Time to move on. Semi graphic.

The hobby for me has always been about observation, relaxation and in frequent, but quality handling.
I've enjoyed building naturalistic caging and studying the biology of each species I have chosen to work with.

I have several real, scientific field studies of various snake species saved to my computer and I have purchased literature that goes far beyond the "pet care" format that most snake related publications tend to lean toward. Knowing my pets real world behaviors and biology is very important to me.

I purchased a SD X Dwarf X Mainland, male retic back in 2016 and I was thrilled at the idea of having a small, but active apex predator in my collection.

Sadly, he grew larger than I was expecting, and even worse his aggression levels were completely the opposite of what I'd planned for.

Wallace was re-homed today, and though I'm somewhat saddened that I was not able to continue my relationship with him, There is a sense of relief that he is going to a great home. He's already lined up as a breeding male with his new keeper who specializes in the species.

I made a valiant effort to work through the issues that I had with this animal. But after 3 bites, with each of them getting worse, I had to put ego aside and admit that the species is more than I could handle without any help and also more involved than I wanted to be with one single animal.

The other three snakes took a backseat to Wallace because he required much more from me.

This photo was taken last summer when he went wild and attacked and coiled around a snake hook. I tried getting him off the hook by using a rag soaked in Listerine. He attacked it and actually started to try to eat it.
https://i.imgur.com/rya3UGn.jpg

Bite number one was nothing but a scared, defensive bite and nothing I hadn't experienced from my other animals.
https://i.imgur.com/XU9YawX.jpg

Bite number two occurred in January of 2019 and was a bit more concerning but still didn't sway my from keeping the species.
https://i.imgur.com/LjX3PAR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Vj0YgZK.jpg

After the second bite however, his attitude changed as did his size. Every day I was challenged by him and hook training seemed to fuel the fire. He'd attack the five foot hook I purchased and I eventually had to rub hand sanitizer on the hook to prevent him from biting it.

Once I was able to get him to retreat, he'd always come back around and face off. I worked through some of that and usually was able to get some level of compliance when I'd fully lift him out of the cage. He'd typically settle and seemed to do better when I would not wear the kevlar bite gloves.

But I had now come to the point where I was feeling the effort and risk VS reward were starting to make the experience more stressful than enjoyable.

The last straw came at the end of last week.

This was a pretty good bite and a 10 minute fight. Although I remained relaxed and didn't pull back, it was painful and I was not happy.

He came out fine, then started to tense up, he constricted and came back on me and nailed my right hand.
https://i.imgur.com/6NTEiJx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PolfUbB.jpg

That's my left index. I'm not even sure how that hand was involved.

This is where he got me good.
https://i.imgur.com/a5Kw0hV.jpg

There is damage to the palm that I didn't photo but you get the gist.

I have a lot more to add to this but I have to leave the house now.

Folks, have a plan for critters that may give you a run for the money.

I never once thought about putting this guy down for being what he is. I simply was not the keeper for him so I found somebody with years and years of experience and gave him away, No money, no trades, nothing except the promise that he'd have a good home.

I'll miss him a little but there is a reason the reticulated python forum isn''t packed with posts.

These guys are demanding and most are not ready.

Gio,

I understand having to move on. I did it with a monitor recently and a kingsnake many years ago. More than I bargained for. In your case, you are at risk more than I was and that means you had no choice.

Sounds like you found him a good home and that’s all anyone could ask of you. I hope it gives you peace of mind as well.

Take care and be well.

David

I think it's far the best thing Gio,
That last bite was pretty nasty. Just glad he's going to a good home and as you say far better than having to have him put down.
At least now you can concentrate on your other serpents

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

I understand completely and it's why my pure SD male is going on a plane to CA once we get safe shipping weather in a few weeks. My pure SD male is actually the worst-acting of the three males I keep, and while he hasn't drawn blood on either me or my husband I believe that's because we have become adept at redirecting his ire when we do have to take him out. He does insist on peeing on us though, every time he's out, and it's very obvious and deliberate.

