I have not read this entire thread, but I thought I would give my 2 cents.

I started with small snakes, but even from day one I knew where I would end up. I had been eyeballing retics since I was about 6. I used to work for a large scale educational facility, and at one point we purchased several tiger retic and albino tiger retic hatchlings. They were some of the nicest snakes I had ever met. As luck would have it, I ended up at a reptile show and the breeder of those retics was there, and he had one of their siblings. A great little tiger retic male. Took the little bugger home and he was about 2'. as friendly as my balls, and as inquisitive as my corns. I had considered the option of getting an unwanted large snake, and now that I have the experience (owning a retic/ working with giant snakes for several years), I would certainly take one in that needed a good home, but I am overwhelmingly happy that I got my first giant snake as a juvenile. We can read him like a book. Today he is right around 11' and although I am not worried about him injuring me, or my girlfriend, we always make sure we are both home when he comes out. Just in case. He does hold on real tight.