 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | | Online Users: 153 | | 81 members and 72 guests | | ad, Alfaman, Blackdog, Br3ndo, buffy, chicka, coatesy, cracksinthepitch, cris, croc_hunter_penny, cruester, Dan19, Danni, Danny.Boy, darkangel, Dave94, DDReptiles, denno, Didgeman, Dipcdame, Divan, dixilizards, dougydoug, dpeica, dragon lady, Duke, Elibum, falconboy, fine_jungles, fishbot, fox255, froglet, Fuscus, Glider, Gray, GreyGrey, Helikaon, hornet, imalizard, jack, jasontini, jessb, jimbo, Katherine, kirstys, lozza, LullabyLizard, mattmc, Merlot, missllamathuen, Mooseman, moreliainsanity, MrHappy, nightowl, Paul Atkinson, paulc, PhilK, PilbaraPythons, Rache, redline, Renagade, reptile32, Rocky, ryanharvey1993, rythmnblu, skunk, snakehandler, Spikie wanna cricket, swampie, Titus, Trouble, trouser_snake6, tyson, VixenBabe, wannyfairy, wokka, yeldarb | |  | | 
30-Jan-07, 10:22 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Nov-06 Location: Armidale NSW Age: 24 | | |  An age old Argument
Well since i'm new i thought i had better spark up a decent debate as a first herp related post. I know many have asked this type of question, but i'm more after the opinions from all the herp owners out there who have the experience and expertese to convince me my first herp. oh the question oops ...as someone with some basic experience, what would be the ideal herp to own as a first? now i'm talking snakes (sorry lizard lovers) they seem to captivate my attention moreso than lizards. i've done a bit of research into it myself but reading will only take you so far, where as advice is a whole other story. I'm looking for something with a natually placid nature that won't scare my girlfriend moreso than she already is. however i do understand that its up to the keeper as to how placid it will be. i like larger snakes suck as olives but i don't have the money or the experience so that has been postponed untill a later date. i'm a fan of all the morelia especially the coloured ones such as the bredli or jungle. but all in all i was considering Antaresia stimsoni from the NT locality. well i've babbled enough time to hear the many thoughts and opinions. i'm open to them all but will need some convincing so put forward your strongest agument as to why i should get your fav as a first. I'm looking forward to this debate...if it eventuates. Cheers Andrew |
30-Jan-07, 10:36 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Eildon, Victoria Age: 33 | | | | Hi Andrew,
well I know im only new to the whole python thing but from doing research before I purchased my python and owning my python now I think I made the right choice for me with a Murray Darling.
As a general rule they are great eaters, they arnt aggressive and they are a beautiful looking python.
I know I will end up with many more as get more experience but as a beginer I dont think you can go past a MD. Hope thats helps a little
Cheers , Tam |
30-Jan-07, 10:39 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Eildon, Victoria Age: 33 | | | | Oh and I can understand the whole girlfriend thing, I had to convince my hubby and kids not to be petrified of mine aswell. They have got use to it now,,,, Now its just another member of the family..Only not as noisy as the rest of them..lol |
30-Jan-07, 11:28 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: my own little world Gender:  | | | | I agree with Tamster , a yearling Md would be perfect.
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31-Jan-07, 12:13 AM
|  | #44-9aCustom#GR-094 Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-06 Location: Out the Back of Queensland and a bit more Age: 99 | | | | My best handler is a bredli bub. Got her as a month old and tried to tag me when i opended the bag to put her in her cage after the obligatrory AAE flight. A year later and she has never even looked at tagging me since that bag opening incident..
Her sister though took a while to calm down but is pretty good now..a bit skittish but havent been tagged in 3 or 4 months.
Also got a Darwin adult, calm as.....I use me hands to pick up in the cage(same as Bredli yearlings) and no problems apart from a bit skittish at first but settle down quickly.
Best bet perhaps is to pick the breed YOU want and then go out their and find one that is easy to handle from day one. Yearling as mentioned is a good idea, however, if its off a large breeder you will find its probably snappy as of lack of handling apart from cleaning and feeding. Find a guy/gal/it that has bought it when young and as of other circumstances must move it on...you will have more luck in finding a friendly python that way.
After all if you get bitten by the 'herp bug' by the time your first is 6 foot long you will have 6 or more other snakes in your collection to learn from so what they grow to size I feel is irrelevant..
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"Ya cant trust a pig with watermelon ya know"
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31-Jan-07, 01:32 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Aug-06 Location: Sydney | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Earthling  After all if you get bitten by the 'herp bug' by the time your first is 6 foot long you will have 6 or more other snakes in your collection to learn from so what they grow to size I feel is irrelevant.. | Quoted for truth. Hehehe..
Welcome to the site...
There is never a bad choice in regards to snakes...
