The Kaiju thread - CB17 female Pearl Burmese Python

[Valyrian]

Hi everyone, new guy here from the UK

Just thought I'd say hi and share some pics of my baby Burm and update her progress. I'm currently setting up a 4 x 2 foot Vivexotic vivarium for her so I'll post pics when that's done too.

Here she is, as you can see she was tiny when I brought her home on December 17th




On January 4th




January 24th



January 30th



She's been growing well on a weekly defrost rat sized by her girth. I only plan to do this until she reaches a year old though and then move to feeding every 2 weeks and so on.

I'm also hook training her but I have to say she's been really docile since I got her so the breeder must have done a great job. She's hissed somewhat but she's never struck at me or taken a defensive pose which is good.

I'm bathing her 3 days after feeding and she had been pooping afterwards but she hasn't pooped for the last 3 rats, although she has passed urates.

I've been told not worry too much about this as there's no lump left in her so I guess she's using it all to grow. Or shes holding until she sheds next but there's no signs of blue yet. She's only shed once in my care on January 2nd.

I've kept corns as a teen but this is my first Burm at 34 so I'm looking forward to talking with you guys and learning a lot more. If you've got any advice go right ahead and let me know... Cheers ladies and gents

[tttaylorrr]

what a stunning baby!!! excellent pickup! and welcome to the forum.


i don't own a burm, but i've been keeping ball pythons for over 3 years and i rescued a Corn almost a year ago.

[Valyrian]

what a stunning baby!!! excellent pickup! and welcome to the forum.


i don't own a burm, but i've been keeping ball pythons for over 3 years and i rescued a Corn almost a year ago.

Cheers mate. I couldn't decide between a Hypo or an Albino so I got a Hypo Albino

[CALM Pythons]

Hi everyone, new guy here from the UK

Just thought I'd say hi and share some pics of my baby Burm and update her progress. I'm currently setting up a 4 x 2 foot Vivexotic vivarium for her so I'll post pics when that's done too.

Here she is, as you can see she was tiny when I brought her home on December 17th




On January 4th




January 24th



January 30th



She's been growing well on a weekly defrost rat sized by her girth. I only plan to do this until she reaches a year old though and then move to feeding every 2 weeks and so on.

I'm also hook training her but I have to say she's been really docile since I got her so the breeder must have done a great job. She's hissed somewhat but she's never struck at me or taken a defensive pose which is good.

I'm bathing her 3 days after feeding and she had been pooping afterwards but she hasn't pooped for the last 3 rats, although she has passed urates.

I've been told not worry too much about this as there's no lump left in her so I guess she's using it all to grow. Or shes holding until she sheds next but there's no signs of blue yet. She's only shed once in my care on January 2nd.

I've kept corns as a teen but this is my first Burm at 34 so I'm looking forward to talking with you guys and learning a lot more. If you've got any advice go right ahead and let me know... Cheers ladies and gents

Thats my soft spot right there.. Gotta love Burms. Such beautiful, Cool Gentile Giants. You might think about feeding every other week after 6 mos otherwise you'll have a 8Ft Burm next January hahahaha. Congrats & Welcome to the Club

[Valyrian]

Thats my soft spot right there.. Gotta love Burms. Such beautiful, Cool Gentile Giants. You might think about feeding every other week after 6 mos otherwise you'll have a 8Ft Burm next January hahahaha. Congrats & Welcome to the Club

Thanks, she's a real beauty I've been researching a lot and suggested feeding frequency varies online. Does she look to be growing at a healthy rate? And is it unhealthy to feed once a week up to 1 year old?

First and foremost her health is the most important thing but if she can be big and healthy that's the ideal.

[CALM Pythons]

Thanks, she's a real beauty I've been researching a lot and suggested feeding frequency varies online. Does she look to be growing at a healthy rate? And is it unhealthy to feed once a week up to 1 year old?

First and foremost her health is the most important thing but if she can be big and healthy that's the ideal.

She looks awesome . As far as feeding it isnt unhealthy to feed her every week it is just preference. The thing about Burms is that they grow really fast... Some people rather have them grow a bit slower. When mine were young I fed a lot less (every other week) than todays standards even as a hatchling so it took a couple years to reach 8ft... You can reach that a lot quicker with feeding more frequently. Some also think a slower growth is healthier but I believe that to be more for the smaller Pythons like Balls.
As I'm sure you know a Female can reach 20ft. You can stretch that Growth out for 20 years and still have a healthy snake by feeding a appropriate size EOW and once a adult every 21-30 days.

[Valyrian]

She looks awesome . As far as feeding it isnt unhealthy to feed her every week it is just preference. The thing about Burms is that they grow really fast... Some people rather have them grow a bit slower. When mine were young I fed a lot less (every other week) than todays standards even as a hatchling so it took a couple years to reach 8ft... You can reach that a lot quicker with feeding more frequently. Some also think a slower growth is healthier but I believe that to be more for the smaller Pythons like Balls.
As I'm sure you know a Female can reach 20ft. You can stretch that Growth out for 20 years and still have a healthy snake by feeding a appropriate size EOW and once a adult every 21-30 days.

Ah that's good to hear. I was worried it might shorten her lifespan because I think breeding 'age' is determined by size if i recall. So I wasn't sure if faster or slower growth would accelerate or slow down burm aging - if that makes sense? Lol.

Do you mean 6 months of age or 6 months of being with me? Because the exotics store I bought her from said they think she hatched July/August time (they got her from a breeder). So she would be 5/6 months old now. But looking at the growth she's had with me I would have thought she was maybe younger than that or was fed less often before me?

[CALM Pythons]

Ah that's good to hear. I was worried it might shorten her lifespan because I think breeding 'age' is determined by size if i recall. So I wasn't sure if faster or slower growth would accelerate or slow down burm aging - if that makes sense? Lol.

Do you mean 6 months of age or 6 months of being with me? Because the exotics store I bought her from said they think she hatched July/August time (they got her from a breeder). So she would be 5/6 months old now. But looking at the growth she's had with me I would have thought she was maybe younger than that or was fed less often before me?

Breeders feed slower so that they dont grow like weeds before they sell. It wont hinder her at all.. Snakes are amazing like that. You can under-feed a snake for 3 years then slowly pick up feeding and they will end up where they would have been if you fed regularly the whole time. As far as the sux month thing thats of no concern.. You can do whatever you like. Burms aren't problem feeders like some snakes are.. So feed every week for 4 or 6 months if you like and then if you want to go every other week later you can do that or not. There will be a time when she slows down as she gets older.. Mine all slowed down after 3 years. Then it was once a month depending. After 5 years Ive had them go off feed for 3 months and still never loose enough weight to notice.. Of course by then they are eating a 10lb Rabbit no problem hahahha

[CALM Pythons]

Also thats good your hook training... No matter how docile of a temperament. When she is 10'-12'-15' you want a way to let her know when you open the door its a time when feeding is not part of you reaching in. A Bite from a Burm 6' or 15' is nothing to laugh about hahahahaha.

[Valyrian]

Also thats good your hook training... No matter how docile of a temperament. When she is 10'-12'-15' you want a way to let her know when you open the door its a time when feeding is not part of you reaching in. A Bite from a Burm 6' or 15' is nothing to laugh about hahahahaha.

Ha ha I can imagine those bites being no joke. How old are your burms now and how often do you think these guys feed in the wild?