Who is more aggressive Rock or Retic?

Im trying to find out who is more aggressive and who is the biggest of the two and can they breed together? I was watching Swamp Wars and they had a huge Rock on there and they always have Burms thats would be scary if these guys can breed together.

I will say that I have yet to run across a rock that I would "trust". Almost all of them I've seen/handled are very aggressive, even after out of the cage. They will bite just for the fun of it without even coiling! On the other hand, I have yet to run across a retic that is just mean or aggressive. They are almost always very eager for a meal but once out of feeding mode they are just curious and fun! In my opinion there is no comparison!

Are you comparing rocks vs burms? Or rocks vs retics?

Rocks are never nice, in my experience lol

Burms when raised right are like gentle giants.
And retics I have limited experience with, but the one I handled was a sweetheart

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Are you comparing rocks vs burms? Or rocks vs retics?

Rocks are never nice, in my experience lol

Burms when raised right are like gentle giants.
And retics I have limited experience with, but the one I handled was a sweetheart

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I want to know who is the longest, and who is the meanest between the rock and retic.

I've never been around a rock python.. though I'm pretty sure the retics can get bigger. And my time with a retic was nice, they just like to move, a lot

Retic is the longest snake in the world. One of the anacondas (green or yellow, can't remember which) is the heaviest.
And rock is DEFINITELY the meanest lol

Retics get longer. No experience with Rocks but my retic is a sweetie (but can get very food happy):

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3...y1720135-2.jpg

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Retic is the longest snake in the world. One of the anacondas (green or yellow, can't remember which) is the heaviest.
And rock is DEFINITELY the meanest lol

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Greens are the heaviest. :)

The only tame rock I've come across was a Lesser African. The few captive bred ones I've come across were no better than the wc ones. With Retics seems certain locales are more tame than others and it seems the popular ones are the tamest. I've seen a lot of very tame Retics now that most are captive bred.

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Originally Posted by tanyawetzel

Im trying to find out who is more aggressive and who is the biggest of the two and can they breed together? I was watching Swamp Wars and they had a huge Rock on there and they always have Burms thats would be scary if these guys can breed together.

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I don't understand what makes the hybrids so much more "scary" than the pure form. They are both big. In the wild, they are both aggressive. In captivity, rocks appear to be much more aggressive than retics or burms. How is crossing one big snake with another more "scary" than the original big snake?

I have no experience with rocks but have heard they are aggressive. I have retics and think they are sweethearts.

A rock and a retic probably could result in a hybrid. Most likely look like a bateater and have similar difficulties with copulation and egg survival.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/03/y7e4yzun.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/03/yze7yzuj.jpg

on average afrocks are more aggressive than retics. although as with all snakes there are exceptions to the rule. and some individuals are docile.

Just curious, except for one or two posters no one specified if they had exprience with only WC/LTCs or C.H./C.B African Rocks. Do any more of you guys/gals have experience with nasty C.H./C.B animals? I know nothing about their reproduction in captivity. African Rocks are not a snake that you usually see. So I was wondering if this is due to reproduction issues, if people just dont breed them cause they don't make very good pets, or both?

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

I don't understand what makes the hybrids so much more "scary" than the pure form. They are both big. In the wild, they are both aggressive. In captivity, rocks appear to be much more aggressive than retics or burms. How is crossing one big snake with another more "scary" than the original big snake?

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I think what they were trying to portray on the show is a burm and a rock making a hybrid snake that's big and mean, though rocks in themselves are big and mean. Lol

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

I think what they were trying to portray on the show is a burm and a rock making a hybrid snake that's big and mean, though rocks in themselves are big and mean. Lol

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Exactly my point. :rolleyes: That's like saying, "Wouldn't it be scary if a king cobra and black mamba mated?!" Ummm...what does one not have that would be made more dangerous by the other?

