Finally getting my first snake

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Brissyboy

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Been a dream since i was like 9, 18 now. I was going to buy one last year but I figured since I was in year 12 I couldn't devote as much attention as I wanted I don't want to miss my snake growing up but now I'm in university and have organized my timetables so I'm home 3 out of 5 days and between the semester break I'm finally doing it. got my license and log book last week :) and I'm building my enclosure 1200x600x600 melamine enclosure getting a glazier I know for the glass on the front I've seen people with lovely substrate but still can't make up my mind if going for newspaper is safer/smarter then anything else I've been lurking aussiepythons for a few weeks now picking up as much info as i can and looking at as many snakes as I can and I've decided it's come down to either a jungle python (saw one which was beautiful mostly yellow, yellow stripes along it's spine which was very defined and I just drooled over it's beauty) or a bredli which are all adorable.
Anyway wall-o-text over. cya
 
Congrats on your snake, that's pretty exciting! :D

The enclosure you are building MAY be a little large for a hatchling, but it might be alright if you give it plenty of hides/places to hide. It will be ideal for an adult Jungle.

We use newspaper for all of ours. It doesn't look pretty, but it does the job :)

People will tell you that Jungles can be a bit snappy. They can, but so can any snake. My son got a Childrens for his first when he was 11, and a few months later, got a pair of Jungles. Apart from the odd tag when they were little, they have been pretty good.
They are over 6 foot now, and have a 'very strong feeding response' :lol:

A Bredli may be a better choice for a first, but really, get what you want and what you can adequately house and handle with regard to size.
You will have it for long time, you may as well get something you like the look of :)
 
Yeah I've actually been drying out 3 hollow logs and 2 of them are very small so he/she should have a nice snug hidey hole and the other is bigger with more space i was thinking about making fake rock for a hide but haven't really looked into it that much so not quite sure if its papermachey(how ever thats spelt) or something else. if he/she doesnt like it ive got a clickclack already built that i followed from a how to from a thread stickied in this forum which was great
 
Hi awesome work, it's so exciting isn't it!

Check out my threads I've posted up bout a month ago, I've got a tank the same size as yours and chose a bloody awesome jungle for it bout 3 weeks ago and have never looked back.

She's about 7 months now and adores her tank, and surprisingly I hardly ever find her hiding, she's always curled up high somewhere.

As for the moods of jungles, yes there a little snappy, but honestly I have been tagged maybe 4 times and all were when trying to get her out for a hold, but when handling her she loves it and is very active.

But yeh good luck, I would choose a jungle, like u said the black n gold is just stunning!
 
congrats on the first snake mate. i personally would go something a little smaller for first snake, but everybody is different, as long as your confident in handling a bigger one. Bredli would be my choice to start with of the 2 your've mentioned. Woma's are a great medium sized snake, but not sure but the QLD licensing, in melb there advanced much to people disappointed.

Anyway, after reading your post, i really just wanted to send you this link - http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-discussion-42/step-step-guide-fake-rock-110196. ive subsribed to the thread so i've always got it handy. the pics on it have been deleted but the instructions are clear enough. you sound like a do-it-yourself kinda person so thought you'd enjoy this.
 
Woma's are a great medium sized snake, but not sure but the QLD licensing, in melb there advanced much to people disappointed

Woma's are ok for us Queenslanders :D
They are terrestrial, so your enclosure would need to lay flat, as opposed to the high type you would use for Jungles.
 
I would get a jungle, your "first snake" may be the only snake you get and they can live 20+ years so get one that you really want. I got a jungle and I love her to death! She's only tried to bite when getting her out of her enclosure but she's getting better and is excellent to handle!
 
its so refresing to read posts where the poster has actually done research!! :)

my bredli are heaps friendlier than my jungles, but the palmerstons are known to be snappy so i wasnt disappointed. :)
 
Yeah Jungles definitely look like one for me although since the mention of womas I've been looking at them reading up on them and now they also sound very awsome :p
oh woe is me for liking pretty much every snake I look up.
Well I'll be deciding probably around next week friday its when im due to finish my enclosure (including everything inside). Planning on getting it before uni starts back up at the end of the month.

Anyway thanks for all the help and the great comments Ill post pics of the enclosure once it's done i think. If anyone could suggest a good lighting/heating combo that would be great everyone seems to have different setup and I don't want to make the wrong choice so early in the game.
 
My jungle is about the same age as gruba10's and has only bitten when trying to get him out for a hold. After 2 weeks of having him Iv'e found that it's important to read its body language whilst handling to avoid being bitten. Hey gruba10 do you use a small hook to get yours out? I have just been using my hand but the guy I got it off says its easier to use hooks for these guys especially when they are wrapped around a branch (thats when mine likes to bite). I might give it a go
 
its so refresing to read posts where the poster has actually done research!! :)
. :)

Agree 100%

Congrats when you get it mate, and well done as far as prep work and research goes :)
And it doesn't matter what snake you get first because I assure you it wont be the last one you get.. VERY ADDICTIVE (not shouting just emphasising)
 
I got my first Bredli this year and he's awsome. Feeds like a trooper and hasn't ever shown any sign of striking. Would probably get a jungle and a diamond as well if I had the money/time/space!
 
Nice jele great to hear :). and yea snowman I wasn't planning on stopping at 1 snake. I want 3 :) but I'm going to keep my first one for over a year then expand to a 2nd snake, I want the 1st one to be happy healthy and safe before i even think about getting another.
 
hey dude, yewp deffinatly, when shes on the floor i approach her with a closed fist and let her lick my hand then i go to pick her up, at every first initial touch she jumps a little but ive never been bitten after her knowing that its me.
ALTHOUGH when shes on her stick or anything tangled around...then yes its ALOT harder. mind you today was a step forward, i took her outside today and she loved the warmth of the sun, and i let her go onto a little tree outside, then i went to get her off and was expecting a bite, but i put my finger right underneath her mouth and she was fine.
so in short, just stick with it, but yeah for now i still use a little hook just to get her half off the stick.
 
What made you think you can wait for another year to get your second snake? lol I doubt you'll last that long. lol very addictive! it's crazy lol.
 
I'm just like that :p easily concerned about health issues, even my dog I take to the vet regularly, Wash him every weekend, take it for a good run once a day and feed it a cooked meal at night and biscuits during the day.
Although I am concerned about how big this enclosure will be for a hatchie, Im planning on making the place look very cramped from the inside, branches up the top leading to the hot spot and on the bottom rocks/fake plants/3-4 hides along the temp gradient.
 
If anyone could suggest a good lighting/heating combo that would be great everyone seems to have different setup and I don't want to make the wrong choice so early in the game.

We have the red heat lamps (WITH a cage on them, that's important)
The red heat lamps do give off a bit of light, which I like because you can 1. see that the heat is on, and 2. see your snake, but will gradually change over to ceramic as, although they are initially much more expensive, they far outlast the red heat lamps.
Some people use 'heat panels' which sound good, but I don't know much about them.

If your snake is a hatchling (say, up to 12 months) a heat mat under a plastic tub will do the job - the heat mat also needs to be on a thermostat.
When building your enclosures, don't forget vents. We have 2 small vents at the bottom of the Jungles enclosure, and a larger one at the top, and this large one can be closed up if necessary.
If you decide to get a Woma, the enclosure you are building can be used, just flip it over on to it's side.
You will probably need to decide what you are getting before you put your heat lamps and vents in :)
I have pics of our Jungles enclosures in my album on here :D
 
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