Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,
I have been collecting and keeping snakes for about 5 years. I have had a many boas, and carpets but never had anything above 10 feet. I love the animals, their beauty, power, and intelligence. I have been told that pythons, especially retics are really smart. I am completely aware of their adult size as well as how fast hey grow. That being said I have been looking into a superdwarf as my first retic. Is this a good or bad idea? That way I can expect to see it stay around 10 or 12 feet. Also what do people have to say about these snakes as pets. I handle all my snakes regularly. I am aware they are cage aggressive. is there any way to tame that out? feeding in another cage, or box?

I am hoping someone can share there experiences and feelings.

One of my friends growing up recently died from her retic, while she was trying to medicate it. So I am trying to do everything I can to make sure I am prepared so that I can enjoy it to the fullest.

Thanks All!

Pure Superdwarfs range in size from 6 to 10feet with the females being at the lager side of that scale. Superdwarf crosses tend to get bigger but not by much. The dwarf locals are inbetween normals and the superdwarfs(7 to 15feet) with crosses iether being smaller or bigger depending on if they where crossed with mainland or Superdwarfs.

I find that my pure pair of SD LTC retics are definetly more flighty and a little less calm. They are also shy eaters and don't like to be disturbed while eating otherwise they are good snakes.

My SD cross pairs I have are a lot less flighty and are more calm but i believe this is mostly do to being captive born and raised. They still have the retic feeding response and are just as quick as my pure pair but they don't mind being held.

I like Retics as they exibit a greater degree of interst and personality in whats going on around them than som of the other snakes I keep or have kept.

Sorry about your Friend from Viginia Beach I knew here as a aquantence when I was Stationed thier for the Navy.

Just wanted to comment on the SD cross sizes that have been posted earlier. I have 1.1 SD X Jamp dwarf crosses that I purchased as hatchlings about 6 years ago and they are large snakes. The father of mine weighed 3 pounds and the mother 30 lbs. Both of the parents I believe were wild caught. As for the CB offspring, my female at 6 years old is around 14.5 ft and over 70 pounds and the male is just slightly smaller. The male is easily almost as large as my largest mainland male, so truth be told I am not sure I am buying into the whole dwarf thing. Sure the female is only 14 feet long at 6 years old, but there are many mainland’s that stay in the 16 to 18 foot range, which is not all that much longer. I have 10 retics ranging in size all the way up to almost 20 feet and 186 pounds and the truth is the SD X Jamps while great snakes are no easier to deal with then any of the others (with the exception of the Sulawesi's which are moody). In truth in some ways they are more difficult to deal with because the two I have are always on the go making it difficult to handle them. Most of the rest of my retics are easier to handle and tote then the SD X Jamps. I realize that all snakes are individuals and not all of them may be as energized as mine, but be aware that these are retics and they have all of the feeding response, strength, and will of the mainland’s as well as a very good portion of their size. I believe that as more SD's are produced and are kept for longer periods of time that we will see that they are larger then initially anticipated (anybody remember when Jamps supposedly only reached 10 to 12 feet.....). I am not trying to rain on anyones parade, as I love retics, it's just that I want anybody who is seriously thinking of purchasing a retic to know that they all are large, active, intelligent snakes that require allot of cage space (no less then 6X3 for a male in my opinion), food, and forethought.
Just my experience and opinion
Shane

Didn't cover all your questions.

I feed mine in thier cage and hook trian, it solves alot of cage aggression with my snakes except one and he's a foul temperd Blood while in his cage but alot calmer out of it so I keep trying to hook train him(still I Like his I'm big and mean don't mess with me on my turf attitude it just makes cleaning his viv a pain in the butt).

Retics are interesting animals to keep and I enjoy mine. If you do get one or a couple just relize that normals and the dwarfs can reach a size that can require one or more people as backup while handling if something ever goes wrong. I have a spray bottle of alcohol always ready with mine and they are only Superdwarfs and SD crosses and have never needed it but better ready then never. Also once you have your snake you begin to learn its behavior from observastion and should know when its not a good time to handle or bother your snake.

Yes my spelling sucks sorry. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your help and advice on this. I keep hearing that the retics can be a handful to handle. I have handled many BCC red tails around 8 feet and have no worries. OBVIOUSLY a retic is a leap but I want to be sure i really inderstand what i am getting into. when you say there are some days i just cant handle them and i do read my snakes and i really get to know all of them and i can even relate. some days my boas just dont want to cooperate with me. but with a boa this means a little hiss or just really jumpy... what does that me with a retic? a 12 or so snake that is not happy, or a snake that just wants blood. I have heard nightmare stories of really angry retics and i understand it all in the snake, and trainer. however as breed would you recomend it as a PET? I know i can hold them, enjoy them and soo on but do you think it is more work than is enjoyable? do i have to worry about the snake once it is out and about?