Im sorry it came to that, man. But at this point it's clear you did what's best for you, and the animal. Huge props to you for swallowing your pride, it's not easy, I know. And thanks for sharing your story. The educational value is priceless.

Wishing you and your crew all the best moving forward.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I understand completely and it's why my pure SD male is going on a plane to CA once we get safe shipping weather in a few weeks. My pure SD male is actually the worst-acting of the three males I keep, and while he hasn't drawn blood on either me or my husband I believe that's because we have become adept at redirecting his ire when we do have to take him out. He does insist on peeing on us though, every time he's out, and it's very obvious and deliberate.

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Thank you!
This post makes me feel half way decent. As do others but I think your SD experience parallels mine
That and the male combo seem a lot to handle.

They are a serious pet that takes a lot of commitment.

I’m a “fish tank “ reptile type of guy. 😊

Less is more

OUCH that last bite. I'm sorry you went through those!!

I haven't been updated on the happenings on your snakes in awhile, but I am wondering how long/large was he when you rehomed him?

edit: Also I just saw that you rehomed him for free to the good home, which is really nice of you to do.

I have nothing but respect for those who decide to re-home an animal after doing proper research, trying their best, and admitting things just aren't working out. I've seen this type of thing happen before with horses (which can also be scary and dangerous when things aren't working out), and it's always a relief to see both owner and animal move on to better partners. You did well by Wallace and put in far more effort than most other people would have in your situation. Props to you for that and finding him a good new home.

Thank you for sharing your journey with Wallace - it's not often that people honestly share experiences like yours in this hobby. If it's any consolation, your story (and others', such as bcr229's) has helped me keep my screen name from becoming an unfortunate reality. I think the amount of SD buyers' remorse around here is very telling -- as one carpet breeder put it to me, a 6' retic is a 6' retic. No matter how small the retic is, it's still an active, advanced-level animal. I've personally come to realize that they're more than I'm long-term prepared/willing to deal with and that they're just not the snake for me, no matter how much I love them. So, thank you again for sharing your story - it's helped keep a similar one from coming about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

OUCH that last bite. I'm sorry you went through those!!

I haven't been updated on the happenings on your snakes in awhile, but I am wondering how long/large was he when you rehomed him?

edit: Also I just saw that you rehomed him for free to the good home, which is really nice of you to do.

---

Hi there,

He was an 8 footer and probably 25-30 pounds. Some people don't realize how much snake an 8 footer really can be. Retics are another level, and outside of the King Cobra and possibly scrubs they are like nothing else.

Wrong Python,

What a nice post, and thank you.

If you have been on this board for any length of time, you can watch 3 of us here all come into this species around the same time. I won't name names unless the others want to jump in, but we are all out of the species.

I was able to make it almost 4 years with mine, but he was still growing, which I found strange and his "maleness" was really starting to dominate his personality.

Food didn't change him, he was ready to fight if I misted the cage.

I actually had to toss about 8 bags of snow into his cage to cool him enough to move him. I had his heat off for 2 days prior to that.

The new owner remarked that he was fired up in his pillow case when he took him.

Thinking long term, I knew I'd have no help, and placing this species is not easy. They are sought after by a very select minority of keepers.

You can sell, trade or place a boa, royal, carpet or like animal rather easily, but the serious snakes like retics require a plan B.

My retic was beautiful and I'm thankful I had a chance to learn more about the species.

I'm a boa constrictor and carpet python kind of person from here out.

It's all been said & you'll hear no criticism from me either, you made the right choice for both you & and the snake, no shame in that. Keeping snakes is supposed
to be fun, & that last bite especially surely wasn't fun, nor was the amount of stress trying to deal with him, and at the expense of time spent with the others too.

He turned into quite the little slasher...:snake2: I for one am glad that you wisely chose to re-home him, & I'm very impressed that you have the guts to share this exper-
ience here so that others might avoid making a similar miscalculation. Snakes all have their own personalities (much like other creatures) and not all are pleasant to be
around, much less suitable as "pets", that's for sure. From some of your previous posts, I can honestly say I'm not surprised that you've moved on, & I'm glad you did
so while still mostly intact. ;) Here's to quick healing & happier days! :beer:

Sorry to hear that your experience turned out that way Gio. Thanks for sharing and doing the right thing with Wallace.

