Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got my female baby retic and she is in shed right now.She is cage aggressive and opens her mouth at me but once I get her out of the cage shes fine.I amd not hook training no matter what because I would rather get to know how to read my snake. I think if I take her out of the cage and hold her, then put her back in and take her out rigtht after i put her back in the cage aggression should go away.Lat me know what you think of this.Thanks

In my experience with retics hook training is essential. If the retic is in feeding mode they will strike at any movement-alnost a blind rage that over rides all other senses or knowing that you are her keeper. Simply opening the cage will set them off. I have been there and doen that and I learned quickly. Right now she is sweet and cute and little-a bite is no big deal. Try taking a hit from a 12 foot female. Or down the road a hit and constriction from an 18 foot female. Use the hook. You are dealing with a primitive, powerful animal that does not have reason or logic. A very different type of snake. Bill.
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

I'd highly advise you to heed the previous post in this thread...he's right about retics and their enormous feeding response. I really don't think you and your retic will develop a relationship in which you "know each other". The earlier you start, the better. And really, by hook training, you and your snake are getting to at least understand how your interactions are supposed to occur (ie. feeding or handling).

What works some some people others may find unneccesary. We have over 2 dozen adult retics, the males average 12 to 15 feet and the females average 16 to 20 feet and we never use hooks. We raised most of our retics from hatchlings and got to know them and they got to know us and by the time they were of any decent size they were so conditioned and accustomed to our touch and by sight that they are as calm as any other calm species. We do not have any retics that come flying out of a cage in a blind, vicious strike just hoping the movement they saw was food, lol. They generally tend to come up and smell us and verify that it is us and not a rabbit or pig and then they go back to being indifferent of our presence. But if we reach in and rub and pat them the way we do they recognize this and don't even bother to smell us. I would say that this "touch training" probably wouldn't work for everyone. I think there is some level of experience one needs to be able to read their pythons in order to accomplish this. Simply because, a mistake in reading their body language can potentially mean injury. But in concept touch training is really no different than hook training. It's just your hand that pats and strokes them and not a cold metal hook. Either way it is simply touch conditioning and both methods work equally well.
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David Beauchemin
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