Not a Giant

[Minkness]

So yeah, he shouldn't get big at all as he is 'apparently' a high % super dwarf/dwarf cross, but...he's still a retic! I can totally see why people fall in love with these snakes! Quickly became a top favorite in my collection. He is active, but not in a 'get away' type of mannor. Often times I will put him down or on something and he will actually come back towards me! He is slow, so not as crazy to handle as my colubrids, but has an amazing muscle tone under his omg sooooo soft scales! People have talked about their intelegence but I honestly never saw it in the photos I looked at...but in person? Holy cow! The way he looks at things, watches it, THEN makes a move is just amazing! Also, he is super ultra mega laid back (for now). While he was being held at the store for a few weeks while I paid him off, I'd visit every Friday and take him out. No hissing or striking and was just super easy! At one point there was an afterschool program in the store and when I took him out 10 kids between the ages of 6-14 were suddenly crowded around me. They asked to pet and hold him, and he seemed cool, so I allowed it. Turned into an hour long educational experience for them (and their teacher), and though the kids were...well...kids...he was a perfect gentleman the whole time. Even when one or two freaked out around him lol. Then, the store let me feed him at the end of the night before they locked the doors, and without hesitstion, NOM! Haha. So even with all the noise and manhandling, he never stressed and proved to be an excellent feeder!

Well, now he's home. Actually got him home last Friday after I left work early due to some pretty bad weather. The store is on the way home so I just hopped over, paid, packed him up, and headed home. I fed him a single rat wean in saturday night, but my gopher didn't eat her small rat, so I gave it to him on sunday morning. Even with a full belly and the smell of rat in the air, he remained calm...but watched...and watched. Again their intelegence took my breath away!

He was in 2 ran weans every other week, but I was thinking of iffering either 1 wean a week or 1 small rat biweekly. Thoughts on this?

He also needs a name still. Was thinking of Apollo but something about it makes me go 'meh'. So suggestions are welcome!

[EL Ziggy]

Looking good Mink!

[dave himself]

Welcome to the club Mink mate and it's amazing how quick these snakes will steal your heart. You've a beautiful boy there and I'll not make a name suggestion you've seen what my snakes are called :D

[Tsubaki]

He's beautiful Mink, congrats :D

[Minkness]

Thanks everyone! I am pretty smitten myself!

Any words about the feeding schedule?

[bigsnakegirl785]

He looks good! I'd probably do the small rat or medium rat myself, whether weekly or biweekly. He looks rather big for weaned rats, and if you wanted to wait to put him on mediums he should be big enough to handle mediums soon. I didn't start River on mediums until she was over 5' but she was immediately put on larges because medium were too small. She had been eating two small rats since she was 4.5' so she grew really quickly - hasn't grown that quickly before or since her double feedings even when eating really large meals.

[Minkness]

He's still on the small side actually. Like 3.5 feet. But the weaned rats didn't leave much of a buldge at all, the small rat left a pretty good buldge though. So I'm thinking a small rat biweekly should do him better. =)

Thank you for the info!

[bigsnakegirl785]

He's still on the small side actually. Like 3.5 feet. But the weaned rats didn't leave much of a buldge at all, the small rat left a pretty good buldge though. So I'm thinking a small rat biweekly should do him better. =)

Thank you for the info!

Ah. He looked a bit bigger than that in the arm photo, he looks about 4' in that photo. Sounds like the smalls are a good match then!

[Minkness]

I have pathetic tiny hands lol.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I have pathetic tiny hands lol.

lol Me too! I'm just used to seeing others with large/average hands on forums.

[trailblazer295]

He looks amazing, so jealous. Glad he is a good feeder.

[Minkness]

I don't mean to make you jealous TB.

Thank you for all the compliments everyone! I haaaate to admit it, but this guy may have me on the look out for a female SD suntiger lol.

So far (and since he's new, things could change) this is guy is one I can see myself interacting with daily. As a fairly nervous person, I am pretty amazed that I am made more nervous getting my Boa out of his enclosure! This guy really is just so chill. <3 <3 <3 ^_^

Maybe his name ahould be Chillbert.... lol

Gunna wait and feel him out a bit ore to dind his name. =)

[EL Ziggy]

He looks like a Dorian, Neo, or Spencer to me Mink :).

