# Why I love the olives...



## Br8knitOFF (Jan 6, 2008)

They are the absolute coolest ever.































//Todd


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## RELLIK81 (Jan 6, 2008)

yeah i love my olive aswell
yours is quite big.....how old is he/she


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 6, 2008)

He's an '05, and about 7' or so...

//Todd


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## scorps (Jan 6, 2008)

sweet olive todd


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## Vixen (Jan 6, 2008)

Aww hes gorgeous, cant wait until I get my little man


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## Kitah (Jan 6, 2008)

Beautiful snake  know shouldnt post this here, but roughly how much does an olive hatchy cost (or up to a year old) and how large do they generally max out as? beautiful snakes, first time i saw one in person was when it was slung around my shoulders at billabong sanctuary for an animal handling practical


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## RELLIK81 (Jan 6, 2008)

i paid around 500 for my olive and i am told they can grow anywhere up to 14-16 foot.....
dont quote me tho.


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## cement (Jan 6, 2008)

What a showpony!! Holding his head up for the camera, "this is my best side", Fair Dinkum!.

He is a beauty!


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 6, 2008)

Yeah- I paid $500 US here in the states for him, and they get anywhere from about 8' - 12'+.

Females being the larger of the genders...

//Todd


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks guys.

That's one of the reasons I love these things- he's ALWAYS doing that with his head- always headed up, and surveying his surroundings.

He was in that position for about 10 minutes, just looking around!

//Todd


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## mitch-001 (Jan 6, 2008)

his awesome..im wanting to get a hatchie this year..


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## TWENTY B (Jan 6, 2008)

the olive i saw just before christmas was 15ft,
and one at the animal sanctuary on hamilton island is 9ft at 23 months old


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## jamey (Jan 7, 2008)

Stunning todd.I too am in the states,who bred him if you don't mind me asking?
Jamey


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 7, 2008)

Jamey,
I got him from Jeff Hartwig:

http://www.jeffhartwig.com/Reptiles Main.htm

Great guy, and REALLY nice animals!

//Todd


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## Wrasse (Jan 7, 2008)

Wonderful photos, I adore the garden bed ones. 

Olives rock !


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## wokka (Jan 7, 2008)

xshadowx, If you are in Townsville Trueblue has Olives this season, otherwise we have them for $450.


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## Supertaipan (Jan 7, 2008)

Id love to get an Olive Water Python, but are they really as snappy as everyone says? Ive heard some are very placid, Only problem is i have young kids, and would like something suitable for them as well, Don't want a Childrens.


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## Chris1 (Jan 7, 2008)

what a beautiful olive, shame theres so much else on my wanting list.


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## Frozenmouse (Jan 7, 2008)

i love olives they are very inquisitive. carpets can be a bit of a lazey snake in comparisen.


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 7, 2008)

Super- olives and waters are 2 entirely different snakes, but I have both- they are definitely my favorites in my collection.

I think many young pythons are/can be very snappy (my olive was a HELLION as a youngster), but is PURE joy now, and totally trustworthy with my kids.

An olive or a water may not be the best first snake, but both are DEFINITELY a very rewarding species to keep! I find that I handle my olive and water pair more often than any other of my snakes, including my carpets...

//Todd


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 7, 2008)

//Todd


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 7, 2008)

Just measured him out at 7' 7"...

//Todd


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## bredli84 (Jan 7, 2008)

great pics Br8knitOFF, olives are really growing on me as a species. such large, beautiful alert animals.
i recently had the pleasure of handling a huge 14ft+ olive. it was impressive and imensely strong!


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## B-Factor (Jan 10, 2008)

Awesome pics Todd, all of them.


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 13, 2008)

Thanks Charlie- what part of SoCal are you from?

We just moved from San Diego (Oceanside) to Austin 1 year ago this past August...

//Todd


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## Snake_Whisperer (Jan 13, 2008)

Magnificent! I don't know how some people can think olives are drab! That fella of yours is an absolute ripper! I hope to move into olives in the not distant future and those pics just seal it for me!


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## dansfish4tea (Jan 13, 2008)

just reading throw the thread and ppl dont seem to understand that the olive is the second biggest snake in oz
and can grow to 21+ feet


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## Helikaon (Jan 13, 2008)

can grow to 21+ feet[/quote said:


> cough... supposedly.... cough
> 
> 
> haha there was also a frog once found which drank up all the water in the world.


