My first Burmese Python

[lws]

I was given the chance yesterday of owning a Burm, the guy selling it is an expirienced breeder who lives close. He's selling a year old Albino Burmese Python. After reading a ton of care sheets and info about them, and begining work on its first enclosure, I think I'm ready to pick it up.


It's enclosure is cycled and I've logged the temps with my temp gun:

Hot end: 93.6F

Cool end 80.3F


It is a male burm, 5.2ft in length with healthy appearance and is currently feeding on FT rats. It has the most amazing oranges and diamond pattern, with the snake I'm getting a snake hook, 3 digital thermomoters with probe, and a pack of frozen rats which he no longer needs.


A few questions, I fully understand the sizes these snakes can grow to, the enclosure I have at the moment is 5ftx4ft, when suitable, I plan to remove the partition which will turn it into 10ftx5ft. Is this ok?


Secondly, I have handled the snake and it seems very placid and docile, the keeper handles it daily for an hour at a time. I have to say I'm a little nervous about when it gets bigger into the 8' - 10' range, I know it's unsafe to handle them alone, can these snakes suddenly become aggressive for no reason? I understand that during feeding I must anticipate this, as my first giant snake, I'd like some pointers about handling tips etc.


Thanks in advance and any input would be appriciated.

[pitviper10]

First off let me say congrats on your new snake and i hope you have a great life with it! Secondly a 10 by 5 foot encloser should be good for it when it gets older. Lastly ive never heard of a burm just becoming aggresive out of no were for no reason. There has been cases, though, of burms killing there owner because they smelled a lot like food, so be carefull around feeding time. Just like all other animals snaes can sence when your nevouse. so if your nevouse about handeling an 18 foot snake i suggest you not handle it, because if your nevouse, he snake is nervouse and more prone to attack. Other than that, keep on handleing your snake and keep him tame, thats the best advise.

[Reticsrule]

i would say that a 10'x5' definetely big enough for an adult, especially a male. i agree that you have to be extra careful around feeding time as that is the most dangerous time with any snake. just be sure to handle it as much as possible and you really shouldnt have an aggression problem. good luck!:)

[steelnink]

What experience do you have with boids?

[lws]

I currently own a Colombian Rainbow Boa, a Ball Python, and a BCI.

[ReptiZone]

I guess now the question is how long is the BCI what sex is it and how long have you had it.

[lws]

The BCI is a female, heavy bodied and approaching 7'.I've had it for 1 year.

[steelnink]

If your experience with constrictors is limited to the year that you have owned your bci i would say to wait. You said about being nervous, this tells me any sign of so-called aggression by the burm,[ hissing, tail nudging,etc] would make you more nervous, this will lead to the burm not being handled.
Many people have started this hobby with Burms, sometimes it works, other times it turns into a nightmare.
A hatchling is a different story, you have time to learn the snakes behavior, and react, and adjust.
If you get this burm, and then fail to handle him on a reguler basis, you could run into some problems.

10 BY 5 cage would be fine for an adult male, and yes, there are times when ANY snake can turn for the worse.

Good luck with your decision,

[lws]

I have decided against buying the snake due to my lack of expirience, I'd hate to give the snake a bad life and keep it confined to its cage for the rest of its days due to my inability to handle correctly, thanks for the advice guys, I will look into the giant pythons a few years down the line, right now I'm thinking of picking up a nice BCI or BCC.

[slith_python]

If you want to get a huge snake thats fine too also, the only thing is that you have to be extremely careful and you cant be afraid of it and know allot about snakes, perticularly the type your getting, its all a matter of how you feel, if you fell confident get one by all means!