Burmese python as a pet?

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?

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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".

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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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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