Pythons - Specialising in Australia's best Pythons
  • Home
  • Reptile Courses
    • A guide to choosing your first snake
    • Pythons - Care and Husbandry
    • Reptile books
  • REPTILE CREATIVE - THE SHOP
  • Our Animals
    • Oenpelli Python
    • Scrub Python
    • Olive Python
    • Water Python
    • Black-headed Python
    • Woma Python
    • Green Tree Python
    • Carpet Python
    • Southwestern Carpet Python
    • Centralian Carpet Python
    • Roughscale Python
    • Spotted Python
    • Childrens Python
    • Pygmy Python
    • Stimson's Python
  • Available Animals
    • Black-headed Python
    • Woma Python
    • Olive Python
    • Green Tree Python
    • Carpet Python
    • Bredli Python
    • Scrub Python
    • Roughscale Python
    • Spotted Python
    • Childrens Python
    • Stimson's Python
    • Pygmy Python
  • News
  • AWS Podcast
  • Contact us
  • Terms and Shipping
  • Links
Steve is now a published author! 
Picture
CHOOSING YOUR FIRST SNAKE
Make an informed decision about the best pet snake for you.

Maybe you’re considering getting your first pet snake, or maybe you have previously owned a snake and did not have a good experience. The objective of this book is to help you decide which type of snake would be best suited to your personal circumstances, and to help you avoid making a choice you later regret!

If you are new to keeping reptiles you may have a number of questions on your mind that include:
  • What type of snake should I buy?
  • Where should I buy it from?
  • What are the signs of a healthy snake?
  • How much room will I need to give it?
  • Should I get a baby snake or an adult for my first pet snake?
  • Should I get a male or female?
  • If I see a snake for sale that I want, how will I know if it is healthy?
  • What sort of questions should I ask the seller before I buy?
  • Do I need a permit to keep snakes where I live?
At the end of this book you will be able to answer these questions.

Learn to differentiate between snakes and find a healthy specimen.

There are many different species of snakes, as well as subspecies and morphs within species; this book will give you a basic understanding of different types of snakes. The author has extensive experience with keeping and breeding snakes and provides the reader with his recommendations for first-time snake ownership.

Did you know, or ever wonder why so many giant snakes get handed into animal rescue facilities? It is commonplace for people to buy a pet snake only to find themselves with a giant snake on their hands a few years later that they don’t have the space for!

There are some excellent keepers giving great advice on social media, but unfortunately, there are also bad ones. As a new enthusiast to the hobby you may not be able to distinguish between correct and incorrect advice. If you are new to the reptile hobby this book will put you on the right track by giving you basic, sound knowledge before you head out to purchase a snake. You will also gain confidence in knowing that you are asking the right questions of the seller.

This book is an easy-to-follow guide suitable for all new reptile enthusiasts, from the older child to adult.

(Note: This book does not cover how to care for your snake.)

Foreward by Adrian Sherriff (Animals Anonymous):
"...I’ve known Steve Crawford for many years, and in that time, I’ve seen just how passionate he is about reptiles. His enthusiasm is contagious, and he’s always happy to share his knowledge with anyone keen to learn... If you’re thinking about getting your first pet snake, you couldn’t ask for a better guide than Steve. His experience, knowledge, and passion for reptiles make him the perfect person to learn from."
Picture
PYTHONS: CAPTIVE CARE & HUSBANDRY
This book covers all the requirements you need to meet in order to create an appropriate and optimal environment for your python to live in, plus more advanced information to assist you with developing a better understanding and relationship with your python.

You will also learn about stress in snakes, health issues, as well as feeding and handling techniques. Whether you are new to keeping pythons, or have kept pythons for a while but would like to increase your knowledge and expertise, this is the book for you.


Master captive care and create an optimal environment for your python.
  • Consider different types of enclosures
  • Learn about correct lighting, heating and enclosure furnishings
  • Understand how your python eats and learn different feeding techniques
  • Recognise python behaviour and master handling techniques
  • Identify stress factors and reduce the risk of illness
  • Enrichment for your python

Steve starts by introducing you to the many different python species of the world. Provides an introduction to keeping these snakes in captivity, and the importance of record keeping for your captive animal. Then the book delves into enclosure requirements.

In the feeding chapter, Steve explains how and when to feed your python. Advanced insights and techniques are provided for tackling fussy feeders and pythons that totally refuse to eat. He also addresses over-feeding issues.

A safe handling chapter is included to provide advice on how to approach and handle your python, techniques for handling more defensive and aggressive snakes, and what to do if you get bitten. You will also learn how to recognise a snake’s body language and behaviour.

Health issues that can arise with your python are discussed in depth, and information is provided about how to deal with them, including quarantining.

Whilst this book is specifically about keeping pythons, much of the information provided will also apply to keeping other types of snakes.


Preventing and overcoming common problems.

In this book, Steve talks you through problems that may arise with your python, how to recognise and address them. You will finish this book with a greater understanding of your python and methods to reduce your python’s stress and risk of illness.

Steve shares some of the stranger things that he has come across whilst keeping pythons to give you a greater insight into keeping these magnificent animals.

This book is an extensive, easy-to-follow guide, suitable for older children and adults.


Foreward by Peter Birch (Colourful Critters):
"...With over 40 years of experience in keeping and breeding reptiles, I consider Pythons: Captive Care and Husbandry, by Steve and Zita to be among the finest resources for managing and breeding pythons in captivity. It offers a practical, hands-on perspective grounded in the real-life experiences of seasoned reptile keepers..."
Home        Our Animals       Available Animals        News       
Contact us        Terms & Conditions        Links
© copyright Prestige Pythons 2013