For all the "Kids" who want a Burmese Python!!!

[Burm_Crazy]

OK, this is the reason that I, and others, are against "kids" getting a baby burm....







This is a 16-17 foot adult female burm that has a girth of 2 feet!
Meaning it could eat a small human!

This is a rescue animal that a friend of mine got in Florida. A snake of this size cannot be kept in a cage. It needs it's own room in your house, with it's own bathtub too! It most likely can, and will eat large food items like chicken and small pigs.

He had to put it in his trunk to get it moved. There is no way of shipping a snake of this size, so unless a local rescue can take it in, as in this case, this snake would have ended up in a shelter were it most likely would have been put down within 24-48 hours.

[BWSmith]

He could have at least cleaned out the trunk first

[Zoe]

So you're saying that an adult would without a doubt be responsable enough to keep a burm? Do you actually think most of the abandonned burms out there come from kids who got bored or them, or didn't like their size? I'm sure some of them are, but would be a stretch to say all of them.

I think you are making a very unfair judgement of younger people. Granted, a 10 year old shouldn't keep one for obvious reasons, but age and responsability comes with research, experience and maturity. I know some 17 year olds who would definitely be capable of keeping a burm, and some 30 year olds who wouldn't, and vice versa.

The key here is EDUCATION. Not just saying "dont get one it'll be too big" that's hardly a reason that will deter someone who is strongly into buying one. And why should they be deterred? If they know what they are getting into, and are prepared to care for a 20ft snake and know how to do so, then that burm is going to a good home. Perhaps, if that 17 year old was advised against purchasing it, a 35 year old will find it, think he's old enough to keep anything he wants, and end up keeping the snake in his closet or something?

Age is not what should always be in question. Saying that people under 18 are basically useless and should only keep corns and balls is like saying that women shouldn't keep hots or giants because their reflexes are slightly slower, and their stature slightly smaller.

I don't think there's much more I can say on the subject without rambling, so I will close with this. Don't try and scare people away by showing pictures of big snakes, try and tell them if they are getting into such a large snake they need to be prepared. Not just "NO! You're too young, go away until you're 18!".

Zoe

[ReptiZone]

a snake that size dos not need a room no snake dose yes a big cage but not room.
hear is why:
16-17 foot burm put it in a room let it climb on the wall if it should hapen to slip and slam it self against a rock or log that gives you a few broken ribs a trip to the vet and a verry big bill. So yes make a big cage make it long make it wide but dont make it a room.

[The_Snake_King]

You probalby think it is OK for a 15 year old to have a baby too!

If a 15 year old kid gets a baby burm and power feeds it, by the time the kids is 18 the snake would not be albe to be handled by one person alone. Maybe not even two people.

These are not novelty items or impulse items! These are living creatures that can get large enough to kill any size human!

What about a 15 year old getting a tiger cub? Is that OK?

It is not unthinkable for a teenager to get a "gaint" snake as a baby and raise it to adulthood. I know I have done it. But my point is just look at every herp forum you can and all you see are "kids" getting a burm or a retic. The statistics show that over 90% of them either die or are turned into rescues/shelters by the time they are snakes adults. And this is long before the "kids" are out of their teens years.

Out of all the "kids" I see posting here and other forums, maybe one will take care of the snake for the life of the snake.

And you're right, many adults are as bad if not worse than the "kids". Just look at some of the rescue pictures that people post and you can see it. The neglect. The abuse. The abandonment. nd most of these are done by adults. But, when do you think these adults got the snake????? When they were "Kids"!

[Zoe]

That's exactly why younger people should be educated. If they are stolidly fixed on getting a burm, do you actually thing telling them "No you're too young", is going to work? It will most likely put them on the defense and make them go buy one right away just to prove you wrong. No matter what (unless a law is written) kids are going to buy snakes on impulse. At least the ones on ssnakess are fortunate enough to have the guidance and expertise of all the knowledgable people on here. But would they actually want to ask if they are going to be called "kids" (with those stupid quotation marks that make us feel inferior and stupid. let's all say "black" and "woman" and "canadian" in quotation marks.). And saying that 90% of the abandoned, dead, neglected, abused burms have been so from kids or from people who got them as kids is a total exageration.
Don't you know of anyone over 20 who bought a burm on impulse because he thought it was cool to have one? Or because he thought it was cute? If you don't, then you haven't met enough people involved with burms to have a fair opinion.

Young people neglect/abuse ect their burms not because they are kids, but because they are UNINFORMED. Because they didn't know what they were getting into. Because they had limited access to information. Because 10 years ago there was no information to be have access to at all! As knowledge regarding burms grows, the number of neglected and abused burms goes down. With this wonderful tool known as the internet, laws and rules regarding the sale and treatment of giant pythons, common sense, books and articles available, educational programes / rescue places, our goal should be to educate everyone who wants to buy a burm (regardless of age, sex, or size) and let them then decide if they still want to go through with it. Telling them "No" is absolutely pointless as what makes you think many of them will even listen?

A human baby and a tiger don't compare to a burm. In some ways they are easier to care for, in others harder. For example, you can't keep a tiger or a baby in a room for most of it's life, and you can't feed it entire pigs and turkeys once a week. Those aren't fair comparisons.

Zoe

[Zoe]

By the way, if you say only one person under 18 on ssnakess will care for their burm to it's adulthood, you are sadly mistaken. Ask around, you'll find young people with burms who know what they are getting into, and people just over 20 who have had a burm for a while, and it is still in great shape.

[sSNAKESs.com]

Not to play devils advocate but you could have put that burm in a bed sheet and tied the end up before transport... IMO putting that burm in the trunk of that car is FAR more immature and un thought out then i have seen from even our youngest . most inexperienced keepers / members on this forum.

[Zoe]

At least take out the boot and wires first...

Zoe

[sSNAKESs.com]

or geez.. at LEAST the back seat... The trunk of a car???

[Zoe]

At least it's warm in florida :X
I actually thought that was a pic of where they found it something.

Oh well, doesn't look too badly off. Hopefully it found a decent home.

[ReptileX]

just curious, do you know that this rescue was from a teens doing?
and not to be sexsous...but is that a womens shoe in the trunk?

[ReptileX]

or maybe that was the burms lunch...thats one way i guess to hide a body for all the killers out there eh...ekkk scary though

[ReptiZone]

I Don't even want to imagin the carbon monoxide poisoning it was subjected to have you ever riden a round in the trunck of a car it is not the safest thing to do. So why would you do it to a burm. Next time you want to show a burm pic why don't you use BABY one of the bigest burms alive to day.

[Zoe]

And I'll bet the person driving that car is over 20. Therefore all "adults" don't know how to care for burms. No "adults" should be allowed to keep giant snakes, because "adults" are never responsable enough. Your logic is imperfect.