Thinking About Getting a (Potentially) Giant Python

[Wiggles92]

As the title states, I've been thinking about getting a python that has the potential to get huge. I have experience with colubrids of all sizes, small to medium pythons, and mildly venomous snakes, so I want to go on to the next logical step and get a giant python.

I'm currently thinking about getting either a retic or a burm, but I am open to suggestions. Regardless of the species, I was thinking of getting a male since it will be my first giant python and I'd rather deal with a smaller male rather than a huge female, at least to start out. Final housing would be a cage with a 8' x 4' footprint; I'm not 100% sure on the height yet, but the cage will be at least 2' high for sure. Feeding would be appropriately-sized food items (rats then rabbits and so on) on a weekly basis to start and the feeding frequency would decrease after the first few years as need be.

Any useful advice or tips?

[mpkeelee]

I don't personally have experience but I would suggest a retic off of the intelligence I hear they have and the calmer behavior they usually have. I know a lot of folks here have both animals so one of them should be along soon to help

[Gto_402]

Personally I like carpets and olive pythons. Olives will be my next purchase. I would love to have a pair of purple retics but live alone and couldn't handle a 20' by myself. If you are set on either burms or retics I really can help sway your judgement. They both over a large variety of morphs. However one thing to think about rehoming a giant normal male is going to be harder than a smaller species.

[Wiggles92]

Personally I like carpets and olive pythons. Olives will be my next purchase. I would love to have a pair of purple retics but live alone and couldn't handle a 20' by myself. If you are set on either burms or retics I really can help sway your judgement. They both over a large variety of morphs. However one thing to think about rehoming a giant normal male is going to be harder than a smaller species.

I've thought about olive pythons, but they seem to be much harder to find than burms and retics.

I'm definitely leaning towards getting a morph rather than a normal, but that's more because of the added appeal of the colors and pattern rather than making for easier rehoming (and I will avoid rehoming it at all costs); I was thinking of getting any albino, but I know that there are a ton of other cool morphs out there that I have yet to look into in depth. I've considered dwarfs or super dwarfs, but, based on what I've read, they tend to be much more flightier and/or more likely to bite than a standard-sized burm or retic.

[llovelace]

Here is my

1. Keep in mind that these animals live a long time.
2. Down the road if you get married/play house, will the new spouse be accepting of animal.
3. Rehoming giants is not an easy task, and when you begin a family trust me, you will get harped on til it's gone.
I've seen it tooooooo many times, unless you are fortunate enough to find someone that shares in your passion

[Denial]

Retics are much more of a handful then burmese pythons. Burms are alot easier to move around and get them to do what you want them to do as adults then retics are. Retics do what retics want to do and you have to figure out how to trick them to where you always have the upper hand.

[cstruthers]

For a first large snake if you havent really worked with them, a male burm will be the easiest typically. And if that time comes where you need to rehome it, people tend to be more willing to get a large burm than a large retic, just because of a retics bad rep.

Personally I prefer retics. They just provide a little more of a challenge and are a little more interesting to study behavior. When you work with snakes all day every day, you really notice some big differences in how species react to different things, and retics are my favorite just because of how aware they are of everything around them.

But typically, baby retics will give you a little more trouble in the beginning when handling. I'm not saying that burms are the "gentle giants" but they tend to be a little easier to handle and slower moving, most retics even as adults dont like to sit still when being handled.

I bring my burms to photo shoots because they will actually sit still for two seconds, you dont see a lot of retics in photo shoots typically. I've done it, but the model has to be used to handling a snake or at least comfortable with it constantly moving.

[Highline Reptiles South]

Not to sound ugly. Unless you are settled down, own a home etc I would be extremely hesitant to get a burm or retic.

I keep seeing craigslist full with burms and retics because (as stated) someone got married, moved, apartment didn't let them have it, lost job etc etc

You really need to be hard and honest with yourself before taking that step. It takes a passion, a committed LONG term effort and considerable expense to keep them properly.

