Well, I've caught the retic itch..

[Gixxermike750]

I've finally decided after about a year of questioning it that I am going to get a male tiger retic. A friend of mine has one for sale right now, he's about 4-5' I believe. He's not too big yet, but still a handful, he loves to climb. He's quite possibly the nicest, most docile snake I've encountered. Aside from his feeding response I'd say he's comparable to ball pythons temperament wise (I probably just jinxed that).

My plan is to keep in him a 75gallon tank for probably around a month. Then he's going in a 4X3 animal plastics cage, and eventually ending up in the animal plastics 8Xsomething I forget the exact measurements.

I just want you guys to double check my plan to make sure I know everything.

Temperature 88-92* basking area with an ambient temp going to low 80s. The humidity with be around 50-60%. He'll have a huge water dish and 2 hides, one on the warm side one on the cooler side. I plan to keep him on newspaper for the time being, but if you guys have any better suggestions feel free to let me know.

I have handled big snakes in the past(anacondas, retics, burms, and I own a columbian red-tailed boa and a ball python).

And finally, any of you retic owners have any advice for someone about to buy his first?

[alohareptiles]

Make sure you have a hook and HOOK TRAIN....

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Agree.. I have 2 Red Tails, 2 SD retics, and 1 large and very cranky burmese. All these bigger guys are taken from the enclosure with a hook. Even the most tame giant in the world can bite due to a defence or feeding response. The hook training safely gets them out of the enclosure and lets them know it is not feeding time. Then they can be handled and they never bite once out of their home.

Everything else sounds about right. Just interact it with it regularly. At least a few times a week because he will get alot bigger and you do not want a snake that you ever need to worry about hurting you.

Once it gets very large its recommended to not handle or feed it alone and remember that hot tap water or any type of alcohol on a snakes head will make it release immediately if it bites and does not let go.

[alohareptiles]

Once it gets very large its recommended to not handle or feed it alone and remember that hot tap water or any type of alcohol on a snakes head will make it release immediately if it bites and does not let go.

Great point!!! Also to add, I know it goes contrary to what your natural reaction will be, but don't pull away after/if you get bit and it latches on or starts to coil. This will cause more damage to you and the snake. The damage to you can be very bad if muscle, nerves and tendons are ripped. They will release eventually. There are many methods to help this happen faster, alcohol and hot water are two well known and used methods. Good luck and just be wise and never handle them drunk. There was a thread on another forum where a guy got tagged by a normally tame tic, but he was drunk when he went in.

[JLuck13]

Make sure you have a hook and HOOK TRAIN....

X 1290428734059823842-532049 probably the most important thing anyone ever showed/told me before i got into the giants game. Youll love your guy. I have a 6' sunfire sib female currently and just picked up a burm hatchling today. The giants are great i feel like i dont have to worry about "breaking" them as bad as that sounds.

have fun, be safe, when in doubt dont, and post pics!

[Denial]

hot water does not always work. Some snakes do not care. I use listerine they hate it. I had a albino green burm latched to my arm a few years back and she didnt budge at all when the water touched her.

[alohareptiles]

So Gixxer...Did you get him? Pics?? How's it going???

[Gixxermike750]

I ended up getting a yellowhead retic instead.

how do I post pics?