Burmese python as a pet?

I currently have one ball python (which is about 3 feet long), and a bearded dragon, and this might sound a bit crazy, but I want to start getting into larger snakes. I know burms are usually classified as "intermediate" or "advanced" due to their large size, However, if I have the proper size enclosure and equipment, would a Burmese python make a good pet? Ive held a a friends Burm that was around (or a bit larger than) 15 feet and It was amazing! I would rather get a Burmese python than a boa, due to their amazing, and normally pretty nice personalities. Also, if I was to get into larger snakes, where would I get an enclosure? The largest enclosures I see available are around 10 feet, and if a Burmese can grow up to somewhere around 15, I would definitely want a bigger enclosure than that.
I probably won't get It anytime soon (because of the fact that I need a permit, have a lot of money invested and a good bit more). So if anyone could answer that would be great! Have a blessed day!

A few questions (not that I need answers to, just for you to consider):

Are you renting where you live? or do you own your own place? Consider where you'll be living, even if local laws allow them, pets like these aren't usually welcomed
by landlords.

When your snake gets huge, will you have reliable & snake-competent friends or family around to help you with it...because for safety, you need one or more others
around for handling big constrictors. We don't want to read about you in the paper, because that's what gets more laws passed against keeping them.

Will your budget support not just the price of the snake & the giant enclosure, but also the food, the heat (thermostat etc) and money set aside for exotic vet bills.

Not all snakes have the same personality...what will happen if yours evolves differently than you planned for? That's an awful lot of snake, & not what I'd recommend
as a pet, especially your first one that's that large.

You ask about where to get enclosures: many ppl build their own, or you could get "handyman" help? I'm sure others here may have more suggestions too...a BCI was
more than big enough for me.

I took the following from your "About Me" section of this site.

About Linseylou

Interests:I am starting to get into the reptile keeping hobby! My collection is down below!!My Collection:I have one albino Ball python, as well as a German giant bearded dragon!
I used to have 4 Fowler’s Toads, but I had to let them go (they were wild caught) due to a sickness one already had and spread to the others! I am planning on getting a crestie in the new future, as well as a Leachie and Blue Tongue skink!

Look, I am not trying to be a downer, and some people literally started with Burmese Pythons, but it's probably a terrible idea to get one.

First of all, unless I am mistaken, you are new to the hobby. That's great and it's great to passionate and want to grow in the hobby. I did the same thing! I also started with a BP and a Bearded Dragon when I got serious in the hobby as an adult.

Secondly, the rule of thumb is over 8FT (certainly with constrictors) you need 2+ people to safely handle, feed, etc.

An 8ft female BI that's fed appropriately can be 15-25 pounds or more. They have an aggressive food response, but are manageable. That's still probably 10-20X the size of your BP, eating bigger food, pooping bigger messes, needing bigger tanks (but that can be bought), etc.

A Burmese Python at 10-15 feet is probably 80-250 pounds depending on age, sex, feeding regiment, etc. That's at least a two person job.

As Bogertophis addressed the living situation, long term, that's one consideration. However, there are others. Aside from the sheer mass, waste produced, food and humidity and temp requirements (as she also alluded to), and as you did, cage size, there is the obvious risks. A Boa bite for example, smarts for a minute or two. A burm bite probably needs many stitches, etc. It could be a food response bite (not defensive/aggressive) or could just be having a bad day. It doesn't matter. You are at risk.

If you can accept all this, and don't keep other animals in the house that would be mistaken for food, it's your prerogative to make a 20-30 year commitment to an animal like that.

For what's it's worth, I love Burmese. I've held large ones and they can have a great demeanor. However, I NEVER WANT ONE.

I've been keeping reptiles for well over 20 years and have 13 in my collection, with my boas being the largest (although some are smaller now). I've handled many boas, including large ones, and they are impressive animals, come in many colors and patterns, and are fun and inquisitive when out, but I can handle them on my own safely.

Not sure what you heard about Boa's temperament, but they can be nippy as babies (like most snake species), but most are total puppy dogs when bigger (and many are as youngsters too). Behira, my female ghost BI, is incredibly chill (almost 4 and has been since day 1), as is Jeff my male BI (he's about 1 year now), and Feliz, my BC. I've held many boas are unless food is involved, they are generally amazing pets.

