Baby Sitting A Berm

[dinosaurdammit]

So there is a man who needs to board his berm python who is about 4/5 years old and the only place that isnt full is the death house I just got my snakes away from. I offered to board him provided he paid for food as I have space as well as time for it. I have never been around a berm but I want to take the opportunity to learn a bit about them. I would be boarding it for 2 1/2 months. I have exchanged emails and he is glad I can provide the care. My question is what to expect. So far I have

Under the bed steralite storage container. Its about 5 foot long 2 1/2 feet wide and about 6 or 8 inches deep. For substrate I am just using paper towels, it has reptile tape for heat. I could use some repti bark or coco husk, i dont mind the mess. The only thing he is paying for is food. I want the opportunity to learn and he needs a place to keep his pet.

What do I or I should say, what should I expect from a 6 foot berm. To be honest for an animal like a berm to be 6 foot at 4/5 years old to me that seems small, my boas are 3 and already my female is 6 foot and my male is pushing 5'4

[Zoo Nanny]

That's a really nice thing for you to do. For your protection I would like to suggest a couple of things. I hope you don't mind or are offended by any of this.
First thing have him supply a health certificate from a vet stating that the snake is in good health prior to coming. Get as much information as you can in writing from the owner concerning the care and requirements needed for the snake. Also phone numbers for him and emergency numbers for contacts. Dates of stay are very important in the event of abandonment and also exact dietary requirements along with a signed agreement for payment of foods. Even though you know most of this information get it in writing from him. It will protect you in the event of misfortune.
Be sure to have him sign a waiver for emergency care with your vet. You could even have him visit your vet to sign a waiver there giving you authority to have the snake treated in the event of illness or emergency. Include on the waiver that he takes responsibility for payment. My vet and I have worked out a protocol of steps in the event of an emergency. I take the animal to her and from the office we call the owner with her on one phone and I'm on the other to get approval for care.
I have found that many vets will refuse to treat an animal unless you have prior approval from the owners in writing. I've had to speak with a number of vets before I was able to find those who would be willing to supply treatment to my boarders.

[dinosaurdammit]

That's a really nice thing for you to do. For your protection I would like to suggest a couple of things. I hope you don't mind or are offended by any of this.
First thing have him supply a health certificate from a vet stating that the snake is in good health prior to coming. Get as much information as you can in writing from the owner concerning the care and requirements needed for the snake. Also phone numbers for him and emergency numbers for contacts. Dates of stay are very important in the event of abandonment and also exact dietary requirements along with a signed agreement for payment of foods. Even though you know most of this information get it in writing from him. It will protect you in the event of misfortune.
Be sure to have him sign a waiver for emergency care with your vet. You could even have him visit your vet to sign a waiver there giving you authority to have the snake treated in the event of illness or emergency. Include on the waiver that he takes responsibility for payment. My vet and I have worked out a protocol of steps in the event of an emergency. I take the animal to her and from the office we call the owner with her on one phone and I'm on the other to get approval for care.
I have found that many vets will refuse to treat an animal unless you have prior approval from the owners in writing. I've had to speak with a number of vets before I was able to find those who would be willing to supply treatment to my boarders.


Thank you for this. I wouldnt have thought to get anything in writing, thus i thought it a great idea to ask the forums as you guys have more experience. I will do what you said. I will also have my vet give him a ring. On craigslist he was going to sell it for 25 dollars- provided he could have someone experienced to watch it. Ive never cared for pythons and I made it clear but also told him I would love this opportunity to learn and that I have several animals that are considered "advanced" so i feel responsible enough to do this.

here is the actual ad with pictures of the animal: Burmese Python (http://tucson.craigslist.org/for/3498019481.html)

Thank you nanny, you gave me things to think about i wouldnt normally think of.

[Zoo Nanny]

Thank you for this. I wouldnt have thought to get anything in writing, thus i thought it a great idea to ask the forums as you guys have more experience. I will do what you said. I will also have my vet give him a ring. On craigslist he was going to sell it for 25 dollars- provided he could have someone experienced to watch it. Ive never cared for pythons and I made it clear but also told him I would love this opportunity to learn and that I have several animals that are considered "advanced" so i feel responsible enough to do this.

here is the actual ad with pictures of the animal: Burmese Python (http://tucson.craigslist.org/for/3498019481.html)

Thank you nanny, you gave me things to think about i wouldnt normally think of.
It's called covering your A**

[Pirarucu]

Zoo Nanny is spot on. That burm is mighty small, he should be at least ten feet at two and a half years. My burm is two and a half years old and seven feet long, but he's half dwarf...

[dinosaurdammit]

It's called covering your A**

well im mighty appreciative for you covering my rear for me :3

Zoo Nanny is spot on. That burm is mighty small, he should be at least ten feet at two and a half years. My burm is two and a half years old and seven feet long, but he's half dwarf...


I may just buy him. Hes only 25 bucks. I personally want a hypo berm, this is a regular but i feel like he is underfed :/

[shaunyboy]

well im mighty appreciative for you covering my rear for me :3




I may just buy him. Hes only 25 bucks. I personally want a hypo berm, this is a regular but i feel like he is underfed :/


imo he's either under fed...

or he is not as old as the guys telling you

from what i can see in the picture,he looks nice and muscular,so i'm thinking the burms young,and it's owner has just realised how big it's going to get as an adult...

so he's off loading it as a small fully grown adult

thats just my thoughts on it all pal

cheers shaun

[exwizard]

If you have the means to take care of a Burm, why not just buy him? Like you said, he's only $25. IMO, its just easier all the way around. I have two of them myself and I'm very happy with both of them.

