Have you ever thought it would be awesome to own a huge pet snake? I have owned boas which can get pretty big but I’ve never owned a truly giant snake, like a Burmese python. I’ve been thinking about this lately and it has me wondering. Are Burmese pythons good pets?
I did some research and here’s what I found.
Burmese pythons can actually make excellent pets for the right person. If you have the space and ability to care for a giant snake, Burmese pythons are a great choice. They grow very fast, are very hardy and with regular handling, can become “dog tame”.
We will discuss all the reasons Burmese pythons make great pets for some people and why they should be avoided by others. First, let’s learn more about them.
Interesting Facts About Burmese Pythons
- Where do they come from? – Burmese pythons come from the jungles and marshes of South East Asia especially Burma. They are also found in the southeastern part of the United States in Florida and Mississippi though they are not native to those areas and are considered an invasive species.
- How big do they get? – Burmese pythons are one of the largest species of snake in the world. They can reach more than 20 feet in length, weigh up to 200 or more pounds, and be as big around as a medium-sized tree.
- How long do they live? – Burmese pythons can live up to 20 years or more in captivity.
- What do they eat? – In the wild Burmese pythons eat small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Very large adult Burmese pythons can also eat pigs, goats, sheep, small deer, other mammals, and even alligators. In captivity, they are usually fed mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and small pigs.
- Are they venomous? – Like all pythons, Burmese pythons are not venomous
- Why are they in Florida? – Yes, Burmese pythons are an established non-native species in Florida. It is believed this started when a hurricane destroyed a large python breeding facility and many snakes spread throughout the area. Escaped pets and pets purposely released into the wild, has made the situation worse. They are considered an invasive species.
- Do they have the ability to sense the heat of animals? – Yes, similar to pit vipers (very venomous snakes), Burmese pythons have special temperature-sensitive “pits,” along their jaws that can sense the heat of nearby animals. This allows them to find prey even in the darkest nights.
More About Burmese Pythons
Now that we know a little about them let’s look at what makes them a good pet for the right person and some things you should consider very seriously before buying one.
Burmese Pythons
- Are Easy to Find
- Affordable to buy
- Easy to care for
- Very Hardy
- Can be very docile
- Grow very large
- Have very interesting patterns
Considerations
- Handling adults is challenging
- Can be expensive to feed
- Require very large enclosures
- Have a bad reputation
- May be illegal to own
- Live a long time
- Are dangerous
Why Burmese Pythons Make Great Pets for the Right Person
Are Easy to Find
Burmese pythons are very common in the pet industry and have been for many years. They can often be found in pet stores, are nearly always at reptile expos, and can easily be found online.
Considering how large they can get, there are still surprisingly, quite a few people breeding them. It’s always best to buy captive bred and if possible, directly from the breeder.
Affordable to Buy
For being one of the largest snakes in the world, Burmese pythons are very inexpensive to buy. Babies usually cost around $200. If you want an interesting color or pattern morph that price can climb quickly.
All things considered, when compared to other snakes that don’t get nearly as big, Burmese pythons are extremely affordable.
Easy to Care For
For someone who has space and a rather large budget to feed them, Burmese pythons are easy to care for if someone is committed.
Taking care of a Burmese python is not much different than taking care of other snakes commonly recommended for beginners, such as ball pythons or king snakes.
They will need:
- An enclosure
- Heat and humidity
- Substrate
- Water
- Food
All of these things are common in keeping other snakes. With a Burmese python, it’s just at a much larger scale. And this can be a really big difference.
Still, if you are committed to having one of the largest snakes in the world as a pet, its good to know that keeping one alive and caring for one is pretty straight forward if you have the means to do so.
Very Hardy
When given the right care Burmese pythons will live very long lives in captivity. (Up to 20 years or more) They are a very hardy animal and can tolerate mistakes in care. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn all you can about how to take care of one but it does mean you don’t have to worry about your pet snake dying if you don’t get things perfect.
Can Be Very Docile
Of the three largest snakes in the world; green anacondas, reticulated pythons, and Burmese pythons, Burmese pythons are well known for being the most docile and easy to handle.
This isn’t to say that these other gigantic snakes can’t be tame but Burmese pythons seem to be more naturally docile. They have a reputation of adapting to handling very well.
Burmese pythons are very often used in educational programs with kids. If you have ever seen a demonstrator pull out a very large yellow and white snake for all the kids to see and touch, it’s almost always an albino Burmese python.
As with all snakes, frequent interaction and handling is key to a long rewarding relationship. The more they become accustomed to you and other people the more docile and tame they can be. To hold, touch, pet and handle a truly large snake can be a very exciting experience for kids or anyone.
Have Very Interesting Patterns
Burmese pythons are truly spectacular. They are not only large, but they have a classic jungle pattern that keeps them well camouflaged in their environment. They are very interesting to look at.
I prefer their natural look but because they are easy to breed Burmese pythons are also available in many different color and pattern morphs. These morphs can certainly be more expensive but for a person with the right budget, it’s not difficult to own a truly unique giant snake.
Grow Very Large
Let’s face it. One of the reasons you may want a Burmese python is because they get so large. If you have been dreaming of owning a truly enormous pet snake Burmese pythons make an excellent choice.
Why Burmese Pythons Are Not the Right Pet for Most People
Handling Adults Is Challenging
Because of their size, adult Burmese pythons can be very challenging to handle. These snakes are very powerful and when they reach their full size, they can easily overpower even a very strong human being.
Expert breeders recommend always having at least two people around whenever handling a large constrictor. Some recommend that you should have two people around even when feeding one.
