# Snake Help



## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

Hi every,

Im interested in getting a snake but dont know wat is the best one for children, and one that isnt to big.

Can any 1 point me in the right direction???:? 

Thnxs brad


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## hornet (Jan 3, 2007)

scrubbie  nah, go with a stimmie, a maccie or a childrens, they are the smallest commonly available pythons around


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## da_donkey (Jan 3, 2007)

You said it yourself, get a childrens python.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

wats a stimmie and maccie?

also i heard childrens is very agressive


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

A good snake is a BHP but they get big. Any snake is a good snake really, if u get it from a baby and treat it right u should have any problems. I just got a baby jungle wich are usually agressive, it was for the first day and now is as placid as my BHP. Also if u use the hand trick with babies u wont get bitten.


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

All the childrens pythons Ive seen are snappy little buggers that don't get out of it. I wouldn't class a 6ft snake as big or to hard to handle, as ong as u get it from a baby u will be fine. And remember they take a couple of years to get that big. Go for a bredli there really nice.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

ok can sum one tell me wat a bredli stands for and also wat a BHP stand for


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

lol ok a BHP is a black headed python and a bredli is exacly what it is, also known as a centillion carpet. Click on this link and it will tell u about all the different snakes http://www.southernxreptiles.com/SNAKEBREEDINGLIST.htm


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## cris (Jan 3, 2007)

The best ones are(as said above)-
Stimpsons python(stimmy), childrens python and spotted python(maccy)

Apart from the spotted pythons(they can get to around 1.5m depending on type) they general stay under 1m so wont do much even if they do bite for some reason. Generally most of these snakes are docile but you will get some that are snappy so just make sure you dont buy a snappy one.


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

When looking at snakes and which is the best, main questions is your price range and possibly full grown size. Stay away from scrubbies & Olives as they grow huge and are vicious by nature (there is the odd exception to this)


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

This is just my oppinion, but when buying a snake go for something you like the look of (oviously in your price range) rather than just because it only gets to a metre long, as it wont take u long to be very comfertable around snakes and then you'll wish you got the one u really wanted. I personally don't like the look of childrens and Maculosus as they are very plain looking and loose there colour as they age. But if you like the look of them then go for it. Stimpson pythons (in the childrens python family) would proberbly be the nicest out of them all.


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## Gabi_79 (Jan 3, 2007)

I wouldn't recommend a BHP or jungle either for a beginner.

Brad, how old are you and do you have a reptile license?

what's your budget, what kind of enclosure do you have ready or can have ready, what's your plan with feeding, how much can you afford to feed?

All of those questions should be thought about and then you can work out which type of snake you can get and what is in your budget to buy, feed and house.


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## salebrosus (Jan 3, 2007)

If it was me personally i would go a Murray- Darling they seem to be very placid and are a lovely looking animal. I find the Children's pythons can be too finnicky and a little snappy- this is just my opinion based on what I have experienced. Others may disagree but anyone who seems to get a Murray-Darling straight up never seem to complain.

Simone.


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

Gabi_79 said:


> I wouldn't recommend a BHP or jungle either for a beginner.
> 
> Brad, how old are you and do you have a reptile license?
> 
> ...


 
Yep these are all good questions to ask yourself. I wasn't recomending a jungle just explaining that any snake really can be a calm snake if you handle it often.


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## gaara (Jan 3, 2007)

i'm yet to meet an antaresi that's aggressive or snappy. All the maculosa I've met have been pussy cats.


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## Gabi_79 (Jan 3, 2007)

I reckon you are right Simone. Childreni and other Antaresia sp. are so small and very finicky usually because the beginner owner likes to handle them regularly, and they get put off food much more easily and the most common thing with them is that they seem to get out for beginners that aren't used to snakes finding tiny places to escape. Heaps of them seem to have feeding problems, although this is probably from stress of new environment and being handled too much by beginner keeper than the species. But because they are smaller they seem to tolerate it all less.

That's just based on my personal experience as well.

A juvenille carpet is the best way to go, MDs are great and don't get too big either.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

gabi i am 13 and have a reptile license. I own 2 beardies, 2 gygmie, 2 jackylash tails, 1 thorney devil. I have handled snakes before


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## Gabi_79 (Jan 3, 2007)

You own a thorny devil? :shock:


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## Miffy (Jan 3, 2007)

Diamond, Bredli or a MD would be my preference for a 1st snake in that order. I just prefer the look of a Bredli over a MD but everyone has different tastes.

But if size is a major issue then a Stimpsons. I think Stimpsons look better than maccs and Childrens.


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## salebrosus (Jan 3, 2007)

Sorry buddy not shooting you down or anything but handling snakes and keeping them are two totally different things. Have you actually kept one as a pet before? And your question asked what the best one is for children. Do you have younger siblings at home? 
I really do think you would be better off with a Murray Darling or something along those lines, maybe a Proserpine. Where in NSW do you live? Are you in Sydney? If so i could recommend a couple of breeders to you who can discuss your situation and what they think might be best for you.