Now your Comment on another thread makes more sense about acquiring a Rio Bravo Boa.

Wow Gio, sorry to hear that it didn't work out with Wallace. You did the best you could for him and have had a lot of patience the past year. His presidential penthouse suite is proof of how much you cared for him. I loved reading the progression threads when I first joined. I commend you for finding him a good home and making this thread.


I wonder how much the market will be flooded with retics in coming years now that the morph craze has hit. Every reptile show I go to no less than 3 vendors are pushing retics :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: no mention of their temperament.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 67temp

Wow Gio, sorry to hear that it didn't work out with Wallace. You did the best you could for him and have had a lot of patience the past year. His presidential penthouse suite is proof of how much you cared for him. I loved reading the progression threads when I first joined. I commend you for finding him a good home and making this thread.


I wonder how much the market will be flooded with retics in coming years now that the morph craze has hit. Every reptile show I go to no less than 3 vendors are pushing retics :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: no mention of their temperament.

---

Yea I always thought it was crazy that you can pick up the world's longest snake for under $100.

Anyway, I'm sure you made the right move. It's not always the right fit, especially with large snakes, when the wrong move has bigger consequences.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 67temp

Wow Gio, sorry to hear that it didn't work out with Wallace. You did the best you could for him and have had a lot of patience the past year. His presidential penthouse suite is proof of how much you cared for him. I loved reading the progression threads when I first joined. I commend you for finding him a good home and making this thread.


I wonder how much the market will be flooded with retics in coming years now that the morph craze has hit. Every reptile show I go to no less than 3 vendors are pushing retics :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: no mention of their temperament.

---

I can't paint the whole species as bad eggs, but I've noticed that I'm not the only person to have issues. The SD ingredients and male testosterone addition seem to make a bad combo. I know breeders want to sell, but the average keeper should not take the species lightly and impulse buy a pretty morph or color pattern. A lot more comes with the purchase.

The breeder I placed my fella with said he was scaling back and noted that the demand for retics was dwindling. I don't really know, but I would not be surprised.

I typically see the progression that I had. The first few years are interesting and great. Then things get real and people find out quickly that the species is long lived, demanding and requires help. If you watch the boards, the threads go blank. I figured I'd just let people know I'm done.

Had my guy been food aggressive only I would have likely held on to him but food wasn't the answer.

The constant challenges and face-offs were a huge turn off. He was handled and cared for very well early on and into his "teens". He changed drastically with maturity and I simply wasn't interested in that type of experience without a second party to help.

For the right person, retics are the most interesting, demanding and rewarding species but they require 100% commitment IMO.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

...He was handled and cared for very well early on and into his "teens". He changed drastically with maturity and I simply wasn't interested in that type of experience without a second party to help...

---

This is not the only wild animal that this happens with- like when people get charmed by a cute little raccoon & sometime in the future meet a whole different adult that suddenly makes a terrible "pet". It sure didn't help that he grew bigger than what you had intended to acquire. I give you lots of credit for knowing when to quit, especially without another person to help.

