Does anybody have any websites they can recomend to educate me more about the retic?

[slith_python]

Does anybody have any suggestions about which websites i should glance at to further educate me about reticulated pythons?

[Rosy-enthusiast]

I have re thought my comments on this species counting your age/abilities. Ok, I would actually reccomend you getting rid of it because of your age and the size of this species. They can grow 6-8ft a year and to tell you the truth I dont think im ready for a big boid like that yet as well as the commitment. Look into the future, a cornsnake or ball python exrement isnt big but those are not usually reaching the 6ft mark but look at the reticulated python! It can reach 18+ ft. Your gonna have a heck of a time cleaning the cage because your most likely gonna use a shovel. The maintenance is just on going and its not gonna be very fun? Im gonna have to ask how much experience you have with 18ft+ boids? probably none....

EDIT: Another question, why did you get this exact python species? To show off to your friends or what?

[Ixidor]

Rosy, plz be kind. Don't assume that he/she is a novice to taking care of herps, s/he might be new to this species, but not herps in general. Don't jump down peoples throats because of their age. Don't assume its to "show off".

[slith_python]

No, i gotit cause it looks cool andi love everything about them, my uncles a herpetologist andhe said if i was to get a big boid to get one of those, and i have a ton of exp. I own a green anaconda, ps, i like retics way better, anacondas are stinky, no hard feelings to all anaconda owners, and im 14, and im 6'1, im quite capable of handeling myself.

[slith_python]

Its not to show off.

[slith_python]

Does anybody else have anything to say?

[Reticsrule]

if you are looking for sites strictly on retics, the only two i know of are www.retic.org and www.reticinfo.com. hope that helps.

[Rosy-enthusiast]

Ixidor - Im not trying to be mean but hes 14, he may not be a nooby for other herps but theres a big difference between a anaconda and a retic! I dont know how big his anaconda is but seriously retics are a different story.

Im 20 and im 6'7 (im in real good shape).... I personally dont think im ready for that big of an animal at the moment. You think you stand a chance when it reaches 15ft+. you (smells like rats or mice) vs. retic (hasnt had a supper in 1-2weeks)? Dont think so without stitches, broken bones or death. Obviously your uncle is out of his league (no offense) because if he was responsible he would have said either a columbian or a bit higher up would be a burmese. You should go to the nerd site, they have a bunch of caresheets that tell you the animals ease of care and the retics is ADVANCED which means somone has experience with large boids which is where you have to answer how big is your anaconda?

You guys shouldnt encourage him.

[slith_python]

my anaconda is 13' 7'', and im quite capable of handling itand yes, i know that retics grow fast, and can reach 20'+, the females oftem bigger. I am an advanced keeper.

[Rosy-enthusiast]

How long have you actually had this anaconda? Do your parents help you out? I see this as turning out bad because I dont think you can handle a 20ft snake by yourself and actually convince friends/family to take it out each week to clean the cage, etc. You saying your an advanced large boid keeper is like you saying your equal to N.E.R.D in skill.

[slith_python]

Yes, sometimes i do it by myself when hes in a good mood, and mot of the time i have help, ive had this anaconda sinse it was a week old, im assuming it was around there, and i have the proper equipement to do it by myself, tongs, hooks, etc. Most the time i dont even need help, and you sound like a know it all, i asked for your opinion on the snake, not on how much exp i have.

[Rosy-enthusiast]

Right, I thought you would need help, I can understand a 13 1/2ft snake where somone will help but not a 20ft+ snake. LOL, a know it all? Could be because I have actually kept one before that was reaching 18ft..... AND I kept a burm that was at 15ft. I had to sell them both though because I got tired of all the cleaning and always needing help to take out the retic. With the retic I had to spend a minimum of 2hrs every 2 weeks cleaning the excrements that got under the newspaper. I dont know about you but with a reptile that big you have to have somone with a good stomache to clean it because it smells so disgusting (although I got used to it) as well as somone thats willing to do it every 2 weeks which is sometimes hard because people have other things then to take the snake out for 2 hours and watch you clean and then put it back. Can take an excess of 4 hours!