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 13, 2008)

Yeah- and I heard that there is a venomous species of python out there somewhere, too...

//Todd


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## FAY (Jan 13, 2008)

Yeah- and I heard that there is a venomous species of python out there somewhere, too...

I think someone is pulling your leg...


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 13, 2008)

No, actually, that was a joke, keeping the spirit of Helikaon's post going...

//Todd


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## Kah. (Jan 13, 2008)

can I ask how big is the tank you keep it in? I love olives, just wondering if I have the room for one


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 13, 2008)

I keep him in a Vision Cage- model 622:

Vision Model 622

It's 72" long x 18" tall x 28" deep...

//Todd


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## tusker (Jan 13, 2008)

I thought that Olives were the 3rd biggest in Oz, with the NT Oenpelli being the second largest - I dont think that I spelt that right


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## NickM (Jan 13, 2008)

Todd, do you have Australian fuscus or New Guinea fuscus?

I have Aussie fuscus and they are great, completley calm, I would not mind adding another pair of the Aussie animals or a pair of the NG animals to my collection if you were to produce some.

Are trying to breed you olives this year? 

Nick


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## ozianimals (Jan 13, 2008)

Olives are the second largest in Aus with the scrubby being the largest.

Had the pleasure of handling a 9' olive while in Qld over the last couple of days.....

beautiful snakes and can't wait till I go to QLD to see ramstein from the Australian venom zoo. he's such a easy snake to fall in love with......


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 13, 2008)

Nick- good question.

I'm 99.99% sure they're Aussie Fuscus.

Not going to be breeding my olive- I only have the lone male, and don't have room for a female...  (that's why I got myself the fuscus pair!  )

//Todd


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## Beano05 (Jan 19, 2008)

*Wow you have great pics*

Are you using a standard camera to shoot your snake?


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## Beano05 (Jan 19, 2008)

*That is correct spelling*



tusker said:


> I thought that Olives were the 3rd biggest in Oz, with the NT Oenpelli being the second largest - I dont think that I spelt that right


 
I live in Oenpelli, and that's how you spell it


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## stusnake (Jan 19, 2008)

tusker said:


> I thought that Olives were the 3rd biggest in Oz, with the NT Oenpelli being the second largest - I dont think that I spelt that right



average lengths olives and oenpellis are around the same, But the subspecies of olive found in the pilbra of wa has been recorded at over 6m in length putting it in second place to the scrubby.


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## Surfcop24 (Jan 19, 2008)

Beautiful Pics...

Makes me want one more and more......


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## Kah. (Jan 23, 2008)

Br8knitOFF said:


> I keep him in a Vision Cage- model 622:
> 
> Vision Model 622
> 
> ...



woah! that's alot of floor space, damn. Guess i'll have to stick to tree climbers


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## Br8knitOFF (Jan 27, 2008)

Kah,
Yeah- it is, but they're GREAT cages.

I have 8 of them in all, and they stack GREAT! (all different sizes)

//Todd


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## krylon (Jan 29, 2008)

yea
i have a female who is 18months old
she is around 4-5 foot long and starting to eat like a big girl!!
she took her first full rat on the weekend


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## oxyranus (Jan 31, 2008)

great pics mate thanks for sharing.Have to love the the olives.


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## krusty (Jan 31, 2008)

i love the olives because they grow nice and big,yours looks very nice.


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## dansfish4tea (Jan 31, 2008)

Helikaon said:


> cough... supposedly.... cough





if u give them space and the right diet olives can grow BIG


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## sockbat (Jan 31, 2008)

He's just awsome. Not 100% but think i need a C class licence for one of these beuties. So will be a while befor I can get one.


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## Simple (Jan 31, 2008)

This is why we love olives (nice ones of coures).


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## dancing_pharaoh (Feb 1, 2008)

wow!!!! this thread definately has pressed the go button for me to have my snake to be a Olive!!!.... i just love how smooth and nice they feel... and i think its the best colouring ever... and I've handled a baby one and a 4 yr old one and the baby one was just a little nervous at first when i picked it up but in 5 second he was at home in my hands... and the 4 yr old one was comfy as if she knew me for years... so yea... thanks beautiful people!


