Jampea

When my BP grows out of her tank I want to get another baby snake to replace it. I've been wanting a red tail boa and I've gotten a good amount of info on them but I've recently come across the dwarf reticulated pythons. But I'm having issues with the snake breeder I wanted to buy from because he hasn't been responded to any of my emails and it's getting pretty frustrating because I want to prepare if this semi-monster snake is going to be a pet of mine. The internet does not have a lot about them, sadly.

So my basic questions as of now is:

Is the husbandry and care similar to a regular retic except for the size of the tank?

How big do the male Jampeas get? 10-12 feet is what I've been reading, is this correct?

How much do they weigh when they are adults? The one big reason why I can't get big snakes is because when they've grown they're so heavy and I'd eventually lose control over it. I'm not planning to live with other people, so that's why when I saw these dwarfs it caught my eye because I love burmese and retics. I know there are smaller dwarfs, and Jampea is the biggest of them, I think, but I do want a big snake, closest I can get to one at least without getting a hernia.

Thanks.

Reptilexperts is the local expert on all things retic around here. What I can tell you is to be very careful when getting a dwarf retic. Especially with Jamps, and the specific line's genetic makeup, there is a very real chance that these snakes can reach near mainland sizes. There is vast variation between each genetic line as to how big they will get. The best way to assess is to hopefully get information from the breeder as to the adult sizes that he is currently working with. It will at least give you a reference point.

Also keep in mind that some dwarf retics have behavioral issues that mainland retics don't. I have found them to be more flighty and nippy as babies than those with 100% mainland blood. If you are looking at getting a male, a mainland retic can stay around 10' while being healthy and fed appropriately. Much more variety, and more cost effective when going with mainland retics. Just something to think about.

Watch these!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2UF4WGzDFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmYCnUzAJAc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmYCnUzAJAc


I think anybody considering a dwarf of SD retic should look at these.

Cody has a lot of info posted on this board and a simple search will bring you there.

If you are really only 15 years old, ask yourself where you will be in 15 more years. College, girls, friends, moves and jobs are not typically reticulated python friendly at least retics that go 9+ feet.

I agree they are an exciting snake, but they require FULL, stable commitment and should not be purchased on impulse.

I just said this in another post, but I will say it again.

One of the biggest problems in the hobby is when people, usually young, unestablished folks buy an animal that they don't plan far enough into the future for.

Larger snakes are the hardest to place when the owner can't care for them any longer. They are also the first red light you'll hit when trying to rent a room or apartment.

Going from a small, timid, docile royal to a fast growing, highly active retic is a very big jump.

If you are looking to step up, find a different boa breeder as there are a ton out there and get a nice, common male boa constrictor.

If you have it all figured out, great, but if not, stay smaller and get settled into life first and then look at getting a retic if you still have the urge.

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Originally Posted by Gio

If you are really only 15 years old, ask yourself where you will be in 15 more years. College, girls, friends, moves and jobs are not typically reticulated python friendly at least retics that go 9+ feet.

I agree they are an exciting snake, but they require FULL, stable commitment and should not be purchased on impulse.

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This. I would recommend holding off on getting one until you're paying a mortgage and not rent. Heck many landlords freak out about ball pythons and king snakes.

@JoshSloane

I know when getting these animals to look at the size of the parents. I'm going to look for less feisty of babies because I would love to hold out one of these snakes and teach people about them. I'm trying to look more into it but there's not a lot of breeders of dwarfs that I can find online.

But I'm confused. If I get a reticulated python, not a dwarf, and keep it's feeding healthy and controlled it will only get 10 feet? I know people keep their feeding organized because they don't want a 20 foot snake but I didn't think you could keep them that small. If that's so I can look into getting a mainland.

@Gio

Beautiful snakes and in the second parts they are a good size. I'll look more into it later.

I'm not getting this snake off of impulse. I am completely aware of how much I have to spend, how big it might get, and what it can do to someone physically. That's why I want to know years in advance because I'm planning to build it it's own tank, and that's why I want to talk to this breeder because I want to know if he has these snakes, and what he usually finds in them. Size, temperament, etc.

