They grow so quick!!

Ok so after semi arguing with a guy on Retic Nation FB, turns out he was right lol. I was in the 'boa thought of mind'. I didn't realize how big of food retics like. I picked up a 250g large rat for Caesar today and he ate that thing like it was a candy bar. He then planted his full tummy on the flexwatt while having his face out front. My god is he looking for seconds??!! :O Well I guess the mediums were too small as this large seems to be leaving a nice noticeable lump but not something overly large. Cant believe Caesar is up to the same size good as Rosey my 7' boa is eating.
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Guess you learn something new everyday lol. Cant believe Caesar is only 9 months old and on large rats.....

He is freakin gorgeous!! :gj:
I wish these Burms & Retics didn't get so big or id go for another Burm.. They acually interact... Mine looks for me to open the enclosure and wants to chill around the house hahahahaha... I hear retics are even smarter than burms... But can you trust them Sauzo?

Thanks. Caesar has never tried to bite me yet. When it comes to food, I personally wouldn't trust them haha but then again, I don't my boas when it comes to food. They all bite first and taste later lol. As for just taking them out, yeah I trust Caesar. The only time he I have heard him hiss and seen him really pissed where he opened his mouth was when I tried to hook train him haha. He HATES the hook. I just use a twisted paper towel and whack it on his head if he gets overly excited when I open the door and he immediately lays down or retreats and then looks at me over a hide or peeks around his water bowl. The only thing is for the most part, Caesar likes to cruise and explore. He isn't the lounge snake he was when he was a baby. My loungers are the boas. The ultimate lounger is Luna the dumerils. She is happy to sit on me for hours with only moving her head a little this way or that haha. Caesar is like that 5 year old kid who ate a king size Hershey bar and drank a mountain dew.

Very cool. That's a gorgeous snake!

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Thanks.. Caesar is like that 5 year old kid who ate a king size Hershey bar and drank a mountain dew.

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hahahahaha :D

He looks great Sauzo and he sure did smash that large rat! You better be careful or he's gonna be eating rabbits in a few months ;).

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

He looks great Sauzo and he sure did smash that large rat! You better be careful or he's gonna be eating rabbits in a few months ;).

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Thanks. Haha the guy on the Retic Nation FB was telling me at 5' I should be feeding him baby rabbits and guinea pigs. After watching him smash the large rat, I wouldn't doubt it lol. He ate that thing as fast if not faster than Rosey eats her large rats and she's 7'.

They do grow fast and pythons, at least some can take outrageous sized prey. Is it a good thing? Sometimes it is sometimes it isn't.

I've stuffed my carpet with HUGE prey. She's a terrible eater so occasionally I'll double her up on large rats or a rabbit.

I like lean, well muscled animals. That includes dogs, cats and anything else.

Caesar is a wonderful looking snake. He's probably related to my retic somehow.

They don't have to get big, at least overly big. Male retics are lean animals and if you are going to give them large prey items, they can wait a bit longer before the next meal.

As far as trust? I don't trust any of the snakes I own. Royal python, boa constrictor, coastal carpet python, and retic. I've been bitten by all except the royal.

I always take precautions with them, but I feel I can read them and I can go from there.

Caesar is more mellow than Wallace for sure. I've been musked more than a few times. Once he's out of his cage he's great though.

Speaking of cages, I'm STRONGLY considering biting the bullet and going with an Animal Plastics semi custom T-25. I just need the ceiling space improved from 18" to 20 to 24".

Caesar is looking good.

Yeah I'm hoping a large rat lasts Caesar a week. It should according to some of the other people I've talked to. Some retics are just more food driven than others. Caesar is highly food driven. Add to that he isn't very shy and secretive and that ends with him pushing at the doors, shoving his hides around and overall just being a loud and destructive snake when he's hungry haha.

And guess I'm lucky still has I have never been musked yet or pissed on. Caesar pisses in his cage like a champ though but never outside.

I like the AP cages. T25 will be for when they get bigger. Not going with the Monster Cages, Gio?

And thanks, I really like Caesar. He's a character. I had his cage open last night as I usually leave a door open for everyone as the boas seem to like to sit at the open doorway with just their head sitting on the litter dam or they will hang out about an inch or 2 and sit there for hours. Caesar being Caesar and on the top of the stack decided to see what was up top. I look at them every little while to make sure they aren't getting into trouble while I'm watching TV and Caesar was half on top of the stack checking out the Herpstats lol. I get up and go over there and he instantly turns his head and looks at me like "what!?" All I had to do was touch his back with my finger and he double timed it in reverse back into his cage hahaha. Then he just sat there with his head on the litter dam looking out. He's such a character.

I would convert him to rabbits now while he's still young and hungry, or at least alternate between rabbits and rats. He can take a half-pounder as 1 ounce = 30 grams, so a half-pound rabbit = 240 grams.

