Burms, huge responsibility? nawwwwww

[surnamemarc]

Why do people think they are such a HUGE respnsibility?

Just woundering.. It bugs me when i read posts about people getting burms on rtb net and here and hows theres always someone saying they are a huge responsibility...

Now, I currently have 2 burms. And albino and a norm. I had a green burm. I also had many other snakes, bcis, water python, bloods, balls.. I find the burms are just as easy to care for as balls and bcis..

So they get huge , heavy and eat like pigs. Just make sure you have the space for them, the money to feed them and possibly some help when you clean their cage.

Id also like to add there are just as many people getting rid of their pet balls, bloods, retics, carpets as there are people getting rid of their burms.. I mean go look at the classafieds..


that is all :p I'm interested in hearing replies if you have any..

[steelnink]

I think alot of the hype has to do with their size.Personally, i agree that their no more a responsibility than any other boid, people just have to use their brains, and have a little forsight about the snakes future size, and make the choice based on that[feeding, handling, etc,].

[SCReptiles]

I don’t think there is any question that a burm is more of a responsibility then the more moderate sized snakes. You are going to invest much more time into a burm then you are a corn or a ball. But I see your point. I get so tired for the self proclaimed experts telling everyone not to get a burm. And also trying to tell people baby burms are going to reach 20 feet. That is such hogwash and they know it, but yet they still spout it out. The captive borns of 2005 are midgets compared to what we imported in the last 80’s. Now days males are going to get about 12 or 13 feet, females about 14 or so. A very few power feed snakes will make it to 16 feet, but the days of 18 to 20 footers are gone.

[NewLineReptile]

I agree i keep many large snakes retics burms ect and i find them no more to keep then any other snake as long as you have the room then fine.

But on your topic where you said there are just as many people getting rid of there balls and carpets and such look in the classifieds.... Yes that is true but how many carpets/balls do you see in rescues to how many you see in burms???? I think that is what alot of people mean when they say there are not a good pet because people just keep them until they cant feed or house them no longer

But i do agree 100% they are not any harder to care for then any other snake they just get a bit bigger

B.

[Ben_Renick]

I can see what you are saying with them being just as easy to take care of as a Ball Python or Carpet Python. But I think Burms, Retics, and Anacondas are more of a responsibility to a lot of people because not everyone will already have a nice sized cage, and will have to continue to update every 6 months. They aren't harder to take care of per-say, but they are a lot harder to house and move at a large size, and they can deffidently be more dangerous at a large size also. So it really goes either way, I don't have a Burm, but I do own large snakes, and I find them to be more maintenece than a smaller snake, but then again they are Anacondas.:)
~Ben
- 10' Female Green x Yellow Anaconda
- 8' Male Green Anaconda
- 3' Super Tiger Reticulated Python

[chong_python]

But i do agree 100% they are not any harder to care for then any other snake they just get a bit bigger

Obviously to maintain a burm is going to be alot harder and more responsibilty than to maintain a smaller snake

Its common sense, think about it

There is obviously more time and maitnence needed for the correct care of a burm as aposed to a cornsnake, there is no comparision

If you have a snake that requires a second person to handel ( in some cases ) and to clean, that snake requires MUCH more resposibilty than that of a snake of smaller size

I have a burm which is 8' and 2 boas one of which is a tad bigger than the burm, I feel that they require MUCH more maitnence than my bp or cornsnake. And i certinaly wouldnt leave them in the hands of an irresposible person for even a weekend

Bigger snake --> higher maintnence, more responsibilty

Sorry for my rant :)

Chris

[JimmyDavid]

Perhaps what people mean by that goes towards the snake itself, not the keeper.
Burms will need to eat like a giant and be housed like a giant. If one day, you should find yourself in a position that doesn't let you keep up with those needs, it would be best to let someone else take it from there. The snake shouldn't sufer from your lack of conditions. But as long as you can handle the needs of your pet, it's up to you what you keep and nobody else's business (or at least it should be!).
If people mean that burms are a big responsability because they can hurt someone, that's pushing it. A big dog can be much more of a problem, for that matter. Burms can be very tame.
I agree with Chuck. After all these generations of captivity born and selective breeding, these burms we keep are not python molurus bivitattus anymore. Maybe python molurus captivitus ( hehe :) ). Because we have selected the traits we like in them (color, dispositions, size, etc) and chose their evolution path for them, without asking the snake. We have slowly mutated the burm into something that fits our demands.
the big ones are selected in the wild.

[NewLineReptile]

Originally posted by chong_python
Obviously to maintain a burm is going to be alot harder and more responsibilty than to maintain a smaller snake

Its common sense, think about it

There is obviously more time and maitnence needed for the correct care of a burm as aposed to a cornsnake, there is no comparision

If you have a snake that requires a second person to handel ( in some cases ) and to clean, that snake requires MUCH more resposibilty than that of a snake of smaller size

I have a burm which is 8' and 2 boas one of which is a tad bigger than the burm, I feel that they require MUCH more maitnence than my bp or cornsnake. And i certinaly wouldnt leave them in the hands of an irresposible person for even a weekend

Bigger snake --> higher maintnence, more responsibilty

Sorry for my rant :)

Chris

For 1 i did not say they are the same maitnence
I ment more as if you can care for you bigger snakes like burms retics so on as you can for your smaller snakes then NO they are not any harder to care for. If you have the proper things for your larger snakes (cage place to get bigger food items help if needed ext) that is what i was meaning.

2 When i say they are not any harder to care for does not mean a new person to the hobbie should go out and buy a burm. YES they are more of a resposibilty But if you have the experience with larger snakes then i dont see how much harder it is to care for them.

And 3 I keep lots of big snakes and have for some time now. And to me they are not any harder to care for them my smaller snakes. they both need all the same needs.