[Lankyrob]

All of the above advice is great - one other thing tho QUARANTINE!!! :)

[dinosaurdammit]

If you have the means to take care of a Burm, why not just buy him? Like you said, he's only $25. IMO, its just easier all the way around. I have two of them myself and I'm very happy with both of them.

Because I don't like the look of normals. I want the chance to take care of something that's bif without having to keep is

[exwizard]

Ok I understand that. Not good to buy anything you won't be happy with. Frankly I don't trust Craigslist snake people anyway. Some of my worst deals were from Craigslist. For example, I paid way too much for Medusa considering her condition, but I did not even know it at the time. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would not have gotten her to begin with. That said, now that she's in much better health, I don't regret taking her home. She's one of the most fun and prettiest snakes I have.

[Necrias]

Ok I understand that. Not good to buy anything you won't be happy with. Frankly I don't trust Craigslist snake people anyway. Some of my worst deals were from Craigslist. For example, I paid way too much for Medusa considering her condition, but I did not even know it at the time. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would not have gotten her to begin with. That said, now that she's in much better health, I don't regret taking her home. She's one of the most fun and prettiest snakes I have.

Fun? Just wait till she's 14 ft and 120+ lbs and dropping elephant sized turds, then the real fun begins!! Especially when you go to move her while she has her tail wrapped around something and doesn't want to cooperate, now that is fun!

Lol I end up cursing at my burms almost on a daily basis (and carpets usually), but I love them to death. Sounds like yours are doing very well :)

OP, I would just buy the snake as well, even if you don't like its pattern now you may grow to love the snake itself regardless. That's what happened to me with one of my rescue boas.

EDIT: Also, I will probably be producing some baby hypos/pearls/ivories next year if you are interested... not to toot my own horn or anything ;)

[iBaman]

1.Burms don't get 14 ft (normally, anywho). =P

[Rogue628]

Whether you foster care the burm or buy it, quarantine it. IMHO that burm is not that old or he's been highly underfed. I have 2 burms that are twice that size and more and they're a little over a year and a half old.

Burms are typically gentle giants. They do have a voracious feeding response. They do get pissy, especially during shed.

You will need to let him acclimate to his new surroundings either way. Depending upon how well he takes handling, you can start out handling for short times and work them into longer periods. Personally, I handled mine as often as they took it, which was really well. I love working with my girls and I believe that handling often and working with them while they were young has made them well behaved when they're out. When they get bigger, the last thing you want is a large animal who doesn't like to be handled. I even threw in shirts I wore in their tubs so they'd learn my scent and identity it as something safe.

The set up sounds good. He may or may not use a hide. My girls haven't used a hide in while now.

Burms are notoriously susceptible to RI's so maintaining proper heat and humidity is important in helping to prevent it.

Male burms typically reach around 9' or so while females get much larger and it's really not uncommon for them to hit 12-14'.

Good luck on whatever you chose to do. Feel free to ask any questions along the way and keep us updated!

[exwizard]

Fun? Just wait till she's 14 ft and 120+ lbs and dropping elephant sized turds, then the real fun begins!! Especially when you go to move her while she has her tail wrapped around something and doesn't want to cooperate, now that is fun!

This is exactly what I'm looking forward to and is the reason why I handle her as much as possible, and little Poseidon too, who is always chill, for that matter. Handle them often when they're smaller so they will be more handleable when they're bigger.

[Aaron_S]

1.Burms don't get 14 ft (normally, anywho). =P

Laughable.

Sad that the giants no longer are giants. 10 years ago you'd be hard pressed to find a male burm below 10 feet! Males SHOULD reach a size of 12 - 16 feet. People prefer to keep them smaller and "healthy" by feeding less meals then they "need". Just because they want to keep a 'giant'.


To the OP, I'd just not simply do it. Honestly, if you want a hypo burm then get yourself ready for a hypo burm. Why take on a snake that's a problem for them thus leaving you to look at the snake on a daily basis and wish for what you really wanted. Apparently it's feisty too and comes with NO supplies. I personally think it's going to be dumped and 2.5 months will go by and you'll not hear from the owner.

If it's feisty, just feed it like it should be fed and it'll grow out of it's aggressiveness. That's what I did.

[Aaron_S]

...Burms are notoriously susceptible to RI's so maintaining proper heat and humidity is important in helping to prevent it....

I'm glad you mentioned quarantine about this animal. Solid point to make.

Burms get RI and it's rumoured, key word being rumour, that it's called "burm disease". A lot of burms that end up with RI never get rid of it and it's passed along to others. It's because it's viral and not bacterial so the bacteria is killed to 1% of what's there and then it comes firing back since the symptoms were gone and people never took care of the real issue.

It's important that everyone gets cultures done when an RI arises so we can stop these things from spreading.

Sorry for the simple medical rant.

[iBaman]

I had always heard that they normally grow slower once they hit 10', and rarely, if ever, hit the 14'. It makes sense that people underfeed though...I like my giants GIANT. Thus why I have a mainland retic ;D

[Aaron_S]

Should have tried for the Sulawesi's. I heard, I could be wrong, that they tend to be the biggest.

[iBaman]

Tigers are the biggest =3 I think that's a Sulawesi, though. =] Mine's a super tiger, so should be a good sized boy. He's already 8ft at a year old, and growing like a weed!