Burm or Retic??

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.

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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

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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

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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

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

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Originally Posted by Slyther83

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

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

Retics explore.

Burms plot.

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

Burms plot.

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:rofl: so true!

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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.

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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.