Preparation for your first snake

[Linus]

My older brother got a snake when I was about 4. We were living in the US at the time and it was a little garter snake. Then we moved back to WA and brother and I used to go looking for snakes all through our younger years but there's not many non-vens there. Then when I was 12 I moved to Sydney on the northern beaches and there were golden crowns and swamp snakes everywhere. So used to catch and play with them but never really kept them. Then found a diamond one night driving home and kept him for a few months before releasing him. This was in 1991 and I don't know what the licensing situation was. I certainly wasn't aware of any licensing requirements as there are now! I also had GTF's at this time which I bought from a pet shop.

Had a good 12 years away from reptiles but always wanted to get back to it and finally bought a juvie diamond in March this year after getting my licence.

I got Weigels book back in 1991 and it is still all valid today. Great book.

I would definitely reccommend getting a juvie first up so you can get used to the size gradually and get bitten when it doesn't hurt. It's also imperative to get the enclosure set-up before getting the snake.

 

[Bryony]

i have always loved reptiles sinse i was little and at the reptile park i got licked up the nose by a monitor....then it was love

asked my parents if i could have snakes and lizards and she said they are all protected so we cant have them as pets.......then at the begining of this year my friends was talking about real estate and furry animals not allowed (you remember that delema of mine?) Then i found it was legal to keep them as pets!
read a few books did heaps of research

got some embarrasing misinformation :wink:
now i have 5 wonderful little and big buddies around
i asked heaps of question and got lots of answer.....

the only thing i would change is the research (or lack of) about the legals of it all, i thought my mum new all.......i know she does but just not that time

we are a big happy family now and my mum love them!

and i think there should be an official warning about all reptiles....
THEY ARE ADDICTIVE

 

[moosenoose]

Re: RE: Preparation for your first snake

and newest additions my Darwins .

And what stunning Darwins they are to Mick :wink:

I wasn?t sure you could keep snakes until about 3 years ago at my sons birthday when we had a guy come over and do a reptile party I hogged the large Brisbane Carpet he had there for the whole time and he pleaded with me to hand it over at the end of the show - damnit :lol: He also had brought a 3ft freshwater Croc which I didn?t mind having a hold of. That was before some kid came along and pulled the muzzle off it?s snout and asked the croc if that made it feel better :shock: :lol: I know one thing for sure ? crocs like muzzles but don?t like you holding their jaws shut with your hand :lol: :lol: They?re strong :lol:

I read and read and read for about 9 months prior to getting my Darwin. I read about many of the health concerns regarding snakes and built my enclosure employing all the principals regarding temp gradients and humidity levels for the particular species I was going to get. Due to what I had read, perhaps hearing worse case scenarios all the time, my first snake was going to be a Diamond python.

I think what you can read, can often be a little ?off-putting? at times. The best advice I reckon you can get is asking those in the know for their personal hands-on experience. That IMO, is the best advice and guidelines to follow. By all means go and read and get an understanding of the animals you want to keep. Too much information is never enough! Luckily the breeder I bought my snake from would be more than happy to help with any advice - she also doubles as a snake-sitter for me if I'm ever on a really long break :lol:

My only snake I have was a struggle to get! My wife isn?t terribly keen on them at all. I just went out and bought it and that was that! Next year I hope to get my second ? then after that my third :lol: :wink: The first snake I ever caught & handled was a common tiger snake on a year 10 school camp on Mt Walker in QLD. That was Bliss, and a real buzz I?ve always had a little thing for Tiger snakes and Red Bellies

Cheers all,
What a great post!
Luke

 

[Fuscus]

RE: Re: RE: Preparation for your first snake

Any more stories?

 

[Linus]

The first snake I ever caught & handled was a common tiger snake on a year 10 school camp on Mt Walker in QLD

Crumbs Moose! :shock:

Nice intro to the world of snakes haha.

How did it handle?

 

[ozherpconservation]

i have always loved reptiles sinse i was little and at the reptile park i got licked up the nose by a monitor....then it was love

:lol: You're a funny girl Bryony! Damn Ive had some good laughs on this site over the last few days!

 

[Suj]

Well as a current newbie into the world of snakes, i must say I've used all your previous posts as an insight in how to preapre myself for my first snake. I have my enclosure set up, and have had so for the last week, i must admit it was bought at a reptile store as i dont have the confidence to build one myself. My plan is to purchase a childrens python for starters and see where that leads me, i have several books on snake keeping and several more specific to the childrens python, any advice you can give me to make my introduction into snake keeping easier?

