Animal Precinct - Paw Talk

beansale · #1 07-09-2005, 01:08 AM

Anyone see that big Burmese girl on Animal Precinct on Animal planet tonight? She was 11 1/2 feet and 58 pounds. But the idiotic owner had her in a large metal dog kennel, with no bedding or water bowl. She was laying in a small layer of water, and shockingly had an upper respiratory infection. They got her fixed up and sent her to a herp society. SO sad though. I can't stand these people who buy animals with no clue on what they are getting into. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
It was funny when they first showed her though. The whole room turns to me and starts asking snake questions, like I'm an expert. I had to get online and find all the answers. Oh well.

ratty_ratkins · #2 07-09-2005, 02:26 AM

yeah i seen it. poor thing. no heating, lighting, clean water... cage was nasty and WAYYYY too small.

beansale · #3 07-09-2005, 12:01 PM

Oh, I know. Poor baby. I wanted to take it myself, although I'm smart enough to know that I don't have the resources to take care of a snake that size. But, I'm certainly not going to put a snake, any sized, in a steel kennel. I'm so glad to know that she is safe and happy now.

Ravnos · #4 07-09-2005, 12:01 PM

Few people know what they're getting into with burmese pythons. They are one of the most commonly available snakes in the pet trade, babies can often sell for 30-50 dollars so often end up as impulse buys. Hatchlings are 12-14 inches long, so it is easy for someone to get one and a 20 gallon aquarium without even thinking. Then they realize they are capable of growing six feet or more in a year, many people buy or build a larger tank as they grow, but most often it is inadequate. The vast majority of rescues I get come in just as they're going onto their second year, at about 8-9 feet - right at the point they're almost impossible to place in homes because no one wants such a big snake. Thankfully burmese pythons are generally pretty well dispositioned, once you get past their feeding response. The increasing popularity and availability of green anacondas, African rock pythons and reticulated pythons is what scares the heck out of me - those snakes have very different personalities, and are a very different animal to keep.

I currently have a pair of 10 foot burms that I use for education programs, I've adopted out my big ones or given them to various zoos - they're just a whole lot of work when it takes two people to do something as simple as change the water bin. My largest was nearly 15 foot and over 100lbs, beautiful albino.

Rav

beansale · #5 07-09-2005, 12:08 PM

Very well said, Rav. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. I'm actually in a conversation with a friend right now about it. I would love an animal that size, but because I love the animals, I wouldn't own one. I think it's wonderful that you can have those, and I'm a bit jealous. But, it's wonderful that you use them for educational purposes. Your albino is gorgeous. What's the age? Is it one that you still have, or have donated to the zoo?

Ravnos · #6 07-09-2005, 01:02 PM

She was almost 12 years old, and passed on a few years ago. I got her as a rescue when she was 9 (and about 10 foot), lived her entire life before that in a crappy 2'x3' wood frame cage with chicken wire - it was pretty sad. I still have the cage, but I fixed it up with better mesh and its now a rat gymnasium. I donated her body to be taxidermied for an educational display, its hours away so I haven't had the time to be able to go see it for myself, but others have told me that whoever worked on her did a very good job.

Currently, I have a normal colored one and an albino, just to show the differences. They're both about the same size, and just under four years old. I take them to schools and church programs, along with a dozen or so other snakes, lizards, turtles and so forth to teach people about reptiles.

Rav

ninja_smurtles · #7 07-09-2005, 05:17 PM

What do snakes that huge live in?

Ravnos · #8 07-10-2005, 12:42 AM

32 square foot hand built wood and plexiglas cages. Larger if you have the room.

beansale · #9 07-10-2005, 01:05 PM

Wow, that's a big cage. Someday I would love to have a whole room, like a basement or something, dedicated to a couple big snakes like that. What do you feed your snakes? Do you give them rats, or are they up to rabbits yet?

Ravnos · #10 07-10-2005, 02:14 PM

By the time burmese pythons are about a year or so old, rats quickly become inadequate. My burms are on rabbits that I buy from a commercial meat supplier that supplies the human market. They are frozen and neatly packaged.

Rav

Vanilla_Rat · #11 03-28-2006, 05:15 PM

Beautiful snake!I love snakes and pythons are some of my favorites...however since I have PET rodents,I would be afraid to have a snake...just in case the snake got out or something...you know?

I do know someone who has rats and mice...PETS, she breeds fancy varities and also breeds corn snakes,geckos and rabbits.She has the snakes in their own seperate room, but I would still always be on edge...just in case the snake got out and ate my beloved pets.

GeishaGirl · #12 03-29-2006, 01:00 AM

I LOVE PYTHONS, I was SO lucky to hold one that was about 6-8 feet long, loved the experience. I would love one, but I could not feed mice or young rats b/c I feel bad for the "food" and probably keep them!! And the snake would stave ... BUT I am looking into getting a Ghost Corn Snake from a local breeder, as I can feed a snake "sausage" food! She rocks and handles all of her pets and the grow up as excellent pets with great temperaments!!

LdyDragon · #13 03-29-2006, 01:43 AM

It will never cease to amaze me how many people get a pet on "impulse" and don't bother learning about it first. I mean what is SO hard about reading up or asking someone who knows what is required to take care of the animal? What is so hard in then asking yourself if that is really a pet for you?

I love snakes, especially the big ones but I know they have a lot of needs and the big ones are just that "big" and I wouldn't have room for such a large cage to be set up here. Therefore I've answered my own question and wouldn't get one as a pet.

I'm glad the snake from animal precinct is in a good place now.