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http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/us/florida-python-ban/index.html This is something that happened yesterday that was HUGE in the reptile trade. It is very sad and very disheartening that this could happen. I understand that some of the large constrictors CAN be dangerous but taking away my rights as a responsible snake owner and making me a felon if I happen to move to another state and bring my burms with me is sick. If you are in this thread I would encourage everyone to look into this and try to fight it. I don't think it will stop with these 4. They will eventually add more and they have even talked about things such as colubrids and ball pythons at one point... Hope I'm not derailing or anything but I figured because this is a big deal to the herp community it would be good to put it here.    
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Jan 18, 2012 18:28
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From what I hear, they left out retics and the green anaconda and a couple others because the loss people would experience financially would have been over some threshold and it would've had to go before some committee in the White House. It could be a bunch of BS but that was what someone told me. So they did it this way so they can get it enacted and then they will go after the retics and other pythons and such. Because this is a herp thread and I think information is very important, I don't believe everyone should own a burm. In fact, I think too many people own burms but that's beside the point I suppose. For those who think a burm would be a good starter pet because the local reptile shop has cute little 1 foot baby burms. Here is some info: A female burm can reach lengths of 15 - 18+ feet. They grow about 6feet give or take in the first year. My albino is exactly a year old and 6.6ft. They require a lot of space and money. I have 2 cages that are almost done being built that are 8ft x 2ft x 2ft. When they reach about 6 to 8 feet it becomes unsafe to handle a burm without another person present. That means, when your snake is 10 feet and it is cranky and needs a vet visit you will have to find a minimum of 1 but better to have 2 more people help you with it. Do you know many friends that will come do that for you? My 8.4ft burm eats rabbits. Small rabbits run me about $15 a pop right now. When my female reaches full length she could possibly require things like goats, pigs, or large amounts of rabbits. This gets EXPENSIVE. So if you read all of this and still think you want a burm do more research. Honestly, I own 7 snakes atm and my burms are my absolute favorites   
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Jan 18, 2012 19:11
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hyperhazard posted:And they live 20+ years! If you're not prepared for a long-term investment, most snakes are not for you. (Hell, most reptiles aren't for you. Those scaly suckers live forever That's Chester and he was about 2 1/2. He LOVES the bathtub. He is about 8.6ft and weighs a good 20lbs of pure muscle.
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Jan 18, 2012 20:38
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I thought I would weigh in on the feeding debate. I have two burms (as well as other pythons) but I would not want to move a 14-foot snake to a feeding spot and then attempt to put a 14-foot snake back while it is still in feeding mode. It would be super dangerous. Also, moving a snake that big around after a meal could mean regurgitation. So I have taught my snakes hook training. If I go into their cage for any reason besides feeding I tap them very lightly with my snake hook. They associate the touch with me getting them out or changing water or something. If I am going to feed them I put the rat or rabbit in the cage and don't touch them at all. This has been good for me as far as never having been bit (yet) when I go into my snake's cages. Mine are only 8.6 and 6.5 ish feet long but I wanted to establish hook training while they were young so when they do get to be huge beasts there isn't as much danger. Although, with snakes that big you have to ALWAYS be on the alert.
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Jan 26, 2012 23:57
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I own burmese pythons and I have read on the burm forums that guinea pigs are used to fatten up females before breeding. Piggies are higher in fat then other food sources so it is not recommended to feed burms all the time. So I imagine that people have heard piggies are used for food and get scared when trying to give a pet away.
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Mar 19, 2012 17:25
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So my buddy finally finished my cages for my two burms. I think he did a pretty fantastic job. This is what it looked like when he brought it in.  I currently have just newspaper down as bedding cause that's easy but I am also going to decorate it with some nice fake plants and a hide box and such but I am super pumped about all the room they have now. This is Chester. He's pushing 9ft  Ditty is smaller but still around 7ft  The two  The cage is 8 x 2 x 2 and I have radiant heat panels and a thermostat controlling them. There is a light switch and everything. Bonus pics of my babies You can see my aging pit mix watching Ditty roam  I find normal burms to be stunning in colors. The pic of Chester around my thigh is a good show of how thick he is right now.    Okay...I'm done taking up your time. Please feel free to ask questions if you want. I don't know many people on here that own burms and I know they are a VERY specialized pet to own so definitely not for 99% of the population if you ask me. Love my babies though.