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Originally Posted by OctagonGecko729

Just curious, except for one or two posters no one specified if they had exprience with only WC/LTCs or C.H./C.B African Rocks. Do any more of you guys/gals have experience with nasty C.H./C.B animals? I know nothing about their reproduction in captivity. African Rocks are not a snake that you usually see. So I was wondering if this is due to reproduction issues, if people just dont breed them cause they don't make very good pets, or both?

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I've delt with both and I will say therr is VERY little difference. As we continue to breed snakes we slowly domesticate them is what I've always been told. I do but don't agree with that. On the other hand baby rocks wild caught were just as mean as CB. I WAS going to get a 6 foot male from a friend but it would ONLY be tame with him, it would bite everyone else that came near it. Rocks I think grow "trust" with there caretaker as they grow older, I disnt really believe this until I saw my friebds that I just mwntioned. In all honestly id say avoid rocks, there are retics and burmsse t hat are large and muxh more docile. If they were more docile we woh ld probably see more today but there temper is one of the reason we don't see them very ofteb.

Also, I agree with one of the first post.. I've never met a rock I can trust.. I always have my eyes peeled even when they seem calm....

the hybrid fear comes from the media

Back recently when they were trying to enlarge the florida issue with burmese pythons breeding down in the glades, they talked about them being able to find and breed with the African Rocks down there to form what they called a super snake basically. The Hybrids have been done, and they are just as nice as the Burmese are, just needs proper husbandry to keep them nice. Think of it like a fussy kid, the kids only being fussy because there's something causing them discomfort (hunger, fever, runny nose, poop filled delivery bag, etc). As long as you meet the needs of these snakes (captive bred specimens) their docility will be there. Instinct does take over and take some time for conditioning to get a more jumpy snake to calm, but they calm none the less.

It's already been said but since I'm posting on this thread anyways
Green (Common) Anaconda is the heaviest growing snake
Reticulated Python is the Longest growing snake
Burmese, have potential to be both and has been in the record books for length (the one died not too far back)

Sidebar: All the afrocks I've messed with have been fine. Some cage aggression, but once they come out they had a good demeaner. They were all CB. Note that you can not get a WC afrock in the US anymore unless it was imported pre-ban, and is already located within your state.

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Originally Posted by OctagonGecko729

Just curious, except for one or two posters no one specified if they had exprience with only WC/LTCs or C.H./C.B African Rocks. Do any more of you guys/gals have experience with nasty C.H./C.B animals? I know nothing about their reproduction in captivity. African Rocks are not a snake that you usually see. So I was wondering if this is due to reproduction issues, if people just dont breed them cause they don't make very good pets, or both?

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I'm not sure if people do not more commonly have them because of reproductive issues, I however have never heard of that.

The zoo near me has a pair of rock pythons they keep on exhibit and recently had babies. I'm not entirely sure of the situation however they had four babies on display. If there were only four eggs laid, more in the back, or if the others were destroyed I'm not sure.

I think people do not own them due to their temperament and with the Lacey act they are sort if stuck. Not like retics which are able to cross most state lines, come in smaller (SD,D) versions, and seem to be overcoming their stereotypes (like carpet pythons). This is probably more the reason for them not being kept in captivity rather then breeding problems.

I know someone who recently rescued a Rock and it's not breaking any stereotypes.

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Originally Posted by reptileexperts

the hybrid fear comes from the media

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Yep, stupid media hype. Oh no, it's SNAKEZILLA! :snake2:

Sadly, because of irresponsible media portrayal of ALL of the large snakes, questions like your's arise. Temperament when it comes down to it is based on an individual snake by snake basis. I've heard people say King Snakes are terribly flighty and prone to bite as are Carpet pythons. But I've seen people who keep both say otherwise. I've handled Carpets and have been very impressed.

My Barranquilla Colombian boa is settling down, but compared to our Royal python he's been more of a handful. That will change.

Any snake can make a mistake and once it does, "media" will automatically make it a mean snake. They won't report that the person that got bitten was recently petting a rabbit or a dog or had blood from a rat on them. Just that the snake bit them.

