Need Help!!

bigsnakegirl785 · 09-16-16, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sattva

Don't really want to start a debate here, but I but I am getting different options on this subject... I have to say, it does seem to be working and he is a long ways from me starving him...

I'm not saying you're starving him, I'm saying he won't stay small unless you do. If you weren't prepared for an adult retic's potential size, then maybe a "mainland" wasn't the best choice (using the term loosely here for when Tsubaki gets here lol). It will take him a few years longer, maybe twice as long, to get big as a retic fed regularly, but he will get there in time.

You're also not underfeeding him by all that much, either (actually wouldn't really call it underfeeding but it's not as much as usual). At his size, a regular-sized meal would be a medium rat, and you're still feeding weekly. My retic was 4.5'-5' at around a year and now she's somewhere around 7' and will be 2 years next month. Right now she's in a period of slow growth again, but with another increase in prey size she could grow another half a foot or foot by the time she turns 2. If she grows at the same rate, she may reach 9'-10' by the time she turns 3, and she still has the potential to pick up growth. Feeding conservatively isn't bad, but feeding conservatively shouldn't be with a smaller end size in mind but a healthier, steadier growth rate to get to that point.

sattva · 09-16-16, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

I'm not saying you're starving him, I'm saying he won't stay small unless you do. If you weren't prepared for an adult retic's potential size, then maybe a "mainland" wasn't the best choice (using the term loosely here for when Tsubaki gets here lol). It will take him a few years longer, maybe twice as long, to get big as a retic fed regularly, but he will get there in time.

You're also not underfeeding him by all that much, either (actually wouldn't really call it underfeeding but it's not as much as usual). At his size, a regular-sized meal would be a medium rat, and you're still feeding weekly. My retic was 4.5'-5' at around a year and now she's somewhere around 7' and will be 2 years next month. Right now she's in a period of slow growth again, but with another increase in prey size she could grow another half a foot or foot by the time she turns 2. If she grows at the same rate, she may reach 9'-10' by the time she turns 3, and she still has the potential to pick up growth. Feeding conservatively isn't bad, but feeding conservatively shouldn't be with a smaller end size in mind but a healthier, steadier growth rate to get to that point.

Actually I think were on the same page here... For me I would like to see George reach 10 feet... But I am not prepared to keep anything larger... I would have to sell George or move to a bigger place... His father is ten feet and his mother is 16 feet... So if he stays 10 or under I will be happy... I just want him taking his time getting there.... I might be moving in with my kids in a couple of years and my snakes will be going with me... So I'm not sure of my future here...

trailblazer295 · 09-16-16, 07:23 PM

If his dad is 10ft and mom 16ft it is realistic for him to reach somewhere in the middle to low end. Reduced feeding isn't going to stop that, it will only slow it down. If that's too big a snake for you that's fine giants aren't for everyone but maybe it's something best researched prior to purchase.

sattva · 09-16-16, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trailblazer295

If his dad is 10ft and mom 16ft it is realistic for him to reach somewhere in the middle to low end. Reduced feeding isn't going to stop that, it will only slow it down. If that's too big a snake for you that's fine giants aren't for everyone but maybe it's something best researched prior to purchase.

I researched for a year before I pulled the trigger on this, and I don't regret it for one minute... Like I said I see conflicting info on the subject and I have to say he is stay small for now...

I think my big and your big are to different things... Like I have said may times I am not a small snake kind of guy... I am not worried about being able to handle him, I just don't want him out growing his cage faster then I can afford to graduate him to a larger and lager cage... I'm just not into stuffing him to see how big I can get him! I think it expensive, unhealthy and unnecessary...