Thinking of getting a Retic Python..

[dan123the123man]

My mom used to have a ball python and now years later i'm wanting to get me a python, I read a lot about the reticulated pythons and the main reason I want to get one is because of how long they will get. What worries me though is that once its 1 or 2 years old it may not be quite as long. I've read about the different kinds that have grown to an incredible length at a young age from:

http://www.reptilediscovery.com/retic.html

My concern though was most of those people on there were herpetologists. I'm not looking for any special color, I just want to get a cheap one and raise it myself. Do you want to have a 55gal tank for a young or baby retic python or will it grow fast if you just upgrade from tank to tank the older it gets? Is there anything special that you have to do to make these grow 10-15ft? The one that caught my attention was:


Marcy was brought to the United States from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in 1990. She was raised by Dave and Tracy Barker. The Barkers are both herpetologists, scientists that study reptiles and amphibians. Marcy grew to be 12 feet long by the time she was a year old. By 1994 Marcy had reached a length of nineteen feet and weighed 150 pounds. The Barkers sent her to the San Antonio Zoo in Texas. She is now over 25 feet long and her weight is estimated to be somewhere between 225 and 275 pounds. She is fed one pig weighing between 20 and 50 pounds every two or three months.



Found on the same page, are those snakes so big because the owners are professionals at raising them, or can anybody do it if they take care of and feed the snake properly instead of over feeding? I am also looking for a breeder for a reticulated python I live in Winston-Salem, NC. The color doesn't matter to me as much as the price does lol, I look at these snakes and im fascinated by how giant they are. I'm not even sure what kind of price im looking at to buy everything. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just hope that by the time its a year old the snake won't be only 3 ft long lol.

 

[T&KBrouse]

Hi Dan.

Let me start out by saying welcome to GeckoForums. We're glad to have you here and by asking questions, you're proving you want to know the animal before you get it. (A highly comendable trait)

As a rescuer, I've had the opportunity to work with alot of big snakes. I wanted to offer my "two cents" worth with retics, but by no means would I want you to be offended. These are just from personal experiences and by no means am I wanting to tell you that you shouldn't have one.

At one point, we had 6 retics, ranging in sizes from 6 to 11 feet. We got these because they were surrendered to us by owners that didn't realize how big they got or how typically aggressive their temperments were. Retics, while absolutely GORGEOUS to look at and observe, are not known for their charming personalities. Pythons as a whole, can usually reach their full growth by the time they're four years old, so when these people were buying these cute little 18 inch long babies, they had no idea what they were in for.
Another thing I noticed when we would get in a Retic is that they usually had respiritory infections. This was almost always caused by poor husbandry and the owner didn't maintain the proper temps or humidity. To put it plainly, the owner didn't know what he was getting in to.
Just be aware, if you get a baby Retic, with proper care and feeding it will grow AMAZINGLY fast, so you'll need to keep up on how big its enclosure is to make sure he or she isn't cramped. If s/hes too cramped, this can cause an impacted bowel because she can't move properly, which is an expensive vet bill.
Now as for cost? Well, like anything else, you'll get what you pay for. If you only want to pay, say, $50 for a baby, you'll end up with a snake that needs vet care due to parasites or failure to thrive, and could end up dying anyways. The best advise I can give you is that if you are adamant about getting a baby of your own, to save up and buy one from a reputable breeder, to ensure you are getting a healthy animal without all the unneccessary "baggage."
Another avenue you can look at is, check for local (or state) reptile rescues that need foster homes. (Jacksonville has a HUGE rescue that, last I saw, needed ROC fosters)
This way, you can get your feet wet with the "Big Guns" and make sure this is something you'd want to commit 20+ years to.
The big thing with any of the big constrictors is it is VERY costly to keep them up and be sure they stay healthy. Between upgrading lighting, enclosures, heating, food and general maintenance, it can easily take a second job to keep one of these bad boys healthy and (as much as a Retic can be) happy.

Hope this helped a little. Maybe some other snake folks can help answer more questions.

 

[Nigel4less]

Ball python to Retic is not a smart move... I would recommend getting something a little smaller such as a Blood or Carpet...

 

[Valley Reptiles]

Ball python to Retic is not a smart move... I would recommend getting something a little smaller such as a Blood or Carpet...

Same here. Retics are a huge responsability, more than most other snakes. They get huge and you will need at least one other person helping you every time you take it out when it grows.
A coastal carpet can reach 6 to 7 feet+, are much easier to handle and are usually very calm as they start growing.:main_thumbsup:

 

[Sunrise Reptile]

Just the fact that you posted this thread in the wrong section tells me your research hasn't been sufficient. Start with something smaller and gain some husbandry skills. Then work your way up, if you're even still interested by then. :main_yes:

 

[whkrazyk]

ID GO CARPET

 

[nrich]

Why would anybody buy a cheap snake that will cost thousands of dollars to house? Unless you intend on getting rid of it when you can't handle its size anymore (irresponsible), you are going to have to build a HUGE enclosure for it.

 

[spykerherps]

I agree. If your going to get a snake and are just starting out, go with something smaller more manageable. Their is definitely plenty to choose from. then maybe after a few years after that snake has grown to its adult size and you have managed it properly you may feel you can handle something a bit bigger.

 

[tofuman]

I'd definitely get something smaller. A carpet python or red-tail boa would be good.

 

[Aubrey's Reptiles]

Check out these pics www.gasparreptiles.com This will give you an idea on how big they will get.

 

[jmlslayer]

why is this in the boa topic area??

Well a retic was my first snake and its no diff than a ball imo but they are 10x smarter and 10x faster plus they arent rocks like balls so they equal more fun but alot of work.

 

[pp2795]

you can't make a snake grow faster, why do you want a snake that size? you would need more than 1 person to safely take care of it, and let me tell you, the feeding bill for a snake that gets that size isn't going to be "cheap" .

 

[paulnj]

listen, big deal it's in the wrong section~

My first snake at age 13 was a WC retic and it was worked with daily and became docile , but I would agree that a smaller snake species would make a better pet. Retics need 8 foot cages(larger sometimes) as adults and eat alot compared to smaller species(carpets, BCI....).