Burm or Retic??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slyther83

This is my nightmare- a 6-8 foot reach while still in the cage- wow, lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdp7TKdps9c

---

Am I the only one that watched this and felt like these were a couple of idiots? I don't know, just a feeling I got in the short clip.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ShortStack

Am I the only one that watched this and felt like these were a couple of idiots? I don't know, just a feeling I got in the short clip.

---

Oh I agree, clearly they are idiots. However, I just can't concieve of the managability issues involved with a pet that is physically uncontrollable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slyther83

Oh I agree, clearly they are idiots. However, I just can't concieve of the managability issues involved with a pet that is physically uncontrollable.

---

Well I wasn't sure because I know NOTHING about handling an animal that size, but even common sense told me that looked pretty careless. And as amazing as those snakes are, I can't imagine having one either.

What you are seeing in the video is a feeding response. They are strong and the are very powerful but they are also manageable if you know what you are doing. They are great animals to own if you are prepared for the responsibility that comes with it.

Yeah, I probably got the wrong first impression.

I have some boas that come and try eat sometimes when I get around their enclosure.

Don't think the big hungry snake grabbing a live bunny is what reptile hobbyist need to be showing on youtube.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jason Bowden

Don't think the big hungry snake grabbing a live bunny is what reptile hobbyist need to be showing on youtube.

---

I totally agree. Even if the snake only takes live (which should have been dealt with as a hatchling), this fact should have been explained by the poster.

It really is a shame how many "cool to watch it kill" reptile owners there are.

Chris

as far as burm vs. retic, I've never handled a retic or had much experience with them, but I fostered a burm for several months and I must say he was the most interesting snake i've ever had. he had a personality and you could almost tell what he was thinking as he lurked around his cage and followed the happenings in the room. while he never struck defensively, he definitely made good warning and he ate like a fiend. He was a gorgeous snake and I was really sad to have him go to a new home once I found one.

ive got to say I was never into watching them eat. And to be honest I hate feeding day. It takes all day to get everyone fed and its just boring. Most of my animals eat ft but I do have some picky ones that eat live. Watching other animals suffer even just is not my thing. Even though it has to be done for snakes to survive it should be done in private. The only videos we need on youtube is responsible people showing cages and locks

Seriously people, stop. The point of this post was not about overfeeding and starving retics, it was about our opinion on if we rather own a burm or a retic. While I personally believe that you can manage your snakes growth to a certain extent and still have a healthy snake, my opinon on that debate was not asked.
And regardless of how you want to look at it, size does not eveything to do with weight. As long as the body condition of the animal is healthy, it does not matter if it has shorter length. And he said that even if the snake DOES get exceed the length he'd hoped for, he can/will still handle and care for it properly, and in the end thats whats important.
ANYWAY, I personally would choose a retic. I love burms(Albinos are my favorites!), however retics definitly seem to have more personality and tend to look a lot more majestic and beautiful.
Good Luck! :)

burmese pythons and reticulated pythons were not made to have there length "managed".

Retics all the way ;)

ok, this is how i'm going to break this down. i've got some retics and know alot of people (including reputable breeders) that keep retics and these are my observations and opinions. 1. there is no such thing as managing a retics size. 2. if your retic is under 15 feet at 5 years old, it's either starved or a dwarf, male or female. 3 females grow insanely fast. they WILL be 12+ feet or more by the time they are 2 years old unless they are starved or dwarves. 4. if you try to "manage thier size" by feeding them less often, it's only going to piss it off and once it;s big enough to think it can take you on, maybe even sonner, it will try. these are retics people. they are VERY intelligent, but at the same time very primitive. even the smartest retic won't deny its instincts. when you're taking on a new species, don't approach it as something that you can keep small. plan ahead for what it's potential truely is. if you can;t keep a 16-25 foot snake, don't get a full sized mainland retic or you're just making those of us who can look bad when you fail. i'll also point out that when breeders say thier males are generally 12-13 feet, that;s because they powerfeed them for the first year of thier life and then cut them off to barely enough to keep them healthy because fat males make for lazy breeders. however, if you aren;t breeding your retic and it isn;t going off food for brumation, it could easily reach the size of a small female. and grantyed the "average" for a female is considered to be 18 feet (ish), just about every keeper out there with a serious collection has at least 2 or 3 that are way bigger, so really you never know. but i stand by my statement, if you areb;t prepared to take care of a potentially monsterous snake, don't get a retic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JEWSKIN

well there is a new record holder on the 33 footer lol here's a vid


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3845750/from/toolbar

---

I know this is an old post, but that snake turned out to be like 20-22 feet and a couple hundred pounds. There are quite a few retics larger than that in the US alone.

I know this is old but a big pet peeve of mine is the brains debate when it comes to burmese vs retics. A retic is not any smarter than a burmese is. It comes down to individual snakes just like people. Sorry I will step of my soap box now. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WJS

I know this is old but a big pet peeve of mine is the brains debate when it comes to burmese vs retics. A retic is not any smarter than a burmese is. It comes down to individual snakes just like people. Sorry I will step of my soap box now. :D

---

There are different ways to measure intelligence, IMO. Retics are much more aware of their surroundings than any burm is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slyther83

There are different ways to measure intelligence, IMO. Retics are much more aware of their surroundings than any burm is.

---

The way I look at it, burms are much more stationary while they take visual input from their environment.

Retics explore.

Burms plot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mainbutter

Burms plot.

---

:rofl: so true!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mainbutter

The way I look at it, burms are much more stationary while they take visual input from their environment.

Retics explore.

Burms plot.

---

If by plot you mean fall asleep and wake up when they get tapped on the head, then I'll cosign with that, lol.

I tease though, I really think burms are awesome. Their t-rex heads and patterns are great and their calm disposition is among the best of the larger snake species on the planet for sure.

For ease of care and I would go with a burmese. I adore retics, and agree that they are more intelligent. I have found that intelligence is not always a good thing in companion animals. It is my most intelligent animals that present the most and largest challenges.

i say male burm but if i had to choose female burm woul win much nicer and a little heavier but wont try to kill you when u open its cage.