[Velocitycss]

Hi guys,

So i have been thinking and thinking and yep thinking...

I want to get a Burmese Python.

I understand all the requirments on my part that need to be met ( without including set up and care..etc.. ) so i have everything covered i need to know and have.

I will be looking at buying a young Burm and I seen one i want but i will proberly look around for a while longer.

any Burm owners have any good tips and advice about keeping these that may be missed off anything I have researched.(nice advice would be best ideally )

cheers Guys n Gals

 

[herper147]

Have a look at the burm thread in the pics section, its full of little tips and tonnes of pics to stare at for hours, plus the guys in there are really helpful

 

[AB's]

My advice is to only ever keep a snake you can handle at its worst not its best. If your not confident with dealing with an aggressive 15ft burm striking out then you need to gain more experience and confidence. Most burms are pretty docile but the are some nutters out there! Mistakes at feedin time can also be greeted with a nasty bite.

 

[Jeffers3]

I agree with reading that section.

To add a little bit - as long as you have the space, burms are one of the easier snakes to keep. Feeding problems are rare - mine is a complete dustbin! Apart from their bulk, they are usually easy to handle as they are nearly always very docile. My burm is around 8ft long at the moment, so still has a fair bit of growing to do, but he's a lovely snake. Many evenings are spent with me watching TV, with Sirius either climbing over me, or curled up on my lap.

Get a youngster, grow your experience as the snake grows in size and there shouldn't be too many problems.

 

[AB's]

Here's a link to a particularly nasty bite from a normally placid burm...
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/326960-most-painful-snake-bite-comparing-9.html

 

[Jeffers3]

My advice is to only ever keep a snake you can handle at its worst not its best. If your not confident with dealing with an aggressive 15ft burm striking out then you need to gain more experience and confidence. Most burms are pretty docile but the are some nutters out there! Mistakes at feedin time can also be greeted with a nasty bite.

You've got a point, but I know quite a few burm owners, who have had theirs since the snakes were young - and none of them have had aggressive behaviour to deal with.

With mine, I am always very careful if there's food around (even if it's not his), as he has a fantastic feeding response. Normally, though, he is extremely easy to handle. He will even let me pick him up when in blue. As with all large snakes, just move slowly and purposefully. Allow the snake time to recognise it's just you, rather than food or a threat and things are a bit easier.

You are right to point out the potential problem, though.

 

[Jeffers3]

Here's a link to a particularly nasty bite from a normally placid burm...
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/326960-most-painful-snake-bite-comparing-9.html

That was a "rescue" burm, though, wasn't it......

 

[AB's]

You've got a point, but I know quite a few burm owners, who have had theirs since the snakes were young - and none of them have had aggressive behaviour to deal with.

With mine, I am always very careful if there's food around (even if it's not his), as he has a fantastic feeding response. Normally, though, he is extremely easy to handle. He will even let me pick him up when in blue. As with all large snakes, just move slowly and purposefully. Allow the snake time to recognise it's just you, rather than food or a threat and things are a bit easier.

You are right to point out the potential problem, though.

Yep, most are but you have to be able to deal with the snake if it does go wrong... A full sized burm who gets a strop is not forgiving.

 

[IbraZizu]

My advice is to only ever keep a snake you can handle at its worst not its best. If your not confident with dealing with an aggressive 15ft burm striking out then you need to gain more experience and confidence. Most burms are pretty docile but the are some nutters out there! Mistakes at feedin time can also be greeted with a nasty bite.

I've read loads of things about Burms and Retic owners being bitten at feeding tme . I simply drop feed my baby Burm and Boa . No risk at all .

Why do so many people lets theirs strike feed ???

 

[AB's]

That was a "rescue" burm, though, wasn't it......

Yep, as I remember from the original thread this guy reduced the burm from a couple after it caused those injuries as they were quite rightly petrified. Couldn't find the original thread.

 

[AB's]

I've read loads of things about Burms and Retic owners being bitten at feeding tme . I simply drop feed my baby Burm and Boa . No risk at all .

Why do so many people lets theirs strike feed ???

Some snakes won't drop feed.

 

[Jeffers3]

Yep, most are but you have to be able to deal with the snake if it does go wrong... A full sized burm who gets a strop is not forgiving.

