Thinking about Buying a snake...

[Brent21]

Hey guys,

Im thinking of getting a snake for a pet... Well im after something really different and i have always thought that it would be great to own one as i find them fascinating..

Any suggestions on what type ?? and tips or ideas ??? and yeah i may have a little fear but im pretty sure that i would over come that very quickly...

Any help or advice would be great...


Cheers Brent

 

[COOP]

Diamond Python. Went through same thing as you three months ago and settled on one of these. Has been absolutely fantastic, the most timid thing i have ever seen, doesnt even snap at his food. Good luck

 

[darkangel]

i love my macs. i just sold my lil blonde mac a few days ago. she had the best temperament. my kids were able to hold her without a prob. they loved her so much.

 

[Adam]

Buy a Diamond, that way in 6 months you want need to buy something thats going to get bigger than a Mac or childreni.

 

[cris]

Snakes are great animals to keep, but it really depends on what sort of pet you want. They are not really an interactive pet like a dog but more of a thing to observe and enjoy for what they are, they are a similar type of pet as a fish.

As far as i know diamonds are the most difficult pythons to look after properly, i would go for another species of carpet snake or a anteresia(childrens python group) species.
The only way to overcome a fear of pythons is to get bitten by them, most Australian species are completely harmless so there is nothing to be afraid of.

 

[Inkslinger]

Inland Taipan

 

[Twiggz]

I wondered the same thing when i got my first pair a year ago. I was tussling between bredli, jungles and diamonds. Decided on diamonds and have not looked back- they are great tempered and now good feeders.

I'd go for a diamond.......i've also heard macs are great for starters.

 

[darkangel]

there's some tigers going cheap!

 

[Scag]

ive got a mac its my first snake and has been great i am definetly going to invest in another python soon, though i want something bigger, so probaly a diamond, how big do they grow? What ever python u buy u will want another one soon after your first.

 

[sweethips12]

i would have to say get a spotted or a stimpsons python, they are fairly easy to come by cheap and most ive meet have to best temperment. they are a very hardy snake and dont grow to big. and if they do happen to bit, u wont even realise it

 

[Camo]

Blonde maculosa or Murray Darling Carpet Python all the way for your first snake.

Cameron

 

[x_aussie_bloke_x]

i started of with a smaller snake . that was my spotted

 

[Dan19]

i've started off with a coastal carpet python and it is the most placid thing ever. i would reccomend a coastal.

 

[dickyknee]

What do you like the look of ? how big a snake do you want ?? at the end of the day they will all be good animals , it just depends on what you like , how much space you have , and how much you want to spend .
My first was a jungle , now i have childrens , diamonds , bredlis and all are great .

 

[militant_vixen]

Diamond all the way!! But then again i'm a fan of big animals.

 

[Hsut77]

My first snake was a MD. Great snake never bitten an still small as I got him as a hatchie.

 

[Miss Morph-lette]

My first snake is a maccie and she's just wonderful. I brought her to work last week and about 15 people held her over the course of teh day and she loved it!! I got her home and put her back on the heat as she'd had no heat all day (except for from people's hands) and checked on her about half an hour later. She was so upset that I didn't get her out to play again!
Also, if you get them young, if you get bitten they're that small you'll probably barely notice!

 

[Mork]

hey brent,
You started off doing the right thing...research.
First question is how much space WILL you have?
you won't need very much space to begin with. A click clack will do almost any starter snake for a while. In the meantime you can saveup/build/buy an appropriately sized enclosure for the adult snake.

Second question, how much are you looking at spending?
Because you could spend a little or alot! But you need to work out what (if anything) is your financial limit. Take into account the ongoing feeding costs etc when you think about this.

Thirdly, are there any species you like the look of?
if there are then research them...see if they are suitable etc. This hobby is a fair amount of looking with not a whole lot of touching....so looks do matter and are a personal thing.

Finally, get a liscence and join one or more herp societies.
Find out what species you can keep on your liscence and go along to the herp meetings and meet keepers and breeders. They are an invaluable source of knowledge and alot of them don't go online a whole lot.


But as for a first snake...it really is upto you. A small or medium sized python (say antaresia spp (childreni, maculosa, stimsoni) or one of the morelias (diamond, carpet etc)) would all make good choices. But again it comes down to your answers to the above questions.

Happy herping and welcome to the hobby.

 

[x_aussie_bloke_x]

ITS really up to you because i was gonna get a diamond then a carpet.. but i decided 2 get a spotted python. its your choice

 

[dragon_tail]

you cant go past a stimson! check my thread "pictures of elvis" (bottom of page pne, or somewher eon page two of this section)
mine LOVES to be handled, never even conciders biting, and only gets to 70-120cm