Questions about Pythons for pets?

hi there -yes they are largest snake in the world -as for size well that also depends on the food intake -Females average 17+', males average 12' - 14' adult size. Record size is around 33 feet+ & 300+ pounds in captivity. -as adults they eat pigs rabbits larger prey -depends on where u live if u need a permit or not .. -most pet stores sell them as well u can get them from breeders -only if ur stupid and handle one alone after 10 feet it's 1 person for every 2 feet in length -they should be under lock and key if not being handled -all animal wild or captive born can get parasites internal or external -also depends on where u get them and as for maintenacce .. as a baby 1 mouse/rat per week as adult it's larger prey once a week or 2 by the time it is eating baby pigs it can be fed once a month ... the larger the prey the longer it takes to digest larger types of snake should be only kept by experienced handlers hope this helps a bit.. as for the person that said a anaconda is the largest ... wrong.. by weight to length .. yes... by length no Females average 16+', males average 8' - 10' adult size. weight for the length anaconda's are the heavest snakes in the world retic's are thinner type snakes where anacondas are thick heavy type snakes and can eat bigger prey once again hope this helps

The rule for snakes is one adult per FOUR FEET of snake. If you have a 10 ft long snake, 3 people should be there when ever it is handled, or the cage door is opened... even just for watering. I was reading a while back about a guy whose 14 ft long snake surprised him by striking when he was changing the water bowl, he struggled for quite some time with the snake and wished he had followed that rule.

Anacondas are the largest snake in the world, not retics. Here is a care sheet for reticulated pythons: http://www.squamations.com/ReticulatedPythonCare.htm. Read through the whole thing before you even think of getting one. If you haven't had experience with snakes at all then this python is definitely not for you. You should start out with a ball python if you want to get experience with a constrictor. You can eventually work your way up to a retic if you have enough money, time and space to take care of it. I personally see no enjoyment in keeping a snake that big. And, yes, if it gets a thought in its mind it can kill you very easily. Most states require a permit for large snakes (if they are even legal), but you will have to check your state. Your friend is not a good example of a responsible, experienced snake owner. Do your research, get the experience by owning easier and smaller boids and then you can think about getting a retic.

Anacondas are the "heaviest" snake in the world, not the longest. Reticulated Pythons "ARE" the longest snake in the world, the longest on record was 34 ft 4" inches and over 350lbs. Very doubtful the will ever reach 30 ft, longest in captivity now is around 26 +ft. And the only way you can get a female that size is to NEVER BREED HER. Once they start to ovulate the their growth rate slows down tremendously, thats why the youger you breed them the less likely is is to get over 20 ft. males as previously stated get between 12 -17 ft. Females are the larger of the 2. You can buy Python food where ever you buy rabbits, chickens, small pigs, geese, ducks. Yes they are legal in the U.S. and depending on what state you live in determines if a permit it required or not. You can buy them from Hundreds of dealer / breeders across the U.S. Yes they can be dangerous after they get big, and if not handled correctly then could possibly kill you, if not kept on a frequent feeding schedule. Depending on the state you live in determines whether it could survive outside or not. If you are not in Florida then if it gets out this time of the year then it WILL die from the cold. They can carry parasite's if exsposed to them. Most captive born animals are free from parasites. Normal retics start at about $85.00 and can run up to $ 20,000 for certain Morphs of the species. Thats right, I said $20,000! And as far as what they cost to maintain, as young they require AT LEAST 2 prey item's a WEEK, not every 2 weeks or every month, EVERY WEEK. And the size of the prey item is determined by the lenght and head size of the snake. Retics have a very aggressive feeding respones and just because your done feeding them doesnt mean they are done eating! That is usually when most people get bitten, is right after they feed their retic, they try to reach down and pick it up. BIG MISTAKE!! You need to make sure it knows its not feeding time anymore before trying to pick it up. After they get big they will require the large food items previously stated. Retics are a HUGE responsibility and I hope your friend Knows waht hes getting into. These snakes if fed right can grow up to 9 ft in the first year, good luck !

His snake won't get over 30, but could definately get over 20. You feed them rabbits or pigs, depending on size. They are legal in the US without any permit. Some cities have bans on large constrictors though. Most pet stores sell burms or retics. You can easily buy them online or from almost any reptile shop. Yes, they are dangerous, and quite capable of killing an adult human. Secure caging is a must. Yes, letting them roam free in his trailer is irresponsible. Thats just stupid and asking for them to kill him and it makes the hobby of snake keeping look bad. They can carry parasites, but just like dogs and cats You can get a plainly marked baby for about $80, but some of the "morphs" (unusually patterned or colored like albinos or tigers) can cost over $1000. Maintnence is hard to predict cost-wise: Once you've built a cage, all you're paying is electricity and food bills. It wouldn't cost more than $300 a month

First off, in response to the "anacondas are the largest snakes in the world" comment, that's not completely true. Anacondas are the largest in girth, however, retics are the longest snakes in the world. Now, to answer your other questions.. That is a very irresponsible reptile owner. Snakes require a controlled climate so unless he keeps his trailer at 85 degrees he is not practicing proper husbandry. They are legal in most states, however it is a state by state issue, and sometimes even cities have different ordinances on them. Reticulated pythons are normally very tempermental snakes. I have yet to handle a docile retic. That doesn't mean if handled from a baby, that one couldn't be nice. If your friend has children then he is being very irresponsible, as any reptile can carry salmonella. His snake, if it doesn't die from poor keeping, will live to be up to around 25 feet or more and eat rabbits and sometimes even chickens depending on the owner. It will also live 20+ years if taken care of. Snakes aren't expensive, so people often buy them as an "ornament" and when the cool wears off they go to rescues. I work for a reptile rescue and it saddens me when this happens. I hope this answers your questions. You can also check anapsid.org Melissa Kaplain can tell you anything you want to know.