Good Luck,

Simone.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

i have 2metre tank and am willing 2 spend $200. And yes gabi i have a thorny devil


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## da_donkey (Jan 3, 2007)

how do you feed your thorny devil? got any pics?


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## slim6y (Jan 3, 2007)

gaara said:


> i'm yet to meet an antaresi that's aggressive or snappy. All the maculosa I've met have been pussy cats.



I've been bitten by a pussy cat before... and not once!!! 

No one ever asked - does your cat bite? Hehe... there was a thread like this a few months back... Where everyone asked does the snake bite? Why doesn't anyone ask if the children bite.. cause I know someone's who does!!! lol.... 

Anyhow.. I have a spotted python - and she's lovely. Very placid, keeps pretty much to herself. doesn't mind the occassional adventure... Mostly... she's the most perfect pet


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## mitchdiamond (Jan 3, 2007)

Isn't it hard to keep thorny devils because of all the ants they eat?


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

Well, pretty mutch with a budget of $200 that dosn't give u a lot of options other than the Maculosus, stimpsons, and childrens pythons and that's if you get them from a breeder as most pet shops sell them for $280 +. I agree that childrens, Macs etc are a lot more snappy and it proberbly is due to there size (always felling threatend). All I can sugest is with any snake u ever get, try to go for one that dosn't snap at u the first time you pick it up and go for a known breeder. Baby bites don't hurt (more shock than anything) but it can be enough to make u nervous and this leading to a nervous snake. Just look around and see if you can find a breeder that will let you have a look at the babies and parents and I sugest see how you go handling both, make sure you can also properly care for the snake as well before purchasing (keep in mind all animals could possibly need a vet at some stage and it can cost big $$). Not trying to put u off or anything but just keep all this in mind before you make a decision.


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## ALLANA (Jan 3, 2007)

Do u have a pick of your thorny devil, I would love one of them, were did you get yours from if you don't mind me asking.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

i got it from cuzen and soz no pics will have some pics soon tho.and ye sit is sorta hard to feed but u just feed pin head crikets or honey ants


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

i am hpoing to get it nxt thursday. havent got it yet tho


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## Gabi_79 (Jan 3, 2007)

Last I heard there were 4 licensed keepers of them, thorny devils, in NSW and also I'm pretty sure they are on class 2...which you can't have if you are under 18

So you're telling us you are 13, have a lizard that's worth thousand of dollars that only a handful of keepers have in NSW?

Either you are rich and have some good contacts, or you have one illegally off license that is WC, or you are BSing.

Diamonds aren't good for a beginner, asked serpenttongue why.


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## brad12212 (Jan 3, 2007)

i am sorta rich but i want 2 get 1 and i no a breeder that has 2


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## Gabi_79 (Jan 3, 2007)

Mate, unless you are paying a couple of grand per lizard, you aren't getting legally on license thorny devils.

They aren't a beginners species either, so if your um 'cuz' is catching them from somewhere or getting them from someone who did, they probably wouldn't last very long and also is highly illegal. 

They are virtually non-existent in the hobby, this is why I highly doubt a 13 year old that has only $200 budget to spend on a snake is getting a thorny devil or two. Sounds like petlink or something.

What kind of reptile license do you have?


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## hornet (Jan 3, 2007)

thorny devils are worth $4000-$5000, feeding it pinheads and honey ants wont do it any good, they need small black ants to survive


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## Chrisreptile (Jan 3, 2007)

i would love to get a thorny devil too, but the amount of ants that they eat is just extraordinary.
you would have too set-up an ant farm to feed them and they have to be the right species aswell.


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## hornet (Jan 3, 2007)

alice springs desert park has a natural ant supply for theirs, i have seen other people with 3 or 4 3-4ft fish tanks each with a large ant colony just to keep these guys, if i had the time, money and skill i would like one


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## sc1010 (Jan 3, 2007)

brad,
i was about 12 when i got my first snake and it was a juvi mac 
(or spotted python) it was snappy when i got it but its a bit better...its about 5 years old now
and a few months ago bought coastal carpet juvi which has never even tried to snap or bite me yet...
i think you might be better of going for some kind of carpet...they take a few years to beomce fully grown so you will probably be used to it by then...and mine only cost 150.
sophie


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## hornet (Jan 3, 2007)

for about $110 i got a snake, clickclack and heat cord, it was a 2yr old carpet python, its bout almost 3yrs old, altho u dont normally get them that cheap, she was $80


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## cougar (Jan 3, 2007)

whats a clickclack


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## hornet (Jan 3, 2007)

a plastyic storage container, the ones with the clipon lids, normally on wheeles


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