Here's a Question

[RaskaNeil]

"If you feed him smaller meals then he will grow smaller, right?"

Someone at work asked me to "take" his baby retic because he doesn't want it anymore. I told him I couldn't because of the size (I simply don't have the ability to take care of a 14 foot python) and he asked me this question. I know obviously if you feed less it will stunt its growth but my question is if you feed (lets say it's eating medium rats) it weaned rats every week would you hurt the animal and make it "smaller?"

I don't think it works that way but I could be very wrong!

[Annarose15]

It might be smaller, simply because you would be slowly and excruciatingly starving it to death. Not to mention, it would eventually become dangerously aggressive out of sheer desperation for food.

[nachash]

It's not really humane to artificially control the growth of an animal through it's diet. This sounds close to the "small tank small critter" theory. What you usually end up with is a sick animal. The only way to control the size of an animal is through breeding which takes generations and only works if th etraitselected for.

[RaskaNeil]

Thats what I thought, might have to buy his retic just so it doesn't die with him. Only problem is people are always trying to sell their cute baby snakes when the get to big around my area. Poor me, I've been looking around the people I know that have herps to see if someone wants him.

[zeion97]

Thats what I thought, might have to buy his retic just so it doesn't die with him. Only problem is people are always trying to sell their cute baby snakes when the get to big around my area. Poor me, I've been looking around the people I know that have herps to see if someone wants him.

Retics grow FAST. My Lavander male is about 16 months old And aolst 7.5 feet. He's also skinny, the guy I got her from hit hardship and slowed down feeding so it Put a dent in his growth. They can gain easily 4-6 feet a year. If you're not ready than please don't burden yourself with this animal, even for the animals health. In reality you're helping it, but at the same time making it suffer. I understand wanting to give it the best home or even save its life, but of you're not ready than you're not ready.. Don't think I'm bashing you, I'd jump to this snakes rescue in a heartbeat.

If you think you can have the proper setup and the proper help when he gets larger than have at it, but if not than I'd say just try to find him a good home with someone who has large snake experience.

[reptileexperts]

Couple things. You live in Ohio? Need to check your laws on keeping reticulated pythons because there are some regulations that would affect you moving forward with this idea. Next, feeding it less to grow it less will simply not work. You can do what is referred to as maintainance feed where you only feed it enough to keep it at proper body weight. This will slow grow a male retic to about 5-6' in the first year if done properly, and it will be completely healthy. Males done like this can max around 11-12' with no health issues at all. However we are still referring to a fairly large snake that can become an issue during breeding season when aggression is high.

Retic ownership is a wonderful experience, and a rewarding one when done properly. I'm all for new retic owners entering the keeping world for giants, but I want to ensure that they enter it responsibily and with the right mindset - forever homes are not just a term needed for dogs and cats, but for giant constrictors too. In the past week I have been asked 3 times if I was going to give up my retics when they get too big . . . and I had to explain that all my retics are forever snakes. They will be with me till the day they pass from hopefully natural causes far down the line. I still have my first python I purchased for $200 nearly 14 years ago now.

On a housing note, most mainland males can be housed pretty easily - if housing is your only concern - You can get caging from AP or Vision that will fit your need just fine (see Vision 600 series - i.e. 600, 622, 632). Retics are incredible snakes and I can not imagine my life without them.

[reptileexperts]

SB 310 has sweeping implications for all exotic animals. In terms of reptiles, it imposes a prohibitive permitting scheme for all species of venomous snakes and certain constrictors over 12′ in length. It imposes enormous and specific liability insurance or surety bond requirements on owners of venomous snakes, the likes of which are not available. SB 310 requires owners of all restricted snakes to meet certain standards of care that have not been defined and will be set by administrative rule at some later date by group of people unqualified to define best management practices for reptiles. By administrative rule, the director of agriculture can require any information he chooses on the application to own restricted snakes and breeding restricted snakes requires a separate permit. Additional species may be added to the dangerous wild animals list or the list of restricted snakes by either legislative process or a simple concurrent resolution without full legislative process. The impact on reptile hobbyists, owners, breeders and small businesses will be enormous.

Source: http://usherp.org/2012/05/24/sb-310-...iness-in-ohio/

This was from back in 05/12 but it is still relevent to the OP - Male retics can get to 12' extremely easy. Even slow grown.