Good First Snake.

[jay76]

My kids handle my diamond all the time they are 2,4 and 7 and not once have they been bitten

 

[ambree]

i would go for a children's python. I have heard that dimonds can go off there food easy and they can be snappy.

 

[tys-mart]

based on personal experience i would suggest a stimsons
they only grow 1.3-5 m in length
other people may disagree but my first childrens was a nutcase and wouldn't let me go near it without biting me

hope this helps to make your decision

 

[Camo]

A heap of people say that macs are snappy but mine have never bit and i have seen others peoples macs that are as docile as they come. I would either go a maccie or a stimsons.

Cameron

 

[trance]

Yeah I also have a mac and it is very placid but the guy at the shop I bought it from said it all depends on their own individual personalities. Just as you can get nasty children, you can get nasty snakes. So shop around, handle and go from there.

 

[mrsshep77]

Well we have both a Diamond and a Maccie! When we got our baby maccie from the shop she was always wanting to strike, which I do think is a natural instinct when they are young, however it took me only a few days of constant handling and just getting her to trust my hands weren't there to hurt her and now only 8 weeks on she's the most placid little snake. It's like we've had her for years! She has an adorable little personality and is such a good tempered little maccie that I would let any young child handle her.
We also have a 5yr old Diamond that we've had since 9 weeks old and he's the same! He was a little snappy at first but with alot of love and handling he's the most placid diamond I've seen (but I am biased).
As it was said earlier it all comes down to the individual snake and how it's handled! Don't believe these threads that say 15mins or less of handling every couple of days, otherwise you stress your snake out. We have our little darlings out practically every night (unless shedding or have eaten) and they love being out and about and they DO NOT get stressed at all, only when we try to put them back in their tanks.. haha!!
But seriously it's an individual thing and you are a great brother for wanting to do something like that for your sister! I would probably reccomend any of the Anterasia, they are great snakes.
By the way the spotted grows the biggest out of the three of them!
Good Luck

 

[aussie manda]

go for a coastal or a diamond both of mine a little sooks and a great handlers

 

[liasis]

i would go stimi or something along those lines as they will stay small and once she gets older she will have expience so see can have somthing bigger

 

[krissy78]

He everyone,
My Little sister is extremely interested in reptiles like me. My carpet python is too big for her and i dont like anyone touching my black-headed python (as its a tad snappy).

I want to get her a snake for her birthday and i was just wondering about what kind of snake to get her. I thought of a baby diamond but i heard they are snappy.

ANY IDEAS

Thanks

Tom

i held a 6 week old hatchy and omg they are so beautiful and cute. it was anything but snappy

 

[Inkslinger]

Get her a sub adult anything that is placid handled and feeding let her handle the animal, before buying, a snappy juvie can be off putting to a beginner and not all grow out of it .....I have gentle Jungles a Maccie that thinks its a scrubbie, there is no way to tell until it matures. At leas get her a juvinile that is feeding and handling well. Maccis are great, some coastals, but if you go looking and holding she will know which one is for her.

 

[Chris1]

get her a Bredli!

mine is such a baby,...never gets snappy and loves coming out to play. Hes the sweetest boy in the world!!!

 

[Matty01]

also if you go her a stimpsons as she got used to that andgot bigger she could maybe start handling your pythons (not the BHP yet anyway) BTW you must be such a nice brother! I cant think of anything better to get for my birthday!

whats a stimPsons??, look in any reference book you wont find one, but you will find a STIMSONS or STIMSONI.

 

[swingonthespiral]

BREDLI BREDLI BREDLI...... cant praise them enough....

 

[raptor]

I have to go with the anteresia comments as well. Our juvi childrens is a bit snappy, but seeing virtually all juvis are, that's to be expected. Out of 6 adult maccies, only one was a biter, & even she's calmed down nowdays. From a small placid viewpoint, there's a lot to be said for the woma idea, but I'd balk at paying that kind of $$$ for a 9yr old's first snake. I've personally always found the night tigers to be very quiet & placid, but with a child, even MILDLY venomous is too venomous IMO. Diamonds are fine as adults, but , also IMO, require far too much specialised husbandry for a young beginner.

 

[Miffy]

Well Diamonds are a girls best friend !!

 

[Jozz]

This thread is from November last year! Pretty sure they would have the snake by now

 

[ozphobia]

Dont get a diamond they are harder to look after than other carpets and will probably be too big.
If you want something small any of the Anteresia species or even smaller varieties of womas or BHPs would be good if you have the cash.
Any species can be snappy just make sure you get an individual that isnt. A good example is your BHP they are generally one of the least bitey species around but yours obviously doesnt follow the trend.

hy are diamonds harder? I ask because I am looking at a pair as my first entry into snakes.

I thought the only major differnce was they needed UV lighting and lower temperature range.

Not arguing the toss or anything, I thought I had chosen a good first snake, now i tlooks like I may have wasted two weeks of research:shock:

Cheers
john

 

[mrsshep77]

We have diamonds and that was our first snake! You won't be disappointed and no they aren't any more difficult than any other snake as long as you've done your homework!
Apart from the temperature difference (which you're aware of) and the UV light (which hasn't been proven inconclusively anyway) you're all ready to go. We just get our boy out in the sun as often as we can and he enjoys that alot!
Just use your common sense and if you do your research I don't think you'll have any major problems!
Just be aware they can become very finicky about their food, they are one of the fussiest pythons and can go weeks without eating... but don't worry it's normal! Our boy went about 8 weeks last november without eating and then all of a sudden had an appetite! So don't be worried if they don't eat when you think they should, just leave em about 1-2 weeks before trying.
Good Luck
Mell

 

[devians]

i have 2 maccies, hatchlings. just starting to handle them now. the female is fairly calm, she's still wary and a little unsure about being handled, but she wont strike. the male will strike fairly readily. seems to be a temperament thing more than anything else.