New, and have some questions

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

So I would really like to buy a burm after college. There are a few problems though, one, I really don't know what the maintinance costs and prices are going to be to buy and keep one, and two, my girlfriend is about 5'5" and very thin. Is she going to be a midday snack for my burm?
What are the prices like to buy a female burm?
What kind of accidents have you experienced with them? I've heard of people getting wrapped up and pass out. I think it would be awesome to wrestle with a 15' burm and I don't think I'd have a problem with it, but the fact that my girlfriend is a bite sized snack is causing me some worry.
What do you guys think?

[jmo]

burms are not for everyone..u see them at petshops as babys and think there so cool looking and u think hey i can put him in a 10gal tank yup thats true but do u know that 10gal want last 6 mons he or she will be 6 foot befor u know it .maintinance on one is not too bad u need to make a cage 8'long 4'wide 2'tall will be a nices cage even when they are big the cost on one if u go to a petshop u are looking 150.oo and up for one .the thing with youer girlfriend u never mess with a burm or and snakes over 6' by youer self..now ill tell u i have a male burm thats 15' and a female thats 13' and they are nothing to just play around with .i never been wrapped but ill been bite by mine and its not fun at all so befor u get one just think if youer really ready for one befor u get something and dont want it and let it go in the wild like most poeple

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

Well, I'm pretty sure that after college I will be ready. I would NEVER buy a pet then let it loose in the wild, I've read so many stories about that happening. IF I decided one day it was getting too big, I would most likely try to sell her or give her to a zoo. In my opinion, leaving an animal that has been kept in a tank for several years on the side of a road to fend for itself in a climate it doesn't event belong in, that's close to animal cruelty
I know I could handle a snake fine, I've always owned big pets. The whole six foot rule seems over the top to me. I've seen guys with bigger ones by themselves. I can't see how geting wrapped (unless both your hands, feet, and mouth are covered) could be a problem. You could always call for help, dial a phone (even have an alarm set to call someone when youhit a button, be it with you feet or hands as long as it's always close to you), or just remove the snake yourself.
I have to admit though, like I said, I'm new, never been wrapped let alone even owned a burm. Just putting out ideas and asking questions.
What is it like to be wrapped? I can't imagine it's so painful you can't call for help or do something if you are alone. Though I have heard that getting wrapped is worse that bitten. I know a few ways to get the snake off if it does wrap you (vinegar or alcohol in it's face), but other than that, I really don't know anything about the whole subject and learning more would be greatly appreciated as that is the only big problem I could see with having a giant burm.

[DeesBalls]

maybe you should start off with a ball python and maybe get a burm later on...

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

I wrote a post this morning and it seems to have disappeared somehow.

I am used to owning large pets, I would NEVER drop any pet (no matter how big) on the side of the road. It goes against my morals to do something like that. If I buy one, I'm going to make sure I have enough time and money to commit to it.

Also, just to clarify, when I say I think it's be awesome to wrestle with a 15' burm, I don't mean I'm looking to get wrapped. I mean that it would make an epic fight scene, like something you'd see in a movie or something. You know what I mean? If I'm not making myself clear, let me know.

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

So I thought of this question yesterday. Some people say that, in order to get a constrictor off you once it has wrapped, use vinegar, hot/cold water, or alcohol in its mouth and it will release.

But how does one go about reaching for a bottle of vinegar/alcohol/cold or warm water if your hands are pinned to your sides by three or four coils?
Keep in mind, this scenario involved being alone with your constrictor, where you can't just call someone (that is, for those of you who do handle alone)

As I thought about it question earlier, I wondered if anyone has one of those panic buttons that alerts authorities or friends/family that you need help. If you kept that in your pocket, I could see where even with a 175lb burm wrapped up all over you, you could reach into your pocket or even find the button from the outside? Sound like a good idea?


