Leviathan Progress Thread

Last week I drove the hour and a half or so to pick up my dream snake from Bob Clark, a male purple sunfire retic. I haven't taken too many pictures or taken weight/length yet, but he shed the day after I brought him home and it measured 46". Once he gets a bit more time to settle in I'll start handling him regularly. He's extremely calm and seems very curious. I have him in a 48x24x18 pvc enclosure (for now) made by Recoil Reptiles of OKC, and he loves exploring once the lights go out!

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...56&oe=5CDB67E8

age and name??

Great looking retic. Congratulations on the new stunner!

Damn that’s a beautiful snake! Congratulations man!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow! What a great looking snake...congrats!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by samsonact

age and name??

---

Hi! You know, I never asked Mr. Clark about his birth month! I just sent him a message. :)

I've named him Leviathan. :):)

*****

He's settling in pretty well, although he's a tad bit aggressive when there's food around! I'll be handling him daily starting this weekend.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by samsonact

age and name??

---

Born September 2018!

We’ve been working on tap training and interaction. He alerts to any cage lock/door noise in full food mode, but a gentle rub with the hook shuts it down and allows me to pick him up. I’m really impressed with how quickly he’s learned that hook = no food.

He tagged me very lightly once, but since then, he calms right down when held.

He’s eating a rat pup every 3-4 days. I’m sure he’d eat far more if I allowed, but I’m not going to power feed him. We may move up to weaned rats next week.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2ce6727871.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6148ed789d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c40fbb7c6f.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

We’ve been working on tap training and interaction. He alerts to any cage lock/door noise in full food mode, but a gentle rub with the hook shuts it down and allows me to pick him up. I’m really impressed with how quickly he’s learned that hook = no food.

He tagged me very lightly once, but since then, he calms right down when held.

He’s eating a rat pup every 3-4 days. I’m sure he’d eat far more if I allowed, but I’m not going to power feed him. We may move up to weaned rats next week.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2ce6727871.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6148ed789d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c40fbb7c6f.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

I would be feeding him weaned every 7 days. He’s a darn good size and growing quick. With feeding him every few days it doesn’t leave much time to digest between meals or give his body down time.
That feed response is there for life hahahaha nothing like a Retic to act now and think later.
Nice looking addition.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good call, his next meal will be a weaned rat! :)

General retic question for anyone- since I've had him, his tongue flicks are short, as in just sticking out the forked portion of his tongue. They aren't quick or fast, he just doesn't stick his tongue out all the way. Is this an individual behavior that's somewhat normal, or is it a stress indicator? When he's doing it, there aren't any other signs of anxiety or stress.

Handling is going well, he’s really calmed down. I’m learning to read him a bit better, and today I let him go beyond my forearms to explore my shoulders a bit.

Anyone have a clue about this tongue flick? It’s as far as I see him stick it out.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4d0096ee0e.jpg

Beautiful noodle!!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1290baf5d1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c85d36894e.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice retic!


Tap training is very easy to train in snakes: it has little to do with training, and more to do with breaking their feeding response. It's easy for snakes (aside from especially stubborn ones) to pick up on tap "training" because it's unusual for prey items to just come up in their business and start messing with them. If you tap them differently than you feed, it's as simple as your actions just being unexpected. Makes them stop and think, and from there it's easy to get them to realize you aren't food.


At times, you may need to take longer with the hook to get them to break their feeding response, and as he gets bigger imo it becomes ever more important to ensure you've broken their feeding response. A 4' baby biting you is one thing, a 10'+ retic is another thing, and a full grown retic bite could be fatal.


I also agree: feed every 7 days. There is not a single (healthy) rodent-eating snake I can think of that I'd feed more often than that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

Good call, his next meal will be a weaned rat! :)

General retic question for anyone- since I've had him, his tongue flicks are short, as in just sticking out the forked portion of his tongue. They aren't quick or fast, he just doesn't stick his tongue out all the way. Is this an individual behavior that's somewhat normal, or is it a stress indicator? When he's doing it, there aren't any other signs of anxiety or stress.

---

It's normal, just picking up scent particles. I personally assume it's either because they don't feel a real pressing need to be aware of their situation. I see this a lot in my boa constrictors when they're just laying there asleep and I come up to them. Slow, steady movements get the tongue tips, bigger/quicker movements get full on tongue flicks.

Has he ever stuck out his tongue more at all? Could also be a deformity if he physically can't extend his tongue.

Tap training is coming along well, it’s clear when that response is gone. You’re right- sometimes it takes longer. :)

I’ve gone to giving him a weaned rat once a week, and that seems to be working well!

As far as the tongue, I’ve never seen him do anything else, so you could be right. He isn’t dehydrated or stressed, and seems completely normal besides that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Something interesting happened last night-

Most of the enclosures I’ve ordered are from Animal Plastics, with Pro Products RHPs. However, I currently have Leviathan in a PVC enclosure made by Recoil Reptiles. It came with an RHP from VE. The VE has a plug for the cord in the RHP itself- the cord is removable. Leviathan, being the explorer he is, somehow unplugged his RHP last night after I went to bed, and when I checked on him this morning, his cage was 74 degrees. Not the end of the world by any means, but still concerning, especially given that I sometimes leave town for the weekend.

