big snakes

[frost]

i have been mulling around getting a big snake in the future and im trying to decide what one to get.been looking around for one that have a easy going temperament with handling. i realize they dont come already tamed down.but i want one i can eventually handle without worrying about it eating me or any family members lol. if anyone have any big snake experience i would love to talk.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

What is you definition of "big?" Boa constrictors can get rather large and they tame nicely.

 

[frost]

Burmese, reticulated, rock, water python, things like that.

 

[james.w]

Burms are probably the easiest and most likely to tame down. You have heard about the ban that was just passed??

 

[frost]

ahh thats what iv heard,haha yeah i have.there are a few local people that are selling. i wont be moving for a while and maybe then it will have more leaway. in the past when a bill/law is passed over time it either is loosened or tightened up. but i still have a few years till i can move.

 

[Reptile_fever]

Well soon these animals will be banned to an extent!Have you consider, blue beauty rat snake,or tiger rat snake the get fairly long 8 to 10' but thin a lil feisty but all is managable!

 

[frost]

not a big fan of rat snakes but i check em out.

 

[james.w]

What about Bredli or Coastal Carpet pythons? Why do you want a "big" snake? Do you have the space to provide for one? Do you have someone who will help you move/handle it or help you in an emergency?

 

[frost]

i have a jungle carpet python. i been wanting one for a while now just havent been able to. yeah i can provide all the space they need. i have all sizes of tank and can build w/e they need. i have relative that can help me out they are about 20 min away from me.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

What's a water python? I've never heard of that species.

 

[frost]

there are a few videos on youtube, iv heard they make pretty good pets but are hard to find. ben siegel had one on his facebook auction yesterday i think.

 

[laurarfl]

They were added to the Lacey Act which means it is an import/export/transport issue. You can own them. However, once an animal is added to the federal Lacey Act, there is not much chance of getting that overturned. Also, check with local laws about ownership. For instance, in FL, ownership of large snakes is prohibited without a conditional species permit, and I see quite a few states are in the process of trying to write various reptile laws. However, if you have one in possession at the time of the law signing, you will be grandfathered in.

Of the large snakes commonly kept, I would recommend a Burm because they are the most docile. They do get big and live a long time. Mine came to me as a rescue a few years back, underweight, covered in mites, and now has kidney disease from being kept at a low humidity and suffering from chronic dehydration. But he is a sweetie pie and I take him around to schools, parties, community events. Everyone loves him wherever he goes. He is the ambassador to show people that pythons aren't the giant man-eaters overrunning Florida like the media portrays. He is the anti-Bill Nelson.

---

Excuse my wacky hair...windy day

---

ugh, could not edit to fix photo

 

[frost]

thanks ill have to remember to check into that.the burm was the one i was originally going to get. iv heard some mixed responses when it comes to them.some say they are very mean and some say they are really nice. the people that say they are mean werent keeping them as they should tho.iv also heard they were nippy when they were young. but the only other reptile iv had just as much of a fascination with along with the gator was the burmese python. i was a albino one when i was really young and got to hold it and was in love with them ever since.my gator owning dream got shot to heck lol.hopefully i can own a burmese.=/

---

hmm having a hard time finding if whether or not its legal to have one. can someone lend me a hand? i live in bay city Michigan.

 

[got10]

Unless you go around flaunting your snake . Nobody will know what you have in your home.If you are savvy you can have ANYTHING you want .
You ever hear of Antione Yates the dude that had a pet tiger in his NYC apartment in the projects?

 

[frost]

haha good point. no i havent heard of that.

 

[got10]

All the burms I have ever owned have been very easy to handle. The only time i had any problem with nippiness was when they were very young and thought I was going to eat them.And in a matter of two years the tables had turned . LOL
I would stay away from the retics ,African and scrub pythons though. Get too big for most first timers and retics are known to be temperamental snakes. African rock pythons will kick yer butt and have bitten more keepers than I care to remember. I have been in a room with a loose rock python walked by it and was struck at . And the scrub pythons get big .Too big.

 

[james.w]

Unless you go around flaunting your snake . Nobody will know what you have in your home.If you are savvy you can have ANYTHING you want .
You ever hear of Antione Yates the dude that had a pet tiger in his NYC apartment in the projects?

I use to feel the same way, if nobody knows it will be ok. But now with the Lacey act getting amended, we as reptile keepers need to show that we can follow rules and regulations and aren't irresponsible people that break laws. All it takes is one person keeping an animal that is illegal in their state/city/county and that animal escaping and harming someone or even just being seen.

Please if you aren't allowed legally to keep something, don't. There are plenty of species of reptile out there.

 

[Reptile_fever]

Yes i agree with james.w,all we need is another bad hit to the community!!Doing things the right way isn't all ways the easiest! Doing so you can all most "brag or show off" what you have instead of hiding it! Remember if caught there will be hefty fines & probably some jail time! Better being save then sorry! What happened to that fella who owned the tiger in a NY city apartment anyways!?

 

[laurarfl]

I completely agree w James. You never know when you will be outed. Will you have a fire, need paramedic help, need to take the reptile to the vet, etc?

Look up your city's website, then look for any pet codes. If there are none, do the same for the county. You can also check your state's fish/wildlife department for regulations.

 

[frost]

on the topic of burmese pythons, my fiance told me about a story of a couple that had a huge burmese python that slept with them everynight. the snake coiled around the edge of the bed and slept with them. one day the snake had something wrong with it and the vet told them that the snake wasent sleeping with them but was trying to eat them and they killed it.

i dont know how much of this is true but i would love to have a little scaly buddy sleep with me every night. =]

---

on the city ordaninces i contacted my political science professor and he told me to contact my city reps and one or two other people that would be able to tell me all i need to know.hopefully i can get ahold of them.