New Burmese Python Owner Seeks Advice...

[Smilts]

I felt the same at the time Chu and still do. I meant the reference to size as a example of what I believed to be malnutrition do to a similar diet. Back on TOPIC Sane I hope you are willing and able to follow the advice here.

[Chu'Wuti]

I meant the reference to size as a example of what I believed to be malnutrition do to a similar diet.

It's definitely a good example. I also wonder how much longer that poor snake lived after you saw it. The slow/poor growth would be only an outward indication of poor nutrition; there would be many invisible effects, too.

I don't think this was at all off topic, either, as the point we're all trying to make is that chicken, even raw, is not an appropriate diet for an animal that did not evolve on chicken and whose nutritional needs will not be met by chicken.

[Kmef07]

Guys and Gals I think we scared her away. lol.

My biggest problem is what Citysnakes touched on if she is just feeding cooked chicken breasts to her snake then that snake is not getting any calcium along with a ton of other vitamins and minerals im sure.
Sane, I think you need to just bite the bullet and get some frozen rats. Buy them in bulk and have them shipped from somewhere if you can't find any local supplies. There are a lot of shows you can get them from down that way about twice a month. if not i have a breeder friend that will beat any price out there and he ships cheep or cincy is close enough you can drive to get them. the frozen ones are already dead and are killed much faster than the chicken was. also it will make your snake happier and healthier.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

I don't think this was at all off topic, either, as the point we're all trying to make is that chicken, even raw, is not an appropriate diet for an animal that did not evolve on chicken and whose nutritional needs will not be met by chicken.

Don't get confused but I only mean chicken raised for human consumption in the supermarket. Plenty of people goto farmers markets and buy chickens for their large snakes. They grow exceptionally well on it. You just need to get them whole, feathers and all, from a farmer's market.

[Smilts]

Thats my plan for feeding Kronos (BCC) when he is full grown

[Chu'Wuti]

You just need to get them whole, feathers and all, from a farmer's market.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Nutritional needs will not be met by cooked chicken/chicken parts. The snake evolved on eating whole animals.

Ack.

[Aaron_S]

Alright I just wanted to clarify my point on chicken feedings is all

[citysnakes]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

he may not like me so well at this point.

I love all!

[body_xs_j]

I love all to.
Don't feel bad I'm getting a HYBRID CAIMAN, it may grow and bite me or sometime. But who is to know whats going to happen.. Good luck with the snake....

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Wow...

Where to start. First of a bottle of hot water is a good idea but the water will cool pretty quick. Vinegar works best and you should have a knife available when handling the snake. If you don't have a second person to help you at least ensure that there's a second person in the house and that they know you're handling the snake, and they also know how to deal with the snake should something go wrong. Yes it sounds like scary safety measures but really I know people who hoses hooked right up to their hot water heater. Your dog smell shouldn't matter. Shouldn't is the key word. The dog smell is already in the house constantly so the snake will realize it's not a prey item. Sure they can attack dogs but they won't attack an animal that is larger than them unless in defensive.

Secondly, no matter how long the tank is it isn't big enough for your snake.No tank EVER is suitable for a burmese python to 14 feet..EVER! No tank is 4 feet wide, you're lucky to get 30 inches wide. You should have the snake in a 6x2(or3)x2 right now and be moving to a 8x4x4 soon. The tank is terrible for keeping humidity levels up as well as keeping heat in. You don't really need to spray the burmese python but it doesn't hurt. Make sure you do do it during a shed cycle though.

EDIT: Also the snake will be fine with you. It never 'got used' your friend or even cared for her 'sister'. She rather be away from her sister.

Lastly, I'm going to try to be as nice as possible here. You SHOULD NOT have this snake in your possession. Cooked chicken because YOU can't handle feeding it it's actual diet. That's digusting. You own an animal and can't give it it's proper needs so you make the animal suffer for your own problems/issues? Get out of this hobby now. Cooked chicken doesn't have what it needs to give your animal the right nutrients. Let alone the added chemicals animals get for human consumption is now in your animal. Way to go buddy... you're a grade A keeper... Either give the snake to someone else or care for it properly.

Some people...