There are others on here who have kept Burmese only to get have to rehome them when they got bigger. The same with even dwarf retics. Many have rehired their 8-10 foot SD Retics as they can be a handful. That's a 30 pound snake versus a 200 pound snake. Yes, can be different temperament, but still.

My advice to you is to keep being passionate, enjoy the hobby, and grow in it and see where it leads. Size of an animal doesn't necessarily equate to enjoyment. I love my corn snakes, and my leopard geckos, my leachie and chewie, my BP, and my carpet python, and my Blue Tongue too. They are all great in their own ways.

Do your research. There are many larger (and smaller animals) that are fun to keep and are impressive in their own right.

Go to shows, reptile stores, talk to people who do presentations, animals rescues, etc. Get the facts. Do not rely on me, or anyone else on here alone. However, keep asking questions, learn as much as you can, and enjoy the heck out of this awesome hobby.

I would hate to see you get in over your head, or anyone else for that matter (including me), by getting a Burmese, having to rehome, or worse, and losing passion in the hobby. Too many people get passionate and burn out well before their animals reach their life expectancy because they get too many too fast and/or they are too young and life changes.

Not to mention significant others. I was lucky to get 3 boas!

Where are you living that you need a permit for a Burmese python? Some localities and states where permits are required may never issue them, or the permits are only issued to facilities like zoos or rehab centers, creating a de-facto ban. So, depending on your location, your first step if you want a Burm may well be an out-of-state move.

Definitely, it becomes a challenge because like they said, you need 2 people once it reaches 10 ft or so.

Plus, what happens if it doesn't have the most favorable temperament? I will tell you, it makes simple tasks much more difficult, which is then compounded by the large size. There's 2+ people on this forum alone that have rehomed SD retics that can attest to this.

But only you know if your situation is right for such a commitment, so I'm certainly not saying you shouldn't do it.

yeah, that definitely makes sense. I would always have another person there for safety reasons, but like you said, idk how it would turn out if I get a really mean one lol. I'll keep all that in mind, thanks for answering!

Strictly answering your question, of course Im bias owning Burmese Pythons for the last 31 years, they are the Best Giant Python to start out with. Notice I said Giant, not Best Python.
Like others have said, your looking at 11’ to 16’ depending on sex. I do not over feed and my 24 year old is around 15’6” I think..
The largest enclosure I have is 8’Lx3’Dx2’H.
I take all my Pythons out several times a week. The Balls for shorter periods of time as I only keep them out as long as they want. I can read them very well.
Burms Require a lot more time whether you’re considering the cleaning aspect or spending time with them.
Mine have always wanted to come out and sometimes do not want to go back in hahaha.. because I’m responsible for their well-being I do not just put them away when I feel like it, I’ve had to make sure my lifestyle fits around their needs. Its only fair since I signed up for it. 60% of Burm Hatchling are nippy as hell for as little as 2 weeks until a month or so. This is under the impression someone understands snakes. I’ve had a few people tell me they keep getting tagged by their baby Burm after several months and when I watch them they reach over the top of the snake or move quickly around it making it defensive. Burms are very smart. They watch your every move. Nothing like a ball python who will strike out strait no matter how your holding them, a Burm will turn around and snap you in the wrist quick. These are all things to consider. There are to many things to cover in this comment but I have a page on FB if you want to read what I have written in the Announcement Section there. Its a Hatchling to Adult 101. As a matter of fact, I believe I posted it on this forum also a couple years ago. I’ll look for the link on here and post it in this Thread if I can find it.
Facebook: My Burmese Group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/8705...484/?ref=share

Here is the Link on this FORUM.
Burmese Pythons 101 : A look into keeping. The Basics.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...5&share_type=t



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My two cents: if you have any doubts, don't do it. They are amazing animals, but not for everyone.

I'm a 230 pound adult male with close to 15 years experience keeping snakes and I will not bring a Burm into my home. I'm also 41 and won't want to be trying to handle a 12+ ft Burm into my 60s at least. Burns are a HUGE commitment.

So to me, unless you're 100% certain you can handle this animals needs for 20+ years, as well as have the required space and people in your life to help you, it's not worth it. There are plenty of other species that you can look into that get good size but are much more manageable.

