Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to snakes and I don't even own a snake yet. I am not new to reptiles. I keep my 2 bearded dragons that I have very healthy. I have been wanting to get a python of some type. I have been very drawn to these reticule pythons. Have some concerns. Concerns are these. These snakes get HUGE when they get this big how do you people clean the cages out and stuff like that by yourself? When you do clean these cages, have the snake ever tried to bite you or become aggressive towards you? What size of cages do you use for these large snakes? I am not scared of these large snakes, but I would be concerned if they bite me and tried to wrap me. Have your reticule pythons ever did this to you? Can a single man take care of these large snakes by themselves? I have seen ball pythons and they are cool....but they are smaller. Heard of these super drawf pythons....how big do they grow? Lastly, how did you guys convince your wife that is terrified of snakes to allow you to have one? My wife not getting it....she hates my bearded dragons and have stated that if she only know that I would have these...well..(hopefully she is kinding...she would not married me).....so how did you get your wives to allow you to have these large snakes to live in your homes? Any tips?

Not a wise choice for your first snake. Ok, you have 2 beardies. You have never owned a snake. Just because you have "experience" with reptiles does NOT mean all reptiles have the same hubandry requirements. That would be like someone saying "I have an anole so I know what I'm doing. So do I get a Gaboon viper or a Death adder?" See, doesn't make sense. Oh, and beardies dont get 20 feet long and couple hundred pounds.

You dont move a snake this big by yourself. At least I dont. Do you even have any idea the size enclosure you would need for a full grown retic? You better have a spare room in your house because its going to have its own room. Your wife is terrified of snakes? Seriously? And you would consider a retic? Seriously? Say you had to clean up the enclosure, she left because she refuses to be around when the snake is out, the snake thinks its feeding time (know how to acclimate a snake to know the difference? Didnt think so) and it latches onto your arm and wraps you up. See, not smart.

Get a corn snake for your first. Minimal temp/humidity concerns. Just do a ton of research and look at care sheets.
-----
"What are you afraid of? What ever it is, it's here. That and things your little irrational mind couldn't even dream of."

I agree 100% with you. Retic + first snake= BIG trouble.

Get a ball or cornsnake. Something that can't kill you if you mess up.

You wife's afraid of snakes and you want to get something that REQUIRES more than just you to maneuver???!!!

Scenario:

You just finished thawing a 5 lb rabbit for your 15+ft retic. You decide to take the water container out before you feed to hopefully avert a mess. Well, as a fairly inexperienced individual, you forget/don't think about washing your hands before reaching into the cage.

You smell like RABBIT= hit and coil.

Now your wife, who is terrified of snakes, stands there helpless and can only call 911, not actually help you.

What's the outcome???? BAD.

By the time anyone who knows anything arrives, it could be too late?

Then what????

Just my two cents. I'm not trying to be an @SS...just pointing out things that could happen
-----
1.1.0 spider ball pythons
1.1.0 mojave ball pythons
2.0.0 pastel ball pythons
1.0.0 albino ball python
1.0.0 granite ball python
0.4.0 normal ball pythons
1.0.0 het pied ball python
2.0.0 borneo blood python
1.2.0 sumatran blood python
1.0.0 black blood python
1.0.0 african rock python
0.1.0 albino burmese python
1.0.0 redtail boa
1.0.0 bearded dragon
1.0.0 leopard gecko
2.2.0 cats
1.1.0 cockatiels
0.1.0 bipedal companion

I wasn't trying to be an @ss either but with all the legislation going on its situations like this that dont help.

Educate yourself on a small species. DO NOT make an impulse buy. Spend several years learning then MAYBE work your way up from there.

I love retics. I own a burm. I breed Ball Pythons.

I still say get a corn snake. I wouldnt sell you a high end BP morph no matter how much money you had just because I wouldnt trust the snake in your care just yet and balls require patience imo. No offense.
-----
"What are you afraid of? What ever it is, it's here. That and things your little irrational mind couldn't even dream of."

"Do you even have any idea the size enclosure you would need for a full grown retic? You better have a spare room in your house because its going to have its own room"

I personally have only ever seen one full room sized enclosure for a retic...I am curious how many actually provide that for thier retics? What I do see a LOT of is people like Bob Clark, BHB, Prehistoric Pets, NERD..ect..ect.. keeping large retics in 6-8 foot Boaphile or Vision type enclosures....

