best python for beginners?

[dylanthomas]

Hay all, this thread IS NOT FOR ME but for people starting up in keeping reptiles so which is the best python to start with, and which is the python for experts only?

 

[grannieannie]

In my humble opinion, start with something small that is easy to handle....I have a Stimsons, he's 2 yrs old, very placid, is fully grown at 1 metre and will never get to the stage where I need another person around to help me handle him. He may not be as "exciting" as larger species, but as I said...in my humble opinion, the perfect size to start with. I'll only ever have the one snake, at my age and in my home circumstances, that is just a perfect situation for me. I love my "Barrie" to bits.

 

[dylanthomas]

yeah i agree, somthing small to start, i know that i started with a spotted python know got 8 foot bredlis, and other snakes!

 

[dylanthomas]

anyone have scrub python?? tell us wat there like to handle??

 

[monique18026]

I have 2 scrubs they are flighty and poo and wee every were but very freindly but scrubs are known to be very agressive and due to there large size can be a handful

 

[Snakewise84]

spotteds are good any childrens python

 

[scorps]

I have scrubbys, there awesome.

A 12 foot plus scrubby is tottaly different to a 8 foot bredli

 

[Snowman]

I started with a carpet python (imbricata)... Best begginer snake IMO

 

[Bradchip]

I started with a Bredli. He's amazing too. Get it when it's young, so that you can grow with it.

A woma is next on the list

 

[Snowman]

Yeah the benifit of getting a Bredli or imbricata as a hatchie and growing with it is you never have to over come the fear of a larger python. I know a couple of people who got stimi's as their first snakes and are too scared to get something bigger.

 

[Amature]

i got a childrens for my first never had any dramas great feeder loves being handled never tryed to bite, so maybe a childrens i get a bhp in a week for my second snake so maybe either hahahah but each to there own

 

[Bushman]

As suggested, the Antaresia genus are good as starter pythons, largely due to their size but make sure that the individual temperament is good for handling, as it varies quite a lot.
If you get a juvenile Morelia there are some very placid forms. Your confidence can grow with the snake that way. Most notably the Inland Carpet Python (otherwise known as the Murray-Darling Carpet) or the Diamond Python are both amongst the most placid of all pythons.
Actually Dylan, can you tell us where your friend is located because some species like Diamonds and M. s. imbricata won't be suitable for a beginner in Qld?

 

[the jungle guy]

anything from anteresia family is great for beginners

 

[caleb96]

my first snake was a carpet there great

 

[sezzle1]

My first was a Jungle Python. I got lucky with her. She is AMAZING! Temperament and colouration to die for. Thanks to the marvellous Rex Stock

In addition to jungles, I also have Stimsons, Spotteds, Diamonds, Murray darlings, coastals and a woma. My woma was the most scary, even though I got him somewhere in the middle, because I got him as an adult. I ogt all of the others at less than 1 year old, so i got used to their bites when they were young and they calmed as they got older. with him, we had to get used to each other when he was alot bigger. we get along great now, but I would suggest that newbies get a hatchling/ juvie python of what ever species they like. But maybe not the more specialised species like GTPS or scrubbies as a first snake...

 

[glassless_mind]

I'm not sure that there is an ideal snake for beginners, or for anyone! They all seem to vary so much. I'm looking at getting my first python in a couple of months time, and as I keep reading and researching, I keep learning more and more about each different type of snake. There is good and bad points to all of them I think, and it really seems to vary depending on the individual snake as well.

The best things I've heard so far, i think, are that you should get a python species that interests you, and save up for a while longer and get it if you need to, and also to get a juvenille and learn as the snake grows, not take on a fully sized adult to begin with, when it possibly hasn't been handled much. I've also been advised away from really young hatchlings, as they may not be great feeders yet.

That's about as good as I've got. Wish I could have a ball python, they're so gorgeous!

 

[harley0402]

well said glassless_mind, i have a black headed python and its my second snake, and she is working out great. so yeah, i would get something that i like rather then something i didnt. Every snake is different.

 

[CGoldney]

Best python

Hi. My son has a 3 year old Murray-Darling (Inland Carpet). We did heaps of research before we went shopping and this one came out best by far for kids or first timers. We have had this MD for nearly 3 years and he has been brilliant - even after periods of little handling. Never been snappy or 'grumpy'. A fantastic snake.
All the best with whatever you choose!

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Get any python unless its a Green Tree Python or a Scrubby.
Hands down.
The rest all basically the same with different lengths, colours and shapes.
The temperatures are pretty similar across the board and once you know one python, you can generally do the rest with a tiny bit of common sense and research.
I don't think size matters in this case

 

[pythrulz]

Depends if you or whoever buys there first snake is comfortable with a large python but my first was a coastal look and handle bueatifuly