, but folks that have large/giant snakes are fascinated by more than just sheer size. It just so happens that some of the most interesting snakes are quite large.


This is something that comes with experience and research. While I certainly enjoy an animal that is larger than the typical royal, I'm realistic knowing my situation is not right for a very large snake. I can handle a 10 foot + coastal carpet or a 8-10 foot boa constrictor at best. I know my family situation and limitations. My wife isn't going to be involved in handling, and I'm not overly confident an emergency bailout plan with her as the first responder would go well, and my kids aren't quite ready for that yet either. I set my limits accordingly.

The people who do have the giants, are, or at least should be fully aware of what they have. The responsible keepers have safety plans, friends or relatives that can help with certain tasks, and working with the animals becomes the norm.

It's really not any different from owning a large breed of dog. If you are not able to properly handle or control it, it's not a good idea to own one. Sadly many people think dog ownership is simple and put little thought or time into it.

I think you'll find that the "giant" snake owners put a lot of valuable time into researching their animals, and care for them religiously. They are VERY aware of the capabilities of their animals in general, but there are always idiots that don't do those things and that isn't specific to snakes.

Snakes are not roaming, social animals. The big ones don't need miles of space, but on the other hand giving them room will allow you to see some of the fascinating behaviors they perform.

I think if you are around this hobby for any length of time, there is a somewhat natural progression toward other species, and a tendency to want to experience something "impressive". It's not for everyone, but if you continue to research and fill your mind with knowledge about these animals, your curiosity might lead you down the path to larger things.

Think of it this way in terms of personality / shyness.

Animals are evolved to be elusive and shy when they are tiny creatures that must fear for their life among even the smallest of predators. This generates very skittish animals that would routinely bite or musk if given the chance when handled or cornered. As we increase the size of the animals in question, more confidence is felt, and less fear stress comes into play. When dealing with Giant Snakes, you tend to see no human fear and thus more interactions that will take place. Retics and burms are typically not the snakes you would see hiding from it's owner or even a dog or cat that may be in the room. While many snakes will get scared of these situations - larger constrictors simply try and read the scene and get an understanding of their environment - you are part of that environment. This creates an entirely different personality than you would see in smaller pythons / colubrids. And makes them more tolerable to handling.

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Originally Posted by PassionFruitReptiles

Rabbits, chickens, ducks, lambs, large guinea pigs and piglets were the main food sources for my large constrictors.

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Gulp...!


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Has anyone seen my rabbit


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Some people like theater rooms...I personally like a jungle room. Its just what each individual likes and will do.

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Originally Posted by d_b

Some people like theater rooms...I personally like a jungle room. Its just what each individual likes and will do.

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I have both!!!:D

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Originally Posted by reptileexperts

Think of it this way in terms of personality / shyness.

Animals are evolved to be elusive and shy when they are tiny creatures that must fear for their life among even the smallest of predators. This generates very skittish animals that would routinely bite or musk if given the chance when handled or cornered. As we increase the size of the animals in question, more confidence is felt, and less fear stress comes into play. When dealing with Giant Snakes, you tend to see no human fear and thus more interactions that will take place. Retics and burms are typically not the snakes you would see hiding from it's owner or even a dog or cat that may be in the room. While many snakes will get scared of these situations - larger constrictors simply try and read the scene and get an understanding of their environment - you are part of that environment. This creates an entirely different personality than you would see in smaller pythons / colubrids. And makes them more tolerable to handling.

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i agree, my big female burm always comes to the front of her cage and looks out the window on the cage door whenever i go into the snake room lol she loves interacting with people too, my bps are usually almost always hiding.

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Originally Posted by PassionFruitReptiles

Rabbits, chickens, ducks, lambs, large guinea pigs and piglets were the main food sources for my large constrictors.

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This is what would stop me from a big constrictor... how do you afford to keep them fed.. I already breed rats, but I can't run a farm just to feed then haha. But mad respect for sure.