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Originally Posted by Linseylou

...I would rather get a Burmese python than a boa, due to their amazing, and normally pretty nice personalities...

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I understand that you were impressed by the Burm that you met, but actually living with a giant snake takes lots more than just admiration. I also think you're misinformed about boas, as they normally have nice personalities too. I say this based upon (1) having worked with an injured Argentine for a time, (2) being an active member of snake forums for 11 years, and (3) having owned (rescued) an "ornery" mishandled & unwanted yearling BCI, calmed her down in only about 2 months to a reliably-cuddly boa that never bit me even once, & she was my pet for 12 years until she moved in with friends of mine who were more into large boas than I ever intended to be. She was, by that time, a good 7.5' long, & while she was always docile with me (she snuggled around me while I watched movies) I sometimes had quite the "rodeo" trying to get her back into her enclosure, and with only one pair of hands to do so, I felt that her size required more hands on deck. Don't forget that snakes grow their entire lives, & while their growth does slow down, it doesn't stop...and just like kids who grow up taller than their parents, some snakes grow larger than their genetics would have predicted. Just saying...;)

You definitely got some great advice here.


I'll just add: don't sleep on some of the more manageable species that get larger than a ball python but nowhere near a giant snake.
I know you said you would prefer a burm to a boa, but boas are AMAZING animals. I think you have to spend some time around them to appreciate how impressive they are. They are usually more inquisitive than a ball python which is pretty cool.

Python options to consider are carpets and bloods, both get big but not unmanageable by any means.

Just food for thought...

This is Lemmy, my albino burm, when he was a young’n. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bfce4c53cf.jpg


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Oh wow! Many of the people I talk to make boas out to be an unpredictable and nippy snake, but how y'all are saying they are amazing snakes, I may just change my perspective of them lol. So they can be a nice, and handleable snake as adults (as long as you work with them of course)? I've watched Snake discovery on YouTube before and her boa seems pretty nice! Also how big are your boas currently?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Linseylou

Oh wow! Many of the people I talk to make boas out to be an unpredictable and nippy snake, but how y'all are saying they are amazing snakes, I may just change my perspective of them lol. So they can be a nice, and handleable snake as adults (as long as you work with them of course)? I've watched Snake discovery on YouTube before and her boa seems pretty nice! Also how big are your boas currently?

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Boas rock. Most are incredibly docile, but curious, and like to hold on when being held.

They are voracious eaters so I recommend hook training all boas so as not to be mistaken for food :).

Here are the threads for my 3 boas.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...68#post2728168

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...69#post2728169

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...uot-BCC/page29

Here is a 10 year old BI female (Kahl Albino) that was fed properly and has good body definition. That's me at 5'4" on a good day holding her.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/sibYFQL.jpg

Here is a buddy holding a 6FT suriname BC adult male. My buddy is 6'3" for reference.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/Kiilgvd.jpg

Here is an adult female sunglow I held as well, but the breeder is holding her currently.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/30mhO2d.jpg

All are puppy dogs, mine, the ones I have pictured here, etc.

If you don't want a nippy one, talk to a good breeder who can pick out a winner, work with it, or get an established one - say a year old or so - that's outgrown that phase.

Again, pretty much any pattern and color you can imagine on a BI. Females get larger than males, in general, but even an 8FT female could live it's life in a 6X2' as is my plan for Behira and Jeff. Feliz, being a dwarf BC, is in a 4X2' for the duration.

A few more things to think about: with a really large enclosure to house that giant snake, it's going to be lots of 'fun' to clean and disinfect. :rolleyes: You haven't had many
snakes yet...the more active ones have been known to slide thru their feces & smear them around some, not intentionally of course...simply because they're wild animals
that do not understand walls. If you don't keep enclosures clean, you'll have a sick snake, and sometimes snakes mess up their cages at the most awkward times. It's
literally a BIG commitment, and one that's going to last for 20-30 years. There's a reason that many giant snakes go up for adoption, so I hope you give a lot of thought
to this before jumping in. This is a pet that can easily limit your social options, & there's nothing sadder than raising an adorable little snake that grows into something
you just can't live with (or that your "significant other" can't live with). It's NOT easy to find good new homes for such things: zoos get free offers constantly, and their
answer is rarely if ever "yes".