I feel you Gio. Sometimes you gotta know when to move on brother. I'm not a fan of getting bit and have a huge problem with animals that bite the hand that feeds them. Wallace was a beautiful boy but not worth taking a serious bite. I'm keeping a close eye on my scrub for the same reasons. He musks more than he bites these days, and he has gotten a little better, but he's still very unpredictable and is ALWAYS poised to strike. He's NEVER relaxed. And he has such a huge strike range that it's tough to always keep the sharp end away from my face. Wild animal or not if he ever bites my face it's game over for him. I'm hoping we never get to that point and if I don't see things get better in a year or two I may re-home him as well. I've already accepted the fact that he'll be more of a hands off/display animal, and that doesn't bother me, but I won't tolerate an animal I have to fight constantly fight with. My Olive and Argentine Boa will both be pretty large snakes too but I'm very happy and comfortable with their temperaments. I'm happy you found a good home for Wallace and I'll miss his thread, he was one of my forum favorites, but I'm sure you did the right thing. You should have gotten a re-homing fee for all your efforts though to offset the costs of the next critter to fill that beautiful, large, vacant enclosure. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I feel you Gio. Sometimes you gotta know when to move on brother. I'm not a fan of getting bit and have a huge problem with animals that bite the hand that feeds them. Wallace was a beautiful boy but not worth taking a serious bite. I'm keeping a close eye on my scrub for the same reasons. He musks more than he bites these days, and he has gotten a little better, but he's still very unpredictable and is ALWAYS poised to strike. He's NEVER relaxed. And he has such a huge strike range that it's tough to always keep the sharp end away from my face. Wild animal or not if he ever bites my face it's game over for him. I'm hoping we never get to that point and if I don't see things get better in a year or two I may re-home him as well. I've already accepted the fact that he'll be more of a hands off/display animal, and that doesn't bother me, but I won't tolerate an animal I have to fight constantly fight with. My Olive and Argentine Boa will both be pretty large snakes too but I'm very happy and comfortable with their temperaments. I'm happy you found a good home for Wallace and I'll miss his thread, he was one of my forum favorites, but I'm sure you did the right thing. You should have gotten a re-homing fee for all your efforts though to offset the costs of the next critter to fill that beautiful, large, vacant enclosure. :)

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Thanks Zig,

I'm relieved and didn't realize how much stress that animal was causing me until now. Every water change, or waste cleanup was a 100% concentrated effort to avoid his ill intentions.

I had to check around a bit to place him. There is no market up here for a snake like that. I felt lucky to have one connection that was a perfect fit.

I had been in touch with Garrett Hartle last summer and he was kind enough to offer help if I needed it, but that option would require shipping and some other challenges.

If all goes well my next animal will be VERY affordable. As in too good to be true.

That is a wait and see situation and my wife is less than impressed with what just happened here. She's changed a dressing or two on me and isn't interested in seeing me get another.

However that beautiful 6 foot cage is perfect for the current BC or Carpet and that opens another cage for something small and young.

I can now circulate my larger animals in and out of the big cage to give them something new to explore.

I hope your scrub works out.

That olive sounds very well mannered and that's wonderful.

I do miss the beauty of Wallace but that's where it ends.

I really hate you had such a bad experience with him. I know you did everything you could. Every day I am more and more grateful for my 2 girls being calm. Best wishes with your future endeavors.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gio

I can't paint the whole species as bad eggs, but I've noticed that I'm not the only person to have issues. The SD ingredients and male testosterone addition seem to make a bad combo. I know breeders want to sell, but the average keeper should not take the species lightly and impulse buy a pretty morph or color pattern. A lot more comes with the purchase.

The breeder I placed my fella with said he was scaling back and noted that the demand for retics was dwindling. I don't really know, but I would not be surprised.

I typically see the progression that I had. The first few years are interesting and great. Then things get real and people find out quickly that the species is long lived, demanding and requires help. If you watch the boards, the threads go blank. I figured I'd just let people know I'm done.

Had my guy been food aggressive only I would have likely held on to him but food wasn't the answer.

The constant challenges and face-offs were a huge turn off. He was handled and cared for very well early on and into his "teens". He changed drastically with maturity and I simply wasn't interested in that type of experience without a second party to help.

For the right person, retics are the most interesting, demanding and rewarding species but they require 100% commitment IMO.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I'm keeping a close eye on my scrub for the same reasons. He musks more than he bites these days, and he has gotten a little better, but he's still very unpredictable and is ALWAYS poised to strike. He's NEVER relaxed. And he has such a huge strike range that it's tough to always keep the sharp end away from my face. Wild animal or not if he ever bites my face it's game over for him. I'm hoping we never get to that point and if I don't see things get better in a year or two I may re-home him as well. I've already accepted the fact that he'll be more of a hands off/display animal, and that doesn't bother me, but I won't tolerate an animal I have to fight constantly fight with.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

I'm relieved and didn't realize how much stress that animal was causing me until now. Every water change, or waste cleanup was a 100% concentrated effort to avoid his ill intentions.