But I get it, I'm not that old, I shouldn't be making this big of decisions. But I plan to stay where I am. I want to go to local college where I can come back home for the day, so moving won't be an issue at that point. I have literally two friends in real life and I couldn't care less about relationships. I do want a job though because I will need to pay for the snake's food, since I know when they get older, they start eating rats, rabbits, etc. I'm going to be driving next semester and I'm only a freshmen. Plus, Medusa, my BP, is 6 months old, it'll take a while before she needs to be moved to another tank. She's in a 20 g right now and adults can be in a 30 g. I'll have a lot of time to think this stuff through. The problem is with looking in to the future, I don't know what I want to do. I do think I'm going to do something animal related but I don't know what.

Yes, you can keep a male retic around 10' with healthy, controlled feeding. Vital Exotics routinely keeps their breeding age males at or around the 10' mark. Just keep in mind that a 10' retic is a big, powerful, smart and quick animal. They are not like burms or boas in how they move. They are calculating and fast.I'm not trying to dissuade you from a retic. I truly believe that the purpose of this forum is not to pressure a person one way or another, but only to provide information and let the individual decide. Are most 15 year olds ready to own a retic? Likely not. But some are, and you might be. If you have the money, support from parents and can provide all the appropriate husbandry and care then go for it. Just be aware that these giants are unlike any other species. That being said, if you do decide to buy one have fun and enjoy it. There's nothing quite like owning a giant. Don't be afraid to come back here for help or to ask questions. You might get some snarky remarks along the way, but there are many of us on here who will provide realistic information without judging.

Thank you, Josh.

Big snakes are not everyone's thing, and I can't say just how ready I am because I still need hands on experience with them. I'm hoping to visit some reptile breeders just to get the feel of these animals and to see if I can take them on. Retics can be one of the sweetest animals but also very dangerous if they're not handled properly. And I would rather get a Burmese python but the Lacey act made it so I can't get one over state borders. I don't know of any Burmese breeders in Illinois.

It is a big jump from a sweet ball python to a snake that is pretty mysterious. One day they'll be docile and the other they're going for the face. I'd really love to take that challenge, though. When I save enough money, have a tank big enough for when they reach that 10 or more foot size and just watch as a small baby grows into a monstrous, extraordinary being.

I get that I'm 15. I'm young. I only have one snake and it hasn't been that long of a time. I know people might get concerned because they don't want me to get something that I can't handle and I'd have to go through the struggle of getting rid of a python of that size. I can see where that comes from but again: It won't be for a while and I promise, I'll get experience. If I feel like it isn't right by the end of it, then I'll get a boa constrictor, my first choice. I'm aware of where I need to stop. I'm aware if something is too much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Yes, you can keep a male retic around 10' with healthy, controlled feeding. Vital Exotics routinely keeps their breeding age males at or around the 10' mark. Just keep in mind that a 10' retic is a big, powerful, smart and quick animal. They are not like burms or boas in how they move. They are calculating and fast.I'm not trying to dissuade you from a retic. I truly believe that the purpose of this forum is not to pressure a person one way or another, but only to provide information and let the individual decide. Are most 15 year olds ready to own a retic? Likely not. But some are, and you might be. If you have the money, support from parents and can provide all the appropriate husbandry and care then go for it. Just be aware that these giants are unlike any other species. That being said, if you do decide to buy one have fun and enjoy it. There's nothing quite like owning a giant. Don't be afraid to come back here for help or to ask questions. You might get some snarky remarks along the way, but there are many of us on here who will provide realistic information without judging.

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Oh,

Don't get me wrong OP, nobody is judging you, at least I hope not. I am just giving you a parent's point of view. I watch my own kids light on fire over something for a while and then it is old news a few months later.

I agree with Josh when he says if you have the support and the right attitude and personality you can do it. When I say support, I mean your folks have to be willing to keep it for you should things come up.

Your life is just beginning and I want you and the potential animal to make things work for the next 15-20+ years is all.

Many folks are very young when they develop their love for reptiles. There is nothing wrong with that at all.

I often feel compelled to toss in a little "parental guidance" here and there, however I wish you nothing but success in choosing and raising the reptiles you want.