I am curious how many actually build "Room Sized" or Extra large enclosures for thier Large Retics?....I know its common to say they need huge enclosures, but I am curious how many actually keep them in huge enclosures? You see pictures and videos of large retics kept in not so huge enclosures...You can go to YouTube and see the vids for yourself...BHB keeps large constictors like Burms and retics in fairly small enclosures, if memory serves me correctly...
-----
Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

I forgot to ad, I wouldn't recomend a reticulated python for your first snake. I think colubrids are a good choice, they are active, hardy, and good to learn how to keep snakes with. Cornsnakes, Milksnakes, Kingsnakes...even Pits are a good choice if you are wanting something that might have a little tude...Bullsnakes and Gophers are pretty awsome....

Don't become another statistic and get a Retic and find out in a year that its too much to handle...please
-----
Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

.....if I was breeding and had limited space for such a large animal then yeah a rack system would be the only way to go. But obviously this is not the route this guy was going to go. I keep my BP's in racks. But yes, my burm has her own room. Spoiled brat that she is.
-----
"What are you afraid of? What ever it is, it's here. That and things your little irrational mind couldn't even dream of."

Well, no idea on the wife. Mine tolerates my hobby so long as it doesn't bankrupt us or totally take over the house. Of course I've had some of my snakes longer than her

but yeah, retic as first snake? I dunno about that I'd call myself somewhat experienced around snakes and retics have still had a learning curve for me. I'd look into maybe boas, or other mid to large sized snakes--carpet pythons come to mind, or maybe savus....there's a fair amount of 5-10 foot snakes out there.

If you're die hard set on a retic of course, nothing we say will stop you. If that's the case what can I say? Buy CB, Bob Clark and Retic Ranch are good places....be ready to find a source of feeder rabbits or pigs BEFORE he gets that big. Rats are easy enough to get, fewer places sell rabbits, pigs or goats. Be ready for an insanly fast growth. My normal male that I just got I've had like 2 months and he's shed 3 times. And I dunno about the cage size for sure yet, my only near adult is a dwarf male, 5' or so. He's just in a 50 breeder with some modifications to it. The other dude's in a 4' vision until he gets a bit bigger (which won't take long). Swear to god he eats like a racer--all the time whatever'll fit down his gullet.

and as far as solo handling--NO NO NO. someone else who's competent needs to be in earshot at least. I've snake sat big stuff before (green anacondas, burms, a retic) and man oh man. You can't budge 'em if they don't wanna move!

I personally would like a response to our advice. Politics aside I think we all would like to know if we have educated you in any way. This is potentially a hard time for us and we need resonsible people like yourself to listen to us. So please let us know if we did a good job?
-----
"What are you afraid of? What ever it is, it's here. That and things your little irrational mind couldn't even dream of."

I would love to know if anything got through as well.
-----
1.1.0 spider ball pythons
1.1.0 mojave ball pythons
2.0.0 pastel ball pythons
1.0.0 albino ball python
1.0.0 granite ball python
0.4.0 normal ball pythons
1.0.0 het pied ball python
2.0.0 borneo blood python
1.2.0 sumatran blood python
1.0.0 black blood python
1.0.0 african rock python
0.1.0 albino burmese python
1.0.0 redtail boa
1.0.0 bearded dragon
1.0.0 leopard gecko
2.2.0 cats
1.1.0 cockatiels
0.1.0 bipedal companion

Not giving the OP the benifit of the doubt...but if he is anything like So many people who just want a big snake and think it would be cool (The ones that shouldn't own them) It will be a piece of cake for him to go to the local pet store, or even order one online for $69.99 plus shipping.....Its not hard at all to get your hands on one....Most (I say most) of the time when OP's don't respond back its becuase they didn't get the response they where looking for, they wanted someone to back them up in thier already made choice to buy something.

I begged him not to become another statistic and buy a reticulated python that in a year or less he will realize it wasn't a good idea....like so many others do...Hopefully he took everyone's advice and chose a different snake for his first snake...One can only hope....

But I have a feeling he is going to do what he wants to do, and it won't be that hard for him to get one...He might post on here in another 3-6 months with, help...my snake is aggressive...what can I do...lol
-----
Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com