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I guess this is because genetically an SD retic is the same as a mainland - they are all Python reticulatus just some are smaller given food availability for their location.
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The reticulated Python has 3 known sub-species at this time. The full sized mainland sub-species -
P. r. reticulatus. Where as the other two sup-species -
P. r. jampeanus (Jampea/Kayaudi dwarf retics) &
P. r. saputrai (Selayer retics). It has been suggested that the SD forms may in fact represent another unknown sub-species or even a couple of sub-species.
The reason most dwarf & SD retics get much larger in captivity than in the wild is that they are often hybridized with the mainland retics - to produce the various morphs. Notice how many morphs there are of the dwarf and SD forms. It is very VERY hard to find a pure SD retic.
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That said if you can find a pure locality SD retic I'd take that over a dwarf burm - more active, less flighty and hidey. SD retics just act like they're a 20' snake - they don't know they're only a few feet - whereas dwarf burms have quite a different temperament to their larger counterpart.
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To that I say - I have heard(from people who have had them) of some SD Retics which are also flighty, with a nasty disposition(hiss, strike, bite). And I have heard of captive bred pure Dwarf Brums being described as "puppy dog" tame. So as we have already discussed - it's likely more about the individual snake & owner than it is the species or sub-species as a whole.
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