Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all, I am still doing my homework before I step into my first retic. One question I have is regarding their intense feeding response. I was curious if feeding out of the cage (feeding in my spare empty bed room) and feeding dead (either frozen thawed, or freshly killed) will numb their feeding response? I have done this with some of my larger boas, and I swear they have forgot how to kill (I understand that's not really the case). Regardless it has definitely almost eliminated their feeding response.

Thanks!

I would take a 15ft non aggresive retics feeding response over an aggresive anyday bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't really speak about the subject like most people here... I've had my retic for about 9 months, it's a lavender albino that I picked up in October last year.

She will eat anything I give her F/T.. Right now I have her on F/T rats and she gets any mice or extra rats my ball pythons don't eat..

When I go to get her out she pops out her hide or props her head up like she might get something but when I reach into pull her out she's fine... Once she gets a bit bigger I'll be using my hook for sure... This is key I think, use the hook, hook train them and they'll probably be fine..

I feed all my snakes in their cages, I have some pretty big burms... IMO this is safer, I do not want a large 14 foot retic / burm in my bathroom or anywhere else in feeding mode with me in the room.. Then I'm not sure I would want to pick them up and get them back in their enclosure when they are done with the first kill and wanting another!
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
0.1 Albino Burm
1.1 Mojave Ball Pythons
0.1 Normal Ball Python
1.0 Albino Ball Python
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
0.1 Spider Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic

Seeking bigger cages for the family

Those are some great points!

I definitely would not look forward to moving him back to his cage after he ate...

Thanks guys, it was just a though

Hey Ed!
I would definitely recommend feeding outside of the enclosure for 2 reasons.
1. You don't want the animal associating the opening of the enclosure with feeding. Hook training, gloves, whatever, notwithstanding, this is how a lot of people either get bit, or end up being afraid of their animal, when it comes flying towards the opening whenever it gets opened, expecting to get fed.
2. While you've got the animal tubbed and feeding, it give you ample time to clean the enclosure.
As I've stated to you before, I tub feed everything up to 14' or so, and I've NEVER had a problem putting them away after. I can reach right in on any of my animals(once they're done)and put them away in their nice clean cage.
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Mike

depends on the snake. some start off aggressive feeders, some dont. some calm down as they get older and on f/t, some dont. i have a tiger that is calm as can be with feeding. then i have two that are nasty when feeding time is here. but, no retic feeding response even compares to my fwc i have. i will feed the most aggressive retic no matter the size with ease compared to my psychotic fwc during feeding time. i always recommend feeding inside the cage and hook training
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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

Please excuse the ignorance but what is an fwc?

look at his signature... cobra..
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
0.1 Albino Burm
1.1 Mojave Ball Pythons
0.1 Normal Ball Python
1.0 Albino Ball Python
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
0.1 Spider Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic

Seeking bigger cages for the family

sorry, its a false water cobra. i had always heard about their feeding responses, but didnt think it would as crazy as what the retic is known for. but wow, she blew past even the most aggressive retic feeding response i have ever had
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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