EDIT: you didnt ask for an opinion, look at the topic, heres a site by the way http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareRetic.html

[kevyn]

I keep a semi-large collection of retics. One of the main reasons I like retics, is that they are a challenge. While my retics are "tame" animals, they are still very active when handled, with the exception of my tiger het female. At 14 can someone responsibly keep retics? I don't know. I do know they will likely need help from someone. Retics are powerful, large, and very intelligent snakes with a very strong feed response. They are certainly for a keeper with advanced skills in keep giant pythons. Is the person starting this thread ready? I doubt it, but I can't say for sure. I do know my buddy got a burm at 14 and now he's one of the biggest breeders in the world. I guess it depends on the 14yr old and I know a burm is a hell of way from a retic. So is an anaconda.

If you want info on retics www.retic.org like was mentioned is a great site and maintained by my buddy Adam. He's a great keeper and breeder. He knows retics. Also you might want to check out the forums on www.bobclark.com and www.contrictors.com . Just be prepared to be asked alot of questions on your abilities with this snake.

[Rosy-enthusiast]

Thank you for pointing out the obvious Kevyn! I already said anacondas are much different and I said he probably wont be able to care for it properly. He says hes an advanced large constrictor keeper and hes only 14! It takes years and years to know exactly how an animal is gonna react so you cant say you are. They are the most intelligent animal I have ever kept that was a reptile. I might get a burmese next year if I feel comfortable with the idea.

[slith_python]

um, your a fricken idiot saying im not gunna be able to care for it and i dont know how its going to react cause im 14, you sound like a jackass, age doesnt matter, as long as you muture enouph to understand.

sorry, the idiot and jackass thing was uncalled for but seriosly, if i get killed its my own damn problem, so lay off.

[slith_python]

Ive had exp from my anaconda, plus, my uncle taught me everything he knows, i also wat to become a herpetologist.

[kevyn]

Thank you for pointing out the obvious Kevyn! I already said anacondas are much different and I said he probably wont be able to care for it properly. He says hes an advanced large constrictor keeper and hes only 14! It takes years and years to know exactly how an animal is gonna react so you cant say you are. They are the most intelligent animal I have ever kept that was a reptile. I might get a burmese next year if I feel comfortable with the idea.

No need to be rude, man. I was agreeing with you. I should also point out, that you say you've kept retics, but you also say you're possiblly not comforable with burms? Also you don't list any retics in your collection. While I do agree this kid is likely not ready for a retic, you seem to setting yourself out as an authority for giant pythons yet you seem to have limited experience yourself?

[Ben_Renick]

Well just to break up an arguement, it does matter how old you are in some cases, not all. For instance anyone under teen years, should not get a large constrictor without a parent that knows a lot about them. There is no need to argue over anything in this thread, it doesn't matter who is going to bash on the kid harder, or who has more experience. A 14 year old kid is very capable to own a large snake, with their parents or whoever. Not alone. The money situation I just can't see happening for a 14 year old, it's just impossible to afford by yourself at that age.

Slith_Python, you said that you handle your 13' Anaconda by yourself and yet you argue with these people about you knowing what you are doing. First off, a 13' Anaconda is going to weigh probably a good 70 lbs, I have a 12' Green that weighs that right now. I don't care if you think it's your problem if you get eaten or not, you make it everyone elses problem when it goes on the news. It is very irresponsible. If you want to be a herpetologist, then you have to understand that even if you know what you are doing, you should always have someone else present. Anacondas especially are the one snake you should NEVER handle alone. You also said that you have had your Anaconda since it was one week old, that would mean you got it when you were about 10 years of age. Have your parents minded getting rodents and rabbits for the last 4 years?

You also said that you are keeping your retic in a Reptitarrium. Those are deffidently NOT made for retics and it's just a cheap way of housing. If you are getting these large snakes, you have to be able to afford a proper enclosure, not an $80 cage that probably cost less than the snake. There are options such as plastics caging and melamine caging. Plastic is music easier to maintain humidity. Try Monster-Cages.com or Visions, Spend The Money.

As far as your retic goes also, it's temperment could be tamed, but if you are just going to go out and buy a retic, why didn't you just look up a breeder and buy a c/b one instead of just buying the first one you saw?

