# Newbie looking for advice



## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

Hi all, 

I'm considering getting a Children's Python next year and wanted to ask a few questions. I'm already the proud mum of a 5 year old Kreffts River Turtle and I think its time to add another reptile to my household. 

1. What sort of enclosure is best? Can you buy one they will be happy in their whole lives or do you have to upgrade as they get larger?

2. How do you form a good relationship with your snake? I'd like to be able to handle mine a fair bit but also want to make sure it is comfortable with that. 

4. Is it possible to get Children's with more unusual markings? 

3. What do you guys do if you want to go on holiday. My family wouldn't look after a snake - and I'm not sure about my friends. Are there any services that will come check in and do water changes and feed? Like people do for dogs?

Thanks in advance


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 10, 2017)

1.from what i've heard wood or laminite
2.idk
3.maybe
4.morphs
5.probably should've just not even answered, as i'm not a snake owner...Lol


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## SpottedPythons (Nov 10, 2017)

Welcome to APS! I myself keep and breed Spotted Pythons, a similar species to the _Childreni_, just a bit bigger. I also keep other reptiles species, and my advice will be based upon my own experiences:

1. Any type of enclosure, as long as it has suitable ventilation and dimensions, is good. Viewing and aesthetics may also be taken into mind. It is less stressful on the snake to upgrade slowly as it gets larger, as a huge enclosure can have a detrimental, stressing effect on a small snake.

2. You will probably know when your snake doesn't want to be handled. It will bite or scent you if really stressed. For a hatchling, start handling slowly. Try a minute a day until it gets accustomed, and no longer tries to flee, bit or scent you. Then slowly raise the bar to five minutes a day. As it gets larger, it will become calmer. Do not rush handling - try and get into a schedule, and when it is time to increase the handling time, increase it slowly over the course of about a week. When you first get your snake, don't be in a rush to begin handling. Only start handling three days after the first feeding, or when the snake starts to explore its surroundings, whichever comes last.

3. Yes, there are a variety of localities (regions where the snake comes from) that will produce snakes with slightly different markings. Another way to go is with mutations or morphs that will produce stranger colouration than the locales. Some morphs are: Patternless, Marble, T+ Albino and Ghost. Remember, showoffs don't last, and a good-old wildtype Children's is just as good as a morph (possibly even better, as they seem to exhibit more vigour and are genetically less muddied). I would recommend a normal Children's first and familiarizing yourself with their care before putting thousands into getting a new morph.

4. Usually if I want to go on a holiday (outside of hatch-and-rear seasons, of course) for under two weeks, I just leave the snakes. As long as they have water, they are usually fine on their own. If you live in places where the water in the bowl evaporates faster, then set up a DIY dripper system like for rodents. An adult snake can easily last two weeks without food. However, for hatchlings, they usually have to be fed once every week since it's a critical stage of growth for them. Here at APS, you will find people who haven't gone on holiday for over two years (and a lot of the time, more!), like me. Like any pet, getting a snake is a responsibility and you'll have to make sacrifices, such as holidays.  You'd be hard pressed to find a dedicated service that will come in and defrost rodents to feed your snake. If you're well connected in the herp world, you might be able to find a friend to come in.


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## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> 5.probably should've just not even answered, as i'm not a snake owner...Lol



It's so easy with my turtle, if I'm going away I throw in 100 or so feeders and friends are happy to come and do water changes for him


SpottedPythons said:


> Welcome to APS! I myself keep and breed Spotted Pythons, a similar species to the _Childreni_, just a bit bigger. I also keep other reptiles species, and my advice will be based upon my own experiences:
> 
> 1. Any type of enclosure, as long as it has suitable ventilation and dimensions, is good. Viewing and aesthetics may also be taken into mind. It is less stressful on the snake to upgrade slowly as it gets larger, as a huge enclosure can have a detrimental, stressing effect on a small snake.
> 
> ...



Thanks for this awesome advice.