The "super snake" is also BS. Each species has individual characteristics that help it survive and thrive in a certain area which is why the range of different snakes varies. Hybridization will often make adaption more difficult. Who's care sheet do you follow when you combine 2 separate species? And then can the hybrid reproduce? Usually its rare, but possible. The Florida scare is somewhat over blown. A lot of the snakes, but not all still fall victim to the elements, and will never survive much further north of where they are.

Retics will be your longest snake. However the girth of the body is less than the anaconda and which also gets close to the lengths of the Retic.

African Rock's come in the Central species (larger) and Southern species. They are also huge, long and thick.

Burmese and Indian Rock pythons are very thick and can be long. While not as long as retics they are quite heavy bodied.

Anaconda's are the heaviest of the snakes and can attain lengths close to the retic. The Green form is much larger than the yellow.

There are so many pythons that can be discussed.

Australian pythons (there are many) can get huge as well. Scrub pythons and Olive pythons can be very long yet less heavily bodied. Scrubs can be considered aggressive but I'm sure like most, somebody out there has a docile one.

I'd highly recommend reading BOAS AND PYTHONS OF THE WORLD By Mark O' Shea a leading herpetologist and snake guru.

Almost anything you see on TV will contain such poor info you will get confused.

I'm no expert, but have researched a great deal. You can find a lot of people who keep each species of these snakes that can shed more light.

I'd say the meanest snake will be the one that bites me the hardest when I'm not expecting it LOL!

Alright, let's get a few things straightened out.

There are no aggressive snakes. There are some defensive ones, though.

Given that, ANY SNAKE can be raised to become a calm, trusting and tractable adult. I know because I have done it with every giant species, except for scrubs. But a snake is a snake is a snake. Teach it early on to trust you, and you will never have a problem as long as you are not stupid. ie smelling like food, bothering it during a molt, etc.

Chris

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Originally Posted by mumps

Alright, let's get a few things straightened out.

There are no aggressive snakes. There are some defensive ones, though.

Given that, ANY SNAKE can be raised to become a calm, trusting and tractable adult. I know because I have done it with every giant species, except for scrubs. But a snake is a snake is a snake. Teach it early on to trust you, and you will never have a problem as long as you are not stupid. ie smelling like food, bothering it during a molt, etc.

Chris

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I would agree and maybe replace aggressive with mean. As in no "mean snakes" as they have zero human emotions.

Aggressive could be used to describe a feeding response one snake's VS another's. For instance my boa has a far more aggressive feeding response than our Royal's. Or consider in general terms, that maybe a certain species IN GENERAL will be more apt to defend itself by striking.

For instance a Royal python's natural defense is to BALL up, other species have marked tails that resemble a head so potential predators don't attack their head, while others will strike.

I guess it all depends on how the word aggressive is used.

I tend to agree with mumps and don't think there is a such thing as a "mean" snake, and aggressive can be looked at differently depending what characteristic you are speaking of.

Mumps/Chris, you would be a good person to ask seeing as you've raised large snakes.

In general, what species has been the most difficult for you to deal with initially? What takes the longest to settle down? Some snakes are obviously better for beginners than others.

Wild caught African Rocks have taken the longest to establish trust with. Wild caught retics a close second.

Luckily these days there is no need to purchase WC, so the time it takes to establish trust is greatly diminished.

If you want a big snake with the "easiest" amount of work to establish trust, get a Burm.

Chris

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Originally Posted by mumps

Wild caught African Rocks have taken the longest to establish trust with. Wild caught retics a close second.

Luckily these days there is no need to purchase WC, so the time it takes to establish trust is greatly diminished.

If you want a big snake with the "easiest" amount of work to establish trust, get a Burm.

Chris

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Great answer and thanks for the insight.

Retics and Afrocks can mate, the resulting babies are called cateaters. It seems Bateaters ( retic x burm) are a lot more common though.

I have met 6 rocks all 6 are very calm and quite friendly. Most of the retics although not aggressive I can hardly say calm, active, alert and fast, fits better.
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