I know where you're coming from, Gio.

I have a history of that. I have a lot of animals, and I love them, but as you said: they became old news.

I'm really hoping that this spark never dies, and that's why it's good for me to wait for a bit until getting an animal with such a large responsibility. But the problem was with all of these animals: they were on impulse. If you want to know how I got a ball python it was because I went to Petsmart to get another fish tank and my dad had interested me into getting a snake. I love her to death and she had to get some upgrades on some things but it bothered me that I went in headstrong not knowing where to start with a snake. I had never owned any reptile before. Luckily it turned out okay because I educated myself quickly and found out what was right for her but - I really wish I planned.

Like for this retic, dwarf, boa, whatever snake it is going to be I am planning for it. I want to make sure it's on my mind day by day and it still feels right and the animal has the right habitat and gets a healthy life right when it gets to my house. If I'm still passionate in one or two years about snakes and about this - I should be good. One great thing that keeps me going is learning something new everyday about them. Whether I own the snake or not, the more educated I am the more I get into it.

I'm going to educate myself more, get hands on experience, visit a breeder that is an idol to me and really see what I'm heading into.

I know that my mom doesn't like snakes too much. When my dad and I brought home a ball python she was mad. But I told her of what I learned about ball pythons and other snakes and let her interact with the snake and she slowly started to think that they were cute and that they are great animals. When I told her about a ten foot Jampea retic she freaked out but I showed her a video of an owner showing his Jampea and she thought the size wasn't too bad. Then again, she didn't like the medium-sized boa constrictor because "it's face isn't cute."

??? They're still great animals???

I'm telling her things about snakes everyday and she's starting to loosen up on them. Someone was holding an adolescent retic at a reptile show and she thought it was cool. Hopefully in however long it takes, one to two years, she would've warmed up enough to a bigger snake. My dad is fine with these snakes, but my mom I will have to work with. She's defiantly being nice about it at least.

As an FYI a Jampea can still get huge. Samson Pruitt posted pics of his 18 foot female. If you want a smaller one look at the super dwarf localities.

Kind of weird they still deem it a dwarf if it can still get up to the normal retic size. I'll lean more on the mainland and controlled feeding and before the time comes when I have to make my choice, I'll see what works best for me.

Thanks for the help, guys.

So the issue is that the different designations for retics, like mainland, jampea, kalatoa, are geographic, not genetic designations. Meaning that within each group there is a widely significant spectrum of potential genetic sizes. So you could have one genetic line of jampea individuals that exist at the high end of the genetic spectrum, and a group of mainland animals that exist on the smaller end, and thus have similar sizes. This is why you can't definitively know sizes of a particular animal without knowing the details of their parents and specific line. Adding into the confusion are breeders who list an animal as 'dwarf' when it might only have a small percentage of true dwarf genes in its ancestry.

Alright, so that's going to be something to look at. I'm defiantly going to look into the parents and hopefully I can find a trustworthy breeder with a mainland that won't get too big.

Good stuff. Sounds like you are going about this thoughtfully.

Lots of stuff posted. Most of the things have been answered. Couple of key things:

Jampeas are the largest of the dwarf locales - but these large ones are the oddball. However, it still remains a possibility. The largest of the large will be females, however, so looking into males you will be just fine.

My 50% Jampea Goldenchild Male is full grown. Breedable. Getting fat if I push anymore food down him. He's a very comfortable 9' roughly and IMO a perfect sized snake. Small enough to be handled by one person, but large enough to be confident in a group of people where it's still "wow" but controllable.