I got an adult female that had only been eating rats - she would take 3-4 jumbos every 10-14 days - and it took months to get her onto rabbits. Since a one pound(ish) jumbo rat is $5 but the same size rabbit was only $2 you can see why I'd want her to switch!

Hope that change in size works out you. Sounds like it will.

I believe that each snake has their own set of rules on feeding. With the exception of DNA, which is why some snakes are significantly larger than others, as seen in the wild.

For example, I have two sibling Coastal Carpets. Etta, will eat half of the food in half of the feeding frequency than Mack. She is 6 feet in length. Mack who consumes double at twice as often is twice the girth at 7 feet long.

On the other hand my Boa, Punch is getting half as much and half as often as his previous owner fed him. He has a great disposition and is never cage aggressive due to a being hungry.

My BP, Elvira must be fed way larger than normal prey associated with BP's to stop cage aggression, and only fed monthly. Yet she fasts every winter.

Of course my other snakes can be quirky at times as well.

The point is, as snakekeepers we need to learn to read our animals and be willing to safely experiment.

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Lizzy, Coastal Carpet

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I would convert him to rabbits now while he's still young and hungry, or at least alternate between rabbits and rats. He can take a half-pounder as 1 ounce = 30 grams, so a half-pound rabbit = 240 grams.

I got an adult female that had only been eating rats - she would take 3-4 jumbos every 10-14 days - and it took months to get her onto rabbits. Since a one pound(ish) jumbo rat is $5 but the same size rabbit was only $2 you can see why I'd want her to switch!

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By any chance are those $2 rabbits online? If so where?

I have found rabbits online to be double the cost or more compared to rats.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

I like the AP cages. T25 will be for when they get bigger. Not going with the Monster Cages, Gio?

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I'm still not sure. Monsters are pre-built and welded. Its a great concept, like Boaphile, but I like cages I can assemble and yes, break down if needed.

I've popped the tops off of my Pro-Lines to readjust things and though I don't foresee taking them apart, I know if I ever have to change out LED fixtures or heat panels, I can simply take the cage apart.

I'm still on the fence but if I can have AP make me a 72" x 30" x 24" I would be thrilled.

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Originally Posted by Gio

I'm still not sure. Monsters are pre-built and welded. Its a great concept, like Boaphile, but I like cages I can assemble and yes, break down if needed.

I've popped the tops off of my Pro-Lines to readjust things and though I don't foresee taking them apart, I know if I ever have to change out LED fixtures or heat panels, I can simply take the cage apart.

I'm still on the fence but if I can have AP make me a 72" x 30" x 24" I would be thrilled.

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That is something well worth considering.

It was difficult for me to install LEDs and a RHP in my Boaphile. After doing that I'm trying to talk myself out of installing a skyhide for Punch.

always love seeing Caesar updates. :D he's so darn pretty!

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Originally Posted by Reinz

By any chance are those $2 rabbits online? If so where?

I have found rabbits online to be double the cost or more compared to rats.

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Monster Feeders / Monster Kru. I'd fill the box with different sizes since your boy is going to grow up quickly and the feeders stay good for a months.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I would convert him to rabbits now while he's still young and hungry, or at least alternate between rabbits and rats. He can take a half-pounder as 1 ounce = 30 grams, so a half-pound rabbit = 240 grams.

I got an adult female that had only been eating rats - she would take 3-4 jumbos every 10-14 days - and it took months to get her onto rabbits. Since a one pound(ish) jumbo rat is $5 but the same size rabbit was only $2 you can see why I'd want her to switch!

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Good idea. Yeah I was feeding him quails and chicks too and Caesar the garbage can was eating anything that got near him when he was hungry including me probably haha. The gal I get all my feeders from I don't think has really small rabbits. I think the smallest she has is 1 lb+. I'll probably end having to wait or i'll have to ask on meat rabbit FB page for anyone near me. He has such a crazy food drive though, I couldn't see him turning down any food haha. He's finally quiet though after that large rat. First time in weeks I've seen him completely quiet and content and not tracking me around the cage. Guess he really did need an upsize in food. Owning a retic is like learning how to care for snakes all over again as it does seem stuff that pertains to boas goes out the window with retics haha.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Monster Feeders / Monster Kru. I'd fill the box with different sizes since your boy is going to grow up quickly and the feeders stay good for a months.

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Do you find these guys clean and well packaged, bcr? I'm going to pick up a chest freezer and set up so I can just order online as now Caesar is eating large rats along with Rosey so my price for food every month is going to be even higher. I've been looking at Perfect Prey and Big Cheese as my 2 go to guys. I heard good stuff about Layne Labs too but recently I have heard just bad things about how their packaging and stuff is subpar now.

I've never ordered feeder rabbits from Monster Kru, just saw his ads. I have two local sources, one produces meat rabbits, the other produces show rabbits and I buy the stills and culls.