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May 2, 2012 00:33
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Most places will sell captive bred snakes. Every snake is different and will tolerate handling differently. Most corn snakes I have ever been around were a little flighty as babies but not bitey. I would recommend not getting a snake from a large pet store like petco or petsmart only because I don't think they know what they are doing most of the time and you could get bad information or sick snakes. Reptile shops are around and they can be better places to find a healthy cornsnake but always check out the snake before purchasing. Mites are VERY common and you don't want to start out with a snake that has mites. Basically inspect the snake to see if little black bugs are on it. They like to hide near the mouth and heat pits so look there. Make sure the snake is active. If a snake just sort of limply hangs out it might be sick. Ask as many questions about where the snake came from, if it eats, if it sheds well, or if it has had any problems. Good luck with your quest!
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May 2, 2012 19:19
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There are some boas that stay on the smaller end. I have a nicuraguan boa that is only supposed to be around 4 or 5 feet long as an adult. The problem is she is all kinds of crazy. I have heard the smaller ones tend to have more bitey personalities and Alice certainly has no hesitation to want to eat my face. So I wouldn't recommend this type unless you REALLY know what you are doing but I love boas a lot and there are some out there with some really interesting colorations. You can see in my pics sorta that nic boas are typically a lot darker and she has a lot of splotchhes and orange in her. she is very pretty.  
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May 3, 2012 16:32
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I've been looking into Dumerils actually. One of the many snakes I don't own but want to. They get big. I would recommend looking at a reptile shop or pictures to see just how big they get as adults. From what I can tell they are pretty chill but I have never met one irl. I am on a dumerils boa fanpage on fb and see people post pics and talk about them all the time saying they are awesome snakes. I don't know where you live but southern california has a place called Prehistoric Pets and they have some adult dumerils there. I was surprised at how large they get. Also, that's a fantastic pic.
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May 3, 2012 17:21
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Hope you don't mind some terrible cell pictures of my herp crew. Stumpy is a new addition. He was a retired breeder that someone was giving away at a show. I thought he was too stinkin cute.   Then my pixie frog...which I think is actually an african bullfrog? He's hilarious. His name is Jabba and he loves to eat.  I have 7 snakes: 1.1 burmese pythons 1.0 dumerils boa 0.1 nicuraguan boa 1.2 ball pythons (normal, mojave, and pastel) This is archer my male mojave ball python  Lana my female pastel ball python  I don't have a pic of Mallory my normal female. Hannibal is my dumerils boa. I picked him up at a show about a month ago and he still won't eat. I don't bother him at all unless it is trying to feed him once a week. I hope he snaps out of it. He is too pretty.  This is Alice. She is the meanest snake I have ever owned. I have done a lot of handling with her and she doesn't try to strike at my face every five seconds anymore but she still has her moods where I can tell she is contemplating my death.  Chester is my 10ftish burm. He is very talkative and hisses a lot but has never bitten me yet.    He had a bad shed and I had to help clean him up. Nothing like pulling skin off a temperamental 10ft snake  And my baby. Ditty. She is my pride and joy. I got her when she was out of the egg practically (okay a few weeks old after fed and shed) But she was this big when I brought her home in January of 2011.  Now she is pushing 8.5 ft and starting to get some girth on her. She goes to petco with me all the time and is my ambassador snake. I teach people that snakes aren't scary things that people should hate. I have been asked many a time if she is poisonous and it always makes me sad how little people know about snakes.     Thanks for letting me rant!
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Nov 15, 2012 22:32
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Haha that pic is hilarious. Yeah Jabba will eat anything that moves, which has included my fingers once in a while. He has never gotten a hold of me yet but he tries god love him. At least if one of my snakes is being picky I know he will finish off the mouse for me. Thank you very much about the cages. Yes I had a friend build them for me. He knew how to do all the fancy stuff with cabinets and had all the tools in his garage so we did 2 cages that are 8 x 3 x 2. I use radiant heat panels with thermostats and feel like they have plenty of room to do their thing in. Yeah I have wanted a dumerils since forever and finally found a good deal on one at the show...now I am wondering if he was such a good deal cause he won't eat. The guy swore they had all had meals and shed but he has yet to eat for me. They apparently go off feed all the time though. A reptile expert gave me a bunch of info and said I would be okay but it still worries me.
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Nov 15, 2012 23:36
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Oh lordy, that frog did not want to be hosed with haha. Jabba only goes for my fingers when I am not being careful and pulling his log off of him. I wrap my fingers under the log and I think he just sees movement and my white little fingers. I have tried to stop being such an idiot though lol The cages are all wood and he used a type of pain that is safe to animals but is basically the type of paint they would use on a boat or other area that might be prone to wet weather. I wanted pieces that were more like good furniture than the average box for cages so I wanted as much wood as possible (giggity). It cost me less money than say an AP cage or something and it looks a lot better in my opinion. Good luck on your cages. It is nice to be able to customize something like that so it is exactly what you want. I had an iguana cage I built a long time ago that was like 7ft tall, 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep and I painted it black with jungle scenes stenciled on the outside and the inside back wall had a forrest scenery that was printed on a large format printer on material suitable for being able to get wet.