Basically I am trying to figure out if I put in the energy and effort to make this a good tame pet will I be rewarded with a beautiful powerful tame animal? or an animal that at anytime could kick my ass? LOL.

Thanks again and sorry for the long message.

also, remember that each snake is an individual and has their own temeperament and habbits and quirks. my sd (wc) i had for a while was the most laid back snake in the world. and my 3rd generation tiger het albino female is very, very unpredictable. retics are a fantastic snake to have. my big male normal tiger is like a big goofy lab retriever.
-----
retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra

So if you had to make a recommendation for my first large boide what would it be? A superdwarf, a regular, possibly a burm, or an olive? I am hoping to achieve a arge snake that I can predict, respect, and enjoy.

thanks

The Burms ive had are much more predictable. In general much more docile.

I have 7 Retics right now, and i only fel comfortable handling a couple of them, the tigers can be a bit more crazy
-----
Alec Schneider

1.0 11ft White Phase Albino
1.0 6ft Lavendar Supertiger Albino
0.2 13,10ft Tiger Het Albinos
1.0 6ft Tiger Het Albino
1.0 8ft Albino Burm

Several other rescues, and Tons of scorpions

what is the size range of a adult burm male and female? is that average for the breed to be more docile than retics? I hang out with my snakes and watch tv or relax around the house almost everyday. I am hoping to find a large constrictor to do the same. I know snakes bite and I know accidents happen but I also know they can be avoided. I am hoping to find a snake i can handle safely its whole life. many of my friends are comfortable being backup when needed but for the most part it will only be me and my girlfriend when the snake is out. is this reasonable?

thanks again!

I have 5 burms and 6 retics. They are totally different. Burms are very lazy in nature and are great "couch/TV" companions. Retics, even the most docile ones tend to be more on the move and like to explore. They prefer to climb on the TV rather than watch it like the burms do!

That said - all 6 of my retics are very mello. If you start with a hatchling you will know pretty quickly if it will become predictable or tameable - (as you likely know most hatchlings are defensive). A little handling should calm down and show you if a baby retic will make a good/tame adult retic. If you happen to have a baby that doesn't outgrow it defensiveness or wild behavior quickly, then I would suggest trying to trade it to an experienced handler who doesn't mind, then try again.

I have been lucky myself and have had 8 retics total - two I decided to sell as they were a little less predictable. I have 3 small children so I did not feel comfortable having them around. I sold them when they were about 6 months old. The person who bought them is still very happy with them.

Lastly - I've seen burms with bad attitudes and that are flat our mean too. But, it is more and an exception to the rule!.

Good luck and thanks for doing your research before diving in - I respect that a lot.

Rick

Thanks a lot Rick and this is exactly what I am after. I am open to a burm if it seems to be the right fit. I dont mind working with my snakes while they are out but I am not sure I feel like chasing a retic around the living room anytime I want to hold her. I have had a few experiences with burms and unfortunately non of them were good. Not saying they cant be but what does it take? Like I said I love holding my animals so that should not be a problem.

I guess the question I really need answered is if these snakes "turn on you"? I have never had these problems with my boas but it has never been as big of a concern since I can handle all my boas alone. I am not talking about a feed mistake, but if I raise a snake I am comfortable with is it gonna turn against me? I hear a lot of people say with proper precautions you will be fine. but what does that intale? not being able to relax?

thanks agian!

Although some burms can have an attitude, I think it is pretty rare. Who knows what the background of the burms you dealt with were.

My burms are like slugs - super calm. They do have a killer feeding response, but once out of the cage I can practly sit on them and they would not turn on me. I've never heard a story of "when good burms go bad". Same with retics - once they are tame and friendly, they typically stay that way.

I know that Kevin M. from NERD uses tame (20ft) retics for his party's, etc. There are pictures of small children handling his large tame retics with no problem or apparent concerns.

I would say that if you "snake proof" your house then you can let the retics roam while you watch TV. That's what I do - the like to cruz, but if you have the right set up there is no need to chase them around.

Good luck.

Where I would agree that retics tend to be a little more "explorative", I actually have several that like to hang out and watch tv. It just takes them a little longer to, shall we say, "settle in"......LOL. I have a 10' Lavender albino female that spends a quite a bit of time in front of the tube with me.(When I have the time, that is)
-----
Mike

That is great to hear! Where can I find more out about snake proofing my house? So with all this said I plan to definitely tap and hook train my snake. Any good pointers on hook training? Anything else I should or shouldn't do? Is it "safe" for me to handle my retic, or burm for its entire life with just me and my girlfriend in the room? I plan to prepare and have some kind of deterrent near by in case I am bitten.

Also in suggestions on breed or locality? I would lean towards the smaller side in the 12' 14' range if possible but am open to suggestions if people think otherwise.