Agreed, which is why I think it's so important for people to get them from a small size. You will have at least 2-3 years of experience of handling them before they become huge.

As an aside, I have the opposite problem with another of my snakes. I have a young Yellow Annie which is a complete nutter. I'm trying to tame her a bit by regular, calm (as possible!) handling, but most people say that it's unlikely I'll be successful, so I'm going to have to devleop ways of dealing with a large aggressive snake eventually. Lots of other people have managed this, so there's no reason why I can't do the same. Fortunately, I know lots of people who can help me - otherwise I almost certainly wouldn't have taken her on.

 

[Jeffers3]

Some snakes won't drop feed.

I'd be amazed if I could get the food to touch the floor!

Seriously, though, long tongs should minimise the risk. There are risks with virtually everything, but as long as you anticipate them, you can minimise the chances of something going wrong.

 

[IbraZizu]

Some snakes won't drop feed.

Ahh I see .

I can understand some Royals not drop feeding but Boas and Burms and Retics are such good eaters I'd have imagined they'd drop feed easily .

Anyway luckily mine do

 

[stevenw1234]

ive had exactly the same thoughts and just got a young albino female.

pm sent

 

[lee anderson]

I've read loads of things about Burms and Retic owners being bitten at feeding tme . I simply drop feed my baby Burm and Boa . No risk at all .

Why do so many people lets theirs strike feed ???

dont bet on it dont get me wrong im not trying to put you off ive got loads of burms some at 15 foot and 41/2 stone but every time you open the viv they think there getting fed and i drop feed its getting the food in the viv thats the problem there ready for it and they hit hard but other than that there great

 

[Leon85]

My advice is to only ever keep a snake you can handle at its worst not its best. If your not confident with dealing with an aggressive 15ft burm striking out then you need to gain more experience and confidence. Most burms are pretty docile but the are some nutters out there! Mistakes at feedin time can also be greeted with a nasty bite.

This^^^^^^

Make sure you get a baby and just remember that they hiss a lot and very loud even when they are babies, just ignore them and keep handling and you should be ok. Our adults are very hissy but I've only been struck at by the male and he was shedding so to be expected really

AB's and Jeffers3 have given really good advice and as long as you think you could handle one if its in a bad mood then you will be fine

If you ever need any help/advise I only love 10mins away from you so just give me a shout

Leon

 

[AB's]

This^^^^^^

Make sure you get a baby and just remember that they hiss a lot and very loud even when they are babies, just ignore them and keep handling and you should be ok. Our adults are very hissy but I've only been struck at by the male and he was shedding so to be expected really

AB's and Jeffers3 have given really good advice and as long as you think you could handle one if its in a bad mood then you will be fine

If you ever need any help/advise I only love 10mins away from you so just give me a shout

Leon

Yer my boys hiss is stupidly loud and if you didn't know burms you'd think he was proper angry lol. Bus are just vocal snakes and its not necessarily aggression.

 

[Jeffers3]

Yer my boys hiss is stupidly loud and if you didn't know burms you'd think he was proper angry lol. Bus are just vocal snakes and its not necessarily aggression.

Mine hissed a lot more when he was small, but doesn't do it so much now. Even though I was expecting it, the noise was still off-putting to start with. He has never struck or shown any signs of aggression towards me, though.

I think it's the same with many snakes- you need to spend time with them and learn to read them (and vice versa). I have a coastal carpet python that I'm a lot more wary of than my burm, yet she has never bitten me, or struck. She's fine when out and is fine to get out, but I wouldn't approach her head with my hand especially when she is on her branch - and I'm even more wary at night.

 

[AB's]

Mine hissed a lot more when he was small, but doesn't do it so much now. Even though I was expecting it, the noise was still off-putting to start with. He has never struck or shown any signs of aggression towards me, though.

I think it's the same with many snakes- you need to spend time with them and learn to read them (and vice versa). I have a coastal carpet python that I'm a lot more wary of than my burm, yet she has never bitten me, or struck. She's fine when out and is fine to get out, but I wouldn't approach her head with my hand especially when she is on her branch - and I'm even more wary at night.

Mine has always been super vocal, like you say I've learnt to read my snake and can 100% say its just him. No aggression just likes a little natter!