I posted this over on Fauna, but their python forum is REALLY slow, and I'd like as much feedback as possible...

So I love all snakes, am mostly into ball pythons, but am truly fascinated by HUGE snakes. I have a 9 foot female red tail and she's a good 40+ pounds, but I am more and more wanting to get a bigger snake. Of course I'll pick one up as a baby and raise it on my own.

I guess I'm looking for advice on how to prepare for this...feeding, upgrades in caging, suitable habitat, etc...aren't an issue. Would it be a good idea for me to try to hook up with someone local with BIG snakes to get a feel for the handling of them?

Also, what are the pros and cons of owning such a large animal? And what are the pros and cons of particular species...retics, burms, rocks, amethystines?