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Originally Posted by Tsanford

This is what would stop me from a big constrictor... how do you afford to keep them fed.. I already breed rats, but I can't run a farm just to feed then haha. But mad respect for sure.

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You don't have to feed piglets or bunnies or baby hippos to your large constrictors, my burms have never eaten anything but rats. My female gets 2-3 jumbo rats per serving and my male gets 1-2 of the same. I've tried rabbits, but they don't even recognize them as food. If you breed rodents, keeping a couple of big ones is a great way to find a use for your retired breeders.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

I've tried rabbits, but they don't even recognize them as food.

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That's funny, my rabbit supplier has everything from 25-30 gram rabbit pinkies all the way through massive adults. All of my BCI's, dumerils boas, BRB's, adult king snakes, etc. will hit a rabbit, as will all of my retics. Even a couple of my BP's will take them.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

That's funny, my rabbit supplier has everything from 25-30 gram rabbit pinkies all the way through massive adults. All of my BCI's, dumerils boas, BRB's, adult king snakes, etc. will hit a rabbit, as will all of my retics. Even a couple of my BP's will take them.

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I actually sewed a dead rat onto the head of a dead rabbit once (yes it's was gross, but I understand it usually works pretty well) , my female burm took it, but while swallowing the rat she got to the rabbit and just stopped. She sat there for a few minutes and you could almost see the thoughts going through her head, then she put a coil around the rabbit and pulled really hard until the rabbit tore away from the rat. Then she left the rabbit laying there and finished swallowing the rat. I figured that she had expressed her thoughts on the taste of rabbit pretty clearly and have only been feeding rats ever since.

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Originally Posted by Tsanford

This is what would stop me from a big constrictor... how do you afford to keep them fed.. I already breed rats, but I can't run a farm just to feed then haha. But mad respect for sure.

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Once your animal is eating larger prey, the frequency of the meals drops.

I don't even have a giant, but I can tell you I feed my boa constrictor in early November, and when the temps and seasonal changes take hold, he won't eat again until April.

When my coastal reaches full size, the same will apply but may be slightly modified based on sex and species.

If you pay close attention to "Reptile Experts" videos and feeding regime, you can get a feel for what and how to feed based on a male VS female retic, or a breeding candidate VS a shoulder pet.

I think many people forget that snakes evolved over millions of years to be very efficient feeders.

Some African Rock pythons eat 1 giant meal and are good for a year.

Unless you are housing multiple giant animals, which would be quite difficult for the casual pet owner I don't see it getting out of hand.


I can argue my son's royal refuses and wastes more money and food than both of my other snakes eat.

I think there are a lot of exaggerated stories about large snakes that are put to rest when somebody that keeps them responsibly shares their experience.

I have not heard anybody mention going broke due to feeding a retic yet.

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Originally Posted by Tsanford

This is what would stop me from a big constrictor... how do you afford to keep them fed.. I already breed rats, but I can't run a farm just to feed then haha. But mad respect for sure.

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i order my rabbits in bulk and it only costs us about $190 in total for their food, thats also with rats included in the order. usually end up getting about 5 rabbits a piece (10 total) and that will feed them for about 3-4 months.

I don't know if her attitude will change as she gets older, but I have my 3' retic in a tub that's large enough for a 4' snake if you go by the Length+Width rule. She's got a lot of room, 2 hides, a humid hide, water dish, a fake plant, and I just added a paper towel tube to see if she'd like it as I see a lot of snakes enjoying them, retics and Burms included. She has no aggression at all, and spends most of her time perched on top of her humid hide, and less so in her plants. She's rarely ever found in her hides, but she uses them on occasion. I do use a hook so she'll be used to it as an adult, but she's really calm and easy to take out. The only time she bit me was when I had her in a tiny tub while I was changing out her bedding. When I popped the lid off, she went super stiff and stared at me from the corner of her eye. I picked her up, knowing that if I messed around and took my time it would irritate her even more. She nailed me once, but immediately calmed down.