No it DONT sound like scary safety measures. cuz im overly careful. I dont like to take risks on safety.
I plan to take every precaution necessary and then some.
And i will always have two adults in the room when she is handled, i have two large male roomates that will always be there.
Im not stupid as ive said, regardless what you holier than thou idiots would like to think.
I knew id get **** from alot of you that think you know it all, so trust me im not surprised. These forums are for people to HELP each other and for constructive advice and tips etc, not to start drama for the sake of it. If i own a snake or not is noones business. Ive been around them my whole life and I can do as well and probably better than any of you. I asked alot of the Qs i did to be nice, and make people feel needed, in order to start up convo. The only real Q i had was about the dog. The rest i just wanted to make sure that people agreed with me. But it was all pointless cuz b4 anyone responded i went and bought what I thought was right, and she is doing great. her humidity and temp both stay in the 80s.
This aquarium is huge and special made. trust me she will be fine for a long time know it all.
she can lay head to tail in it 3 times. so its three times her height. its HUGE.
you say tanks are terrible for temp and humidity and keeping them up, yet its perfect and has been for days. and we are going thru the coldest days every here lately. icy snow outside like crazy. as well as a broken furnace. yea im doing a terrible job! not.

im glad u think u know everything but rogue adored peaches, they loved to lay together and things. and they beyond loved my friend. she would lay on jame's face if he wasnt loving on her until he loved on her. then shed go on about her business. shed lay there a good 10-20 min waiting for his acknowledgment, her head rested on his nose. he has trained and tamed them well. they adore him. are you in a snakes brains? are you in their heart?
dont assume what snakes know and dont and feel and dont.
They used to say when baby humans were born they cant feel pain and were blind. since then both have been proven false as hell. science dont know everything ,because animals cant tell them how they think or feel. so you sure as hell dont. so keep your ******** opinions to yourself. if you dont have something nice or helpful to say, then stfu.

i have known MANY a owner that fed their snakes on chicken, and they thrived. many a owners as well as pet shop people etc have told me chicken is more than ok and she will get what she needs.
people cant even agree on what people need, my side say a vegetarian diet is safer and yours say that a meat filled diet is safer. whos right ? we both think we are. but both cant be. and i know i am. so i really dont trust you on what is the best diet for ANYONE or ANYTHING.
its not ur business what i feed her. she loves it and is healthy.

also i didnt TELL my friend to feed her chicken. i told him i was going to, and he chose to start her on it for me to see how she responded. she loved it. he was surprised she took to it so well. i was very appreciative he pretried it for me also. hes great.

She is my snake, I love her and all animals unlike people like you who choose to EAT them, so i very much trust her in my care over others.
Alot of people wanted to buy her from james and he chose me cuz he knew id care for her the best. its that simple. her needs are always met and very important to me.

There is no reason in hell for humans to consume meat when they can substitute a vegetarian diet, same as there is no reason she can not be substituted chicken for live or frozen dead prey.
there isnt even any chemicals in the chicken genius that wouldnt be in what she would eat. my roomie/ex husbands grandpa owns a farm and has fresh chickens there. he is slaughtering them anyways so he is hooking me up for my snake. thats as fresh as it gets.

as i have said many a time... dont act like u know things u know NOTHING ABOUT! oh and get a life MWAH!

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Coy

Not to cut in but showing a positive side may not be of help she needs to understand just how bad things are. She doesnt need this animal, there are lots of really nice starter snakes that are starter'sor a reason and they still need PRERESEARCH.
Her friend doesnt sound like he need these animals either for that matter. I hope she is willing to ignore everything he has told her and change her care completely around. feeding cooked chicken doesnt change the fact that some one killed then butchered the chicken by the way. At least if its whole it wasnt butchered.

