considering a retic - Page 2

kuester · 05-04-15, 11:54 AM

It seems most mainland retics are around 10 ft by 2 years so im assuming theyre just very fast growing snakes. I just know majority of retics have a very high feeding response and because of this can become cage aggressive... just was wondering if its the same with burms. Also do burms enjoy the occasional climb? I know theyre mostly ground dwellers but id like to spiff up the enclosure. I would never 100% drop my guard on anything 10ft or more haha. Your retic is calmer than your burm? No problem with the long post i like information!

dave himself · 05-04-15, 01:37 PM

With our burms we found that once they got around 10 foot they climbed very little, in fact we had our females viv reduced from 3 foot high to 2 foot because she just wasn't using the space. Even when we have her out she stays mostly at floor level and very rarely climbs apart from the stairs she seems to have a weird fascination with those

. And with the burms and retics I wouldn't call it cage aggression they're just very food orientated, it's only a simple matter of tap training with most of them to switch of feeding mode before you handle or do any viv maintenance. And yes mate it maybe goes against the grain slightly but our retic is way better behaved than our female burm

**millertime89** · 05-04-15, 01:32 PM

Mainland retics typically hit 8-10ft in their first two years. They don't become cage aggressive because of a feeding response. They're two completely different things. Snakes don't get cage aggressive either, they get cage defensive. Burms will climb sometimes if given the opportunity to do so, just like most snakes will.

kuester · 05-04-15, 02:00 PM

Ugh i dont know if id rather have a retic or burm... burms seem a lot more chill and dont get as big, from what ive read

**millertime89** · 05-04-15, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuester

Ugh i dont know if id rather have a retic or burm... burms seem a lot more chill and dont get as big, from what ive read

They weigh a lot more at the same length. They're pretty heavy bodied snakes. A retic is a very slender, semi-arboreal species until they get quite large.

kuester · 05-04-15, 02:15 PM

Which is easier to handle/house in your opinion?

**millertime89** · 05-04-15, 02:17 PM

Both have their challenges. Retics are more active, but a burm is going to be substantially heavier and both you will come across individual animals that don't want any human interaction at all no matter how much you work with them. I prefer retics, but you'll find plenty of people on both sides that say one is easier than the other. I would say there's ultimately they're about the same.

kuester · 05-04-15, 02:33 PM

As i mentioned id like to use them for modeling as well is there one thatd be better for that?

kuester · 05-04-15, 02:41 PM

Bloods are another consideration, i know they stay a more manageable size even with the girth but from what I've read they have some bad temperaments. Any knowledge of them?

**millertime89** · 05-04-15, 02:52 PM

I still wouldn't trust bloods. There are some good animals out there, but they're not as common as a even tempered retic or burm. For photos I would get a burm.

kuester · 05-04-15, 03:17 PM

How large do burms get in the first 2 years?

**millertime89** · 05-04-15, 03:50 PM

About the same.

kuester · 05-04-15, 05:18 PM

Are burms more easy to handle alone?

Ballchris · 05-04-15, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuester

Are burms more easy to handle alone?

The first thing I learnt from this forum and the research I have done, NEVER handle a snake over 8ft alone to much can go wrong. I haven't dealt with it yet but my wife Will always be there with me when working with Voldemort. I feel that retics would be easier to move when cleaning or just getting them out for human interaction, than a burm would. Don't get me wrong I would love to have a burm just feel that the retic seems a little easier to work with.

bigsnakegirl785 · 05-05-15, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ballchris

The first thing I learnt from this forum and the research I have done, NEVER handle a snake over 8ft alone to much can go wrong. I haven't dealt with it yet but my wife Will always be there with me when working with Voldemort. I feel that retics would be easier to move when cleaning or just getting them out for human interaction, than a burm would. Don't get me wrong I would love to have a burm just feel that the retic seems a little easier to work with.

Actually, I've only ever heard retics were the harder to work with of the two because they get so much longer and are so much more active. Which is why I was debating getting a Burm at first, but I figured, "What if I end up only being able to have one giant?" Then I wasted that experience on a snake that I didn't want as much as another species, so I went straight to retics. That doesn't mean I won't get one some day. haha