Anyone else have any good wrap stories? They probably make for awesome stories to tell at parties.
I heard one yesterday about an american tourist who was wading a river in brazil, last one to cross. A 22' conda grabbed him and wrapped him up pretty tight in FIVE coils, one on his forehead, and four on his chest. Nobody could get it off for a while and the guy was about to pass out, then the conda just loosened up. There is a picture of him sitting in some grass with the coils all over him and he's all calm, his friend has a gun pointed at its head. The tourist guy made the dude with the gun let the snake go. Crazy story...
Here's a link to one page, it doesn't have the full story, couldn't find it.

[Good 'N Plenty]

I am used to owning large pets, I would NEVER drop any pet (no matter how big) on the side of the road. It goes against my morals to do something like that. If I buy one, I'm going to make sure I have enough time and money to commit to it.

Very admirable, and doing your homework is step one!

Also, just to clarify, when I say I think it's be awesome to wrestle with a 15' burm, I don't mean I'm looking to get wrapped. I mean that it would make an epic fight scene, like something you'd see in a movie or something. You know what I mean? If I'm not making myself clear, let me know

While I do understand what you mean (you don't want to get wrapped, but interacting with such a powerful animal is always an unbelievable experience) I would suggest that using such a phrase might bring you a lot of unwanted criticism. While the idea of tackling a 15ft snake might sound epic, reality is rarely what we see in our imagination, and I doubt you would feel so epic should it occur. Let us not forget, coils are but part of a large constrictors arsenal. Those teeth are not to be ignored!

So I thought of this question yesterday. Some people say that, in order to get a constrictor off you once it has wrapped, use vinegar, hot/cold water, or alcohol in its mouth and it will release.
But how does one go about reaching for a bottle of vinegar/alcohol/cold or warm water if your hands are pinned to your sides by three or four coils?

1) Anacondas (from what I have seen/experienced) typically coil their prey more than most snakes, looping an extra coil or 2 around, and from the burm feedings I have watched, they don't coil the same way. (If any owners have conflicting evidence, by all means teach me of my error! )
2) While snakes are predatory, they are also opportunists. If a snake is laying around your neck or across your shoulders, that is where its going to coil (most likely). Snakes dont plan to go for the hands to pin you, its not in their brain capacity.
3) So, in order to get both hands pinned you would need to be in a position that provided said opportunity. Even sitting with a large constrictor in your lap, unless they hit you in 1 arm and drag you to the floor, I find it hard to figure when you'd get both hands pinned, though of course people have been killed by constrictors. However, in these cases, as far as I have read, in the cases involving adults, constriction has usually been around the neck as the owner had the snake resting around their shoulders.

As I thought about it question earlier, I wondered if anyone has one of those panic buttons that alerts authorities or friends/family that you need help. If you kept that in your pocket, I could see where even with a 175lb burm wrapped up all over you, you could reach into your pocket or even find the button from the outside? Sound like a good idea?

It's all about foresight, preparation, and composure.

Anyone else have any good wrap stories? They probably make for awesome stories to tell at parties.

The notion of "awesome" wrap stories will, again, only lead people to the notion that you are not ready for snakes like burms. I would leave descriptive terms out of describing wrap/strike stories or use something more like "intense" or "insightful" if you're looking to drum up stories.

I heard one yesterday about an american tourist who was wading a river in brazil, last one to cross. A 22' conda grabbed him and wrapped him up pretty tight in FIVE coils, one on his forehead, and four on his chest. Nobody could get it off for a while and the guy was about to pass out, then the conda just loosened up. There is a picture of him sitting in some grass with the coils all over him and he's all calm, his friend has a gun pointed at its head. The tourist guy made the dude with the gun let the snake go. Crazy story...

Sensationalism I'm sure. Because we've never heard of fake snake stories coming out of Brazil

So, its been a long post and I'm almost done! whew!

So I would really like to buy a burm after college. There are a few problems though, one, I really don't know what the maintinance costs and prices are going to be to buy and keep one

$75 - 250 depending on breeder/morph, but a few hours on kingsnake.com can tell you a lot more about this.
Expect to be buying a rat pup or large mouse every 7-10 days until it progresses to rats, then onto large/jumbos and eventually on to rabbits, though as it gets larger and is eating bigger meals you can move the feeding to something more like 10 - 14 day shedule. Prices for these vary if you use pet stores, or you can check out rodentpro.com for order prices.

and two, my girlfriend is about 5'5" and very thin. Is she going to be a midday snack for my burm?

