Dwarf vs. Regular Retics

Hello! This is a question more for my own personal research/curiosity... I know I am nowhere near ready for any 'large snakes' and I'm already as full as I can be pet wise honestly(Until nathan and I get married and get our own house anyway)

But since I've joined this forum I've learned a lot of specifics..Never knew Jag Carpets had neurological problems for instance.


So out of the Retic owners out there who have owned/worked with dwarfs and super dwarfs...How much of a difference is there between them.. Personality wise? I know these snakes are known for their intelligence, are the smaller versions just as calculative? Can the dwarfs be prone to neuro problems, or do they generally have a more nasty/less nasty attitude?

:cool: It's cool if you guys are busy, but it's just a question that I've never found a straight answer to. I LOVE retics, especially purple albinos and sunfires.. But boy is their size daunting! Maybe one day, but honestly, that day is far far away..


Oh! One more question.. Are there any signs that help you be SURE you are getting a dwarf?? I wouldn't want to be surprised when my 'little' snake kept growing..and growing..and growing! :O


Anyway, thanks!

Regarding whether or not how to tell that it's actually a dwarf or not.

There aren't any actually dwarf retics. There are super dwarves and localities that grow smaller than the mainland retics. I believe, but may be wrong, that mainland retics are from the Sulawesi Island. Whereas some known "dwarf" retics are from Madu Island, Jampea Island, and Kayudi(not sure on spelling). Retics are strong swimmers and can can travel great distances at sea. This has lead them to inhabiting smaller islands with less resources for their huge sizes. At one point I saw a chart showing how different retics had slightly different head shapes. I think that was on a different forum though.

I hope this helped and that too much of what I said wasn't wrong.

I will have to correct you a little, ome of the info is wrong they are describing the dwarfs such as jampea, as a sub-species, which if I am right then they are seperate from normal retics. Same with Super dwarfs. I have also worked with all of the and own a few of them and I have to say temerment is about the same the difference is you are comparing sizes, no one wants to get bit by a snake, but when sizes count then I prefer smaller over bigger. I have had 18 footers with a nasty disposition, but also had a superdwarf at one time that was the meanest thingI had ever come in contact with. Scared my Pitbul who would whine when the snake was out of enclosure during claning time. Snake never came in contact with him or vice a versa. Just a nasty snake I have never had a snake do that to any of my dogs, espcially my pits

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Originally Posted by Jadonh

I will have to correct you a little, ome of the info is wrong they are describing the dwarfs such as jampea, as a sub-species, which if I am right then they are seperate from normal retics. Same with Super dwarfs. I have also worked with all of the and own a few of them and I have to say temerment is about the same the difference is you are comparing sizes, no one wants to get bit by a snake, but when sizes count then I prefer smaller over bigger. I have had 18 footers with a nasty disposition, but also had a superdwarf at one time that was the meanest thingI had ever come in contact with. Scared my Pitbul who would whine when the snake was out of enclosure during claning time. Snake never came in contact with him or vice a versa. Just a nasty snake I have never had a snake do that to any of my dogs, espcially my pits

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Have the different locales officially been classified as different subspecies? Last I heard they hadn't been, but it was only a matter of time. Thanks for the info!

Oh wow! Thanks for the information! I had seen on several websites 'super dwarf' and 'dwarf' retics for sale... So they are just from different areas so they stay smaller? Do you or anyone here know what to look for(scale wise, head shape wise, pattern etc.) that can let you know for sure you have one of the smaller ones? Or do you just really really have to trust the breeder! :O

That's so cool, I knew they were strong swimmers...imagine being out at sea between islands and seeing one. That would be insane! :D


So there are localities that are smaller and super dwarfs? Or are super dwarfs another locality? :)

I am so curious, I can't help it! I love learning! Especially about snakes :P

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Originally Posted by Gibber19

Have the different locales officially been classified as different subspecies? Last I heard they hadn't been, but it was only a matter of time. Thanks for the info!

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I thought I had read somewhere that they had beenI could be wrong, but I think so. Try mostersnakesforums.com

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

Oh wow! Thanks for the information! I had seen on several websites 'super dwarf' and 'dwarf' retics for sale... So they are just from different areas so they stay smaller? Do you or anyone here know what to look for(scale wise, head shape wise, pattern etc.) that can let you know for sure you have one of the smaller ones? Or do you just really really have to trust the breeder! :O

That's so cool, I knew they were strong swimmers...imagine being out at sea between islands and seeing one. That would be insane! :D


So there are localities that are smaller and super dwarfs? Or are super dwarfs another locality? :)

I am so curious, I can't help it! I love learning! Especially about snakes :P

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Once again try monstersnakesforums.com

I would suggest constrictors.com or thereticnation.com Both have very good at explaining and talking about retics...

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Originally Posted by Gibber19

Have the different locales officially been classified as different subspecies? Last I heard they hadn't been, but it was only a matter of time. Thanks for the info!

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not to my best info.. but who knows what papers have been submitted to what various journals and may be under review.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

Oh wow! Thanks for the information! I had seen on several websites 'super dwarf' and 'dwarf' retics for sale... So they are just from different areas so they stay smaller? Do you or anyone here know what to look for(scale wise, head shape wise, pattern etc.) that can let you know for sure you have one of the smaller ones? Or do you just really really have to trust the breeder! :O

That's so cool, I knew they were strong swimmers...imagine being out at sea between islands and seeing one. That would be insane! :D


So there are localities that are smaller and super dwarfs? Or are super dwarfs another locality? :)

I am so curious, I can't help it! I love learning! Especially about snakes :P

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I would assume that Super Dwarves are just a locality that grows much smaller. Small enough to actually be classified as a separate subspecies.

If you are looking for a dwarf for sale stick to big breeders(I.e. NERD, The Retic Ranch, Mike Wilbanks, Bob Clark, ect.). One of the most important things to pay attention to when looking for dwarf retics is the percentages of the parents. For example, someone may advertise a "dwarf retic" that is 50% mainland and 50% Jampea(Jampea's average around 10-15, I do believe). You can pretty much average the expected lengths of retic crosses and get what the "dwarf" size should be. So a Jampea/mainland will probably be 15+ foot. If you're looking for something in the 10 foot range for a retic, a superdwarf/jampea is probably the safest bet. In the consideration that you don't mind being on the small end of 10 foot and not overshooting it.