---

Yea, scrubs are no joke. I had to check her nose because it looked a little strange and it makes a simple task a lot more challenging. Definitely understand that when routine maintenance causes a lot of stress that it's time to make a change.

https://i.imgur.com/N8cfh8u.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wnateg

Yea, scrubs are no joke. I had to check her nose because it looked a little strange and it makes a simple task a lot more challenging. Definitely understand that when routine maintenance causes a lot of stress that it's time to make a change.

https://i.imgur.com/N8cfh8u.jpg

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That adds a unique look to the tat LOL.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

That adds a unique look to the tat LOL.

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Yeah .. I’d get it done permanently :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I ended up chatting with the breeder I re-homed Wallace with and asked how he was doing.

His answer; "He's still a jackass."

I've been successful with the various species I keep here, however when there is an issue, I tend to look inward and question what I could be doing wrong.

It doesn't sound like I had anything to do with the changes in Wallace. I have read, and chatted person to person with people who've kept retics.

It seems the consensus is that placid males may change during maturity and become intolerant of handling and territorial.

While I like the fact he's mature and quite "male", I am relieved to know his antics were not going to change for the better any time soon.

Unless I hear something down the road that is worthy of posting, I'll finish my Wallace updates with this post.

He sure was/is beautiful though.

https://i.imgur.com/C0xdcAB.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/EFvRIie.jpg

Gio! I’m so sad to hear this. For so many reasons, but mostly for what it put you through (that last bite was SAVAGE!!). You did so well by Wallace and I’m glad you were able to rehome him appropriately. It’s such a hard thing and you deserve big time respect for that! (Aside from providing him the coolest house around)

And thank you for posting your story! It’s important for people to understand that these are big, athletic, wild animals and can be a handful for even the most experienced keepers. I’ve been tempted so many times to pick up a new scrub cause they’re just so freaking cool...but the bigger mine gets, the more trepidation I have because people just don’t realize how freaking STRONG they are! The likelihood that I’d be lucky enough to get two baby-tamed ones is slim to none and I can’t even imagine having to maneuver one with an attitude. 8 ft and 35 pounds is NO joke. Especially when their smart, agile, and athletic with those razor teeth!

I’m sorry you had to go through it. :(

Not the first time a wild animal just isn’t tolerating us humans.
I am sorry it ended with a bad bite for both of your sake, on the other hand it was what set you both free. My male I gave to a friend 3 years ago has never struck at him or given him a issue. Sometimes something just doesn’t click. I myself will never get a Retic and Im actually done buying any more snakes period as Im afraid they will outlive me at this point so the Burms and Balls are a wrap.
I also never got a Retic because of the gamble. We have all seen puppy dog docile Retics and wide open Bat #%*>\% Crazy ones. Im not a gambling man. Im glad you are both onto more relaxing things. You made the right choice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glo, i greatly admire all you posts and the efforts you made with Wallace. The SD dwarf is such a great idea but the reality
if very different. I has SFE bite from Wisdom with the same slashing time wounds. eek!

I am here today to put an ad on the adoption page for Biji. I put an ad on Fauna earlier this year; most of the responses seeemed to be from resellers. One seemed promising but it did not materialize. The he was is his winter blahs, so I decided to wait til spring. It will be difficult because I am kind of boned with this one.

My female Darrah, is just as long at 10 feet or so but 1/2 the weight. Not near the personality.

You gave Wallace an awesome life and it's just a shame he didn't appreciate it and was, well, basically a little poop head. Some of them are and that's just how it goes.
I'm glad you were able to find him a good home and I appreciate all that you've shared on the journey and your candor through it all.
Best wishes and hopefully a lot less stress around your home now :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

You gave Wallace an awesome life and it's just a shame he didn't appreciate it and was, well, basically a little poop head. Some of them are and that's just how it goes.
I'm glad you were able to find him a good home and I appreciate all that you've shared on the journey and your candor through it all.
Best wishes and hopefully a lot less stress around your home now :D

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Thanks to both of you that posted last.