Locale specifics do push to genetic difference. In my understanding it comes from their ability to regulate metabolism differently. Smaller island chains result in smaller and less frequent feeding pools. Jampea in particular is reliant on bird breeding populations that come in once a year. It can feed heavy and then slow its metabolism down the rest of the year. It results in a smaller growth rate, and a smaller breeding size. Potential is there though if you do not maintain this metabolism phenomena. Those who see Giant Jampeas. generally have a heavy feeding schedule and attempt to grow them large. I have a 75% Jampea het Anery poss het albino tiger female that was born in 2013 late. She's been fed a different feeding plan than my normal grow outs (typically I feed every 4-7 days till 6 months old, then every 7 days till about a year then every 7-10 days skipping a meal during sheds). She's been fed a moderate sized meal every 7-10 days since I took her in to watch the growth. In contrast at this age, my 62.5% Jampea Purple Albino was pushing 5' and some change. The tiger, is still around 3' and a very very healthy weight. She'll likely breed around 10' where my purple albino Jampea is now around 14 ft and will breed this winter (we typically can see locks between October and January).

The personal stuff is up to you. Only you know when you are able to take it in, and how you will handle it throughout the future. Don't be discouraged as a lot of folks have started at a young age and done just fine. But, a giant snake is a giant responsibility, land lords, dorms, and bills are all things to consider, but again I only offer you information to absorb and use with your own knowledge of yourself. Keep in mind, unless you were a USARK member prior to March or April of this year, you will NOT be able to move a retic across stateliness. And no one can move retics INTO Florida or Texas with the current state of the law in regards to the Lacy Act. More things to consider.

Shoot me a message if and when you get closer to the decisive moment and I'll offer what information I can. New youtube videos are in the works - it's been a painfully slow process this past year to get any updates done.

I thought retics were not on the Lacey act, only pending. I'll look into that later when the time is nearing, and when I feel better because ho boy I am sick and I want to curl up and die right now. The one thing I do worry about is the feeding because if I'm successful with breeding live mice, that won't be a problem in the earlier months when it's small, but rabbits can get pretty pricey and it was a lot of money for just the mice stuff, so I don't know about breeding them.

I know by the time I get another snake I'll be working part time somewhere that can get me money for food but there's still a lot of other factors in the world to consider. Gas, medicine, food for myself, etc. I don't think my parents are going to back me up for that long. Hopefully when I get the snake, it'll accept f/t because as much as I like live, it's a hassle to go out to the store and get one, care for them when the snake doesn't eat, etc. But then I'd have to get frozen mice for the snake when it's younger to keep it used to that type of prey, and I can probably find some pet store that'll take in young feeder mice if I breed too many babies.

I'll defiantly try to remember to message you when the time is coming and I think I'll look into getting a mainland retic, just because it's said that they're more likely to be more docile. I have to learn about this USARK program, too.

Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nixon

I thought retics were not on the Lacey act, only pending. I'll look into that later when the time is nearing, and when I feel better because ho boy I am sick and I want to curl up and die right now. The one thing I do worry about is the feeding because if I'm successful with breeding live mice, that won't be a problem in the earlier months when it's small, but rabbits can get pretty pricey and it was a lot of money for just the mice stuff, so I don't know about breeding them.

I know by the time I get another snake I'll be working part time somewhere that can get me money for food but there's still a lot of other factors in the world to consider. Gas, medicine, food for myself, etc. I don't think my parents are going to back me up for that long. Hopefully when I get the snake, it'll accept f/t because as much as I like live, it's a hassle to go out to the store and get one, care for them when the snake doesn't eat, etc. But then I'd have to get frozen mice for the snake when it's younger to keep it used to that type of prey, and I can probably find some pet store that'll take in young feeder mice if I breed too many babies.

I'll defiantly try to remember to message you when the time is coming and I think I'll look into getting a mainland retic, just because it's said that they're more likely to be more docile. I have to learn about this USARK program, too.

Thanks.

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They are very much on the lacy act - but it is part of the law suit and the injunction filed granted us a temporary relief from the ban on interstate transport. However, part of the agreement was that it would exclude Texas and Florida from this injunction due to the higher risk in these states (Thanks USGS HSUS PETA and everyone else out to get me). Nevertheless, city's have laws and ordinances as well. And some states have their own laws regarding retics. Best to study ALL possible places you wish to go to school or live. If you plan to stay in your current town, read the city ordinances and find out what they allow and don't allow. People fail to realize that the government can say yes, a state can say yes, a county can say yes, your mom can say yes, but then it happens - the City itself, says no. Ordinances are extremely out dated in most cities, but they are still law. Learn them.