• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

A good introduction to larger snakes?

H

HeartAche

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
los angeles
So heres my situation: I have experience with ball pythons, but i want to get a python that gets a bit larger(not retic size). All the larger pythons I am seeing seem 2 require someone wit exp. with larger snakes. So my question is, what would be species am I supposed to gain my exp. with? I really would like it to be a python but since it will strictly be a pet, i wouldnt mind a boa if gets to around my size range. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
If you were looking for a python that grows to a decent size, but normally has a good disposition, I'd suggest a coastal carpet.
 
Colombian boas get to a nice size, females being larger than males, and have a great temperment for the most part. They also come in many pretty colors and normals are very inexpensive.

If your heart isn't set on a python I would suggest you go that route.
 
I just had a conversation with a friend today and those two were the ones he said aswell. I actually wanted a carpet python when I was younger so I may go that route. Any1 else have any suggestions? No matter what, I wont be getting the snake until around june or july so I have time to research a bit more
 
i have a fondness for carpets so that would be my choice.

they dont get ten ft but bloods, borneos short tailed, are great snakes get big enough to eat small rabbits and be a great intro into larger pythons. they stay in the 5 to 7 ft range but will weigh quite a bit like 25-45 pounds they are really cool snakes.
 
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.
 
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.
 
I used to have an 8'5" boa that I handled by myself.

I think you are pretty safe alone with a blood.

Another python that gets pretty big without being too huge would be an Olive Python.
 
HeartAche said:
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.
Click to expand...

HeartAche said:
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.
Click to expand...

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)
 
Back
Top