Please help me pick the perfect "giant snake"...?

Question

I'm in the process of adding one of the "giant" snake species to my collection. He/she will be used eventually for shows and talks. I will purchase as a hatchling. I've been keeping snakes for the better part of 12 years, I know the risks involved in keeping large snake species. It will have a proper size enclosure etc. I've been caught between a Burmese Python and a Redtail Boa (Normal Boa). Give me some feedback on what you think, personalities etc of the snakes. Thanks

Answer 1

I guess the answer to this would depend upon just how big of a "giant" you want to end up with.
Red Tails typically reach between 7-9 feet.
Burmese Pythons can get quite a bit larger. Usually around double(15-17 feet in captivity) And they also can get quite heavy. We have a 15 foot burm that is 97 pounds. (do you really want to be toting a snake that heavy back and forth to shows?)

Both snakes can be great animals and pretty calm if handled from an early age.
Also, before you decide, keep in mind that a 16 foot burmese is going to need something larger than rats as a food source. If you don't have access to rabbits or chickens, I would stick with a Redtail.

Just look at all the pros and cons to each animal and decide which would be better suited for your lifestyle.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

I know burmese pythons get way bigger than RTB's so if you're looking for a really big snake and you know what your getting into go with the burmese,Good luck! by the way snakes don't really have personalitys you know, key thing in there is person as in people not snakes, I've never owned a burmese so I can't tell you the temperment of them but I do have a red tailed boa and he has a great temperment, never bites or anything =)

Answer 3

Well if you have had experience with giant snakes, I recommend going to a reptile show. There you can buy them cheap, small or large. You just have to be careful. As with many people, some of them are just there for money. Well most are actually, but anyway you have to check how healthy they are because many will be sick or dying when sold to you. Others may not eat after you obtain them and die shortly there after. I personally enjoy the company of my baby Yellow Ananconda, Fluffy. She is three feet long right now. whatever you do, make sure you can meet the standards and requirements of owning the species of snake. Out of the two you are thinking of, I personaly would get the Burmese because they come in a wider variety of morphs and phases.

Answer 4

i think a burmese python if you want a big snake would be the perfect one for you they won't try to bite you or anything and the more you handle them the more they get used to you as with any snake, i have a ball python and their personalities are mostly the same as the burmese, i had a burmese before but i got tired of cleaning after it. but i think that to show and have people touching it and stuff a burmese is better. they are just very calm in my opinion. they just lay around and they love to climb.

Answer 5

Go an Aussie snake. If you want something really long get a scrubb python, but in my experience these can be snappy. First choice for me would be an "olive python". They have a lovely temperament and grow quite large but are still handleable (more so than most scrub pythons). Otherwise just get a burmese like you were thinking. good luck with whatever you choose.

Answer 6

I have an albino Burmese and everyone just loves the color. If its for show go for the one with more color and is less aggressive. As far as the size it all has to do with how much and how often you feed it. My snake is 8 years old and is only 8 feet long but they can grow to 20-30 feet if overfed.

Answer 7

Can't say as im only just moving up to boas now, but if you go to www.cornsnakes.com and ask on the general chat forum you'll get a very imformed answer as a lot of people keep larger snakes as well as corns.

Answer 8

Well, the biggest difference you will encounter between the two is an adult size of 7ft versus 16ft. Burms get huge. I breed boas, and I have some really impressively large specimens....but none of them are big enough to overcome me if they wanted to. A good friend of mine has Retics and Burms.....and in my opinion he puts himself in harms way almost daily. Not to say that people shouldn't keep them, but you have to respect the risk that is present. Adult burms are usually really calm animals.....but if that is the direction you go, be cautious.

Answer 9

Red tails easily.
Generally good disposition & nice coloration & ease of care.
Retics & Burms are simply too much to handle for most people. That is why so many end up in animal rescues or the Everglades - people buy them as cute babies but they soon ougrow their owners ability to safely take care of them.

Answer 10

bermese python