what species for me

[dale1988]

hi guys im trying to figure out what species would be best for me i will be honest i still have a fear of snakes well a fear of being bitten im happy to pick them up and receive a bite from my hatchy childrens it dosent bother me but im trying to think longterm i know a childrens dosent get that big to most people they still wouldnt care about a bite from one anyway i basically am trying to figure out whioch snake would be best suited to me i love the idea of being able to have a larger snake that i can hold and drape over my shoulders without worrying about haveing my face bitten of or being choked to death as noone else in my house likes snake and will not go near them i love the colouring on jungles but i have heard they are bitey and same again with woma now i know all snakes have there own personality but i am just trying to see if anyone has any words of wisdom for someone like myself that has nothing but good intentions and a great fascination about these beautiful creatures

 

[Trouble]

Hi Dale,

firstly, good on you for slowly overcoming your fear

Jungles are snappy, but yes it does depend on the individual. Most larger snakes aren't snappy, but again it depends on the snake .. It could be better for you to get an older snake, one that's well feeding and relatively calm & use to handling.
Also, this could be a big step, but talk to a reptile keeper you know & trust and see if they can settle your fear of a snake biting, because it could happen one day.

In saying that, get what ever snake takes your fancy, and before you buy it, ask as many questions you can about him/her, as that could help you understand the animal better

Thanks, & good luck,
Trouble

 

[dale1988]

i dont know to many breeders and to be honest i like the look of almost every snake from the womas to bredli which i have a small yearling and diamonds but i am trying to be realistic know snakes like say a coastal will get big and the chances of me growing a set big enough to hold a awesome and massive snake like that are unlikely lol now my bredli dosent bite she seems to be pretty calm which is good she is a beautiful snake but again i still know one day its gonna be a fair size lol i know to some people they are not a big snake but everyone has there own limit to size which dosent leave me with much of a selection for a snake if i am going to be to worried about having a good sized snake i dont want to jst settle for something small and not be happy with it i need to find even ground and either get over my fear i basically just want to be able to also make sure i am able to keep my snake happy like im sure a snake wont gain anything from me handling it or not the only one involved would be me but in saying that if im to scared to go near it how am i meant to maintain a enclosureor feed the poor thing lol

 

[Wallypod]

I agree with trouble get an older snake. That's what I did and it worked a treat.

 

[dale1988]

yes but still unsure as to what species lol

 

[snakeluvver]

South Australian womas and black headed pythons are both large but quite docile. Or you could get a carpet python of some sort... Rough scaled pythons are good as well. It depends on the individual. There may be a jungle you find that has a beautiful temperament or a woma that will try to bite your face off... There is an awesome website called herp trader they have loads of snakes for sale and they usually say if they are docile or not. Remember - research the species before you buy.

 

[Snakewoman]

Murray Darling. I recommend them to everyone, I have one that's almost 2 years old, had him since he was 7 months. Very placid, as most MDs are. He's happy to climb around my shoulders, and if I'm not careful he'll come down and stick his head in MY glass of water to have a drink! :lol: I have 6 snakes (all different types of pythons) and the Murray Darling is the most gentle. Their adult size is between 6-8ft.

 

[dale1988]

so murray darlings are looked upon a a placid species i always thought they would have grown to the same size as a coastal lol

 

[redlittlejim]

murray darlings seem to be known to be more placid, but every snake is different. my first snake was a cosatal yearling that was very flighty (never try to bite though) and my wife was sooo scared, she couldnt go near it. after 1month of handling it, she will get it out of the enclosure cause its so calm and easy now. Im sure if you look around enough you will find one that is used to being handled and will be fine!
good work trying to get over your fear mate

 

[saximus]

MDs are known for being one of the best first timer carpets. It wouldn't get any bigger than your Bredli and even Coastals don't get to 7ft+ overnight. So you would be used to its size by the time it got that big.

 

[dihsmaj]

At what age are MDs adult size?

 

[redlittlejim]

At what age are MDs adult size?

Depends on how much and how ofter you feed it

 

[dale1988]

yeah cool i got told the coastals got to about 12 foot lol its not just the size of snake that im worried about its also being able to supply a adequate enclosure for a snake of that size i love the bredlis they come out with some great colours but again nothing like say jungle diamond or a woma i would love to have one of each but wont do so as i know i dont have the time to spend with each individual snake

 

[redlittlejim]

all snakes can grow really slow if oyu feed them slow. Some people power feed to get them big fast others like to keep them small so feed them fortnightly etc. it could take years and years to get a coastal to 12ft and to knock up an enclosure would not be too hard in the long run. or you could keep it for 5 years and then sell it wwhen it starts to get to big, and by then you should be completly over your fear and try for something with a bit more energy like a jungle with no fear

 

[saximus]

Yeah housing and feeding snakes that big can be a bit of a problem from what I hear. Jungles are still my favourite too. Don't be discouraged by the snappiness if you really like them. You just need to try and find a nice one. Mine is quite placid. It took some time and patience but I was able to calm him down within a couple of months.

 

[dale1988]

yeah i would end up getting to attached to sell it on lol but yes i could bang together a enclosure over a few years thats true i have them in click clack containers at the moment my bredli and my childrens seperately of course lol i wanted to have 3 snakes but am unsure which snake to be my third lol thats why i made the thread to try and get some input which with what input i have received i think im leaning towards a md

 

[pythons73]

If you already own a Anteresia,then a sub-species of carpet would be ideal.As you said Coastals can get big 10ft but the majority get around the 7-8ft mark.Also depends on how much there fed.Another option would be a Aspidities,Womas are fantastic snakes to own,rarely have any issues with feeding,and the Tanamis generally only get to 4-6ft but the SA Womas are around 8-10ft.BHPs are stunning pythons to have,some can be flighty and do a little headbutting,but its generally only bluff.Great feeders also but can get to a decent size,(9ft ).Other options you may consider are Water pythons,just remember EVERY snake is a individual,some species bite more then others,but it comes down to the individual.Jungles-Darwins are known to be bitey,Diamonds-Coastals-MD are great snakes too.Best of luck with your decision..

 

[dale1988]

im still pretty keen on the jungles i just love the colouring i find the childrens, spotteds, and stimmys to all be a it plane my opinion still love them but just dont hav the colouring of say a jungle i dont really want to go over 6 foot to be honest that probably my comfort barrier which probably dosent really leave me with much lol

 

[redlittlejim]

Like pythons73 said, xoastals can get really large but generally still only 7-8ft. Plus the amount of years it will take to get there from hatchling would give you ample time to build new enclosure and still have to wait Water pythons are smooth lookin and MD's are great snakes too.
Good luck with it mate

 

[saximus]

Jungles don't generally get over 6ft. They are basically the smallest carpet you can get