Wanting a bigger snake

[jgrant0553]

So after many years of relentless pestering I finally got my daughter a Ball Python and I have to say it has been a great experience, what an amazing animal. We have had Spike for about a year and it is a very docile and calm snake that eats very well and has had no issues at all. I have to say that I wasn't very into the idea, but I had many reptiles as a child so I thought why not. Well needless to say I have really enjoyed the snake and now I am looking to move up to a bigger species. My question is what would make a good next step, I have been looking around at Burmese Pythons and Tiger Pythons but I am worried they will quickly get out of hand and they seem very aggressive. I would like something that is around 10' when fully grown and has a temperament that is close to the Ball Python. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[WingedWolfPsion]

Boa Constrictor? Well, they don't quite have a ball python's temperament...but in reality, nothing does. (Well, maybe an Angolan, but they're the same size).

Carpet pythons are fairly good if tamed down when young--their body language sure does take getting used to, if you're a ball python keeper, though. A curious and calm attitude in a carpet looks like a ball python about to eat your face, lol.

You may want to consider getting a really big female ball python, and make sure you want to go there. A 5+ foot female is quite a handful of snake.

Keep in mind, once you get over 8 feet, you are in the danger zone, and you should always have another person who knows what to do present, when you open the cage. The power of constrictors that size should never be taken lightly.

[Ladybugzcrunch]

Totally agree! Maybe a male red tail boa? I think they only reach about 8 feet and they have some sweet morphs. Some are really docile but nothing like a bp. Make SURE you buy from a reputable breeder though.

[MasonC2K]

Try and find a pet store or an owner that has a docile, full grown Columbian Boa Constrictor and ask if you could hold it to see if that's really the route you wanna go.

I have 5 BP's. One is a baby boy. 3 girls are all around 3 and a half feet. The other is a 5 and a half foot monster man that dwarfs the 3 girls and can't be handled the same way.

So try you're best to make sure this is what you really want. If it is, I'd go with a BCI.

[llovelace]

RTB, would be a nice next step snake.

[mainbutter]

If you're looking for something with some size, but want to stay away from retics, burms, and african rock pythons, as others have mentioned, boa constrictors are a great choice. Colombian boa constrictors are readily available just about anywhere that has snakes other than corns and ball pythons. There is a wide variety of color morphs, subspecies, and localities available from breeders as well. Certain varieties grow larger than others.

Im also going to suggest something a little less typical:

Olive python. If you can appreciate a brown patternless snake, but care more about size, attitude, and unique head shapes/body structure, this might be the snake for you.

Yellow anacondas are also a possibility.

Carpet pythons are a great idea or someone who wants something a bit bigger than a ball python, but or someone who was thinking seriously about burms, I don't think they'd meet your desire for size. I sit here looking at a 7' long carpet python and think "you know, it would be neat if you had a few more feet on you and weighed six times as much".

Older blood pythons can be really impressive, but certainly don't get close to double digits in length. Still, being the girthiest snake in the world is neat, and females seem to often top 25lbs once they get some years of growth in.

If you pick any of the above suggestions, get a female for more size.

Or you could consider a male giant I suppose, if you think you might be ready for it. I've been thinking that it would be neat to have one of the smaller (but still giant) locales of retics and opt for a male.

Rather than think of a snake in length, do you have an overall weight you'd feel comfortable with, or specifically desire? For example, I wanted to get into blood pythons specifically because I wanted a heavy bodied snake that could break 20lbs.

There's a huge difference between a 9' long 6lb blue beauty snake and a 10' long 50lb boa constrictor, despite there only being a foot difference in length.

[mainbutter]

Carpet pythons are fairly good if tamed down when young--their body language sure does take getting used to, if you're a ball python keeper, though. A curious and calm attitude in a carpet looks like a ball python about to eat your face, lol.

lol, too true. My girlfriend always gets a little nervous from my biggest carpet python staring her down and making eye-to-eye contact.