I'm really bummed it was too much. I love the species but think boas and carpets are my bag.

I know there are good ones out there in retic land but I'm probably not going to look.

My carpet python has just as much inquisitiveness and personality as my retics, without the size and downright nasty attitude that some males have. I haven't had him very long but he has quickly turned into one of my favorites.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

My carpet python has just as much inquisitiveness and personality as my retics, without the size and downright nasty attitude that some males have. I haven't had him very long but he has quickly turned into one of my favorites.

---

I dig hearing that.
I’m really fan of carpets and their personalities.

Nothing beats a carpet but boas are a very close second. I almost got a retic too but now I'm kinda glad I didn't.

The good things about keeping retics, I miss every day. The hard/stressful/frustrating things about keeping them? You couldn’t pay me enough to live through that again.

I second what has been said here. Retics are amazing in their own right, but I’m finding myself happier everyday with boas and carpet pythons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

I dig hearing that.
I’m really fan of carpets and their personalities.

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Yafe, my only CP, rocks. He's beautiful, eats like clockwork, is a display animal, and is getting pretty good with being handled. Not that he was bad, but he's calming down even more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Nothing beats a carpet but boas are a very close second. I almost got a retic too but now I'm kinda glad I didn't.

---

Having said what I said above, I love my boas. Not quite as "movey" and seemingly inquisitive, but I love the gentle nature of boas. They are somewhere between a Carpet and a Ball to me. Pretty compliant, but not pet rocks either.

I will reserve judgment completely until Yafe is full grown, as are the boas for that matter. Maybe a 7ft Behira will be too much? I don't think so, but in all fairness, I should mention that.

I will add that Yafe is an aggressive feeder, but has yet to strike at the doors, etc. like 2/3 boas do (hence the drapes). So, that's a bonus :).

I think it comes down to what type of personality you like in a bigger snake.

Either way, you cannot go wrong.

I know they aren't very flashy and they don't have any cool morphs but for those of y'all that like big, mellow snakes please consider Olive Pythons. They're one of the most underrated snakes in the hobby.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I know they aren't very flashy and they don't have any cool morphs but for those of y'all that like big, mellow snakes please consider Olive Pythons. They're one of the most underrated snakes in the hobby.

---

That's a good point Zig, and have wondered about keeping an olive.

I seem to get everything I need from boas and carpets. I'm a big semi arboreal fan, and honestly, the retic was the king of the perches here. But I love wondering where I'll see the boa or carpet hanging out. They add a bit of mystery because they are not face to the glass every moment of the day.

Perched or grounded, Wallace was always at the glass with bad intentions.

If my Pokigron, Suri option doesn't work out, I'll be down with a Brisbane Coastal.

That will do it for me here. I'm still saddened by the fact Wallace had such a drastic personality change as I loved almost everything about him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

... I'm still saddened by the fact Wallace had such a drastic personality change as I loved almost everything about him.

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"When bad things happen to good people" -any of us would have been heart-broken too. You didn't want to give up, but the future was grim- you did the right thing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

"When bad things happen to good people" -any of us would have been heart-broken too. You didn't want to give up, but the future was grim- you did the right thing.

---

The left index finger, which I thought was not involved is still healing up. The tip has some numbness still and the skin is shredded. I'll have permanent scars on the right hand with some shredded skin still. I probably should have had a few stitches but scars are fine with me.

I certainly didn't need any further damage though.

The fact that the breeder I placed Wallace with still says he's a jerk tells me he's always going to be displaying dominant and challenging behaviors.

I could never have kept him without a family member being part of the hobby. I'm a one man show here and encourage folks who are going to take on the species to look far beyond the first couple of years.

Wallace was great until late summer 2019 (3+ years old).

Retics,,,,, there is nothing quite like them!!

