I'm sure that many will disagree,... but,....

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Posted by besiege on May 13, 2003 at 16:47:40:

In Reply to: I'm sure that many will disagree,... but,.... posted by diseasedstran on May 12, 2003 at 22:22:23:

:::...... I personaly feel that burmese are easier to keep and more predictable that bci and other boa constrictor subspecies. The only thing that seems like it would be more difficult to cope with would be the sheer weight of a burmese, but quite franky I have much less trouble moving large burmese around than I do moving large boas around. Just because the boas almost always get panicky and have to grasp at everything and hold you tight. The burmese tend to allow you to pull them along and usually drape on you or where you set them. (Usually! I also have a couple of testy burms that do resist a tad) So unless you are overly weak the size factor shouldn't even bother you. I also think that burmese are a lot more laid back. I tell you, I watch my boas a lot more closely when working with them than I do the burmese. In my experience they (the boas) are just a lot less predictable and may strike (at "food") even after you have identified yourself to them. With my burms, once I know that they "know it's me" I feel really comfortable with moving about them freely without too much guard. (though I advise one to still always keep an eye on them, of course. just good practice).
::: About the cage question,.. oh yes, 8x3 would be more than adequate until she is about 16 feet. Now it's entirely likely that she will never reach 16 feet, so that should be fine for her forever. The usual adult size of female burmese appears to be roughly 11-13 feet and about 70 to 100 pounds. Mine get much larger than this simply because I feed them much more than most "pet burmese" keepers, with the sole intention of creating a greater size for better breeding. But most keepers feed their snakes more moderately which usually results in the above sizes. So yes, your 8x3 foot cage should be more than adequate. If you are handy with building things and would like to save a lot of money I have a large python cage design for a 6.5 x 3.5 cage that costs roughly 60 bucks to construct and is easy to make. Just email me if you are interested.

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:::: I had ask this on the python forum before realizing there was a burm forum:

::::I'm getting a female (normal) from Bob Clark in about a month. I've been researching for about 3 months now and hope I'm getting educated enough. Currently my collection consist of 1.1 Peruvian Redtails and 1 bci.
::::I guess caging size would be a question, I've read many varying opinions. Will a 8X3 be adequate for an adult female? is Neodeasha still in business, my current boa cages are Visions.
::::Just looking for anymore info I can get before she gets here, I want to be prepared.
::::I noticed everyone seems to feed in their enclosure, my boas eat in a separate container. Obviously you don't want a huge snake still in feed mode when you think its time to put her back.
::::I guess any other things you could think of would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.
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:: While I agree with you on some points, I'm not sure that I would pass along the notion that Burms are generally more predictable that boas. That's how people get hurt. I'm not insinuating that's your intention(to pass false knowledge). I personally have been bitten more by Burms than by boas. Perhaps it's because I became complacent with the idea that Burms were actually friendlier(making the bites my fault for not using precautionary measures). While they may be calmer than BCC, I think BCI are just as calm as Burms if not more. Of course not everyone is going to have the same experiences with certain types of snakes but that goes without saying. Any large hungry snake should be approached with EXTREME caution no matter how friendly one thinks that snake is.

:True, Any large shanke should be handled with care. But i have to agree from my own experence i'd trust my burms more than any boa i'v ever owned. the only reason i'v ever been bit by a Burm is because of something that was my fault. I'v owned boa's that just bit , for whatever reason. Not that they were in feeding mode , not because i was handling a food item before i got in the cage to clean it. Just because it was siting in my lap , and desided to bit me.
:So i'd have to agree with Brian on this one.
:Mason..
:

Like I said, not everyone is going to have the same experiences. I do agree that BCC can be a little testy. BCI are very calm. I can't remember the last time one of my boas bit me(BCI or BCC). My bullsnakes are a different story, lol. I don't think they can tell the difference between a rodent and a human hand. Anyway, Burms seem to be on a constant lookout for food. At least mine always exhibited this behavior. And they're well fed animals! I also have a friend who was showing snakes to cub scouts with the same Burm he uses about twice a year. One of the boys got bit. It just goes to show ya', even the friendliest of snakes will bite. Lets not forgot, these are not domestic pets. I can't stress enough the importance of not relaying the wrong message to newcomers to the forums who could get hurt due to misinformation. People are way too lax with these large animals.

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