[trailblazer295]

I don't mean to make you jealous TB.

Thank you for all the compliments everyone! I haaaate to admit it, but this guy may have me on the look out for a female SD suntiger lol.

So far (and since he's new, things could change) this is guy is one I can see myself interacting with daily. As a fairly nervous person, I am pretty amazed that I am made more nervous getting my Boa out of his enclosure! This guy really is just so chill. <3 <3 <3 ^_^

Maybe his name ahould be Chillbert.... lol

Gunna wait and feel him out a bit ore to dind his name. =)

I'm not sure how much I believe that :suspicious:

Enjoy the new addition.

[MartinD]

That is one gorgeous snake. I'm waiting for my SD suntiger to be dispatched, can't wait to get him in my collection. As he is 'chilled' how about Frosty

[sockSnek]

Beautiful retic. I did have a friend once who named his ball python Chill Snake. You could call yours...Super Ultra Mega Laid Back Snake. I think that's how you referred to him earlier.

[riddick07]

All my retics are pretty chill too. Glad you love him they are some of my favorites here! Cleo might actually be my favorite anymore. I've thought about adding an SD but I think I'm about done with the giants even smaller versions haha. Even though I would really love having a burm again...

He is beautiful! Are you planning on breeding if you find a female? The laws are too annoying for me on them even though I think they would an interesting one to breed.

[Minkness]

If I could find the perfect SD female, I think would breed. I don't plan on doing shipping for anything I breed and they are super limited around here anyway. There are like 3 breeders in the whole state and it's hard to find breeders that can ship actiss state lines anyway. Ince I have a few things paid off I think I may start an actual search for a female. But there are alot of other priorities as well. Like getting all AP caging lol.

We'll see what happens. I think I got a steal on this guy after looking around at other SDs, let alone females!

[dave himself]

I'm so pleased he's chilled out for you mate and if Jenny is anything to go by he'll just get better :). We had her out last night and she doing her usual going along the back of the sofa's thing, so I sat down and started stroking her and she actually started to try coil up on my knee :D

[Minkness]

That is so neat! I know the arguement has been had about if they 'like' things, but if retics are as smart as we all say, I have to believe their is something else there besides pure instinct. It isn't the same 'love' we understand, but I wonder if they aren't just 'more' than we give them credit for. =)

[dave himself]

I know what you mean mate Jenny definitely prefers Lisa over me (the traitor), I've actually seen here stretching out over a third of her length just to get over to her. And when someone new comes into the house she's all over them lol

[Minkness]

Haha. That's kind of what my guy didnin the store. If I handed him over to someone else to hold, he would stretch out to come back to me! Not gunna lie, that was part of why I got him. I really REALLY wanted a lavander albino. But finding those in duper dwarf is hard and expensive! And I didn't think I'd find another retic that I just so easily clicked with! And, hes not too shabby looking either lol. I hope he keeps his pale creamyness! Oh, and his eyes are metalic copper! Such a neat, beautiful looking snake! Oh, did I mention he has a rainbow sheen to him too? I didn't notice that at the store, but when I got home I was like. 'DAMN!'. XD

On, rambling over....for now...lol

[dave himself]

Lol I know what it's like mate when we got Jenny it was beautiful weather and we always had her out lol. And if your taking pics of him try and get him in natural light :), even in the winter months get him to a window it'll show him up and make his colours pop for you ;). And know what you mean about clicking, the day i went to pick Jenny she had 12 other sisters, but the minute her tub was opened she was out and up my arm and settled on my shoulder :)

[SWDK]

Good looking retic Mink! Glad you joined the retic club. They are an awesome snake. I don't regret adding one to my collection.

[SnoopySnake]

Awesome new addition!!! That's a great looking retic, is it a tiger?

[Minkness]

Yes snoopy! ^_^

[SnoopySnake]

Yes snoopy! ^_^

Have to admit I'm not a fan of tiger morph myself.....But that is for sure one I'd go for! Lucky you!