What is so expensive about large constrictors?

[ChrisBowsman]

Since I got the bp from my bro-in-law, I've been browsing craigslist to see what snakes people are selling (not seriously looking, though). I've come across a few reticulated pythons or large boas, and some people say they can't afford them.

What costs besides the additional food would there be for a large snake?

[cassandra]

A proper cage for a large boid can be quite expensive and while it sounds repetitive, yes, the food gets expensive. My cornsnake eats a mouse a week, so even I'm buying them, it's a max of 4 bucks a month. My burmese, however, gets one rabbit or piglet a month, which can range in price of 8 to 20 dollars.

I would imagine that herp vets charge more to work with large boids than with little punk cornsnakes as well - and I don't blame them, hehe.

[fishmommy]

heating a big enclosure can cost, humidifying also.
lots of food, and in some cases a big increase in your insurance rates

[$nake$]

if you are still unsure why a big snake like a retic of a burm can be so expensive then you shouldnt be thinking about buying yet

[ChrisBowsman]

if you are still unsure why a big snake like a retic of a burm can be so expensive then you shouldnt be thinking about buying yet

I'm not. That's why I said I was browsing, but not seriously Someday I'd like to get into something larger, but for now I'm happy with a ball python.

I was just curious about what made them expensive to the point of not being affordable.

[bait4snake]

It's the food costs, unless you're prepared to breed and raise up rabbits yourself... which has their own costs. But to keep a large burm or retic healthy and well fed, it's gonna cost ya, especially if you have limited funds.

[MarkS]

Your biggest expense is going to be the extra large cage. But thats a one time expense and once it's over it's done with. Perhaps you're seeing ads from people who need to move up from a baby cage to an adult cage and didn't realize how much an adult cage would cost them? The food is really not that much especially of you buy frozen in bulk from an online source.

[Patrick Long]

I think the food is most expensive. i dont even have a large collection and im shellin 32 bux a week for food. and i dont even have retics or burms.

[MarkS]

How many snakes are you feeding Pat? 32 bucks sounds like a lot. I've got 4 burms and I'm only going through about a dozen or so extra large rats a month. With the balls I do produce a lot of my own feeders, but I still have to supplement with frozen and I bet I don't spend more then $200.00 a month with over a hundred snakes.

[Patrick Long]

well
three large rats at 6.99
one small rat at like 4 somethin
three mice at 1 somethin
one pinky at 1 somethin

its like 32 72 or somethin like that
it sux. but i dont want to breed

but i found someone in oxnard that charges a fraction of that, i just dont know how reliable it is