B

[surnamemarc]

I keep lots of big snakes and have for some time now. And to me they are not any harder to care for them my smaller snakes. they both need all the same needs.

[knight45]

i don't keep burms but i would have to say that i agree with both points. technically the care is the same only on bigger scale. but at the same time owing a burm is a very big responsibility. for a lot of reasons, most have already been stated so i won't bother listing them again.
i don't think that it is necessary though, for people to tell fairy tales about them.
I had somebody who knew nothing about reptiles say that he could get a big berm for free and asked me if he should get it and what he would need. My answer was, that if you have to ask me if you should get it, then the answer is no. My point to him was that if somebody is ready for a burm, they know it. they know care, the risks, and the responsibility. if you don't know 100% what you are getting into, then your not ready. If you have to ask me, an armature (i know my stuff, but i am far from an expert) then you cannot handle it.
i did not say that he should never get one, just that he was not close to being ready.
they are an awesome and powerful animal, and they need an owner who respects and understands them.

[chong_python]

I never said they were harder to care for or they had different needs. With a biger snake no matter what one for that matter there comes higher maitnence, with higher maintence you need to have a higher level of resoponsibilty.

[steelnink]

How are burms higher maintaince?Anybody that owns any type of boid should have a regular handling routine, food source, etc.
It all comes back to people having the foresight to be able to care for a giant snake.

[JimmyDavid]

When i got into snakes, a burm was my first. Here i am today giving advice to others, out of my experience and credit. But was i a fool back then? Hardly...
Burms are giant snakes, but they aren't born giants. Just like we aren't born with experience. It was a tiny snake that started to get quite big after 3 years, but in those 3 years i was also no longer the rookie from the first day. So it took a natural path.

If you are asking "is it a big responsabilty to get an adult burm, having no experience with smaller ones before?", then i say "very much".

[chong_python]

So cleaning up and disinfecting a burms cage is on the same maintence level as a corn snake?

Cleaning up after mine and cleanin up after the corn or ball, you just cant compare

[ReptiZone]

This is where the responsibility comes in to play guys:

Big Snake = big cage (you need to have the room for the cage. A responsible owner knows that a college dorm is not big enough to have a cage of that size).

Big Snake = Big Food ( You need to be responsible enough to find those big rabbits and pigs for food).

Big Snake + Big Cage = Larger heating requirements which, in turn, effects your hydro bill (you need to be responsible to pay that hydro bill).

So factor in the cost of the snake, the cost of the cages it will need, then the cost of food when it is adult, then your hydro bill and the man hours you will put in. That is where you need to be responsible.

As far as care and maintanence, if you put a ball python and a burmese of equal size side by side, I will tell you the burm is easier to care for by a long shot. The down-side is that the burm will not stay that size forever. That is where responsible owners need to say can I meet all the requirements in 2 years, 10 years, 20 years...

The ReptiZone
Marc Doiron

[steelnink]

My reply is that EVERYONE who choose's to keep reptiles, or any animal, should use their brains and deceide if they can properly, house, feed, afford, and handle that animal to give it the best possible care.
As for cleaning, corn snakes, bps, jcps, bcis, SH#T is SH#T, just a bigger pile.

[chong_python]

Marc,

I ment comparing a FULL grown burms maitnence to a ball pythons

sorry for misunderstanding

Chris

[ReptiZone]

No problem I was just pointing out where there similarities are and where they end. LoL I have been in this industry long enough to know that you were not trying to creat confusion.

Take care have a good evening

The ReptiZone
Marc Doiron

[biggworm]

I would love to own a burm or even smaller, indian python.However I don't think that I can provide adequate care for such a large snake.That's where the responsibility part kicks in.I don't think I'm responsible enough to own a giant snake.I live in California.I live by Prehistoric Pets and have gone to shows and seen Rich Ihle's burm.I don't know what burms you guys are talking about,but these snakes are GIANT.I'm 5.7" and preety tough.But these snakes can take me out.I would buy a indian python right away if they stay as big as a B.C.C. My 2 cents.

[BoidsUnlimited]

Not everyone can afford the feeding bill......

[ncwilson]

I would just like to add my shiny two pennies to this subject if I could: I have a female yellow anaconda that is only about 5.5-6ft., and rest assured that she is more trouble to care for than a burm(although she isn't a bother by any means). There is no huge water dish to change CONSTANTLY, and they are usually don't wiggle around as much being handled. Keep in mind that I do not have a burm, but that is only until my living situation gets more permenant so I'll know I will have the room for it and my other snakes. However, I "babysat" a 9-footer for my friend, and he was no problem.

[rwg]

The quality of care for a burm is no greater than that required for many smaller species. A durn sight easier than a ball python for example, but the QUANTITY of care is another matter. A ball could easily live his whole life in a sweater box. A burm might need a walk-in closet. A ball could POSSIBLY require you to get stitches. A full-grown burm can literally kill you. Both live about 20+ years. It's not particularily hard to committ to caring for a ball for 20 years. For a burm, many changes in life can make it impossible to keep a snake that big. Moving into a small place, getting married, having kids are all events that can make it difficult to keep a 16' giant snake.

I apreciate OP's sentiment. The care is not that complicated, but it is a big responsibility nonetheless. Let's not confuse the two. If you have a stable lifestyle, stable finances, and the proper knowledge, you can easily take on a burm. That is because you are in a position to manage a LARGE responsibility with relative ease. Even kids are likely to live with you for less time than a burm, and eventually they clean their own poo.

Incidentally, burms are abandoned quite frequently as anyone working for a rescue organization will attest. Clearly people actually underestimate the committment of caring for a burm. While I appreciatre OP's point, I really dont think we should be trying to downplay the challenges and responsibilities associated with caring for an animal of this size and lifespan.

Roy G