New From Eastern PA

[Squisher]

Hello everyone,

My name is Matt. I've had various reptiles over the years strictly as a hobbyist. Most of which that were rescued and/or confiscated or owner turn ins. Some came from the ACCT Intake building or the PSPCA. The one Redtail I had was grossly over weight and had severe mouth rot and RI. Most would turn away but I took him and got the medical done. I had my fill of redtails and wasn't really interested in keeping him so I traded him. But at least he was healthy when I done so.

I used to have Igs.. and lots of them. Had 10 adults at one time. Again, they were taken out of a home and the shelters intake facility has absolutely no provisions for them (they were in bird cages). I took them and rehomed them slowly and not for profit. My one girl was 15 when she died. After her I was kinda done with Igs.

I now keep Pythons.
I have 2 Retics, 1 Adult Male Normal
1 Female Yellowhead (about a year old)
My Adult male is the most well behaved Retic that I've ever seen. He wasn't always like this but after some trust was established we became good friends. I have lots of videos of him.. I will find the appropriate forum for them and post them.


I also have a few Ball Pythons.
1 Adult Normal Sex Unknown
2 late 08 Normals (1 het Albino)
And my newest baby..
A late 08 High Contrast Albino (Male) Which was an early xmas gift.

I look forward to meeting everyone in the forum.

[Smilts]

Nice list of pets and grats on the rehoming you have managed Im steve nice to meet ya.

[Squisher]

Nice list of pets and grats on the rehoming you have managed Im steve nice to meet ya.

Thank you Steve. My wife has run a rescue for the last 10 years mainly of mammals but when the shelters found out her husband (me) has reptile experience they asked if we'd take them too. It's been a little while since we've gotten anything in that respect but nonetheless we are here. The two small Ball Pythons came from there. EVERYTHING that comes in the house gets a mite treatment before they see the enclosure room. Got infested once NEVER AGAIN.

[Will0W783]

Welcome to the forum, and nice job taking in rescues! Sounds like you've got quite a nice collection there. Where in Eastern PA are you? I live southwest of Philly. It's a great area.

[Squisher]

Welcome to the forum, and nice job taking in rescues! Sounds like you've got quite a nice collection there. Where in Eastern PA are you? I live southwest of Philly. It's a great area.

Thank you Kimberley. I live in Upper Hanover Township...20 minutes or so above Norristown. Alot of the rescues that have come and gone were from the city. Alot also comes out of Delaware as most anything including Green Iguanas, are illegal there. Nice to know I got a local on here lol. Thanks for the welcome!

[Will0W783]

No problem. I'd love to see your rescue some time. I always like to get in touch with other local keepers and breeders. It helps to have a network in this hobby. :)

[Squisher]

No problem. I'd love to see your rescue some time. I always like to get in touch with other local keepers and breeders. It helps to have a network in this hobby. :)

It absolutely does! However, to show you the rescue is to invite you to my home lol. It's a home run operation and THANKFULLY there are a network of fosters out there that help with the 4 legged rescues. Ever since the disease outbreak in the philly shelters she stopped pulling from them nearly as much. All animals are acclimated into our own pack to lessen the social anxiety for them so we didn't want to run the risk of spreading anything to our own. We had alot of issues before the shelters admitted anything to the public. In any event as far as helping out on the reptile front i do what i can. I have tons of glass enclosures but i hate to use them for keeping long term. I've moved to vision products for my own. Glass is terrible for maintaining climate but the small room everything is in is at least a balmy 88

[Will0W783]

Oh..ok..lol. My snake collection and breeders are in my home too so I know how that is. I'd love to see some pics of your collection though. :)

[Squisher]

And i would love to do so. Is there a proper thread for this as in should i post breed specific or would this thread work? Both my Retics just started their shed cycles (i swear they're like two women lol) which is fine cause my adult male doesn't really change but my younger female Yellowhead is starting to grow into her shoes so to speak and i really love her brightness when she's done shedding so i will have to settle for an older one now and repost a new one when she's done. Is there a video thread? I have some cool vids of my adult roaming the house and taking a bath.

[Will0W783]

You can post pics right in this thread.

[Squisher]

Ok. I will do that tonight. I'd like to see your collection as well. I'm sure once i do some hunting around in the forum using a PC i'll come across something of yours. I also took notice in my thread here how long-winded i seem lol. Sorry bout that

[Squisher]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01260.jpg

Here is my late 08 High Contrast Albino Python Regius. I just got her for an early xmas gift from the misses. The breeder told her its a male but come spring I will be taken the Balls that I do have to the vet for a definitive answer to all of them. I think there could be some good looking kids in the future..l:)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01261.jpg


http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01265.jpg

Here is my Normal. Not sure on the sex with this one but I've had her about 4 yrs now. Gotta love the normals.....


I am limited in the amount of pics I can post it tells me so I will try to get the rest in another post.

[Squisher]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01271.jpg

Here is a not-so-pretty shot of my Female Yellow Reticulated. She is dark and about to shed in this pic but I had to clean her enclosure tonight. She is close to a year old and about 9 ft. She had some slight cage aggression but a good sturdy hook let's her know what time it is..

Back in summer....
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01137.jpg

[Squisher]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01167.jpg
Here is my Adult Male Reticulated Normal. He's probably one of the easiest snakes to deal with.. NOW. It was like wrestling an alligator in the beginning. I've had him for about 8 months now and couldn't be happier with him.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01075.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm37/matlica/DSC01180.jpg

I have 2 other Normal Ball Pythons (1 het) but they're both youngins. Not sure what I'm doing with them yet. For now they are well taken care for.

[Will0W783]

Wow! Gorgeous animals. I love those retics! I would love one but they are just too big for me. I have a 7-foot superdwarf female and she's the biggest sweetheart. But when it's feeding time, man, she's nuts!

[Squisher]

They definitely have intense feeding response. My adult surprisingly enough isn't really much different than anything else except that sometimes it's like feeding a dog on the days i hand him his meal. What i have come up with to differenciate the reasons of disturbing him is i put his meal in a box. They pick up on things rather quickly so when he sees that box he's a totally different snake. I always slide the same side open too. If however i open the other side of the enclosure where he normally is i can reach in and grab him without much fuss.. that is of course if his head isn't facing me. Why take chances! My female on the other hand looks down right pissed when i feed her. Very alert in your face . For this reason i almost always use a hook.

[Squisher]

I'm sorry.. how rude of me. I forgot to say thank you for the compliment. I was multitasking while posting

[Will0W783]

Lol...no offense taken! Yeah they do have insane feeding responses, and with those orange eyes they can look really pissed off at times. Baby is a good snake though- I think pretty much the smell of thawing rodent that permeates the room is what gets her going. When it's feeding time as soon as I open that door she is flying out to grab the rat. The last time she came out halfway and seized it before I even got it to her door..lol. I was quite startled, standing there holding tongs attached to a piece of rat tail...

[Squisher]

HA HA.. thats funny stuff. My adult surprised me to the last time cause he's normally pretty laid back but he stuck his head out and grabbed it before I was able to wiggle it just within the enclosure. Which was a good thing cause I still haven't found a great way to hold an 8lb rabbit with grilling tongs without dropping it every other step. My female is more interested in me sometimes so I tend to just wing it in. Never got any lip but she's tried to spearhead me a few times. And yes the eyes... its all part of the attraction for me.