I'll try moving her to her 6' enclosure when she hits 5' and see how she does, but if she'll do with in one, I'd like to provide an enclosure where the Length+Width is at least equal to her length. So 8'x4' if she gets no larger than 12', and if she gets 15' then a 12'x4' or something similar. If she shows signs of aggression, I may keep her either in the 6'x2' or an 8'x4'. Right now she has no qualms with the extra space whatsoever.

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Originally Posted by Alexiel03

i order my rabbits in bulk and it only costs us about $190 in total for their food, thats also with rats included in the order. usually end up getting about 5 rabbits a piece (10 total) and that will feed them for about 3-4 months.

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Where do you get your food? I went on Layne Labs to see how much it would cost to order a year of adult food for all my snakes (100 rat pinks, 24 large-medium rats, 25 small rats, and 12 10 lb rabbits), and it would cost me over $800, and ~$650 of that was shipping alone. Then again, I could be overestimating it with the 10 lb rabbits, that was just a guess at what she'd need.

I was thinking about breeding them because I want to go back to breeding rats when I can, but I'm not sure rabbits would cost that much less a year to breed...

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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

I was thinking about breeding them because I want to go back to breeding rats when I can, but I'm not sure rabbits would cost that much less a year to breed...

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You may want to look into it, I pay about $2/lb locally for f/t rabbits from a breeder.

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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

Where do you get your food? I went on Layne Labs to see how much it would cost to order a year of adult food for all my snakes (100 rat pinks, 24 large-medium rats, 25 small rats, and 12 10 lb rabbits), and it would cost me over $800, and ~$650 of that was shipping alone. Then again, I could be overestimating it with the 10 lb rabbits, that was just a guess at what she'd need.

I was thinking about breeding them because I want to go back to breeding rats when I can, but I'm not sure rabbits would cost that much less a year to breed...

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Definitely look around and you can find better. I just used rodentpro.com because I know they sell everything on your list and here's the cost.

12 xxl rabbits(8.00-9.99 pounds) -- $12each($144) -- xxxl are 10.00-12.00+ pounds and are $13 each so add $12 if you wanted those
40 small rats(sold in packs of 20, needed 2 to hit 25) -- $1each($40)
30 medium rats(sold in packs of 10, needed 3 to hit 24) -- $1.25each($37.50)
100 pinky rats -- $.30each($30)

Comes out to $251.50 + $116 shipping(4 boxes to fit your order) for a grand total of $367.50 shipped.

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Originally Posted by John1982

Definitely look around and you can find better. I just used rodentpro.com because I know they sell everything on your list and here's the cost.

12 xxl rabbits(8.00-9.99 pounds) -- $12each($144) -- xxxl are 10.00-12.00+ pounds and are $13 each so add $12 if you wanted those
40 small rats(sold in packs of 20, needed 2 to hit 25) -- $1each($40)
30 medium rats(sold in packs of 10, needed 3 to hit 24) -- $1.25each($37.50)
100 pinky rats -- $.30each($30)

Comes out to $251.50 + $116 shipping(4 boxes to fit your order) for a grand total of $367.50 shipped.

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This is also during the 29 per box shipping special, and the reduced price on Small and Medium rats fwiw.

I buy local rabbits, and order my rats from RP during these discounted shipping times. I know a lot of people tend to fear RP, but I have not had a single issue. But I have had issues with other companies.

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Originally Posted by Gio

That's an interesting question (original post).

Seeing how you are entering the snake hobby with a royal, let me use myself as an example.

I bought a royal for my son's 9th B-day 3 years ago, knowing full well I'd be the primary care giver. I was pretty neutral about the whole reptile gig in the beginning. Then I started to research more, and became further interested in the biology of snakes. I've probably put in a masters degree worth of study and research into these animals and learn more daily. It's a hobby for sure.

