Experienced reticulated python owners ONLY

[tbowman]

The fact is that having a 16 ft. constrictor that may or may not be chill and easy to work with WILL put constraints on college plans.

I live in a College town where there are 3 or 4 colleges within a 20 minute drive from my house, so I don't typically associate going to college with living in a dorm.

The fact is that having a baby also will put constraints on college plans. I never once said that owning large constrictors wouldn't put constraints on college plans. And the post above mine seemed to imply that it would be impossible to go to college if you owned a large constrictor. I understand that is because the person did not clearly explain himself but I'm just making a point.

Besides, after reading this person's past posts, they're barely able to keep BPs and seem to have no understanding of snake behavior. They recently had an accidental breeding that came from housing snakes they couldn't or didn't bother to sex properly together because they thought the snakes liked companionship and that cohabitation was perfectly fine. They also said they think handling is necessary to keep snakes "happy".
Not trying to bash someone for what's already been done, but those things indicate this person is nowhere NEAR being able to handle a giant constrictor. Mistaking signs of stress and thinking your BPs want to cuddle and go for walks in the park is just stressful for the snakes, but mistaking signs of stress and thinking a retic has an emotional attachment to you can land you in the hospital.

Cohabitation is completely acceptable with an experienced keeper. I posted what I think are some important points for a young person looking to get into large snakes to think about before jumping into it. I have no former knowledge of this person's prior experience and I am not trying to sway them in one way or the other.

Keeping snakes isn't a race; you don't have to keep the biggest-baddest animal on the market to be good at snake-keeping and respected within the community.

You're 100% right. But for some people, the big snakes are the only ones that they're passionate about and that's what really sparks their interest in proper animal care and husbandry.

Someone can own other species for 20 years, but if they ignore sound advice consistently, and keep their animals in less than stellar conditions, then they are no more qualified than a 16 year old who understands how big of a commitment this is and has a willingness to take good advice and put it to good use.