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Originally Posted by Linseylou

Oh wow! Many of the people I talk to make boas out to be an unpredictable and nippy snake, but how y'all are saying they are amazing snakes, I may just change my perspective of them lol. So they can be a nice, and handleable snake as adults (as long as you work with them of course)? I've watched Snake discovery on YouTube before and her boa seems pretty nice! Also how big are your boas currently?

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I'd recommend a boa ANY day over a Burm or other giant snake. From living with so many snakes for so long, I knew when I adopted that "nasty, bitey BCI" that she was just scared to death...this was a snake trying to defend herself, & that's all. Snakes are shy & until they learn otherwise, they assume we are NOT their friend & are a threat to them.

Remember that snakes (even captive bred) are WILD animals, meaning they rely on their instincts. The only thing that picks up a snake in nature is a predator about to EAT them, so she was terrified of humans. Look how big we are compared to a snake. And then she kept changing hands, biting more & more just out of panic. Know what I did to stop that?I put a small towel over her & cuddled her on my lap inside of it, for about 30 minutes or so...not every day but often, so that she learned she was safe & warm...she learned my scent thru the towel, & she learned that my touch was not hurting her. Then after about a month or so, I gradually let her peek out...she got used to seeing "this huge creature that was holding her". No fast moves on my part either...she was still ready to bite, but I never gave her a reason. In about 2 months time, she had no desire to bite me...I was "safe" as far as she was concerned, & never once in the 12 years I kept her did she ever try to bite me. She became cuddly & sweet, even though she was a Mexican boa (they're typically feisty, especially if you don't understand snakes). Snakes do learn, & she understood, because I was patient with her (when no one else was) that she was safe with me.

Snakes inherit tendencies to be one way or another, but it's what YOU do to help them understand, that's what often determines whether or not they become good pets. Please do look into boas, I think they're a much better pet for you (& for most everyone). They're beautiful & way more manageable.

Dwarf Burms are very calm and placid in my experience.. my HD ( half dwarf) Burm even topped out at just 7’ .. he was very inquisitive and moved like a Retic at feeding time though !


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You might also look into keeping a Dumeril's boa...they're quite beautiful & a good sized snake also, but maybe a little shyer as boas go, or a little harder to "read" when
you're not as experienced. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care.../Dumerils-Boa/

I have a dumerils and a boa constrictor, both males and they are both very well tempered. They do move quicker and grip harder than my other snakes so handling is more interactive. I've never been bit by either, they've never even tried. The dumerils was a baby, the redtail was three when I got him. They do love food and strike at movement instead of waiting for food to go in the cage and will come out flying if you aren't careful but that's pretty easy to control. I think Burms are probably a good starter giant but I wouldn't want to have to deal with feeding or cleaning up after a snake I can't safely handle alone. Plus the space needed would really limit anything else and you really have to think long term, can you handle that snake in 10, 20, 30 years? What if you die/get injured/get sick/want a vacation? What's the housing situation? What if you move? Legality of the snake comes into play too, so many bans these days. Doesn't sound like you are planning to jump in but definitely things to consider.

I would say go with a blue tongue skink like you had planned. A male Merauke will grow close to 24" like my Homer. A 4x2 glass tank is best, they are smart and like to watch the world outside its tank, and the feeding is easy and fun (omnivores with a love for canned snails) about once or 2x a week as adults. And the tongue is what makes them so cool to look at. Some like being handled, others are fussy. Some are lazy couch potatoes, others are more curious and wants to come out and explore. Price range from $175 to $2000+ depending on species, morph, age and whether it is an import or not (get captive bred). Initial cost including lighting is pricey but once all set up, the rest is easy and affordable. And they don't live as long as a boa... Only about 15-20 years.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

I have a dumerils and a boa constrictor, both males and they are both very well tempered. They do move quicker and grip harder than my other snakes so handling is more interactive. I've never been bit by either, they've never even tried. The dumerils was a baby, the redtail was three when I got him. They do love food and strike at movement instead of waiting for food to go in the cage and will come out flying if you aren't careful but that's pretty easy to control. I think Burms are probably a good starter giant but I wouldn't want to have to deal with feeding or cleaning up after a snake I can't safely handle alone. Plus the space needed would really limit anything else and you really have to think long term, can you handle that snake in 10, 20, 30 years? What if you die/get injured/get sick/want a vacation? What's the housing situation? What if you move? Legality of the snake comes into play too, so many bans these days. Doesn't sound like you are planning to jump in but definitely things to consider.