Cheers
Suj!

 

[africancichlidau]

Yeah Mate, buy your Childreni off Afro

 

[Shacks]

I had built the home for my snake about 4 years before I got him. I had treated his branches and was just waiting till the wife said it was ok to get a snake. When I got him my snake the wife picked him, I payed for him and I care for him. What anoys me is, he likes my wife more than me.

 

[Greebo]

When I was a wee lad, I was forever catching frogs and bringing them home. I learnt the hard way that you cant keep tadpoles and yabbies in the same container. I can still remember the smell of that little experiment.
My first actual reptile was a longneck turtle that I found crossing the road one day. I took him home and we put him in the vegie patch which had a fence around it. It kept him in there and kept the dog out. He lived in there for many years until one day we couldnt find him. I suspect one of the neighbours kids pinched him.
Then as I grew older, I got into hunting. One day I found a baby red-belly black snake and I thought he was so cute that I took him home and kept him in a fishtank in the shed. After that, I would keep an eye out for snakes when hunting and would find the odd one now and then. I had no idea how to keep them, there were no internet sites like this one to help out newbies. I never used any heating but as the snakes were local they survived ok.The red bellies even used to breed and I would just let the babies go near a creek.
Then I met this woman.....woman say "If you want woman to move in, snakes must go!" So the snakes went back to where they came from. In hindsight, I should of kept the snakes instead.
I only got interested in herping again about 3 years ago. I knew that you could get a license and keep them legally so I sussed out sites about herping. I found APS....back then it was on MSN and found lots of great advice. I found a local breeder and checked out his set up. I brought an enclosure...I saw how simple they really are and have made all my own ever since.Then I bought a snake. I now have just over 40 reptiles and I think that will do me for a while..(who do I think I'm kidding?)
The only regret is that I had no reptiles for so long. The Ex still doesn't like snakes but our kids sure love them.

 

[ozherpconservation]

i must say I've used all your previous posts as an insight in how to preapre myself for my first snake.

Don't do that mate, it will die for sure!!!!! Only joking! Sounds like you are doing everything right. Good luck!

Daniel

 

[Cerion]

I studied suitable species and care first on the net. Talked to people here. then decided over the next 2 months on what i would get before I made a purchase. I made sure i had suitable enviromental conditions and made sure i had the space for when my herps grow. I also found out the details of my local herp vet and made sure they dealt with the types of animals I was getting. In the case of the beardies they got a newly made enclosure 1 week after purchase. No use having an animal you don't want. I figure when getting a python especially have extra cash stashed for "that enclosure you need to whip up urgently". When they outgrow the previous one. I transfered my coastal (hatchling) from a click clack to a 4ft Aquarium rather quickly.

Do as much research as possible.

 

[womas4me]

Be warned- this is the female version of our snake story (I'm sure the male version is much more exciting)

Jimmy used to drive a rail grinder at night through the Pilbara and at 8 - 10kms an hour with floodlights on the front he used to see heaps of snakes. He used to move them off the rail and tell me about to gross me out. One day he came home with an injured pygmy python and said he was going to look after it for a while. After I finished freaking out I started holding it and became fascinated with it. Then the second injured one arrived, was rehabilitated and we were both upset when they were released. Jimmy started reading books ( Care of.., Pythons of Aus.., What's wrong with my snake, etc ) and generally started obsessing about snakes. The licensing came in in WA and he became a taker, dealer, carer, removalist and so the obsession continued. When we first became licensed, Jimmy worked away 2 weeks out of 3, so I ended up looking after the 'babies' and became very attached and slightly obsessed too. We now have a house full of reptiles. Bhps, stimis, blueys, beardies, acky, knobtail geckos, about 50 geckos on the ceiling and two resident ta-ta dragons in the back yard.
Our first set up was very basic with just a bedside lamp for heat, but both the pythons we rehabilitated thrived in the tank. If I had to do anything different, I think I would only set up basic tanks and buy cage furniture, lights, etc when I had a feel for what the animal might use and benefit the most from. We have bought quite a few items which we have never used or used once and found totally impractical. It's all a learning curve, though and it has been a fun one.
I hope this made sense- I have just finished 12 hour night shift so am in the waffling stage. I guess my point is that it is all Jimmy's fault and we now have a house full of reptiles that we both love!!
Cheers, Rach