No one should ever be a mid-day snack for their snake if they are cautious and take appropriate measures. Any snake over 9-10' should always be handled with another person present, this goes for men and women alike. If proper husbandry is used, this is a question that need never be asked...

Final Opinion:
Your questions suggest a lack of long experience or basic husbandry of large constrictors. If I am wrong, by all means I apologize, but your writing and question path suggests such.
Your question of specifically how much a female burm would cost hints that you want to get a burm that will get BIG.
The notion of wrap stories being good party entertainment is off-puting to say the least.

I suggest RTBs or something of that size range at most for now. Learn the basics before moving to what is, no question, an advanced snake to take care of simply b/c of its size.

[Good 'N Plenty]

It's been to long to amend my previous post any more, but I also forgot to mention that if you are going to be a first time snake owner, even something like a Ball Python might be best.
There are dozens (hundreds I'm sure) of individuals and breeders out there with DECADES of experience who still won't deal with any of the Big 4 (Burms, Retics, Af Rocks, Condas) due to size reasons.
I myself have had snakes since I was very young and only felt comfortable moving to a female yellow anaconda a year ago (Just a piece of annecdotal evidence!)

[Will0W783]

I agree with Good 'N Plenty. While you do seem to have the right attitude towards commitment to a pet, you also have said some disturbing things about snake strikes and wrapping being "awesome". I have kept snakes for 5 years and other reptiles for 15, and I don't deal with retics, burms, or 'condas, due to the fact that I don't want to have anything I can't handle on my own. I do have a superdwarf retic- she is aorund 7 feet long. I would recommend one of those if you really want a larger snake- they get 6-8 feet and are stunning animals. Baby, mine, is very docile and curious. Another good choice would be a carpet python- they can get 6-8 feet long and are known for their good tempers and slow, methodic way of moving. Honestly, I would stay away from the giant pythons until you've had a bit more experience.
Owning a snake is a big responsibility. The animal depends on you for EVERYTHING- food, water, light, heat. A caged pet cannot get itself water or move to a warmer room. You also need to learn how snakes think in order to predict their behavior and understand why they do the things they do. I would recommend getting yourself some good books and reading them before you get any snake. Nothing beats doing your homework first, rather than finding things out the hard way. Best of luck, whatever you decide. But remember, a snake striking is not "awesome" - it means the animal is hungry or it is scared and trying to defend itself. Your goal should be to not get struck at and to never get wrapped.

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

Alright. I got a lot of questions here.



Well, I have to say I agree with both of you for the most part. Though many people have told me I should start with something small, I would really like to start with a bigger animal. I’ve ruled out condas and retics simply because in my opinion, they are too aggressive and will get far too big for a first pet. I don’t want something that gets over 20’ as well as comes with rumors of actually killing people (whether they are true or not). Though, don’t let what I just said lead you to believe I’m afraid to own one. I think I would be comfortable owning one of those later in life, but just getting out of college, I don’t need 20+’ worth of writhing coils to deal with. You know what I mean?
The size range I’m looking to start with for my first snake is about 13-16’. Burms are the right length and are not as aggressive as many of the others snakes around.

Here’s a few questions directed to what Good ‘N Plenty posted, regarding what you said:

Also Good ‘N Plenty, you said that condas constrict differently than burms. What do you mean? Was it just in the fact that anacondas use more coils to wrap with?

On the part about it being ‘awesome’ to get wrapped, yes, you did get the gist of what I was talking about. So let me rephrase, “Do any of you have any intense wrap stories that you would share?” Better?

The story I posted about the guy in Brazil getting attacked by an anaconda is not a fable. I do have a link somewhere that I can give you where there is a picture and the full story. When I can find that link, I’ll post it.