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Nov 16, 2012 01:05
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This is Hannibal. He is my baby dumerils. I have a question because I am getting a bit desperate. I brought him home from a show about 4 months ago. The guy had a couple of them and they were the cheapest ones at the show. I have always wanted a Dum so it seemed like a good buy. He said they had all fed and shed. I have had issues with picky eaters and I know that snakes are always going off feed for one thing or another. I let him settle down for a week and tried to feed a pinky rat. He didn't eat. Since then I have tried once a week every week to give him something to eat. I tried a rat crawler to see if the hair would entice him. I tried mice even though it says online they will rarely eat mice. I have tried FT, prekilled and live. I always put him in a small box with no light and don't disturb him for hours in case he is shy (which they are known to be). I have tried to be patient but I am more and more worried. He is still active but I do not handle him. I didn't want to handle him until he started eating (this is incredibly difficult for me since I love handling my snakes). I am not really new to the snake thing ( I own 7 at the moment) so I have waited a long time to ask, but I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas. Warm side is 83 degrees and he has a hide on the hot side and the cool side, fyi. He has shed once since he was with me and it was a good shed. Also, I am not good with killing things or blood or medical stuff like that. I'm a big baby sometimes. It doesn't scare me to possibly be bit by my 11 foot burmese python but the thought of having to brain a rat icks me out. Is this a tried and true method? Do I possibly need to find someone to do this for me or get over it and do it myself? Or are there other ways? Thanks for any help.
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Jan 24, 2013 00:14
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Man....I hate when the rats explode. It gets so messy. After Chester was done it looked like a murder scene.
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Feb 25, 2013 23:26
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When I picked him up the kid told me he was normal het green, albino and carmel. I was pretty sure he was lying through his teeth trying to get more money. I don't ever plan on breeding my two burms (we don't need more in the market that's for sure) but I have always wondered if Chester might have at least one het.
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Feb 26, 2013 00:13
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If you are going to get a snake I would recommend not listening too much to the pet store people. They often give misinformation regarding reptiles and so checking here is always a good idea. I have had people at PetCo and PetsMart tell me that red tail boas are good beginner species and because I know better I wanted to laugh in their face. The (fairly) cheep red tails can get to be upwards of 6 to even 10 feet long and require a good bit of space. They often keep too many snakes in one bin. Snakes DO NOT like to hang out with other snakes. They don't cuddle. So if anyone ever suggests getting more than one just know they shouldn't go in the same space. Just thought it was worth a mention to look out for these things since my first snake experience was from a misinformed pet store employee. As for handling of snakes, everyone else has said it. However, I think a lot of that can depend on the snake's own personality too. I have to burmese pythons (NOT a beginner snake btw). One of them goes to PetCo with me and sits in my car on the back window ledge in the sun. She doesn't stress about being touched by strangers. She has been my ambassador snake for people that are scared or don't know that snakes are human killers. My other burmese python I wouldn't trust around people I don't know and he is not interested in sitting on me or around me like my female. So that's just an example of how two of the same species could possibly handle being handled differently. I have owned MANY species of snakes and by far I am the MOST fed up with ball pythons. I have many different morphs and normals and still haven't encountered one that didn't have problems feeding at some point. It is frustrating and for people that don't know, can be scary. Kingsnakes and Corns tend to be much more active in their enclosures and when handled. This can be good for some people who don't want a boring pet snake that just sits there (ahem...ball python). I have absolutely fell in love with sand boas and will be getting a few at the next show. They seem to be very interesting, they don't get too big, they have nice patterns, and they seem to be somewhat active. Corn snakes come in some AMAZING colorations btw. You can get a corn in just about any color combo you can think of (well almost). So keep asking questions. I have 7 snakes currently and they are by far my favorite type of animal I own. **As for bearded dragons - DO A LOT OF RESEARCH. I have always wanted one but with my schedule and money, they don't seem nearly as easy to deal with. Someone told me they go through 20 crickets A DAY with their beardy. I didn't do enough research to know if that was true or not but I like snakes because if you leave for a week they don't even notice. Sweet CupnCakes fucked around with this message at 19:31 on Feb 26, 2013 |
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Feb 26, 2013 19:29
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OneTwentySix posted:Also, I'd recommend not buying a pet store snake, either. If you buy directly from a breeder, you'll probably get a much healthier animal, and often cheaper (though shipping adds cost). Okay, then when you purchase rattlesnakes maybe get more than one. (wink) I kid, I kid. Fascinating article. Thank you for sharing.