I just thought I’d share this- the ProHeat RHPs can’t be unplugged from inside the enclosure... and I’ll be ordering another soon to replace this VE panel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

Something interesting happened last night-

Most of the enclosures I’ve ordered are from Animal Plastics, with Pro Products RHPs. However, I currently have Leviathan in a PVC enclosure made by Recoil Reptiles. It came with an RHP from VE. The VE has a plug for the cord in the RHP itself- the cord is removable. Leviathan, being the explorer he is, somehow unplugged his RHP last night after I went to bed, and when I checked on him this morning, his cage was 74 degrees. Not the end of the world by any means, but still concerning, especially given that I sometimes leave town for the weekend.

I just thought I’d share this- the ProHeat RHPs can’t be unplugged from inside the enclosure... and I’ll be ordering another soon to replace this VE panel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

How was it able to be unplugged? :O

I have the cords to my RHPs threaded up through the top right at the base of the wire, so there is no excess wire for the snakes to get into. My RBI panels don't have removable wires, either. The plugs at the end can be taken apart, but you can't get the wire out of the panel itself. Is that a new design or something?

I’m honestly at a loss at how he got it unplugged- it came installed in the enclosure, and there didn’t appear to be enough slack for this to happen. I plugged it back in and took up the slack at the supports. It’s a VE panel, and the cord can be unplugged from the panel itself, inside the enclosure.

One way or another, I’m replacing this one with a hard wired panel ASAP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t hold Leviathan, he holds me!

Things are going well- consistent feeding (1 weaned rat/week), gentle interactions, and his weird short tongue flick is gone- he flicks it normally now for the most part. He’s easily 4’ at this point.

He sometimes gets in his strike pose in his enclosure and makes aggressive movements up towards his RHP, it’s odd but rare.

I’m really coming to love this guy more every day!!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...96e840535a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...170ce8775a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...86e8991f19.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f2e2bc6f3c.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

I’m honestly at a loss at how he got it unplugged- it came installed in the enclosure, and there didn’t appear to be enough slack for this to happen. I plugged it back in and took up the slack at the supports. It’s a VE panel, and the cord can be unplugged from the panel itself, inside the enclosure.

One way or another, I’m replacing this one with a hard wired panel ASAP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Hmm. That is indeed strange! Could he have somehow pulled the wire out of the panel? (As in: the wire isn't supposed to be removed at the panel, but with enough force he could have pulled it out?)

He's growing very well, and continues to be gorgeous. ^.^

He’s gone from 400g to 620g in the past two months. Still gentle and sweet, once I tone down his feeding response with the hook!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ee7292ff23.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...71e2a1316d.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He’s beautiful, glad to hear that he is calm.

Here he is now, right around 7 feet long. I’ve been feeding him once a week consistently. He’s just gone to large rats now, should I space out his feedings?

I’m thawing my other animals’ food now and he is fired up! [emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...199a315561.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

Here he is now, right around 7 feet long. I’ve been feeding him once a week consistently. He’s just gone to large rats now, should I space out his feedings?

I’m thawing my other animals’ food now and he is fired up! [emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkhttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...199a315561.jpg

---

Personally I see no advantage in having a hungry growing baby retic. I feed my 2 year old weekly still and she just moved to jumbo rats, or 2 lb rabbits. Granted mine are female and they grow so fast at this age. I don't power feed but I also don't let them go hungry. My 3 year old eats when she asks and she is not greedy eating every 2 to 3 weeks a grown chicken. At over 14 feet and over 57lbs that is not bad. She is still growing quickly. Your guy is a male. He should not grow as fast or large as my to females. I also give mine large spaces to live and move around in so they do some exploration and I also play with them both a few times a week. The younger one Aurora is always in food mode till I put her hook in. Then she calms down. She attacked her water bowl once and constricted it. Was an interesting event. She flew about 4 feet out of her hide and that is about half of her body length. Feeding day was the next day. I took that as a clear sign she was ready for larger prey. Some say feed them minimum to keep them small. If you want small get a ball. These guys need to grow and explore and interact because they are intelligent animals. All this is my opinion and should be taken as such.

Leviathan is about 9’ now, enjoying his 6x2x2 AP cage. He’s just as gentle and curious as ever, eating 1-2XL rats or a 2# rabbit per week.

He’s simply amazing.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f7ad81539c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...8fd5c78041.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d9b0496822.jpg

I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but Leviathan had to go to the vet yesterday for an abscess in his mouth. We were given a series of shots to administer, and he was given a clean bill of health from the exotics vet. He’s a bit over 2 years old now, a bit over 10’ long (haven’t measured him recently), and ~26 lbs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...fd2d2827de.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What a beautiful golden coloration & pattern he has! Congrats on getting his mouth healed up. :gj:

Gorgeous. Glad he can be on the mend now. Maybe a broken tooth of something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JTC

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...fd2d2827de.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

That is amazing !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

What a beautiful golden coloration & pattern he has! Congrats on getting his mouth healed up. :gj:

---

Thank you! [emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nikkubus

Gorgeous. Glad he can be on the mend now. Maybe a broken tooth of something?

---

That’s what I was worried about. The vet said it could have been that but he didn’t see one that was. He’s doing great now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk