Thinking of buying a super dwarf reticulated python...

So I have an extra ARS 80 series tub available in my rack and I'm looking for something that will eventually eat a full size rat to take care of my older breeders and rats that get too big for my ball pythons. Anyone have experience with super dwarf retics? I saw a regular reticulated python on Craig's List for about half of what he paid, still a baby snake, but since it's not SD I'm hesitant to get it. I need a snake that I can handle by myself once fully grown since I don't have any helpers up here in the mountains where I live.

I found one online that I really like from Bob Clarke, it's a female albino SD retic for $850, is that a good price? I just sent him an e-mail to ask him what percentage of SD in the snake and asked to see photos of the parents. I heard that you should ask the percentage of SD in the retic? And some that I see are a percentage of super dwarf / dwarf / mainland... Some say it's impossible to have a pure SD in various morphs, do you think this albino could be pure SD? I'm more of a ball python guy and never really looked into retics before, but I've seen a few videos on YouTube and it looks like I could handle something like this by myself once it reaches full size. I'm going to start with a female just in case I decide to breed them down the road, I'm guessing a male would mature faster if I picked one up down the road and could breed a bit sooner if I had a fully mature female.

http://www.bobclark.com/static/upload/1435348796.jpg

I don't keep retics or know much about them but that albino is a real show stopper. I think retics have some of the most amazing paint jobs. They're just a little too much snake for me :). Best wishes with whatever critter you choose.

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Originally Posted by cchardwick

So I have an extra ARS 80 series tub available in my rack and I'm looking for something that will eventually eat a full size rat to take care of my older breeders and rats that get too big for my ball pythons. Anyone have experience with super dwarf retics? I saw a regular reticulated python on Craig's List for about half of what he paid, still a baby snake, but since it's not SD I'm hesitant to get it. I need a snake that I can handle by myself once fully grown since I don't have any helpers up here in the mountains where I live.

I found one online that I really like from Bob Clarke, it's a female albino SD retic for $850, is that a good price? I just sent him an e-mail to ask him what percentage of SD in the snake and asked to see photos of the parents. I heard that you should ask the percentage of SD in the retic? And some that I see are a percentage of super dwarf / dwarf / mainland... Some say it's impossible to have a pure SD in various morphs, do you think this albino could be pure SD? I'm more of a ball python guy and never really looked into retics before, but I've seen a few videos on YouTube and it looks like I could handle something like this by myself once it reaches full size. I'm going to start with a female just in case I decide to breed them down the road, I'm guessing a male would mature faster if I picked one up down the road and could breed a bit sooner if I had a fully mature female.

http://www.bobclark.com/static/upload/1435348796.jpg

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He or she is most likely 50% or 62.5% SD from Bob. One thing to know about the snakes on Bobs page is that the snake pictured isn't always the exact snake you're getting, that was the same picture displayed when I got my Purple SD from him, (not a bad thing, makes it much easier due to the high volume he produces per year). The only pure SD morph you can get is Anery. I recently purchased 5 SD/dwarf Retics, just a warning, they are as addicting as Ball Pythons, if not more so.

Wow, thanks for the heads up on the stock photo, I really hate that. Maybe once I'm ready to purchase I'll ask for several real photos of the babies and choose from there. I bought a CA king snake from a guy online and he actually sent me the wrong snake, the same snake and same sex but different patterns on the snake. When I told him about it he got really upset like it shouldn't have made a difference. Well I won't be buying from that guy again.

I was actually thinking about buying a pair of Australian Woma pythons but this SD retic is a bit more appealing, especially since I already have a male Woma that's about 1400 grams, he is my biggest snake right now.

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Originally Posted by MidSouthMorphs

The only pure SD morph you can get is Anery.

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This is correct. If the snake has any other morph in it, ask the percentage of SD. Even 50% SD retics can get up to a very respectable size, my two year old female is about 10' now (compared to my 18 month mainland female that is a few feet longer). My 100% SD male is between 7 and 8 feet and quite the little snot when he wants to be.

most if not all of these questions have already been answered on one of my threads here:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...er+dwarf+retic

For the highlights of the OP post:

Anery, Marble, and Tribal are the only mutations that have been attributed directly to super dwarf origins. However, Anery is also from Jampea origin - so this one can be hit or miss since a lot of people have hit anery morphs from Jampea in the last two years or so.

Albinos that are currently on the market are usually going to be either 50% F2, 62.5% SD, or 25% SD. Matt over at Monster Krew has some 75% SD stuff in his "sin" Black Pastel project if you want to guarantee some smaller stock at a slightly higher price if he has any available.

Anyone can keep super dwarf retics. I'm just going to say it. Reticulated pythons have been captive bred to a long enough stand point that any keeper with solid knowledge of snakes can make it work well. A super dwarf is a great alternative to the big guys but with trade offs such as "Small Snake Syndrome" where they can be small snakes with big attitudes, or highly flighty when they want to be. My pure SD anery Kalatoa was more like handling a corn snake. 4 years old 5' long and never set still (he's in California now with his original owner who wanted to buy him back).

Prices are up and down on super dwarf stuff. The lower the price, the higher the % of mainland found in the animal typically. Stephanie at the snake pusher produces some super dwarf amel stuff, her 25% SD Amels, sell for 1/10th of what a 50% F2 goes for, and with good reason. Its a lot more work and smaller odds to get the 50% SD F2 clutches. 850 is likely Bob's pricing on what he considers SD, which is probably a SD het albino, to a dwarf albino (which is likely a 50% dwarf). Resulting in a mixture of Dwarf / SD blood.

50% SD still get big. 12' females are not a rare thing. My 50% SD male tiger who is an F2 is over 10' at 7 years old. While my female f2 50% tiger from another breeder is only 8' (barely). It's a gamble! But it's worth it.

Make sure to check local laws. Super dwarf and dwarf still follow under all the mainland laws as they still belong to python reticulatus. As of right now, you can not bring them into Texas or Florida (though we can ship out with USARK protection still in place). You can cross any other state line with them (under USARK protection if you were a member pre-ban). Some states require controlled snake permits (texas). Some requires more elaborate permits with insurance policies and caging requirements (ohio / Florida) and some places fully ban them (New York City).

Read this thread: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...?238465-Retics

I'm not interested in getting one but found that to be very informative and insightful. Sounds like they are very exciting snakes to keep but can be quite the handful temper wise and the cleaning requirements sounds like they are much more extensive than keeping balls.

I love the giants <3 ... from a distance lol