YOUR ALL IDIOTS. sincerely. seek help. soon!
things arent at all bad. everything here is all good.
screw a starter snake. no interest. i like things big. hence i have a rottweiler not a freakin chihuahua. and i care for all animals very well.
i need and deserve this snake alot more than u do. obviously.
ive had starters my whole life and been around snakes my whole life. and again ive done TONS OF PRE RESEARCH! HOW ELSE DO U THINK I FOUND THIS FORUM? I WENT TO SO MANY SITES READING B4 I BOUGHT HER IT WASNT FREAKIN FUNNY! AND ALOT OF THEM CONTRADICT AS WELL!
i also asked the pet shop people at 3 places their opinions and friends.
my friends excellent with snakes but i dont agree with alot of his methods on things hence why i do the opposite as i said in my first posting. genius. learn to read. not just jump on the bandwagon.

i didnt say it changed the fact. i hate that any animal dies period.

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

Absolutely on target; Aaron_S KNOWS what he's talking about! A snake NEEDS WHOLE PREY and NOT cooked. You won't notice the snake is becoming ill right away, but gradually its health will get worse and worse. Its bones will become increasingly fragile as well, to the point that they won't be able to bear the snake's own weight.

My stepson tried to feed a cat a vegetarian diet a couple of years ago because he's vegan. The cat finally died.

You cannot make carnivores into vegetarians; you cannot make a snake not need what it needs nutritionally, and you shouldn't even try.



Only for you? or for the snake as well? If you care about the snake, PLEASE listen to what we are telling you.

I'm sure you're feeling attacked at this point, and I'm sorry, but this is really important. I'm usually pretty laid-back about stuff and want people to listen rather than get defensive, so I try not to attack people. But this situation even has me upset.

If you truly cannot stand the thought of feeding this snake what it needs because the prey "has a face," then please ask yourself, "Is this the right pet for me? If I cannot stand to meet its needs, is this the right pet for me?"

I was going to feed the snake raw chicken but i was told cooked was better and safer. so thats why i was going to cook it. i have a dog, he dont eat a vegetarian diet, hes a dog, he needs dog food. same as the snake eats chicken not a vegetarian diet. im not making my pets eat vegetarian. s o anyways! he was stupid to do that to her cat. i wouldnt do that.

I wasnt saying i only go with things for my safety. I was saying i do for mine and hers.
Yes this is the right snake for me. if yall dont agree o well.

Yall can eat animals day in and day out and not care that you are killing 3+ animals a week by doing so, yet you judge ME cuz u think i MIGHT kill ONE snake? yall are about the most ******** hyocrites i ever seen in my life. grow up. get your head out of your rectal region and see what kinna hypocrites you are.

She will live a long life and you will all be laughed at thorougly.
If she got sick and i was told it was cuz she ate chicken, id change her diet. but i am told by all these experts its fine, so im going with that. get over it.

I will be going to a forum where people are on their for something other than drama, im done here.

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Coy

We recently had a Florida based traveling zoo come through our little town. They had a 8 year old 7 foot burmese that they fed thawed chicken thighs. I asked the rather rude picture taking keeper about it and was told that if I knew anything about large snakes I would know that diet was just fine.







PS i hate the chemicals put into fowl period for anything us included

SEE!

theirs was too small tho. thats wierd. my friends that have fed their snakes chicken THEIR WHOLE SNAKE LIVES are HUGE! one has one that is over 30 ft long. shes amazing. so whatever if u blame it on chicken!

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

Anything, Julian? I'm feeling a sarcastic response coming on, but I'll try to restrain myself. Anyway, right after you said that, you contradicted yourself.

Do you really think this person should be trying to start her snake-keeping life with a Burmese Python that she knows almost nothing about?

You're correct that at least I do not have any snakes that large, and I won't ever, because I know I could not handle them safely and am not equipped to take proper care of them. Whatever I get, I want to be sure I can care for it properly and handle it.

I'm beginning to understand Aaron & Mykee better . . .

IM NOT STARTING MY SNAKE KEEPING WITH A FREAKIN BURMESE! IM CONTINUING IT WITH ONE! AND I KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM THEN U PROBABLY DO. god u people dont read u just yap.

why the hell are all you idiots in here that have never even owned a burmese? go away and let the big dogs handle things kiddos.
this part of the forum is NOT for you and you know NOTHING.

[Sane]

Originally Posted by body_xs_j

I love all to.
Don't feel bad I'm getting a HYBRID CAIMAN, it may grow and bite me or sometime. But who is to know whats going to happen.. Good luck with the snake....

thanks

you too!