Many of you have also told me that with the proper care and handling, no accidents will ever happen. On that, I will have to disagree. I don’t own any snakes anymore and have never owned a giant, but I could venture to say that all animals have bad days and even with the proper methods, if the snake is pissed off and you are trying to handle it, there is a chance of something happening. If I am wrong, please let me know.

What are your methods for handling constrictors? I mean like, how do you pick them up, what do you use to do it and how do you hold a snake once it’s outside its cage? I’ve heard many different ways that people do it, but I want to know the most efficient method to do so.

The only other two questions I can think of off the top of my head are;

What do you do with any snake once you’ve gotten it out? Do you just let it hang out with you while you do stuff around the house, etc? (Sorry, guess that’s a double sided question )

I’ve heard that very large snakes are used for medicinal purposes. What the heck does that mean? Do doctors make the snake bit a person to let blood out of a swollen area? That seems a little barbaric and dangerous as many snakes carry diseases. It makes no sense whatsoever.



Sorry for all the questions, good luck answering them. If someone is gonna go for answering all of them at once, perhaps you could number them for me. My apologies that I did not. :/

[Good 'N Plenty]

Originally Posted by Rham_Es-Hestos

I’ve ruled out condas and retics simply because in my opinion, they are too aggressive and will get far too big for a first pet.

Retics and Burms tend to stay around the same sizes, and there are various methods to "tame" snakes. Aggression in neonates/juveniles can usually be trained out through a variety of methods.

I don’t want something that gets over 20’ as well as comes with rumors of actually killing people (whether they are true or not).

Males burms usually end up in the range of 10'-15' (there are always exceptions) and female burms have an even wider range, which is typically 14'+.
*Make no mistake, tragic accidents have occured with ALL the major Giants (Burms, Af Rocks, Green Condas, Retics).*

Though, don’t let what I just said lead you to believe I’m afraid to own one. I think I would be comfortable owning one of those later in life, but just getting out of college, I don’t need 20+’ worth of writhing coils to deal with. You know what I mean?

The chances of a retic/conda breaking 20 feet are practically identical to the odds of a burm doing the same...

The size range I’m looking to start with for my first snake is about 13-16’. Burms are the right length and are not as aggressive as many of the others snakes around.

Male burms fall within that range, but as I said, females definitely have the capacity to exceed that. Additionally - the difference in how you handle a 12' foot snake vs how you handle a 20'+ snake is no different regarding your safety. Period.
Any snake over 10' long should be handled with at least 2 people present, and once you've broken the 13' foot mark (give or take) you will find that the additional length is not what makes the larger snakes powerful, but the girth, of which Anacondas are the definite champs, but Burms, Retics, Af Rocks all fall within near identical ranges.

More to the point - deciding to keep any of the giants is only 1/4 about what you want. The other 3/4 are about what you get and what you can handle. What you want and what will be best for the snake are not always the same.
My goal has always been to own large constrictors, I have loved them since I first got into snakes and snake ownership at 8. Up until this last year I've owned 1 type of snake, Ball Pythons, simply due to size and logistical constraints.
Hypothetical - Your burm hits 12+ feet and you don't have this same girlfriend with you in the future. Will you call someone over every time you want to handle it?

Also Good ‘N Plenty, you said that condas constrict differently than burms. What do you mean? Was it just in the fact that anacondas use more coils to wrap with?

Yes, right off the bat they throw an extra coil around the prey than most constrictors.

Many of you have also told me that with the proper care and handling, no accidents will ever happen. On that, I will have to disagree. I don’t own any snakes anymore and have never owned a giant, but I could venture to say that all animals have bad days and even with the proper methods, if the snake is pissed off and you are trying to handle it, there is a chance of something happening. If I am wrong, please let me know.

No one is saying accidents will never happen, but WRAPPING is one of those things that is highly avoidable if you know how to read your snakes. Of the giants, only Anacondas strike at 90 degree slashing movements (not when striking to constrict, but simply as defensive). The rest have signs to give warnings, and time/experience is the teacher of what these are. They are very similar through ALL snakes for the most part.

What are your methods for handling constrictors? I mean like, how do you pick them up, what do you use to do it and how do you hold a snake once it’s outside its cage? I’ve heard many different ways that people do it, but I want to know the most efficient method to do so.

