Purchasing a Burmese Python

[Rikki]

Hello again everyone. I am once again purchasing a new reptile and would appreciate your helpful replies, though this time I have aimed for something a little different. Tommorow I am making my second and final payment for a baby burmese python at my local pet store. The burm is a hatchling and is in excellent health, he has clear skin and eyes and is very active. I am picking him up tommorow and am very excited, though I have a few final questions before making my purchase. I have dealt with pythons in the past and large monitors and I have the time and space to dedicate to this python.

I am placing the burm in a 29 gallon aquarium with a under tank heater (is this a decent size aquarium to start for a month of so while he is a hatchling), large heat lamp, screen top, and with a large piece of drift wood and hide box. I am using newspaper as a starting substrate for the burm, with a large water bowl. Due to the screen top I will be placing a wet towel on the main portion of the screen top to to keep the humidity up in side of the aquarium for the burm.

I have not kept burms in the past, though I have kept other pythons and am doing my research before making my purchase. What is the average growth rate for a baby burmese python fed once a week? What would you suggest as a starting food for the burm, should I start with fuzzies (mice) or should I start with a very small baby rat, to get the burm used to the taste? Also how exactly does my setup sound for the burm, what changes need to be made (if any)? When will a size upgrade be needed in your opinion if my snake feeds as he is supposed to, I am guessing with in a month.

One more question; what is the most common attitude of burmese pythons as hatchlings, how severe are their bites?

Any suggestions, advice, or pictures that you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

[lostwithin]

Hi, Just to give you a rough thought of the growth rate, I have a year old male around 9' and a female who is 1/2 a year old and she’s 5'. And neither was feed too much. My male actually had mites and refused too eat for over a month.

As for feeding you might as well start off with weanling rats, if you do like I do and order one big order of feeders at a time to last a while I suggest assuming the burm will go up a prey size every couple months.

Devon

[Rikki]

Thank you for your reply, that only excites me. I am very excited to make my purchase.

[sc00t]

yea a 29 gallon will only last you a couple months I had one out grow a 75 gallon in 5 months but I agree feed him really small rats and just slowly start moving up different sizes of rats.

[Rikki]

Thanks, I will be sure to do that. Additional replies are appreciated, I will post pics as soon as I get him :)

[sc00t]

Looken forward :medbigsmi

[Rikki]

I have held off on my purchase for one day, I am having a too much of a busy day to purchase him today. I am picking him up tommorow morning.

[Rikki]

I am so anxious and I am sure im getting on your nerves posting so much about this burm, though I am excited, lol. Considering I feed him a decent size meal once a week how much should I expect this burm to grow monthly? Also, is there an easy way to sex these snakes with out probing? Any last minute tips would be greatly appreciated.

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

A burm is not hard to get around 6 feet in first year, some smaller some larger they tend to really put away food without a problem and can easily reach a good size in a short time. While some people love this about them others soon loose interest because they are not 6 foot animals for long. If size is something on your mind in a cautious manner get a male they still stay smaller in years to come but its your choice and purpose you have for wanting a burm.

Also depending on space, finances and such think out this choice and its caging. Sometimes it is best to go bigger in cages to save money instead of moving up in small steps with burms. As said burms don' t stay small "ever" and all cages considered for it will soon be useless. Consider a 3' foot long cage for this burm now because in a few months you will wish you did and get ready for something 5 - 6 feet soon as well by end of the year (once its a year old).

Goodluck.

[Rikki]

Thank you for that reply :)

[Rikki]

Bad news; the burm I was going to purchase was DEAD when I got there today. I have one im ordering in again, picking up a fresh hatchling Thursday.

[RB420]

That sucks, sorry to hear that. Do you know how it died? It would definately make me think hard about getting from the same person.

[steelnink]

Rikki, please tell me your not about to purchase a burm from the same source as the bp, or the dead one.

[Rikki]

Hello, yes I am steelnink. The burm was fed yesterday and died with a lump in its throat. The burm im picking up is going to still be in the shipping box from the private breeder who supplied the shop.

[Serpens]

Just a thought, but wouldn't it also make sense to just go directly to the breeder? You'd probably also get a lower price, as you wouldn't have to pay the pet store, if they're charging you a fee for the ordering. Just a thought though.

Serpens

[princess802004]

hello everyone. im getting a snake 2. idk if im getting a bp or a boa. what do you think is better tempered and would be a better pet? well im also getting a hatchling, i hope my tanke is bigg enough. or i might have to take my fish out of there tank and use it for my snake.lol

[steelnink]

Rikki, i would be very cautious about purchasing from them.
What you described, i have never heard of.
A burm eating, then dying with a lump in its throat.

[princess802004]

ya same here.but i have a question, what makes a better pet a boa or a bp?

[Rikki]

princess802004 start your own topic, this is my topic.

[RB420]

...i removed me reply as i don't want Rikki's thread hijacked...

[sc00t]

RIkki when you get your burm make sure to post pix hahah

[CARLiTO_]

Hello, yes I am steelnink. The burm was fed yesterday and died with a lump in its throat. The burm im picking up is going to still be in the shipping box from the private breeder who supplied the shop.

Why don't u get a burm from a local breeder instead of a petshop? I highly doubt that the petshop is getting it's snakes from a breeder. It is probably wild caught.

I am sure it's not too hard to get burms in the States.

[Rikki]

There are no local breeders any where to close to my area.

[Rikki]

Picking him up in an hour or two :)

[Rikki]

Talk about bad luck! They now claim he did not come through with the other reptiles. I could wait until next thursday, though im probally just going to purchase an adult BP.