A good introduction to larger snakes?

Originally Posted by HeartAche

Could a blood python be safely handled by one person?? That was actually the snake I was looking at which I kept seeing that you should have experience with large snakes if you plan on keeping one. If the general consensus is that a blood python can be safely handled by one person, then i will stick with that. Either way, since my original post i have been reading up on carpet pythons and i think i like them as well. Will end up with both someday hopefully.

Originally Posted by HeartAche

Also would Jampea Dwarf retics be able to be handled by one person?? I really like the look of retics but being sensible i know that i wont have anyone that would be willing to help me out with a snake that is over 5ft.

Talk about two different snakes, lol. A blood can be handled by one person, as long as that person is capable of dealing with a heavy bodied snake. A 5 ft blood will weigh as much as, if not more than, a 12 ft Jampea (retics are relatively thin snakes - built more like a scrub python than a burm). Can an adult Jampea be handled solo? Again, that depends on the handler...a lot of retics tend to want to wander vs just wrapping around an arm/shoulder and sitting contentedly. Can you deal with a 12 ft squirmer?
I'm not sure if you are being safety conscious & wanting to follow AFH recommendations, or just nervous about the idea of working with a bigger snake. If one isn't comfortable handling/keeping any type of animal, it is my opinion that they probably shouldn't. Starting with a baby, though, you often don't notice that you're finally working with a big snake until after its happened. You (generic you, not YOU) get used to it, and modify your approach according to its quirks; while it gets used to the routines, and settles in as it becomes more accepting of your presence & touch.

bloods can be handled delt with safely by one person as long as you have good practices and safty bs in place. the only incedent i ever had were i needed a second person, and even then if i had to i could have gotten her off by myself, was a feeding mistake with an adult female borneo.

get a baby they are cute little fat babys grow em up, before you know it he will be 25 or 30 pounds 5 ft or so and a joy to handle. if he is not a joy by the time he is an adult you will know each other well enough to avoid being bit.

alot of times when you get a baby you just adjust as they grow, and like mr moore said by the time they get to be an adult you don't even notice how big they are. just one last thing remember they need the same space as a snake of the same weight not length. and give them a hide that is like 100% humidity or so.

I mentioned safety because I originally thought that a blood python would be a good intro into larger snakes but the first couple care sheets I read made it seem like that wouldnt be a good choice. Its not that I would be uncomfortable handling a larger snake, its just that I dont want to make the mistake of getting way over my head because eventually i would have either to get rid of the snake or its care might suffer. I also figured it would be better to get opinions from those who have spent time around larger boids and/or own them. The idea of a restless 12ft snake doesnt sound to great to me so I will just admire the retics in other's collections.
Thanx harald and david, you guys helped me alot

In my opinion the only reason a blood would not be a good snake for a beginner has nothing at all to do with their size or attitude. They are relatively smallbut extremely heavily bodied and as long as you learn how to condition them and read them then they are really not much different then any other mid size boid. Just bite a lot harder...lol. I think they are geared towards keepers with experience is primarily due to their set ups. They require a climate with an extremely high humidity and until someone has had experience with setting up and maintainingdifferent types of enclosures it is pretty difficult to provide optimum conditions done. If you do your research and prepare thoroughly before you get the snake yes I think that a blood python is a good choice. Purchase the enclosure and get it all set up now. Maintain the proper conditions for a blood python. This will give you time to learn how to correct any shortcomings you have without imposing any risk to the animal.
Carpet pythons would also make a good choice. I would not recommend a jampea dwarf retic. They are dwarfs, but the dwarf version of a snake that can get over 20 foot long is still going to be larger then you are looking at. I personally have a friend with a big solidly built 15' jamp that is a handfull. Possibly a superdwarf like a kuyadi retic would work. From my understanding they usually stay under 10 foot. Also, dwarf burmese pythons stay in under the 10 foot range. Hope this helps, Todd

I'd go with a carpet, or blood python... And probably in that order. I've had a lot of very tame giant bloods, but I've also dealt with big mean bloods and that isn't anything to turn your back on. Bloods are a little trickier than other pythons as they aren't as forgiving when it comes to husbandry flaws. With that said, they are one of my favorite types of snakes and are very rewarding captives when cared for correctly. If you're open to it, a boa would be a good stepping stone as well. I've never owned one, but I've heard from a friend that Macklott's pythons make great captives and they don't get huge... Plus, you don't see them everywhere. I'd say after you get used to big boas/bloods/carpets you'd be ready for a Burmese python. Then maybe a Retic down the line. Some people mentioned dwarf retics earlier. While the size isn't the problem, they tend to be more snappy and flighty than a mainland retic. If you want a more laid back animal, go with something else. If you like flighty, give the dwarf retics a shot. Good luck!

I agree with Kiote... an olive pythons is the perfect size and disposition for a newbie. They are not the easiest to find, but I knoe a few weeks ago Jeff Hartwig had some beautiful ones available! (still envious that I couldn't get them myself)