This can be very problematic if you live alone or if your roommate, family member or friends are scared of snakes. In addition, a very large snake can harm you unintentionally just by their sheer mass and strength.
Can be Expensive to Feed
Feeding a Burmese python, in the beginning, will be just like feeding a ball python or boa but over time their meals will need to be much larger than mice and rats.
Owners of large pythons often feed them guinea pigs, rabbits, whole chickens, and even small pigs. This means you will need to have access to these food items and the budget to provide them, which can add up.
If the idea of feeding your snake, any of these cute animals is unnerving for you, then it’s best to choose a different snake. The cost of electricity needed to keep them warm year-round can also add up.
Require Very Large Enclosures
As your Burmese python grows it will need a very large enclosure. Around 4 feet by 8 feet for a large adult. Floor space is more important than height so the cage doesn’t need to be tall as much as it needs to be wide. We are talking about a very large cage.
This can certainly take up quite a bit of space. That’s a whole lot bigger than a big screen tv. Some owners give their giant snake an entire room in their house!
For most people, this simply isn’t an option.
Have a Bad Reputation
People tend to have irrational fears when it comes to snakes. When it comes to Burmese pythons there is no exception. In fact, it might be worse.
Regardless of how tame and docile they can be or how they might be used in educational programs for kids, they can strike uncontrollable fear in the hearts of many people.
The fire of fear has only been greatly stoked by the media over the years. If a large constrictor gets free and is seen in someone’s yard, you will hear about it in the news. The report will likely focus on exaggerating, and sometimes completely inaccurately describing, the dangers of large snakes.
Because of this, you won’t know which of your neighbors may have irrational fears about large pet snakes. If your Burmese python gets loose, you better be prepared for some kind of fall out. And it likely won’t be pretty.
Even if your snake doesn’t get loose if a neighbor learns that you have one you could be in for a challenging and antagonizing situation. I personally don’t advertise that I have a large boa constrictor.
I sometimes take him outside in the backyard. (Never the front yard) We have high walls but even that is a risk because the neighbors may still be able to see.
Owning a large constrictor is a big responsibility. Unfortunately, Burmese pythons have gotten a bad reputation over the years because of accidents, fear, the media, and of course their invasiveness in the Florida Everglades.
This can add more complexity and more responsibility to owning one. Perhaps more so than any other snake. In some places, it’s not even legal to own a Burmese python.
May Not be Legal to Own
Burmese pythons have been the center of quite a bit of controversy over owning large reptiles as pets. In Florida, it is actually illegal to own one. This is obviously due to the widespread population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
The laws governing exotic pets change from time to time and it’s best that you check your local laws before you decide to purchase a large snake as your next pet.
Live a Long Time
Burmese pythons get very large and live a long time. This is a big commitment in many ways. Your snake is going to get big fast and stay big for many years.
In fact, they actually never stop growing. Their growth just slows considerably after they reach adulthood. Be sure that you plan and prepare not only for having a large snake but for having that snake for a very long time.
Are Dangerous
Burmese pythons are very large, powerful predators. And they actually have been responsible for human deaths. They deserve the utmost care and respect from their owners.
Remember if you own the snake you are responsible for the snake, and whatever that snake does. Researchers say, between 1978 and 2009, large snakes killed 16 people in the United States; at least seven of these deaths were attributed to captive Burmese pythons.
This is sobering. If you want to own a large snake you need to know that snake has the power to harm or even kill you.
Let’s compare this to a much more popular pet animal. Dogs. According to dogsbite.org between 2005 and 2018, dogs killed 471 Americans. Wow. If dogs where a neighboring country, we would surley be going to war.
I actually love dogs, (don’t tell my family) but that’s more than 30 people a year! Compare that to 16 people in 31 years for very large snakes, and not all of those were Burmese pythons.
Further research shows that around 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year, and between 6,000 to 13,000 of those results in hospitalizing. Are dogs dangerous? Perhaps more people should be afraid of dogs.
To be fair, if people owned very large snakes like people own dogs, then the number of snake related injuries and deaths would be higher.
These data points are not meant to vilify dogs or snakes but rather to point out that keeping a large-sized animal as a pet carries with it, responsibility and risk.
Let’s not even talk about bees or their stinging cousins, wasps. I developed a healthy, let’s call it respect, for bees when I was about 17 years old and was attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets.
It turns out that we don’t need to fear snakes and dogs nearly as much as we need to fear bees. According to the CDC, from 2000 to 2017, stings from bees and wasps were responsible for 1,109 deaths, or roughly 62 fatalities each year.
Obviously, this article is not about bees but Burmese pythons. Burmese pythons are dangerous and this is something you need to be aware of before considering one as a pet. It’s certainly a big reason such big snakes are not the best pet for most people.
It’s also important to keep things in perspective. There are a lot of dangerous things out there that have nothing to do with large snakes.
I love snakes! And, I have to say It’s always been in the back of my mind, how amazing it would be to have a giant snake as a pet. I love anacondas, reticulated pythons, and Burmese pythons. I’ve owned boas, but I’m not so sure I’m quite ready for a truly giant snake.
If you want a massive pet snake, Burmese pythons are considered by many the very best option. Owning a huge snake is a huge commitment.
They grow fast and require very large enclosures. And, it’s no small expense to feed them and keep them warm. They are big and very powerful. Perhaps they should be considered the king of snakes.
Unlike king snakes, Burmese pythons are actually dangerous. They can also be extremely docile and adapt to handling better than many other snakes commonly kept as pets.
Owning a big snake is no small commitment, but if it’s your dream to own a truly giant serpent, a Burmese python just might be the very best choice.