I'm Doomed..

[Kayla90]

I don't even own a snake yet and I'm already planning for more XD
I want them all. Well mostly, eventually, a long time from now I hope to acquire a green tree python; however, I've also become interested in the Reticulated python.

Now I know retic. pythons are huge snakes once they reach adulthood, and not recommend for inexperience snake owners, but the past couple of weeks I've been reading up on pythons and what broke my heart was that so many people just release their retic. pythons into the wild simply because they weren't prepared for the size. I think, if you are going to get an animal you should be prepared and have the knowledge you need on them before you buy them and decide to just throw them away.

Anyways, back to the question.
Obviously they need a lot of room, and I was just wondering where/what do you keep them? I'm pretty sure they don't make aquarium's that big.
I kept trying to think of idea's, and honestly the best I could come up with was turn a bedroom into the cage. Would that even be big enough?
Or what about allowing them free-range? Bad idea?

[marionsclan]

Free range is definitely a bad idea and I wouldn't use the whole room as a habitat because you want control over the heat, humidity, etc, and you don't want the snake to think of you as food when you come into its territory. There are lots of links in the Retic forums showing you how to make bigger habitats for them.

[stephanbakir]

You can keep adult makes in 6X3X2 foot enclosures, and adult females in either 8 for 10X3X2 enclosures.
Free range is a TERRIBLE idea.
A room is too big unless you pour a ton of money into it to turn it into a vivarium.
I'll answer any question you may have but as a retic owner (I don't currently own any but I used to, and I plan on getting more again) I can tell you that you don't want to get one as your first snake.
They are scary at times, and babies at time

[Kayla90]

Oh yeaa definitely will not be my first snake lol
I'm thinking waaaay into the future here, I just can't stop wanting to know everything right this minute XD
I'll eventually end up becoming a breeder myself just because I want so many. Or instead of being the crazy old cat lady, I'll turn into the crazy old snake lady lmao
I honestly would love to work with snakes, all kinds, but I also don't know the first thing about doing that... yet.

[TeaNinja]

baby steps lol. sounds like your mind is racing

[stephanbakir]

Keep in mind that I'm also advising against even getting a super dwarf retic as your first snake. Even though makes cap off at 5-6 feet, they can still be scary at times.

[Kayla90]

Oh I fully intend to get a ball python as my first snake. Later followed by a green tree python, and we'll see from there what else I want.. For a retic. I wouldn't go about getting one until I was completely confident in handling and caring for snakes. I'd also need a big place, so this wouldn't happen for a really long time, so I'm sure I'll have lots of experience by the time I even start looking into finding one. Though snakes have never been scary to me, well the poisonous are, but ever since I was a kid the only thing I could ever remember thinking about snakes was how beautiful they were... I'm actually looking forward to the first time I get bitten so I can see my own reaction. I know some people say that it doesn't really hurt, but I still find myself thinking that when it happens it won't like be anything I thought.

[stephanbakir]

Poison is ingested, venom is injected.
Keep in mind that GTPs are not a snake that should be handled, one of our members has only touched his GTP a handfull of times in its whole life, and thats the way it should be done for that species.
I'm not "afraid" of any reptile, I've worked with both venomous and non venomous snakes and lizards, large and small. I can tell you that even I came close to crapping my pants quite a few times over the years.

Every reptile has different needs, and if you stay within those needs and requirements you can enoy their company for 15-25 years instead of 3-4...

[Kayla90]

Makes sense. lol
I just loooove the colouring, especially the really green ones. I would be happy just being able to see it everyday.
Oh man, really? Would you mind sharing any experiences?

@TeaNinja That's probably because it is lol. Until recently the thought of owning a snake never even crossed my mind, everyone in my family would have straight out told me "hell no!" So it stopped being something I thought about, then this summer I happened to see a man with a gorgeous Burmese python and I realized how much I loved snakes again. Then at a pet store, I got to hold a baby ball python and since that day I can't stop thinking about how much I want one. lol

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Originally Posted by Kayla90

I just can't stop wanting to know everything right this minute XD

Keep asking questions, spend your time with people who can mentor you. Dont let your wants out way common logic... If i hadnt taken this advice, there's a chance i wouldn't be here right now... alive that is. Its taken me so long to get to where i am knowledge wise. I have so much more to learn and so much more experience to gain.

[vendettaseve]

Starting big isnt a great idea, Why not get yourself a nice corn snake that you can mess with till you learn the basics.... then upgrade... then upgrade again... till your house is filled :3


Edit: Oh your in Toronto too Mykee has some Ball Pythons happening at some point I think, you should check with him if thats something your interested in.

[TeaNinja]

i am very impulsive and all about immediate gratification myself lol. i have to tell myself to chill out sometimes. i got my first male dumerils from a guy on craigslist for free, then after 6 months or something i bought my BP from petco because they are terrible with their husbandry and i wanted to not only take one out of the cage full of them so they'd be more healthy and have more room, but i wanted to give one a better life lol. then i emailed someone about the female dumerils they were selling like 5 months ago and told them if they needed to just rehome her to let me know and i'd give a great home. they emailed me a month or two ago and said he was getting married and i could just come get her and all her stuff for free. so i got 2 out of the 3 snakes i have and their setups for free lol. i had to buy nigma (my male dum) a new 4x2x2 viv when i got him because he was in a 40 gallon, but my friend had to buy a tank for her red eared slider anyway, so i gave her the 40 gallon and she bought the 4x2x2 for me, so i got everything for free anyway lol.

now that i think about it she ended up rehoming the turtle, so it was kind of pointless lol.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Originally Posted by TeaNinja

i am very impulsive and all about immediate gratification myself lol.

I am extremely glad i am not hahaha, if that was the case i would be currently owning a Elapid. Its been such a long process to get one responsibly (in a sense as if owning something that can kill you within the hour it strikes is responsible lol) Im still waiting on a response for my FDA-1572. So I can legally keep, store and have FDA approved to administer, (FDA doesn't approve exotic anti venom, and MD's cant legally administer it without the right forms) Anti-venom onsite. FDA-1571 is the easy one to get, but unfortunately you need one from a licensed physician as well (1572).

[TeaNinja]

in cases like that restraint is necesary

[Kayla90]

Ugh yes, pet stores are horrible. While I get it to some point that it's what people want when looking for animals, put them on display, so we can walk around and choose our favourite. But it's really sad when they don't take care of them properly.

I am extremely glad i am not hahaha, if that was the case i would be currently owning a Elapid.

Ahaha Oh I would definitely not be that impulsive. I think venomous snakes are beautiful but I wouldn't even think of getting one till I had major experience with other snakes. XD

in cases like that restraint is necesary

Lol I know, but the funny thing is, even though I feel so impulsive, because I want them so much I find that I actually am willing to wait for it. When I was at PJ'S Pet store a while back baby BP were on sale, and usually when I walk into a pet store I end up walking out with something, but I didn't because I know that I don't have any of the proper equipment to take care of them.
I actually am hoping to be accepted into an Animal Care Program at Sheridan Tech this winter because I love animals so much and I want to work with them as much as possible. Hopefully I can find a job around snakes, so I can learn more.

Oh your in Toronto too Mykee has some Ball Pythons happening at some point I think, you should check with him if thats something your interested in.

Yup It's nice to meet you. Yes, I got a comment from him yesterday in another thread about being close to Toronto. So that's awesome