First Attempt at a Burmese Python Care Sheet v1.0

I'm going to continue working on this as I get time. To be added in the near future are a list of breeders and some suggestions for people who want a bigger snake but aren't up to keeping a Burm. (I was thinking Blood Pythons and possibly BCCs: while a big Suri can get up to 11-12', it's not going to do so in a year where a Burm very well might...).

http://www.kenazfilan.com/burmcare/intro.html

For now, any comments are greatly appreciated.

Looks as if you are off to a decent start, Kevin. I realize you referenced the legal aspect, but you might want to emphasize checking State and local laws. You know, the old "ignorance of the law is no excuse" thing. By the same token, it doesn't matter that one thinks they are keeping their snakes responsibly if they are prohibited by law...if one overlooks that simple little fact, no matter how much is done right, the person is automatically wrong.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

Looks as if you are off to a decent start, Kevin. I realize you referenced the legal aspect, but you might want to emphasize checking State and local laws. You know, the old "ignorance of the law is no excuse" thing. By the same token, it doesn't matter that one thinks they are keeping their snakes responsibly if they are prohibited by law...if one overlooks that simple little fact, no matter how much is done right, the person is automatically wrong.

I definitely want to mention the difficulty of keeping a Burmese Python on the DL: this ain't like hiding a cornsnake from your roommates, folks. Concealing a giant constrictor is a real hassle, so you may want to make sure your landlord is on board with the project before you get one. And if you are keeping an illegal snake don't do things like take it out to your local park to show off (you'd be amazed how many people still try this in New York City with animals that are far more illegal and dangerous than Burms....). Not only will you get in hot water; your pet will likely be euthanized.

Originally Posted by Rakshasanyc

I definitely want to mention the difficulty of keeping a Burmese Python on the DL: this ain't like hiding a cornsnake from your roommates, folks. Concealing a giant constrictor is a real hassle, so you may want to make sure your landlord is on board with the project before you get one. And if you are keeping an illegal snake don't do things like take it out to your local park to show off (you'd be amazed how many people still try this in New York City with animals that are far more illegal and dangerous than Burms....). Not only will you get in hot water; your pet will likely be euthanized.

I thought the point was to encourage people to be aware of their State and local laws so they don't make the mistake of keeping something illegally, lol.
I know the laws are only aimed at the irresponsible keepers that abandon their animals or capture neighborhood animals for food; but the people that enforce those laws seem to be under the impression that they apply to everybody . Until we can set those guys/gals straight, the message should be one of compliance...not how to keep it without getting caught.
I definitely agree with making sure the landlord is onboard with the tenant keeping reptiles - it should come as no surprise that some people don't want people keeping reptiles (esp snakes) in rental properties for fear of having them get loose...or being abandoned. Even landlords that say reptiles are okay might change their mind upon seeing a very large constrictor (or finding out that the animal is not legal).

Originally Posted by hhmoore

I thought the point was to encourage people to be aware of their State and local laws so they don't make the mistake of keeping something illegally, lol.
I know the laws are only aimed at the irresponsible keepers that abandon their animals or capture neighborhood animals for food; but the people that enforce those laws seem to be under the impression that they apply to everybody . Until we can set those guys/gals straight, the message should be one of compliance...not how to keep it without getting caught.
I definitely agree with making sure the landlord is onboard with the tenant keeping reptiles - it should come as no surprise that some people don't want people keeping reptiles (esp snakes) in rental properties for fear of having them get loose...or being abandoned. Even landlords that say reptiles are okay might change their mind upon seeing a very large constrictor (or finding out that the animal is not legal).

I would definitely encourage a prospective Burm owner to check local laws: OTOH, if someone moves to a Burm-unfriendly jurisdiction and decides to keep their longtime pet anyway, I'm not going to lose a lot of sleep over it. Nor would I call animal control on someone who was taking appropriate care of their illegal Burm. (I would not hesitate to involve authorities if I felt they were endangering the animal, themselves, or innocent bystanders: I would also report someone who abandoned their animal, for all the good it would do... ) I'm a cranky libertarian that way.

One argument that actually works well with landlords: a 15' Burm that gets out of its cage ain't going very far nor slithering through any tiny cracks... and it's not going to be hard to spot when you go looking. (Lakshmi got out once when I accidentally left her door open. She slithered to a nearby closet, put her head in the darkness, and proceeded to "hide" with most of her body sticking out. We're very fortunate we were able to find her... she was a mere 10 feet long at the time). Most NYC landlords are primarily concerned with pets that make noise or ruin carpets -- and snakes are ideal in that regard.

One argument that actually works well with landlords: a 15' Burm that gets out of its cage ain't going very far nor slithering through any tiny cracks... and it's not going to be hard to spot when you go looking.

LOL. If this works with landlords in your area then you've got some unique landlords. Now I have snakes so I actually like them. But I would probably tell a tenant to think again before I allowed them to keep some of the "giants" in my building.

I meant to add that I didn't read the caresheet but I do like the way you presented it.

Originally Posted by Rakshasanyc

I'm going to continue working on this as I get time. To be added in the near future are a list of breeders and some suggestions for people who want a bigger snake but aren't up to keeping a Burm. (I was thinking Blood Pythons and possibly BCCs: while a big Suri can get up to 11-12', it's not going to do so in a year where a Burm very well might...).

http://www.kenazfilan.com/burmcare/intro.html

For now, any comments are greatly appreciated.

very well done, with a touch of humour. but also pointing out that if not careful .it can be fatal. i think by pointing out the dangerous part it may make people who are not ready to think it over, ill give you an example..........about a month ago i was at a well known petstore for some feeders. a mother had just purchased a snake for her 10 year old son. i asked the woman if the snake was for the boy. she said yes. i asked her if she realized that this burm was going to be anywhere fom 12- 16 ft and larger if female. she was shocked and returned the snake promptly. i was asked by one of the staff to leave the store after giving the seller a peice of my mind. i feel sorry for these larger snakes when people are uneducated and they are usually dumped at a shelter. sorry for rambling.........by the way great caresheet.........good health.