Help?

DarkHunter · 08-26-03, 04:09 PM

Hello,

I am new to the world of reptiles (and loving it) i have learned alot working at a pet store for two years with a wide selection of reptiles. I do not have enough knowledge to help out a friend though...One of my friends just purchased two snakes in Winnipeg, he has never had snakes before and he's not the brightest crayon in the box if you know what i mean heh. I am trying to find the simplist way to explain to him that the snakes he has are not a good idea for a starter reptile (maybe im wrong). He just got a Bernese Python and a Boa (hes not sure what exactly it is and i havent seen it yet). He has them in an 18 foot encloser that he claims he spent 2500 on the set up. He has seperated the tank...boa on one side, python on the other. He says he has seven 150w fixtures on the tank, and that he turns half on for the day and then half on for the night. He is feeding them guinea pigs (full grown) and the python is apx. 4 feet and the boa is apx 2 feet. He also thinks hes going to feed them every two days... I suggested giving them rats for now and definitly not that often. Hes not even sure how big these guys are going to get and he plans on eventually selling them to a zoo

any bit of advice to help out would be great.....thanks alot guyz
~hunter

snakehunter · 08-26-03, 04:17 PM

the buurm will get upwards of 18 ft, and the boa, if its a red tail, will get 7.

every two days is too much, a snake that size with an appropriate meal will go 7-10 days a feeding!

some shouldnt own reptiles b4 reading

jay76 · 08-26-03, 04:27 PM

Hi Hunter!

Show this to your friend:

http://www.anapsid.org/burm.html

And then ask him what he's going to do with two giant snakes when he finds out that zoos and pet stores won't take them. If he only bought them because they're cool and he thinks he can keep them just until they're too big and pawn them off, he's in for a surprise. Good luck reasoning with him!

ANACONDASAURUS · 08-26-03, 04:37 PM

Quote:

He just got a Burmese Python and a Boa (hes not sure what exactly it is and i havent seen it yet).

It depend sometimes on the temper of the snake. I myself wouldn't suggest those 2 as beginners.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

He has them in an 18 foot encloser that he claims he spent 2500 on the set up. He has seperated the tank...boa on one side, python on the other. He says he has seven 150w fixtures on the tank, and that he turns half on for the day and then half on for the night.

How old is your friend & is he rich? I think he might be telling tall tales.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

He is feeding them guinea pigs (full grown) and the python is apx. 4 feet and the boa is apx 2 feet.

Guinea pigs aren'tvery good as feeds because they are high in fat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

He also thinks hes going to feed them every two days... I suggested giving them rats for now and definitly not that often.

Explain to him your only suppose to feed them every 2 weeks.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

Hes not even sure how big these guys are going to get and he plans on eventually selling them to a zoo

Sell them to a zoo? LOL He'll be lucky if they will take them off his hands for free.

DarkHunter · 08-26-03, 05:46 PM

Wow,

Thanks for all the information guys. I hope it helps!!!!
Jay - that sites great thanks alot i have emailed it to him!

One more thing....Would it be possible that his tank is too hot? with all those fixtures... i havent seen the trype of lighting but there he said there is no infrared on his tank. I get to see his set up some time this week but i think its going to be hard to hold back yelling at him

anyways, thanks again for the help
~hunter

Invictus · 08-26-03, 09:56 PM

The boa will get to be 7 feet if it's a MALE redtail. Females will get anywhere from 10 (average) to 12 (large) to 15 (astronomically unlikely, but it has been recorded before.)

If he tries to feed his snakes every 2 days, he will kill them. Powerfeeding is NOT good practice. Sounds like this jackass has some sort of stupid dream in his head that he can powerfeed and grow these snakes up to sell them for a profit. Well, as mentioned above, zoos won't take burms or boas for FREE, much less for a fee. They are already overstocked with them. Tell this jackass he has no right to be keeping reptiles, but do let us know when he will have them up for adoption, because he WILL.

sapphire_moon · 08-26-03, 10:20 PM

I don't own either of these types of snakes but as everyone else said, they get big, and the bumese will get REAL big. Zoo's have plenty, and a pet store probably won't take a large snake when they have tons of "cute" small ones they can sell for big bucks. And an 18 ft enclosure is going to be good for the bumese when it's full grown (maybe). Power feeding is bad....lets see him eat 5 large hamburgers every hour, every day. here is a beginner snake.......corn, BP (if it's a good captive breed/born one), and others that I can't remember....not something that gets twice as long as you, weighs just as much as you, could have you for a snack, and it's bathroom "waste" is probably HUGE......

Pia · 08-26-03, 11:19 PM

Hmmm, I think I see a plan developing........overfeed them so they will grow really big, really fast then sell them for a huge profit. He's in for a rude surprise. As has been mentioned, he will be lucky to give them to a zoo much less sell them to one and in the meantime, he will have spent a large amount of money on food, light bulbs, etc. As for the boa, he shouldn't even be buying it if he's not sure what type it is. It's people like this that give the hobby a bad name. Anyway, enough ranting. Probably the best thing you could do is, if he has a computer, get him to either join this site or at least visit it and have him communicate with some of the boa and burmese owners. As you know, pretty well everyone here is very helpful and would rather educate a person than berate them. It might make a difference. Also, good for you for trying to steer him in the right direction. Good luck :-)

HetForHuman · 08-27-03, 07:29 AM

This kind of crap p!sses me off.

i dont think you want to hear what i have to say about this.

OttawaChris · 08-27-03, 08:16 AM

There are just some things that pet stores shouldnt be allowed to sell... it gives the entire hobby a bad image when the fallout from selling reptiles like this hit the fan.

DarkHunter · 08-27-03, 10:31 AM

Chris - im not even sure where he got it, if it was a pet store or not. All i know is that he got them in winnipeg. I strongly agree with you though. People just dont know what to do with these guys when they get bigger , especally if they get it s a first time pet GRR!!
HetForHuman - i understand and can imagine what you have to say, I feel the same.
Pia- Thanks for the encouragement at this point i need every bit not to lose it on him hehe
Invictus - Im hoping the adoption happends sooner rather than later because i dont know how long these snakes will make it with an inexperianced owner

ill keep you posted.

Thanks !!!
~hunter