Good to hear that snakes can be left for a short time on their own. I was really more asking because I know my parents wouldn't appreciate me bringing a pet snake home for the Christmas break. I don't anticipate any big holidays in the next few years . 

Also good to know that it would be better to not go for a morph for a first snake, I do actually find the regular patterned Children's to be very attractive.


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## SpottedPythons (Nov 10, 2017)

Well, if you want a wildtype childrens, you can always go for a locality. They are technically "normals", but they have different patterning.


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## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

So what would be a good setup for a juvenile Children's? How many upgrades does that species generally require?



SpottedPythons said:


> Well, if you want a wildtype childrens, you can always go for a locality. They are technically "normals", but they have different patterning.


Is it better to get an animal that has been bred near to where you live/intend to keep it?


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 10, 2017)

doesn't change anything. unless keeping them outside.


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## SpottedPythons (Nov 10, 2017)

Kirk1701 said:


> Is it better to get an animal that has been bred near to where you live/intend to keep it?


It doesn't matter as long as you aren't intending to keep it outside, and usually I only upgrade my snakes once or twice.



Kirk1701 said:


> So what would be a good setup for a juvenile Children's? How many upgrades does that species generally require?


A good setup would be one with a heat mat at one end, and a hide with one half on the heat mat and another off. Put the water bowl at the cold end. Substrate should be wood shavings, coco-husks or similar as I find babies love burrowing. A twig for climbing might be welcome, but Children's are primarily arboreal. I'd suggest getting a couple of books on the subject.


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## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

SpottedPythons said:


> A good setup would be one with a heat mat at one end, and a hide with one half on the heat mat and another off. Put the water bowl at the cold end. Substrate should be wood shavings, coco-husks or similar as I find babies love burrowing. A twig for climbing might be welcome, but Children's are primarily arboreal. I'd suggest getting a couple of books on the subject.


Any particular titles?


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## SpottedPythons (Nov 10, 2017)

"Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons", by Mike Swan
"The Complete Children's Python", by Justin Julander, Nick Mutton and Peter Birch
"Guide to Australian Pythons in Captivity", by Adam Elliott

All of them are great titles that you will find yourself referring to many times over the years. Some may be a bit pricey, but it's well worth knowing what you'll learn from them.


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## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

SpottedPythons said:


> "Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons", by Mike Swan
> "The Complete Children's Python", by Justin Julander, Nick Mutton and Peter Birch
> "Guide to Australian Pythons in Captivity", by Adam Elliott
> 
> All of them are great titles that you will find yourself referring to many times over the years. Some may be a bit pricey, but it's well worth knowing what you'll learn from them.


Great thanks, will hunt them down

Another question, is a children’s python my best bet? I’d prefer a snake which doesn’t get too big.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 10, 2017)

Kirk1701 said:


> Another question, is a children’s python my best bet? I’d prefer a snake which doesn’t get too big.


Or these? Lol


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 10, 2017)

pygmy python


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 10, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> pygmy python


I wouldn't mind chasing up one of those myself if you know of anyone in South East QLD that breeds them?


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## SpottedPythons (Nov 10, 2017)

Nope... Pygmies not a good beginner snake. They may be small, but their requirements are more advanced. I'd say a Children's, Stimson's and of course.......... *Spotted Pythons!!!*

And also possibly a Woma or a Murray Darling Carpet Python, but they get a bit bigger.


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 10, 2017)

huh


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## Kirk1701 (Nov 10, 2017)

SpottedPythons said:


> Nope... Pygmies not a good beginner snake. They may be small, but their requirements are more advanced. I'd say a Children's, Stimson's and of course.......... *Spotted Pythons!!!*


Will have a more in depth look at those others.


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## Pauls_Pythons (Nov 11, 2017)

Definitely not a pygmy python for a starter. Can't go wrong with a carpet, woma or even a BHP.
Small snakes can be flighty and difficult to handle without experience.


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