If you have that...I too would pick a burm over a retic for the reasons stated. They tend to be a little easier to handle. Although there are some sick retic color morphs out there.

[Denial]

I dont own my own home I rent and I have plenty of burms, retics and anacondas. Contrary to popular belief some landlords actually prefer you have reptiles opposed to dogs or cats. They dont make messes like those animals do. Ive always been upfront about everything I own to my landlord and when I lived in an apartment the apartment manager knew I had my snakes and I didnt even have to pay a deposit because they were caged animals. You will always see animals on craigslist and its not just burms and retics I see plenty of smaller snakes on there everyday. These animals are not for everyone but at the same time if you are capable of owning them and caring for them there not as hard to care for as alot of people think. It just takes common sense, responsibility and a steady income.

[Wiggles92]

Retics are much more of a handful then burmese pythons. Burms are alot easier to move around and get them to do what you want them to do as adults then retics are. Retics do what retics want to do and you have to figure out how to trick them to where you always have the upper hand.

For a first large snake if you havent really worked with them, a male burm will be the easiest typically. And if that time comes where you need to rehome it, people tend to be more willing to get a large burm than a large retic, just because of a retics bad rep.

Personally I prefer retics. They just provide a little more of a challenge and are a little more interesting to study behavior. When you work with snakes all day every day, you really notice some big differences in how species react to different things, and retics are my favorite just because of how aware they are of everything around them.

But typically, baby retics will give you a little more trouble in the beginning when handling. I'm not saying that burms are the "gentle giants" but they tend to be a little easier to handle and slower moving, most retics even as adults dont like to sit still when being handled.

I bring my burms to photo shoots because they will actually sit still for two seconds, you dont see a lot of retics in photo shoots typically. I've done it, but the model has to be used to handling a snake or at least comfortable with it constantly moving.

If you have that...I too would pick a burm over a retic for the reasons stated. They tend to be a little easier to handle. Although there are some sick retic color morphs out there.

Okay, so it's looking like a male burm is the direction that I should go which doesn't surprise me too much and was what I was thinking for the start, but I figured that I may as well see what people thought about having a retic as a first giant python.

Here is my

1. Keep in mind that these animals live a long time.
2. Down the road if you get married/play house, will the new spouse be accepting of animal.
3. Rehoming giants is not an easy task, and when you begin a family trust me, you will get harped on til it's gone.
I've seen it tooooooo many times, unless you are fortunate enough to find someone that shares in your passion

Not to sound ugly. Unless you are settled down, own a home etc I would be extremely hesitant to get a burm or retic.

I keep seeing craigslist full with burms and retics because (as stated) someone got married, moved, apartment didn't let them have it, lost job etc etc

You really need to be hard and honest with yourself before taking that step. It takes a passion, a committed LONG term effort and considerable expense to keep them properly.

I dont own my own home I rent and I have plenty of burms, retics and anacondas. Contrary to popular belief some landlords actually prefer you have reptiles opposed to dogs or cats. They dont make messes like those animals do. Ive always been upfront about everything I own to my landlord and when I lived in an apartment the apartment manager knew I had my snakes and I didnt even have to pay a deposit because they were caged animals. You will always see animals on craigslist and its not just burms and retics I see plenty of smaller snakes on there everyday. These animals are not for everyone but at the same time if you are capable of owning them and caring for them there not as hard to care for as alot of people think. It just takes common sense, responsibility and a steady income.

I've taken all of those factors into consideration, and I don't believe that I will run into any of those problems. I do realize that this is definitely a long-term commitment, and I am fine with having such a snake for a long period of time. All the landlords that I have dealt with or spoken to prefer caged pets such as reptiles and fish over non-caged pets such as dogs and cats; my previous landlord was fine with anything as long as it was kept in a cage, not allowed to free-roam, and not venomous. As for the girlfriend/spouse part, I'm currently single and have no intentions of being in a relationship with someone who can't accept my hobby which thereby means that they can't accept a part of me.