Giant python pool

We had three super hot days this last week. On the third day I took my big boy burm out in the yard and let him motor around. He found the sprinkler and stayed in the water mist, then I had a brillant idea and put him next to the kids blowup pool with his head facing the water (no the kids weren't in it) lol, he slithered right in and went swimming for a half hour or so. We took him out and dried him off in the front yard, not realizing his tail was up against the pool when we went to pick him up he struck at me. I know he felt cornered and it was my fault, also there was a strange person (to him) there too and he saw three people in front of him and with his tail on the pool I'm sure he was scared. I actually saw the strike coming and was able to move just enough that he grazed my thigh right through my short pants. He got only part of the top jaw on me. It was also an open mouth strike which translates to "get away from me". All totally my fault. I calmed him down once back in the house, checked his mouth and teeth to make sure he didn't break anything, his is ok. Here are some pic's while he was in the pool. He sure has grown, the pool is 6-7ft across so I'm guessing him at 10-11ft.

http://i12.tinypic.com/4yt89zl.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/5xsi73s.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/4p4vuhi.jpg

Hahaha awesome!!

He's thinking "AHHH this is the life....now all I need is a nice warm rat or mouse..."

Nice pictures and great python!


Mike :rockon:

Too funny! I love the 2nd pic! All he needs now are some snakey sunglasses and an umbrella drink! :sunny:

HAHA that's too funny, we just bought the bright orange 3 ring pool for my daughter to play in. Love the Burmese!

That's an awesome burm you've got there, but my question is (b/c I have zero experience with giants): how exactly do you "check his mouth and teeth to make sure he didn't break anything" without him making a pincushion out of your hand/head? Are they that gentle of giants that you can poke and prod without them getting aggravated?

Aww He's so cute! I bet my red tail would like that!

Wonderful pics! Great that you had help there with you for him being as big as he is and you are so understanding of why he nailed you. It looks like he's really quite relaxed and enjoying his cooling swim. :)

Those are toooo great!!! :D

Awesome pics!!! I should bring my big rtb and see if she likes playing in the pool aswell. Now how about some more pics of the burm? He is just gorgeous!!

Thanks for the nice photos. I would say he's longer than the 11' mark, maybe by a few feet more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sausage

Too funny! I love the 2nd pic! All he needs now are some snakey sunglasses and an umbrella drink! :sunny:

---

That is a great idea! Now I gotta photoshop something!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carmich132

That's an awesome burm you've got there, but my question is (b/c I have zero experience with giants): how exactly do you "check his mouth and teeth to make sure he didn't break anything" without him making a pincushion out of your hand/head? Are they that gentle of giants that you can poke and prod without them getting aggravated?

---

With him I use a large pair of rubber coated tweezers and can get him to open his mouth for a few seconds is about all he will tolerate, but it is long enough to see any damage.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankykeno

Wonderful pics! Great that you had help there with you for him being as big as he is and you are so understanding of why he nailed you. It looks like he's really quite relaxed and enjoying his cooling swim. :)

---

This boy requires two or three people when being carried and if feeding there has to be at least one other person in the house. I have a rule that I stick by that any snake over 7-8ft we use two handlers, if an accident occurs (yes it has) then there is someone there to help. He grabbed my girlfriends hand and threw a couple of coils around her arm earlier this year and wasn't going to let go (she didn't realize she smelled of rat on her hands and went to pick him up from the cage. He thought it was food and grabbed her. She stayed calm and called for me, I got him to release using cold water from the tap, her hand looked like she had gotten a tattoo in the back of a 4x4 on a dirt trail, but she jumped right back in the saddle the next day and was handling him again. Since then I use a hook to get his head and part of his body to clear the enclosure, then I take him out. This way he has learned to associate the hook with "not feeding time", if he doesn't see a hook then it's "feeding time".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by _BoidFinatic_

Thanks for the nice photos. I would say he's longer than the 11' mark, maybe by a few feet more.

---

I don't know his length for sure, it's hard to get an accurate measurment on him, i'm gonna try the string thing or the measuring program.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pythons Rock

This boy requires two or three people when being carried and if feeding there has to be at least one other person in the house. I have a rule that I stick by that any snake over 7-8ft we use two handlers, if an accident occurs (yes it has) then there is someone there to help. He grabbed my girlfriends hand and threw a couple of coils around her arm earlier this year and wasn't going to let go (she didn't realize she smelled of rat on her hands and went to pick him up from the cage. He thought it was food and grabbed her. She stayed calm and called for me, I got him to release using cold water from the tap, her hand looked like she had gotten a tattoo in the back of a 4x4 on a dirt trail, but she jumped right back in the saddle the next day and was handling him again. Since then I use a hook to get his head and part of his body to clear the enclosure, then I take him out. This way he has learned to associate the hook with "not feeding time", if he doesn't see a hook then it's "feeding time".

---

Right on, brother. We do the same. Our burm doesn't come out unless both of us are home just in case. You must respect the animal.

I'm glad to hear your girlfriend handled the tag well. While our burm hasn't gotten either of us yet, I am hoping that when it does happen, we will be cool about it.

Lourdes has lunged at me before, but it was my fault and he wasn't moving very fast...kind of a "Augh! You scared me...shoo!" :P

Can't wait til we get a house and can set a "snake swimming pool"!

Cass and Brian, I just want to commend you (and your partners), for your committment to safe handling practises with your giants. This is the sort of information that should be out there for our members who either have giants or are contemplating purchasing one, to read. Respecting your large snakes, working with them using safe and sane practises, sharing your common sense wisdom here at BPNet....it's just a pleasure to see! :)

Glad to see I am not the only one with those rules. I have 3 burms all through rescues and we have only had one incident but it is always better safe than sorry. When handeling the burms or red-tails minimum 1 other person in the room or vacinity and I have a sink right there just in case.

Here, Here for safety when handling giants!!!!

Good for you too Rick! Not only for being a smart and safe handler but for rescuing burms who so often and so sadly have nowhere to go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankykeno

Cass and Brian, I just want to commend you (and your partners), for your committment to safe handling practises with your giants. This is the sort of information that should be out there for our members who either have giants or are contemplating purchasing one, to read. Respecting your large snakes, working with them using safe and sane practises, sharing your common sense wisdom here at BPNet....it's just a pleasure to see! :)

---

Thank you very much! We really enjoy the giants, right now we have two (my big normal and a 4ft albino) Just having common sense and plans in place can make all the difference, paying attention to the animals mood, staying on top of there needs makes housing these guys fun but as safe as possible, there is always the room for error but if you have plans in place and actions to take you shouldn't get into a position you can't get out of. Safety, Safety, Safety! and you will enjoy these beautiful animals.

By the way this Thursday I will be doing an outreach in my daughters 5th grade class. She is going to be showing and talking about her juvenile BP and my GF and I are going to bring in the big guys (Burm, Big boa, Dumerils boa, Black King, and an adult BP to show size difference) we got permission from the teacher and principal