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## Ryan93 (Feb 1, 2008)

what type of licence can you get olives on in victoria . and i love your olive it is beautifull. Do you breed them.


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 1, 2008)

Simple- great pics!

//Todd


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## Snakeaholic (Feb 1, 2008)

oooooh - like the pics

i still recon bhp's are btter!


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## Viridae (Feb 1, 2008)

Ryan93 said:


> what type of licence can you get olives on in victoria . and i love your olive it is beautifull. Do you breed them.



Failry sure olives are on the basic licence.


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## Simple (Feb 1, 2008)

Br8knitOFF said:


> Simple- great pics!
> 
> //Todd



Thanks we loved yours as well. Our female (in the picture) is a bit darker than our male. Our male looks similar to the one on the pics of the kids you posted.

Fingers crossed they are old enough/big enough to breed this season!


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## firedragon (Feb 1, 2008)

Br8knitOFF said:


> Yeah- and I heard that there is a venomous species of python out there somewhere, too...
> 
> //Todd


 
I think someone's pulling you leg too. Though my stepfather found a snake a long time ago that he thought looked unusual, it was sent to a university and they found it had approx 7 different species of snake both venomous and non-venomous, unfotunatly he is dead now so can't get the name of the uni it was sent to... Its rare but apparently it happens...

But back to topic thats one BEAUTIFUL olive and great camera work.


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## llasher (Feb 1, 2008)

Simple said:


> This is why we love olives (nice ones of coures).


They're beautiful. Can't wait till mine get to that size.


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 3, 2008)

Firedragon- my post about venomous pythons was a joke.

Liasher- the olves are SOOOO cool as babies, aren't they??? Such fiesty little things!

//Todd


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## RevDaniel (Feb 3, 2008)

I love Olive pythons so much also. I have one myself. Swapped my female for a male of the same age/size as i will get three hatchling females from a friend in a month or two. They such magnificent reptiles and i could spend all day watching them. Real fun to watch them feed also


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 3, 2008)

Here's a couple of pics of him a couple months after I got him:















//Todd


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## kitling (Feb 4, 2008)

Olives in Victoria are just a basic licence.

I paid $450 for a juvie in November and adore him.


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## B-Factor (Feb 4, 2008)

Hey Todd, what a thread... I am in Orange County just about 10mins from Disneyland. I hear the reptile activity in Texas is pretty good from shows to herping in the fields.

Great pics and info. everyone!


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 5, 2008)

Charlie,
Yeah- we just moved here from San Diego 2 years ago this coming August- I know exactly where you live... my dad lives in Huntington beach.

The field herping out here is INSANE!

The shows are good, but I wouldn't say they're any 'better' than the big NARBC shows in Anaheim or anything, except they do have the venomous ones here which are interesting.

If you ever make it out this way, give me a shout and we'll go find some cool stuff!

//Todd


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## B-Factor (Feb 6, 2008)

Br8knitOFF said:


> Charlie,
> Yeah- we just moved here from San Diego 2 years ago this coming August- I know exactly where you live... my dad lives in Huntington beach.
> 
> The field herping out here is INSANE!
> ...


You got it! 

I haven't been too lucky with the field herping. It seems I never find anything when I'm purposefully looking but when doing something else like mtn. biking then I see a nice beautiful Red Diamond Rattler in all it's glory. I met a herper recently that gave me some spots near Huntington Beach a bit north actually so I'll have to give them a try soon.

Cheers!


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## Jeremy Kriske (Feb 7, 2008)

> I met a herper recently that gave me some spots near Huntington Beach a bit north actually so I'll have to give them a try soon


Are you going herping in Mile Square Park again, Charlie!?! 

But seriously, what is north of Huntington Beach that is good for herping?


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## llasher (Feb 7, 2008)

Br8knitOFF said:


> Liasher- the olves are SOOOO cool as babies, aren't they??? Such fiesty little things!
> 
> //Todd


 I got a MF pair unrelated from a pet shop in Melbourne. $450 each. I swear that in the 3 weeks I have owned them the male (who feeds like a snake possessed) has increased in size by a few cms!! He is a very docile yearling, once had a go at me post mouse but he is great. The female is smaller and absolutely refuses to eat (shed just after I bought her but even post shed has not had anything). She is a bit more jumpy, and bit me before her shed.