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Feb 26, 2013 20:23
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Jabba the pixie frog was looking particularly fat last night. I can't wait for him to get full grown. Such a funny little bugger. He tries to eat everything.
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Mar 5, 2013 20:55
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ZarathustraFollower posted:Does anyone have any decent directions for custom building a large snake enclosure? I need to build something for my pine snakes, so I'm trying to figure out ones that would be large, front & top opening, light and preferably stackable + access for heat pads. I might be able to get you the specs and items my friend used. he built me custom cages for my burms. they look SUPER nice and cost a fraction of what something that big and ornate would've cost me to purchase. I use radiant heat panels and they have a thermostat and lights built in and everything.  Bonus pic of Ditty getting her chow on.
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Mar 13, 2013 00:41
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So I bought a dumerils boa at a show probably...six months ago, maybe 7 or 8. The guy said the baby had fed and shed and I believed him. I know dums have a high rate of going off food. I have kept his tank in the proper conditions and I don't even handle him because he won't eat. I have offered him a food item once a week every week since I got him to try and get him to eat. I tried F/T, live, pinkie mice, pinkie rats, fuzzy mice, fuzzy rats, anything I could try. I asked for advice a month or so ago and was told to try chicks or african furred mice but neither of those items are available anywhere in my area (even though it was Easter, I expected to find chicks). Anyways, I did any and every combination of things to get him to eat. I was okay with him not eating because he was still moving around and drinking. The last three weeks however he has really started to show signs of starvation. He is limp and barely moves, his scales are all wrinkly like he has too many for his body, and I just really started freaking out. The vet suggested to force feed him since there is nothing virally or bacterially wrong with him. I was always told that force feeding is a LAST RESORT. FInally last night I was heart broken that I might lose him and decided to force feed a tiny pinkie mouse. He is so weak he didn't put up much of a fight and once I got the head and shoulders into his mouth he finally decided to swallow on his own. I put him back in his cage and covered it because I know it was stressful. Any advice on what's next? I know he is very weak and I want him to get healthy but I also don't want to kill him with stress. Should I try to offer prey to him in a few days and hope he eats on his own? Do I try to force feed another time if he doesn't? Is there a good chance this is too little too late? Any help would be much appreciated. I try to tell him to live up to his name, Hannibal, and start eating poo poo but he doesn't want to obey. (Pic was taken a couple of months ago so this is not what he looks like now...this was when he still had some sort of bulk on him.
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Apr 3, 2013 19:24
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Does anyone know anything about Steppe Lizards? I went to a show this weekend to pick up an anery kenyan sand boa and saw a guy selling steppe lizards. They were the cutest damned things. They look like a tiny monitor almost. The guy knew practically nothing about them and my boyfriend said to wait and do research. I was ready to whip out my wallet to get one but I know he is usually right about these things. So can anyone tell me if they have owned one or if they are as easy as people online seem to say they are? They didn't mind being held at all and sat in my palm for minutes without fleeing. I definitely have to get one now but I guess research is best. Thanks!
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Apr 22, 2013 19:59
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So I have been kicking myself for not picking up some steppe lizards at the last show I went to. I have been obsessing over them. The guy that owns a reptile shop near me that I have been going to for the last 15 years called me and said he got some in because he knew I was looking for some. I went right over and checked out the 4 babies he had and came home with these two little ones. [/URL]They are so stinkin' cute. They were digging and chasing crickets around and just being adorable. They are so new to the pet trade not a lot is known but some of the sources say they don't mind being in groups. Keeping snakes has made me think that no reptiles LIKE being around others but these guys really do seem to cuddle and hang out a lot. I don't know if they are competing like snakes do or they actually like each other. Either way, I'm super happy to finally have them. Now I just have to think of some names.
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May 15, 2013 19:54
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Wow I thought perhaps my crested gecko died of old age recently but it was not long after I switched him to the new GCD...could there be any relation? I guess it is hard to know but he stopped eating and I was going to take him to the vet but came home from work and he was dead. He was pretty old but now I am wondering.
