Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone ever go through this. Not sure what is going on with me. I had my conda lash out at me, in what I think was feeding response, and my retic is back to firing out at the glass as well as just sitting there waiting to be feed. Today I cleaned him but, I feel like my so called Mojo is gone. Its almost as if I have a fear. Is it fear or respect. My super tiger is about 12 feet. I have had a lot happen in my life, my wife lost a fetus after 10 weeks, I just had to put my dog down last week after 11 years. Just wanted to get some thoughts on if anyone else has ever gone through this, or if its time to get rid of my big guys. I do not want to since I have never given a pet up. Maybe its a good thing, since I am being very alert now.

Thoughts?
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)
0.0.2 Yellow Ackies (Ludmilla and Ivan Drago)

Well lets take a step back and look at it like this. What are you nervous about? I am sure you have been bitten..

Personally if you think this is more than just a couple bad days I would start by putting a shirt of your in the cage with him, let him smell you non stop. Do you have friends that will "spot you"? someone that knows what they are getting into and hopefully has an idea of what to do. After a week or so of putting a new shirt in there everyday (obviously one that you wore all day) I would try just hanging out by the glass, if he strikes DONT move. show him "you dont scare me" and remind him that he doesnt need to be scared of you.. Also what are you feeding and how much? I have seen your posts for a while so I am sure your husbandry is correct. Have you changed anything?

Once you have taken those steps work on getting him out. use a hook if needed and just try and stay calm. It is CRUCIAL if you dont trust this animal right now that you have at least one good spotter i would recomend two...

Feel free to give me a call,
Ed 707 292 2161

Thanks, set up is still the same. He just started eating again after a few months off. I feed him a med rabbit every other week. Once I touch him with the snake stick he backs down and all is good. Not a fan of being bitten and try to avoid at all costs.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)
0.0.2 Yellow Ackies (Ludmilla and Ivan Drago)

Good advice from Ed. Could be your retic is coming off the breeding season and he is more aggressive for a while. You have been through some rough times and snakes can sense your mood and state of mind. Relax and use your pets to ease your mind and enjoy them. Give some time and handle when you are ready. 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 can understand not wanting to take a bite no one really does but some have a harder time with it. Try the advice I gave earlier and keep me posted. If he calms down a bit with the hook that is a good sign!! I would personally read that as FEED ME MORE!! but if you think he is full and eating well. Remember when you open the cage (unless you handle him daily) he will go into feeding mode assuming you feed in the enclosure. You need to break that mode by regularity. open the cage and if you intend to take him out touch him with the hook, possibly rub his back with it. This is you letting him know its time to come out, not eat... once you break that response rub his back with the hook and proceed to pull him out. he should remember this is play time, not eating time. I highly recommend the spotter the first few times, especially if you are not confident with the animal. He will sense that unless you have a great "poker face"..

Personally I anytime I open the cage I reach in and pet the back of my snake with my hand. I can tell you if you reach in and get nervous (not following through, or changing the course of your hand if he moves) he will take that as weakness.. and often strike. If i follow through and follow my "routine" he will st his head right back down. Remember these are arguable the smartest constrictors.

Hope this helps,
Ed

my thoughts are that it could be a number of things, such as: temps, hunger, insecurity, etc. another thought, is that inspite of most snakes these days being cbb, they are still instinctual and reactionary predators, and they dont need a reason to strike or become (or even go through spouts of) aggressive.
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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

Just like people, snakes have bad days too. It seems that all mine get moody at the same time. Hang in there, it will make for a good learning experience
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steve

Thanks to everyone. I have had to take him out twice this week to clean. You know, clean and then you put him back in just to go again. I think he does that on purpose to mess with me and my emotions. When he is touched with the snake stick he starts to back away or hide his head and then when I reach in to grab him he moves to the other side of the cage. It just bothers me that a month ago, I would reach in with no problem and wrestle him out, and ever since my Conda did what he did, it has me thinking about getting tagged by this guy, and how much I do not want that. I use to spot clean him while he was in the cage but now, I will never do that again, and pull him out each time. I could just touch him with the snake stick and leave it on him and he would not move, but since I have lost conf in myself, I really don't trust him, even though he is just doing what he does and that is his feed response. He has calmed down on firing out at the glass, but when I open hit the lock to open the cage he is all alert, because I do feed in the cage. But I have those thoughts when I pop out the glass of the vision cage that he could just go crazy at any point on what my thoughts are. It could be called being alert and more carful?
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)
0.0.2 Yellow Ackies (Ludmilla and Ivan Drago)

Hey Rotten,

I don't think your current issue is all that uncommon. What I do think is uncommon is that you are brave enough to talk about it on a forum like this rather than simply abusing your animals or getting rid of them. Kudo's to you for that.

I think the suggestions for moving forward posted by others are we stated, especially making sure you have spotters.

Getting bit sucks, however usually the more you get bit the more you realize you will survive it. Kind of like a little kid learning not to be afraid of a baseball being thrown at him. Once you get hit by the ball (yeah it hurts like a mother) you realize it is not going to kill you and you will live to see another day.

Anyway - thanks for being honest and open and I think everything will be okay.

Later.
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1.3 Albino Burmese Pythons
1.0 Green Burmese Python Het Albino
0.1 Granite Burmese Python Het Albino
1.0 Albino Boa Constrictor
0.1 Hypo Boa Constrictor
0.1 Het Albino Boa Constrictor
1.2 Purple Albino Retic
1.0 Tiger Retic Het Albino
0.1 Sunfire Retic Het Albino
A lot Ball Pythons
A lot of Corn Snakes
A lot of King & Milk Snakes
0.1 Savannah Monitor
Yes I have the space for these reptiles and yes I am a responsible keeper and breeder!

Thanks for the comment. This hobby means to much to me for to long to not ask questions even if it meant, everyone said, get rid of him. I fed him again tonight usually this is an off week, he gets one Med Rabbit every other week but again maybe he just was really hungry since he had not eaten since October. Good thing is he eats rabbits without having to feed a rat first. That is a step after a full year of that. He has stopped firing out at the glass this week. I think its cause I have spent more time down in the basement, walking by his cage. Needless to say, I think it will continue to take time for me but thank you again.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)
0.0.2 Yellow Ackies (Ludmilla and Ivan Drago)

I agree with what others have said.
You have probably figured out(or will) the male retics growth will slow down before a females. In fact a lot of adult male pythons"eat to live" where just about all female pythons "live to eat".
I had one big (17 foot) male retic we called Mr. January. He would eat 6 huge rabbits in Jan., 4 in Feb., 2 in March and MAYBE 2 in April. That was it. He would'nt eat again until Jan.
He would breed all fall and into the winter but once January hit, look out. He was dog tame but I would'nt even consider handling him in Jan. and Feb.
Now noone wants to get bit. But it's not the end of the world.
I'm all for being careful, careful is good. And of course anytime you open the cage your entire focus should be on that animal. My prediction when you do get bit you will be more angry than hurt. Of course never let a large snake wrap you up.
I would feed him more, like you said he is hungry after fasting since Oct. If you have a friend that can watch great.
What I do with friends is they watch... that's it.
I have a lot of really big snakes and I need to know I can handle them by myself. So they watch until I tell them I need help. This just tells me where I am in relation to my age(52) and strength compared to the snake. Good Luck take a breath you'll be fine. D.C.