Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been thinking about getting a retic for awhile...they are awesome looking snakes but i dont know alot about them.
I have a couple burms so i do have experience with large snakes...are retics and burms similar in care?
Males generally stay smaller than females right?
What about there attitude? I have always heard they are nasty but that opinion seems to be going down hill fast..I would guess that a cb baby who was handled often would be fine.
Here's a pic of my female burm...

Retics are great if you have experience with large constrictors, which obviously you do. They are great and can have dispositions similar to burms if handled frequently. However, in my opinion nobody needs a retic for a pet unless they are breeding them. They far more inteligent than burms and have moods. I have 5 breeding adults and no two are alike in their personalities. Hope this helps you.

Prairie State Exotics

I don't understand your advice. Why should someone only have a pet retic if they're breeding them? I take it then you only sell your offspring to other breeders and not pet owners? And with your logic, if nobody "needs" a pet retic, they why would anyone "need" a pet burm, anaconda, redtail, etc?

You are right most people don't need to own large snake because they are dangerous. I get offered animals two to three times a week because people are scared of them or they have kids now. Also, I sell higher end retics so only breeders buy them anyway. I know first hand how dangerous these animals can be, I have visited the hospital when one had their way with me. I hold no ill will towards them I am just more careful in caring for them. However, when someone wants one of me retics they are well informed what they are getting into, and if they tell me it is their first big snake they don't get one from me. Furthermore, I think that people should be more informed when buying one. People need to realize that a little hatchling will ecceed 20 feet very quickly. For example, one of my albino females is just under 5 yrs and is over 20 feet. Then again my breeding females are fed quite often! To sum things up, I just wanted to help someone make a qualified decision.

Thanks, Prairie State Exotics

Why would you only limit keepers to breeders? Unfortunately I dont see you having many facilities that you will be able to "liquidate" your stock on a consistent basis. Unfortunately there isn't enough reliable keepers out there that are responsible enough to care for a large retic, and therfore by only keeping these to breed you are only adding to a problem that is too hard to control already.

In my opinion, I would like to see more responsible keepers of the large constrictors, but less breeders. There are so many being bred but so few to properly maintain and keep them.

Chris

Not really, I just mean that it is the responsibility of a breeder, dealer, or pet shop to educate costumers on the animal they are buying. People that buy a snake like that and are unprepared to accommodate its needs when it is big and some one ends up getting hurt is the reason why the legislature on these animals is becoming ever more ridiculous! Remember, this is my opinion you can perceive this any way you like.

Thanks, Prairie State Exotics

I am not trying to start a flame war and I completely respect your opinion, but I as well have mine. With this particular comment I certainly DONOT disagree. I agree that breeders, dealers or pet shops should properly educate customers as well as refuse sells if they donot feel that the animal will be properly taken care of and/or the potential purchaser does not seem like they will provide a permanent home for the animal. However, that is NOT what you said previously. You made the comment that ONLY breeders should be allowed to keep and maintain these animals and should be kept out of private hands. A good majority of breeders are private keepers themselves. Furthermore, if that was the case then what will be done with all of the offspring? Zoos certainly aren't going to take that many. Breeders are only going to keep so many animals. Conservation only goes so far and breeding "high-end" (aka money making) retics cannot and should not be considered "conservation", because they are there for breeders to make a profit. So if private keepers should NOT be allowed to keep and maintain these animals, then why do people continue to breed them??

Like I said, I am not trying to start a flame-war and I am not "percieving" your comments to my liking/disliking. I am simply trying to state where I feel that your comments were a bit flawed. Thanks for reading.

Best wishes,

Chris

>>Not really, I just mean that it is the responsibility of a breeder, dealer, or pet shop to educate costumers on the animal they are buying. People that buy a snake like that and are unprepared to accommodate its needs when it is big and some one ends up getting hurt is the reason why the legislature on these animals is becoming ever more ridiculous! Remember, this is my opinion you can perceive this any way you like.
>>
>>Thanks, Prairie State Exotics

You are right, I should have originally stated, "That in my experience a alot of private keepers have no business keeping a retic or any large snake." For example someone that has a ball pythons & corn snakes as pets (not saying there's anything wrong with that I breed balls as well) sees baby retic they fall in love and end up with a snake that is cool for the first couple of months. However, in less than year the snake can eat the family cat! I didn't mean that all private keepers shouldn't have a retic, but alot people just want a pet to look cool and a retic is most definetly the wrong animal for them. I most definetly didn't mean for any mis understanding, on the contrary I do see why you perceived the first message the way you did.

Thanks, Prairie State Exotics

Dude, nice burm man. I also used to keep burms and now have a retic. I say go for it. Basically the care/maintenance for a burm and retic is the same, ie large enclosure, humidity, temp, steady diet, etc. Retics used to be considered more tempermental, but I honestly don't think that's the case anymore. Though I would definetly suggest getting a captive bred and born. Stay away from the wild caught. And yes, males are considerably smaller. Good luck.

Thanks for the help..