My first thought when making the purchase was "I can't own something over 5 feet". After about 6 months I was so enamored by constricting snakes I started looking at various species and became hooked on boa constrictors. Once you raise a snake from a juvenile to adult, the size doesn't play into the equation as much as you'd think. A truly interested keeper will learn all they can about their species, and in many cases other types as well.

Size is certainly something to be respected and cared for responsibly, but folks that have large/giant snakes are fascinated by more than just sheer size. It just so happens that some of the most interesting snakes are quite large.


This is something that comes with experience and research. While I certainly enjoy an animal that is larger than the typical royal, I'm realistic knowing my situation is not right for a very large snake. I can handle a 10 foot + coastal carpet or a 8-10 foot boa constrictor at best. I know my family situation and limitations. My wife isn't going to be involved in handling, and I'm not overly confident an emergency bailout plan with her as the first responder would go well, and my kids aren't quite ready for that yet either. I set my limits accordingly.

The people who do have the giants, are, or at least should be fully aware of what they have. The responsible keepers have safety plans, friends or relatives that can help with certain tasks, and working with the animals becomes the norm.

It's really not any different from owning a large breed of dog. If you are not able to properly handle or control it, it's not a good idea to own one. Sadly many people think dog ownership is simple and put little thought or time into it.

I think you'll find that the "giant" snake owners put a lot of valuable time into researching their animals, and care for them religiously. They are VERY aware of the capabilities of their animals in general, but there are always idiots that don't do those things and that isn't specific to snakes.

Snakes are not roaming, social animals. The big ones don't need miles of space, but on the other hand giving them room will allow you to see some of the fascinating behaviors they perform.

I think if you are around this hobby for any length of time, there is a somewhat natural progression toward other species, and a tendency to want to experience something "impressive". It's not for everyone, but if you continue to research and fill your mind with knowledge about these animals, your curiosity might lead you down the path to larger things.

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Very well said!

When I first entered the hobby, I said "I don't want anything bigger than 6 feet or so"... Then my boyfriend wanted a female BCC. I got comfortable with that idea, and adjusted my rule to "Nothing bigger than a boa/carpet - ie, no giants".
Recently, I've been learning more about Retics and I'm coming around to the possibility of owning one someday. I don't want one for the size at all (in fact I'd be going with male dwarf or SD to minimize size), but I'm fascinated with their looks and personality.

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Originally Posted by KitaCat

I don't want one for the size at all (in fact I'd be going with male dwarf or SD to minimize size), but I'm fascinated with their looks and personality.

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As an FYI the pure SD's can be a little flighty or more foody than mainlands. My pure male will even snap at the water sprayed from the bottle when his enclosure gets misted, even if we're not spraying him directly he'll come out of hiding to "attack" it.

It would be funny except he prefers to go for the nozzle, which is entirely to close to my hand...

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Originally Posted by bcr229

As an FYI the pure SD's can be a little flighty or more foody than mainlands. My pure male will even snap at the water sprayed from the bottle when his enclosure gets misted, even if we're not spraying him directly he'll come out of hiding to "attack" it.

It would be funny except he prefers to go for the nozzle, which is entirely to close to my hand...

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Oh dear... Thanks for the heads up. [emoji14]
How are SD crosses in that respect?

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Originally Posted by KitaCat

How are SD crosses in that respect?

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I have two 50% SD 2014 females who are dolls to handle.

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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

Where do you get your food? I went on Layne Labs to see how much it would cost to order a year of adult food for all my snakes (100 rat pinks, 24 large-medium rats, 25 small rats, and 12 10 lb rabbits), and it would cost me over $800, and ~$650 of that was shipping alone. Then again, I could be overestimating it with the 10 lb rabbits, that was just a guess at what she'd need.

I was thinking about breeding them because I want to go back to breeding rats when I can, but I'm not sure rabbits would cost that much less a year to breed...

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i get my snakes food from Rodentpro.com