I just read through this whole thread out of curiosity and kept thinking back to my two African Grey parrots, what they did to me and each other, and how I felt before (guilty) and after (relieved) I rehomed them to a rescue center for parrots. I had them for 5 years. Individually they were temperamental but I could handle them, and even really enjoyed them at times. It was rewarding to teach them tricks and establish trust. However they were moody and nasty at times. One would randomly bite me and then say OW! and laugh! Totally knew what he was doing. Also one of them went through puberty and changed. Add a divorce into the mix and I decided enough was enough. I couldn't believe how my stress level fell when they were both gone. I didn't realize how much chronic stress they had caused in our home.

Each was rehomed by the rescue center to a separate house and has become the darling of their new family. In fact, the rescue center said I did a great job taming them (for their breed), they knew a lot of tricks, were not pluckers, and clearly had been loved and cared for-- and they would LOVE to have me foster more of them anytime, once things had settled down after the divorce. :rofl:Ummm, no thanks!

This thread is a reminder that when we take on a wild, non-domesticated animal, be it snake or bird, they are and always will be wild animals. Some adapt better to living with humans than others. Some are great as small pets and then become nasty as they mature. This is beyond our control.

I, too, have scars on my hands to remind me of my time with my non-domesticated critters. ;)

OP you did a good thing by rehoming. You tried your best and beyond. Wallace had a great start in life and is healthy and big because of you. It sounds like he would have survived great in the wild and been a reall badda$$. I'm sure he'll be very happy being a breeder and otherwise being left alone.

For a little perspective check out the most recent episode of Morelia python radio and count how many times Garrett Hartle mentions how bad retics are, then realize that is coming from one of the top breeders.

I am so sorry to hear the issues never really resolved themselves, but I'm glad you were able to find a good home for him! Your safety and enjoyment should be at the forefront: you are responsible for the animals under your care, so that requires you to be both fit and capable. If either of those are not possible, the best decision is definitely to let them go.


The reputation for attitude has always put me off getting a male. The stories here on the forum of everyone rehoming their retics really makes it seem like I made a good decision getting my girl instead. And I don't think I want to chance fate getting a second one.


You may remember me posting about the bite my girl gave me a few winters ago (at least I believe I posted about it). That sure was an eye-opener, and if that was her typical response, I probably would have rehomed her soon after, too. She left me a knot on my knuckle to remind me of what could have happened for a good 6-8 months. haha I love my snakes, but like you, I don't want a full time dance against an angry giant.

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Originally Posted by Gio

If you have been on this board for any length of time, you can watch 3 of us here all come into this species around the same time. I won't name names unless the others want to jump in, but we are all out of the species.

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Hello Gio sorry to revive this old thread and sorry to see things didn't work out with the SD. I haven't been active in some time but you may recall I purchased the clutchmate to your Wallace just weeks after you. I didn't have my SD retic long, as I started getting more and more worried that despite its expected smaller size, he would end up being a handful. My retic showed aggression from the time I got him so I too ended up rehoming him. I would often check back here to follow your progression thread. Its unfortunate it didn't work out as we all expected, but I completely understand why and am glad I re-homed when I did. That looks like a terrible bite.

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Originally Posted by RamMac

Hello Gio sorry to revive this old thread and sorry to see things didn't work out with the SD. I haven't been active in some time but you may recall I purchased the clutchmate to your Wallace just weeks after you. I didn't have my SD retic long, as I started getting more and more worried that despite its expected smaller size, he would end up being a handful. My retic showed aggression from the time I got him so I too ended up rehoming him. I would often check back here to follow your progression thread. Its unfortunate it didn't work out as we all expected, but I completely understand why and am glad I re-homed when I did. That looks like a terrible bite.

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I'm double sorry to revive an old thread but I just saw this today.

Everything happened about a year ago, and I ended up looking back and reflecting on this thread today for some reason.

I do remember you had a clutch mate of Wallace, and I do remember you being concerned.

You made the right choice in rehoming.

I'm sorry to respond so late, I'm glad I looked at this or I would never have seen your thread.

I hope all is well with you.

This thread isn't a bad for review.

I do miss the beauty of Wallace, but not his attitude.