Howdy,...



All my babies are both pets AND breeders, though pets first and last, if you know what I mean.



While I try to love them equally, I do show favoritism when it comes to handling and individual attention. I usually spend some time every day with my albino retics. I have them placed in cages in the main snake room where I will see them first as I enter and the placement of their cages in the particular cage towers has them right at chest level so it makes it easy to open their cages, stroke, pet and sometimes hold them. Sometimes the big female will come right out of the cage opening, several feet in the air and at a 45 degree angle and smell my face. I can recognize the difference between this and a feeding response, so I am unconcerned when she does this.



Next to them I spend a lot of time with my big albino granites and other albino burm pattern morphs (I have no normals). I actually prefer the burms in terms of their real easy going mannerisms and laid back ways. But something about the sheer value of the albino retics has a special appeal.



As far as retics go, next in line is the supers. I just love them and like to take them out almost daily. The tigers, (which I have more of these than any other phase) get the least attention and I may take them out twice a week for a few minutes each. It's really hard to divide one's time to hold over 100 large snakes and give each any individual time. The bloods and jungles and boa species and such end up paying the price and get held the least.



With the retics I have noticed a very relevant constant,.... Those that get held the least tend to strike more at shadows and movement and I have even had one have a multiple feeding response AFTER I was carrying him for about 10 seconds. By this I mean he bit one hand,.. I got him off,. then he bit the hand I got him off with, and I got him off again,. then he bit a third time before I finally got him back into his cage. I was a bloody mess and my hands were shredded. But he meant no harm to me personally. He was just having a feeding response and was mostly unaccustomed to being held by me and mistook my warm hands for prey. So in my opinion I would say it makes for a MUCH safer snake for one to handle their retic (or any species) frequently, and to maintain a "relationship" with them.







>>I've been wondering what the general concensus is for a while now. Finally remembered to ask. lol

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>>any details (i.e; age, length, approx. weight, pet or breeder, etc) are greatly appreciated

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>>

>>Raymond
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"If I had 365 enemies it would only take a year out of my life to settle all scores." Mia Miselfani

[ Hide Replies ]

• How often and how long do YOU handle your retic(s)....... - abstractcypher, Tue Nov 4 23:05:53 2003
• RE: How often and how long do YOU handle your retic(s)....... - BrianSmith, Wed Nov 5 18:07:22 2003