i hope its okay i ask this- but im going to get a burmese python soon. i’ve done a bit of research of course and im going to be doing some more, but do you or anyone have any advice or things i should know about before i get one (i know about how big they get and such and thats why i love it). any advice would be appreciated ;)

thlpp:

fantasticbeastsandhowtokeepthem:

the-awkward-turt:

I’ve never kept burms personally, so I can’t give any specific care advice. However I will say that before committing to such a large and potentially dangerous animal you should be doing a ton of research, preferably including establishing relationships with other experienced burm keepers so you can reach out to them if you have problems. Ideally you should have also spent time around other peoples’ burms or at least have experience caring for/handling other large snakes.

Another big thing with burms is to make sure you are very familiar with your local laws (which includes not only state laws but also county laws and city ordinances) regarding big snake ownership.

Whether or not you are prepared to own a burm is about more than loving their big size. You need to have a really honest conversation with yourself about your ability to safely care for this animal in the future. Do you have the money and space to provide for this snake’s large food and enclosure needs? Do you have another adult in your house that is comfortable helping you feed and handle your snake (because you should never be working with an adult burm outside of its cage by yourself)? Do you have access to a vet that is comfortable and experienced working with such a large snake? How stable is your housing situation, and is it likely that you may have to move to a location where such a large snake is not allowed?

If you’re only done a bit of research I think you may need to slow down and think about whether this is a good idea for the long term. It’s not my intention to be a killjoy, but large snakes are some of the most common reptiles to end up in shelters, abandoned, or confiscated.

Good luck! Followers feel free to add on (especially burm keepers).

@thlpp

I have a Sunny boi who is about 10 ft long and 30 lbs heavy, so let me chime in.

He was one of those burms referenced above, who became unwanted in its (already 2nd) home. He’s between 3-4 years old, and I’m his third keeper. The young person taking care of him didn’t stop loving him, but his needs have outgrown what they and their parents were prepared to provide, so he had to go.

In the time before they realized that he needed to be rehomed, the snake was in an under-heated, too-small-for-him enclosure, eating raw store-bought chicken, and not getting nearly enough exercise. He became obese and acquired several bacterial infections. He was nose-rubbing to the point that his nose had virtually no scales left. He took about 8 months and many (many) hundreds of dollars to treat at the vet’s.

I’m sure his keeper didn’t mean for him to end up this way, but giant snakes have giant needs. Their needs are not 2x or 3x of what is needed to keep a ball python or a boa safe and healthy, they’re closer to 10-20x. It takes me 30 or so minutes to change water for 7 snakes and clean one or two of them if they made a mess. It takes me an hour just for Sunny if he pees/poops in his cage.

Oh, BTW, that cage cost 900+ bucks.

I let him out for a “walk” on most days of the week, which means that for the time he’s out of the cage we have to heat the area up to at least 76 degrees F. In the summer that means not running air conditioning. In order for me to feel like he doesn’t need to come out to exercise, he’d need an enclosure the size of a small room or at least a walk-in closet.

With frequent exercise, he’s built up some muscle, but when he first got here, he would be just a limp noodle when I’d pick him up from the floor. Literally like a 5-inch hose filled with water limp. That’s what sitting in a 6×2 ft cage all day does.

He can only come out when J is here with me. I never open his cage door, not even to change his water, when I’m home alone. He is a silly snake, and he already grabbed my hand once by mistake because he thought I brought him food. 

It was quite unpleasant to sit on the floor near his cage and wait for him to let go, while he was holding on to my hand with his teeth and wrenching on my wrist. J was there to assist if needed, but thankfully he let go after about five or so long minutes. Had he grabbed me closer to my neck, he totally could have hurt me. This is a real risk, not just something people say on the internet. Now I have a new rule: never handle him under poor lighting conditions, because silly snek.

Another thing to consider is: You’ll never be able to leave home for more than say 2-3 days. With a snake this size, you can’t just ask a friend to casually drop by and change his water couple of times a week. You’ll need at least TWO experienced people to take care of him while you’re gone. And I don’t mean just vacation. It can be things you have no control over such as being in a hospital.

These snakes can live anywhere between 20-28 years. Add 20 to your age. How many life changes do you anticipate happening in that time? Moves (sometimes overseas or to a state that doesn’t allow the species as a pet), going off to get a degree, finding/changing life partners, having children possibly. This snake will impact your choices, usually limiting them. I’ve helped run adoptions for a local reptile club for 4.5 years, and most snakes were being rehomed due to such big life choices.

Imagine moving a 10-ft snake and his 8-ft cage. A U-Haul trailer you tow with your car won’t cut it.

Anyways, if you have your mind made up, my long rant isn’t going to change it. Just make sure that you go into this with your eyes wide open, and your burm doesn’t end up like so many others: in a shelter, or sick, or dead.