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That’s an interesting point about the unbelievable strength of Boas !!!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

That’s an interesting point about the unbelievable strength of Boas !!!


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You might be surprised at how strong my large Florida rat snakes are too. One of my large (7') males was in a weird mood one time last year & would NOT release from my arm & hand, which was getting a little blue by the time we were finished. He wasn't trying to bite (he has never bitten me) & I honestly don't know WHAT he was trying to do, but all normal efforts to have him release were an epic fail. I wanted him back in his cage that I had just cleaned & he was having none of that, for a good 20 minutes or so.

So (Linseylou) just imagine what your "dream Burm" could do...when even a large rat snake like mine could choke out a person if he'd been around my neck. You need to be prepared for any & all snakes to actually act like snakes, with no regard for your opinion. This is why we encourage "rules" about safe handling of constrictors- all of them.

When my boa wraps my wrist with his tail, it is pretty impressive how tight it gets, and he’s only about 4’ or so. It’s a damn chore trying to get him back in his cage!


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For their overall size I think my Dumerils boas are the strongest of all of my snakes. As ground snakes they're naturally heavy-bodied anyway, and when they clamp down it's just impressive.

I own an 11.5' retic, had her since 2015. I have no idea how messy Burms are in comparison to retics, but even though my retic is super docile and easy to work with (99% of the time), her upkeep and feeding is more work than all my 6 boas (and past snakes) combined. I can get her out of her cage into her holding tub, and out of her holding tub and back into her enclosure in seconds. What takes work is actually cleaning her cage. I keep her on Carefresh atm because it is the most absorbant bedding I've found, and stays easy to scoop up and vacuum. Which saves a lot of time. But, every single time I feed her, she needs a full bedding change. Her cage takes an entire bag of $18 CF, which is super expensive. Luckily, I only feed her once a month usually (twice a month with smaller prey items), but I've taken to building up a large store of bedding bags so I don't run short.


It can take 1-2+ hours to clean her cage. Empty the bedding, vacuum out the little bits, scrub down with bleach water, let sit, rinse out, dry, and put bedding back in. Her urine and urates can take a long time to scrub off of her PVC cage; retic urine sticks like no other. My boas' cages clean so much faster. If Burm upkeep is anything similar, just keep in mind just basic upkeep, even temperament aside. The upkeep alone is enough to keep me at one retic. haha I love her to bits, though, I got so lucky with her demeanor.


As far as boa constrictors. I own 6. 2 are naturally docile, and I can pretty much do what I want to them. The other 4 are varying levels of defensive/nervous. But I wouldn't consider them unpredictable. Although my anery motley still nips me on occasion, it has been restricted to just the first few moments of getting him out. Since the homozygous form of motley has deadly muscle degenerative issues, and I've heard even heterozygous motleys can have slight muscle issues, I theorize this is just a coordination issue. He kind flops around, no matter the way I pick him up, and that's when he nips me. Once he's settled down and has a grip and goes to exploring, he's fine. I'm hoping once he's in a front-opening enclosure he may be less prone to this (I can get him out at his level and not pick him up). One of the other males is more food-oriented than defensive, but a few quick taps from the hook and he's golden. The jungle female doesn't hiss or strike or anything, just tries to run away. She's still making steps, and I've had her since Dec 2016. Went from running away at the slightest touch, and trying to jump off of me, to letting me pick her up with minimal running, and actually using me as a perch. The last one used to hiss at me all the time, but as she's aged, she's become nearly as docile as my 2 docile ones (except in shed and the odd occasion).


All in all, I would say boas are great snakes. I've never had a boa that was a nightmare to keep, even though I've had a couple that were habitual hissers/biters when I first got them. I would also say a bite from the average boa is nbd; a feeding response bite is gonna smart, but not require a hospital visit. Meanwhile, a giant runs a risk of a hospital visit or worse. They're also nice, slow growers, so you can grow with them.