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May 17, 2013 16:50
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DiaBculls posted:So I got the new MV bulb and lamp for Eddy's (young iguana) cage and have it hooked up and it seems to be working well. Tonight I was cleaning his habitat and he was hiding in his little cave like usual. Apparently he decided that it was the perfect time to sprint up to his basking spot, leap onto my arm, and leap out of his cage. I spent the next five minutes trying to slowly pick him up, before my roommate threw a towel over him and he stopped running like crazy. After putting him back in his habitat he acted extremely agitated and aggressive, so I turned off the lights and he's stewing in the dark with his CHE. I thought he was doing well as far as getting acclimated and socializing, every day I reach in and slowly rub his side with one finger, and he even ate out of my hand a few times. He usually doesn't flare his neck crest at me anymore so I thought he was getting more used to me. I just wanted to know if it's normal or if I'm doing something that's stressing him out. I know I probably sound like a nervous derp I just don't want him to be afraid of me and think of me as an enemy. I'm not a knowledgeable source like some of the people on this forum but thought I could give my own anecdotal account of owning an iguana. Leonidas King of the Spartan Iguanas was six feet of anger. He hated everyone except me (and he only tolerated me), whipped anyone that tried to put him back in his enclosure, and constantly chased my dogs out of the room he would be lounging in. I got him from as a rescue so perhaps his years before me were years of abuse or mishandling and he was destined to be grumpy all the time but I have heard some iguanas just don't like people. So be prepared for that. Also, something that I found interesting that I read said that iguanas will try to ignore you first, usually by closing the eye that is facing you. It might look like your iguana is enjoying a pet but he might just be trying to ignore you. This was years ago so maybe that information has changed. I hope your iguana settles down but don't be surprised by grumpy iguanas, they are more common than the really tame chill ones from what I hear. He's cute though. Good luck with your guy. Also, not sure about baby iguanas but mine was a whore for bananas. If you had a banana he would chase you around and sit on you while eating it. That was the only time people could hold him without incurring his wrath. Check to see if bananas are still okay and see how he likes it if its appropriate.
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Sep 3, 2013 23:11
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newts posted:I'd also recommend blue-tongue skinks if you're interested in a lizard pet that doesn't need crickets, and can be totally tame, interactive, and awesome too. I've been considering a blue-tongue for a while now and we have a reptile show coming up next weekend. Does anyone have any good care instructions on them? One guy at a reptile store told me they feed theirs canned cat food and I didn't think that sounded correct. The guy also said they can be bitey unless you hold them every day. Any thoughts would be nice .
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Nov 14, 2013 02:18
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I have three new additions to my place and thought I would share. 1. Kenyan Sand Boa I was at a show and just loved the colors and personality of the sand boas and decided I had to get one. Her name is Lucy.  2. Dumerils Boa I have wanted one of these since I was a kid. I have the space for an adult and decided to get a baby. They said she was eating like a champ and in good health. She eats every time so I am super happy about that. Her name is Seven.  3. Blue Tongue Skink I saw someone posting all their cute bluey photos so I thought I would share mine. Thor has grown RAPIDLY in the last couple of months. He huffs a bit when I go to pick him up but he has never bitten me and he seems to be enjoying my company more and more. I love his personality. He has been one of my favorite reptiles so far.    Also, I saw the pic of the albino burmese on a previous page and wanted to show off my Ditty girl. She has gotten so big! I have had her since she was only a few weeks old and she could fit on one hand. Now she hangs out with me outside and enjoys watching television on my bed from time to time. (My dog Sasha is elderly and has a huge tumor on her stomach. The vet is afraid if we put her under to take it out she might not make it. The tumor doesn't cause her any pain. Just wanted to share so nobody thought we were neglecting our dog)  
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Apr 2, 2014 23:56
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Photo Dump! Cleaning day meant picture day. Ball Pythons (all named after Archer characters)  Pam (unsure of genetics, probably just a normal but she seems to have a cool pattern so who knows, maybe she will give me some pretty babies)  Archer (mojave)  Lana, showing us what a 'ball' python should look like. (pastel)  Mallory. Wouldn't sit still for a good pic. (normal)  Cheryl (mojave)  Katya (pastel)  Ana (mojave)  Woodhouse (bumblebee) Other Snakes  Alice. She is a total bitch and rarely tolerates handling. Hence the crappy photo. She is a Nicaraguan boa.  Lucy, aka SPAZZ. She is super flighty still. I was always told they are super mellow but perhaps she is just going to need some time. Anery kenyan sand boa.  Seven. Dumerils boa. My pride and joy, Ditty. She's still growing a lot. I have recently been able to get my hands on rabbits so I think she will start gaining girth as well as length. The sweetest snake I have ever owned. Lets my dog lick her (don't know why my dog does that). She goes with me to the reptile place or petco a lot and has no problems being handled. I love showing people that snakes don't have to be scary. She's my little educational snake. 
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Jun 27, 2014 00:39
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