They are the most beautiful snakes I own, although the two womas I got yesterday are giving them a good run for their money!:lol:

*Br8knitOFF *or anyone, any tips for getting a stubborn young olive to feed? The shop assured me they were both good feeders. Have offered her mice, brained to perfection, left overnight, warmed by the finest hot water etc. She takes a sniff and turns her nose up (or tries to snap at me instead). I have got one of those fussy olives??


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## JEMMI (Feb 7, 2008)

*Tips for fussy olive*

You could try killing a rat or mouse and throw it straight in whilst it is dark and leave the room immediately.
or try rolling the rat or mouse in a bird (pet or otherwise) the bird smell will still be on it. Olives like bird smelling food.


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 7, 2008)

Yeah- maybe.

How long have you had them?

It may just be a case of 'leave her alone' for a couple weeks to let her adjust- no handling or bothering her until she settles in. (except to clean, change water, etc.)

Also- my male did act pretty strange when it came time to eat. That is, he didn't like to be watched (he still will bury his head into several coils while eating if being watched) and actually would leave his food to go hide, so I would feed him from tongs, and leave the room for 1/2 hour.

There are others with WAY more experience here with olives that will be able to shed more light on stubborn eaters when it comes to the olives... I just have the lone male.

//Todd


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## llasher (Feb 7, 2008)

*Thanks!*

Thanks. Leaving her alone for a further week or two (I have heard her since mid Jan), would be easier than rolling a freshly killed mouse in feathers for me. However, the shop has offered to exchange her for another one. It's a difficult decision as I have a problem with exchanging a living pet I have bonded with! Then again I don't want a fusspot! Decisions...:cry:


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## JEMMI (Feb 7, 2008)

*fresh ki8lled*

So have you tried fresh killed food?
sometimes they just need to get going and realise that they are not in any danger and after 1 feed there might be no problem.
I have bred many olives and dealt with all temperament types in babies and all ages.
I wouldn't give it back to the pet shop if it was me.


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## thenicewitch (Feb 7, 2008)

I love Olives. I have a Male and Female who are 3 years old. I have not had them long and I have had a problem with the Male one. They are both very friendly to hold but twice since I have had them the male has become extreemly agressive. He will be beautlfull to hold and look relaxed in his cage one day then the next day will strike with great force at the glass with any movement he sees. He seems to do this just before he sheds. Then once he sheds he is instantly is a beautiful snake again. Is this common behaviour for Olives?


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## norris (Feb 7, 2008)

Many snakes become aggressive before sheds, maybe it depends on the individual snake.


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## Divan (Feb 7, 2008)

mad olive how much was he?????


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## thenicewitch (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks 'Norris' . He is a sweetie but the change in him is very quick. I will have to keep an eye on him because he is going to get very big and I do not fancy a bite.


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## B-Factor (Feb 11, 2008)

Jeremy Kriske said:


> Are you going herping in Mile Square Park again, Charlie!?!
> 
> But seriously, what is north of Huntington Beach that is good for herping?


 Did I say North? I ment West. The thought process was going up the coast and north is up on a map. I swear I never get lost, LOL.

Nice to see you alive and posting again Jeremy. Hope things are back on track.


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## Br8knitOFF (Feb 11, 2008)

Witch,
The way you describe your male olive sounds exactly how my male olive was when he was a youngster.

I'd be holding him, and everything was very cool, and all of a sudden, he'd snap- striking like crazy, whipping his tail, etc.

The trick is to handle him for only a few minutes a day, every couple of days, being overly gentle and deliberate. If/when you notice him turning psycho on you, gently and slowly put him back where he feels safe, and leave him alone.

That's what worked for me- he's a total pussy cat now, but I still keep an eye on him when the kids are handling him, just in case...

//Todd


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## Ryan93 (Feb 11, 2008)

Viridae said:


> Failry sure olives are on the basic licence.


 
yeh viridae i just checked on the victorian licence application form and i can get a olive on the basic licence, But olives are not commonly sold and i am wondering if anyone knows of any breeders in victoria. I will be looking at getting a olive (liasis oliveaceus) in the middle or towards the end of the year.


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