A lot of people like hook training, but I simply use my hands. When I first reach in (away from their head) I rest my hand on them to let the snake know they are about to be touched/held. I slide them to the front of the tank, out and into my hands/arms.

Last point:

the size range I’m looking to start with for my first snake is about 13-16’

weighed against:

Many of you have also told me that with the proper care and handling, no accidents will ever happen. On that, I will have to disagree. I don’t own any snakes anymore and have never owned a giant

Based on your line of questioning, incudling "how do you do pick up and then hold constrictors once their outside the cage", I am inclined to believe the notion that this would indeed be your first snake.
As such, I cannot help but emphasize that what you want may not be what's in the snake's best interests.
It takes people many years of experience in most cases to be able to handle and take care of these snakes properly.

Again, I suggest Red Tail Boas as a wonderful introductory snake to handling bigger constrictors and also second Willow's suggestion of Carpet Pythons.

[Aaron_S]

Would you please stop feeding the troll.

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

Aaron, how am i trolling? I have valid questions here, you might think them stupid, but like I said in the title of this thread, I am new and don't know a lot about burms.

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

Retics and Burms tend to stay around the same sizes, and there are various methods to "tame" snakes. Aggression in neonates/juveniles can usually be trained out through a variety of methods.

If retics and burms stay the same size, why would someone buy a burm instead of retic or the other way around? Is it strictly preference?

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

More to the point - deciding to keep any of the giants is only 1/4 about what you want. The other 3/4 are about what you get and what you can handle. What you want and what will be best for the snake are not always the same.

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

My goal has always been to own large constrictors, I have loved them since I first got into snakes and snake ownership at 8. Up until this last year I've owned 1 type of snake, Ball Pythons, simply due to size and logistical constraints.
Hypothetical - Your burm hits 12+ feet and you don't have this same girlfriend with you in the future. Will you call someone over every time you want to handle it?

Your hypothetical makesfor a good question. When my burm does get over 12’ and IF my girlfriend walks, well then yes, I am going to need to have people with me to handle it. In regards to my future plans, I have never planned to be far from friends or family. Now, if I am too far for someone to come over or don’t know anyone to call, then I’m going to have to sell it or give it to a zoo (like I said earlier, it’s against my morals to dump any pet on the side of the road and even in the worst case, I could hardly consider putting it down. What to do with it can be planned later on if something like that actually happens, but if I do end up living in a place where I don’t know anyone, I’m either not going to buy one at all, or wait until I find people who can be there while I’m handling.

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

Yes, right off the bat they throw an extra coil around the prey than most constrictors.

Why would they do that? If they are the same length as a burm, yet a burm uses less and can still get the job done, why? Just because they can, or is it a primal instinct?

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

Based on your line of questioning, incudling "how do you do pick up and then hold constrictors once their outside the cage", I am inclined to believe the notion that this would indeed be your first snake.

It would be my first giant cbb snake. I’ve kept various other snakes found in the forest and long grass for months upon end until my mother finds them and makes me get rid of them because she hates snakes.

Originally Posted by Good 'N Plenty

As such, I cannot help but emphasize that what you want may not be what's in the snake's best interests.
It takes people many years of experience in most cases to be able to handle and take care of these snakes properly.

Again, I suggest Red Tail Boas as a wonderful introductory snake to handling bigger constrictors and also second Willow's suggestion of Carpet Pythons.

Aye, I’ve heard this before and my response is that I have another 3-4 years before getting out of college and being able to consider buying any snake. I will have to be out of the house, and that’s going to be a while as well. So I have plenty of time to consider what I’m going to buy and how to care for it. As for now, I am extremely interested in buying a burm, but who knows, I may change my mind. What I’m trying to say I guess, is that I’m not going to throw out your advice.

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

Good N' Plenty did you have anything more here?

[siz]

I'd just like to point out that zoo's do not readily take in unwanted ex-pets so it' definatley not an option you should consider for getting rid of your burm if you can't take care of it.