This is not a bash to you at all though, it should be taken as advice. I'm 18 years old, I own 1.1 Green Anacondas (8',12'), 0.1 Marbled Yellow Anaconda (6'), and a 1.0 Anery Green Anaconda (3'). I have two 8' x 30" x 2', one 6' x 30" x 18", and one 4' x 2' x 1' cage. The largest 3 are from Monster-cages and the other one is just another plastics cage. I have payed for all of this with my own money and continue to take care of them everyday no excuses. I have studied on Anacondas and am currently starting my breeding projects with them. If you want to be a herpetologist, take advice and study, because that is what it takes.:)
~Ben

[slith_python]

i do study bout them, all the time, buti have a way to keep humidity up all of the time, in a reptarium, the whole snake room is humid, i have a humidifier in the room, so that pretty much takes care of all my humidity problems, if i had it in a large room, that wouldent work, but it is in a small room.

[Ben_Renick]

If the whole snake room is humid, what kind of walls and ceiling do you have to prevent rot? Just curious to how you monitor this in the snake cage to know that it's sufficiant also?

If you study Anacondas and other snakes as much as you say you do then you would know not to handle them alone, you would know where to find captive bred snakes, you would know that these snakes should not be housed in a Reptarium to save money, and you would know most of the questions you are asking. Studying snakes, does not mean get on a forum and ask someone a question that could typically be found in a caresheet (catching my drift a little here?).

Just curious to what you are housing a 13' Anaconda in also? Possibly pictures of it? Possibly pictures of the room or of anything? If you post pictures, everything about your snakes can be done properly if you know what to change. If I can look at the room you are talking about, see the snakes (just for me:), and see how everything is set-up, I can give you some very useful advice to which road to take. Right now if you are planning to become a herpetologist, you have to be able to take advice on what you are doing wrong, if I'm doing something wrong that someone would notice in a photo or information I give out, I will stand corrected and/or change it. People that have experience and own these snakes for the most part know what they are talking about.

[kronic2005]

I just have one comment, to rosy and whoever else said a 14 year old is not capable of maintaining a retic...... They are capable, if they have someone whos willing to help them whenever needed (parent, friend, anyone). He says hes 6'1 and he seems pretty mature, at least a bit more than you guys putting him down for getting a retic. You have to start somewhere, maybe he shoulda went for a burmese first to get expirience but that was his mistake/choice. If the kid is sure his life is not endagered and he is maintaining his snake just fine, let him be, let him ask his questions. You gotta start somewhere, so stop bashing the kid. People make mistakes/choices, and learn from them. As for him handling the conda alone, thats is a very bad mistake, anything can happen with condas. But hes still posting here isnt he, hes still got a chance to change his ways. I agree with ben you cant just ask questions about herps on forums to learn about them, you cant just read caresheets(which do help alot though) you need to look in depth into species, find the good information giving sites with the snakes backround, where it came from, their eating habits, their behaviour patterns, etc..etc the list goes on, u can never stop studying one species. Just give him your advice on what he should do from here and let it be, shunning him will do no good. Im not gonna give any advice about retics or keeping them cause i have only read so much about them, and ive never dealth with them or anything. ill leave that to someone who actually knows what their talking about.

[slith_python]

Yes, your right about that, i shouldn't handle my conda alone, thats a risk im willing to take. And unfortunetly I do not have a digital cam so i cannot post pics. And just so you know, iallready knew all those questions, i just was searching for someone elses opinion that is not a scientist or a fricken care sheet, i want advise from normal ppl like me, catch my drift. And im sorry if ive been rood latley, i shouldent have said some of the things i did say.

ps, im very careful, lol

[anaconda]

Would love to see pictures of a 13.5 foot "male" Green Anaconda.(you did say he)
Amazing that all the people who supposedly have these big snakes never have a digital camera. mmmmm.

[frosty]

Yes, your right about that, i shouldn't handle my conda alone,

On the extremely short list of people killed by captive giants, most of em were because of their irresponsible handling of these animals.

Most experienced snake owners show an amount of respect for giants, knowing that they can over power you at any time.

Your irresponsible attitude towards this certainly doesnt support your claim
of having experience with these animals. namely owning a 13'7" anaconda.

a 14 yr old can handle the responsiblity of owning a giant in most cases.
However you said you had your anaconda since it was a week old. Anaconda's dont grow 13 ft and 7 inches over night. IT takes some time. Which would make you younger. That to me doesnt add up to me. So i reached the conclusion maybe this is a co-ownershop with your parents?
cause I cant imagine you caring for such a pet at that age...it takes alot of time and money to care for even babies.

[slith_python]

yes, i did have help from my parents, your right about that

[slith_python]

I finally got a dig cam, im postin pics

[Ben_Renick]

Awesome, where? Can't wait to see them!
~ben