If you get bitten...you'll toughen up and learn confidence.
If it doesn't eat...you can talk to heaps of experienced keepers who will have loads of advice to give.
If it gets really big...you'll learn to love it and you'll adjust.
But in all seriousness though...Those sound like good ones to get at first...And when they are young and bite..it doesnt hurt anyway and hardly draws any blood. 
__________________ [SIGPIC]THIS IS WHERE MY SIG SHOULD BE[/SIGPIC] Quote: |
Originally Posted by Wrasse Be the tree. | |
31-Jan-07, 01:41 AM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-06 Location: Bordertown Age: 25 | | | | If you want a large and placid and cheap snake go for a coastal as my girl has been perfectly fine since day one( except one nip) and you can get them in noice range of colors too if you want to go for a bit more expensive maybe a hypo one.
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Oh! Yeah! Right! Sorry!
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31-Jan-07, 01:52 AM
|  | Snake Charmer Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: No where close to u..... Age/Gender: 28 | | | | Hey Andrew, I do agree that the species makes a lot of difference but I must say, choose the breeder carefully... A lot of breeders choose their breeder snakes not just for their color but also for their temperament...... I'm as new as u r but the jungle hatchies that I just picked up r absolute darling....... I did get tagged a couple of times but that’s how long it lasted........ Imagine, jungles have a bad reputation, even more as hatchies...... Trust me, get u'r snake young and u'll automatically learn what not to do when handling u'r snake......... Hope this helps.... and best of luck with what ever kind of python u choose........ cheers..........
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I have snake charming in my blood ......
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31-Jan-07, 02:25 AM
|  | Rough-Scale Addict Subscriber | Join Date: Oct-05 Location: Queensland | | | | I'm a huge fan of Stimson's Pythons mate. They were my first snakes and I couldn't speak highly enough of them... |
31-Jan-07, 03:17 AM
|  | primitively archaic Moderator | Join Date: Jan-03 Location: Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Gender: | | | | I am a big fan of the Bredli. They are generally a docile python and have a reputation for being good eaters. These are probably the 2 most important things to look for in a first snake. I have owned a few Bredli and I never had one knock back a feed. Did I mention the beautiful markings? Great looking snakes. My second choice would be a Murray-darling.
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Why wont my snake fetch? That's right..because he is not a dog.
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31-Jan-07, 07:48 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Goulburn Valley Gender: | | | | I'm with the Bredli Andrew, as all has said a more than placid snake for a beginner. I have a few and all of them have a great temperament, great colours and also are great eaters, I can't ever recall any of them knocking back a feed.
Good luck deciding and welcome. |
31-Jan-07, 10:15 AM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Nov-06 Location: Armidale NSW Age: 24 | | |  keep em comin
Hey Guys thanks for all the replies so far, keep am coming, i need all the opinions i can get.
As for gettin tagged, well i'm not to worried there, i'm kinda looking forward to it...in a non sadistic way lol.
I figured that it will happen top all of us at one stage or another, and those little teeth of theres can't be any more painful than a tattoo gun.
As for the bredlis well my younger bro has a pair of them and i will "hopefully" aquire one when they breed. but for now i wanted to get something different of my own.
I'm still leaning towards a Stimsons jsut cos they look awsome.
the MD is coming in a close second, but hey i could just get both.
what would be a quick outline of the stimsons...ie. price, size, care factor (hard, easy) etc etc
Cheers
Andrew |
31-Jan-07, 10:54 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: May-06 Location: N.S.W Australia Age: 20 | | | hello elder brother!... 
how are u?
i think u should get a Aspidites melanocephalus 
there my next...
and yes you can have one of my Bredli hatchlings. but there not gonna breed for another 3 yrs  
oh and my rats just had nine kids... Jewlz is excited  lol
i gotta ring ya l8r to. maby tonight.
bye for now...
Martyn
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The darkest hour of night comes just before dawn.
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31-Jan-07, 11:06 AM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Nov-06 Location: Armidale NSW Age: 24 | | | | Good morning Yonger sibling
Aspidites melanocephalus huh...well if u would like to lend me that much money then for sure i'll get one, but i think a BHP might me a bit out of my experience range, and amanda would be even more scared, although they are a beautiful snake...i thought they were a class 2 license along with the womas, but i could be wrong.
Hows that enclosure coming along? |
31-Jan-07, 11:32 AM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Oct-06 Location: Melbourne Age: 24 | | | | I'm a huge fan of Diamond Pythons, but i am biased. They are very placid (but any python can be if gotten from a young age and handled regularly). On the down side they need more attention with temps, and grow fairly big.
I would just recommend getting your python, whatever you choose, as a hatchie than handling regularly. You will probably get bitten but at least it won't hurt. | | |
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