I am getting kinda excited now

Just remember that snakes are still snakes.

I've had some of my best snakes randomly decide it is a good idea to bite me - red tails, corns, kings, even balls.

Definately hook training.

For me snake proofing is to have all electrical and cabling taped or tied down. No breakable objects on tope of cabinets, etc. Also no easy escape routes to outside or inside the drywall, etc. I had one snake escape under the sink cabinet once and I had to take the cabinet out to retreave the snake - caused a lot of damage.

Have fun.

I love snakes!

Any suggestions on breed or locality? Size and temperament considered?

pretty much any of the dwarves are going to be a little more flighty and nervous, especially at first. jampeas are a nice locale, a male should not get over about 11 or 12 feet (depending on genetics, feeding schedule, etc). madu's and kayaudi's are generally a little smaller. for me, my first 3 snakes in my life were retics and i started out big. the smallest one i got, was a 16 footer. just keep in mind, hook training from a hatchling (pretty much) is essential with these big boids. also, the main thing to always remember, snakes are still wild natured and instinctual animals that rely on us to try and mimic their natural habitat as closel as possible. best advice i can give: get a hatchling (cbb), provide proper temps, humdity levels, hides and photoperiod, feed when it is hungry (ie, cruising the enclosure constantly, after defecation, etc), handle frequently in short intervals, and hooktrain, hooktrain, hooktrain. these are wonderful animals and are very active (generally) and are a pleasure to work with and with the advice stated above (as well as any other that people can offer), they will usually calm down and make great pets for a long time
-----
retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra

Well since nobody else touched on this and you mentioned it several times, NO you cannot nor should you ever handle an adult retic with just you and your girlfriend present unless you and she are very experienced handlers. As you stated earlier, you had a friend recently get killed from a retic. These animals are not toys. You mentioned several different "what if" questions. Well the truth is, what if the snake does not tame down or gets larger than it "should". Well the answer is that you are morally responsible to still provide this animal with safe and adequate housing. If you do not have experience working with animals that are 16ft plus than you should gain that experience first.
-----
Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

How do you recommend that I gain that experience? As I stated I have experienced large Boas, mostly in the 8ft range and I understand that it is a big leap. THAT IS WHY I ASKED... Can you make a recommendation for an intermediate step?

And that is correct one of my childhood friends did die from a retic, her pet. But I can also understand that she made several handling errors, and was not exercising caution. I respect that these are large powerful animals. I have also spoke with quite a few handlers and breeders that disagree with your opinion on being able to safely handle a NON-Mainland retic. Can you supply any info to support this claim? can anyone else chime in and shoot in their 2 cents?

As I stated above I am speaking with breeders and handlers to (hopefully) find a locality and sub-species that will not exceed 14ft in adult age. I have been told this is possible. I am open to super crosses etc..

Thanks for everyones time, and I appreciate the info!

male jampea
-----
retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra

Thats what I have been looking into! Thanks reticguy!

get a dwarf retic. superdwarf retics would be smaller than your boas.

i dont care all that much for sd's, thats why i like the jamps, and a male should top out at about 11 feet (give or take)
-----
retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra

Don't go on a public board looking for opinions on retics or any large snake. People are going to be very protective of the HOBBY because of mistakes people make, which turn very public and put the hobby in jeopardy. They will jump to the extremes of safety and over emphasize the uglier details of owning large snakes. Not worth the headache and you will get far better advice if done privately.

Your best bet is to continue to call or email handlers for advice. As someone else said, YOU NEED EXPERIENCE with retics before buying one. Go volunteer to help someone clean cages, feed or anything else that will get you exposure. My ultimate advice is don't get a retic until you have experience working with them.

Rudd

Thanks for your advice! I must say that from the amount of research I have done so far I would definetly agree. The breeders and handlers have been great. I was only hoping to get as much info as possible.

I only know of a few people keeping retics around here, and of the people i know they are mostly rescues of snakes that are already huge. And although I could definitely get a feel for the massive size and strength, I feel like this would be able to prepare me for what COULD happen. my goal would be to DEFINITELY handle my snake and build a relationship with it.

thanks

i agree with the advice about getting experience first to a degree. my first 3 snakes i ever owned (back in the day), were 3 retics (1 male normal het albino, 2 big female tigers het albino). never had any experience with big snakes at all, other than reading up on large boids, and i had ball python and desert snakes that i had caught and kept. so i jumped right in and bred for some years and became very comfortable with them. most of snake owning is commone sense, dont handle bigger ones alone, hook train, feed a good schedule and socialize as much as you can (with somebody of course for the bigger ones). so its hard for me to say "dont get a retic or burm or rock without experience, i did it and i loved it and still love. although, maybe someone up there was watching over me in my beginning years, with some decent snakes
-----
retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra