How to keep retics on the smaller side? (Mainlands)

[threezero]

I hate to put this out there, and in no way am suggesting it is ok, but in situations like this I wonder how many people keep knives or whatever near when they handle their large snakes alone. Not that anyone would ever want to harm their pet but when it would come down to them or the snake the answer would be obvious. Again I'm not suggesting that it is ok, nor do I or would I own a large snake unless I could get someone else to be there with me to handle it. Just kinda putting it out there as I'm sure it happens more than people would like to say. On that note the pet store I frequent recently stopped buying from one of their local breeders because, long story short, word got to the pet store that the breeder got bit and wrapped up (to an unknown extent to me....possibly just his arm) by one of his larger boas and he ended up slamming the boa against the wall a few times until he thought it was dead....well it turns out it never did die. Sorry for dragging that out but I just thought it was worth mentioning the mentality of some snake keepers.

so why did the pet store stop buying from that breeder? i don't get the reasoning here. is it because the breeder hurt the boa? in that situation any human being would do the same if they thought the snake is overpowering them.

[OctagonGecko729]

I hate to put this out there, and in no way am suggesting it is ok, but in situations like this I wonder how many people keep knives or whatever near when they handle their large snakes alone. Not that anyone would ever want to harm their pet but when it would come down to them or the snake the answer would be obvious. Again I'm not suggesting that it is ok, nor do I or would I own a large snake unless I could get someone else to be there with me to handle it. Just kinda putting it out there as I'm sure it happens more than people would like to say. On that note the pet store I frequent recently stopped buying from one of their local breeders because, long story short, word got to the pet store that the breeder got bit and wrapped up (to an unknown extent to me....possibly just his arm) by one of his larger boas and he ended up slamming the boa against the wall a few times until he thought it was dead....well it turns out it never did die. Sorry for dragging that out but I just thought it was worth mentioning the mentality of some snake keepers.

Killing the animal is almost never necessary. Snakes don't have contempt for humans and want to kill them. If they did, you would see mainlands regularly killing their keepers. These animals are so much more powerful then a human there isn't a single thing you could do if it wanted to kill you.

The reality is that every time a snake constricts a human it has mistaken it is a food source. Many have dubbed this as a SFE (stupid feeding error). It is always the keepers fault when this happens. Since these animals only constrict humans when they mistake them for food all you need to do is "un-mistake" them.

This can be done by keeping 40%+ alchohal in a spray bottle or using Listerine mouthwash in a spray bottle. Spraying this in their mouth burns and tingles just like it does humans who have never come into contact with the substances. It is like a smack right to their senses and they will recoil with vigor. This can sometimes be done by dunking animals in cold water quickly as well. If this doesn't snap them out of it then yes you can reach down and break a tail tip, this will also cause them to recoil from you. "I" also would never recommend someone to keep a animal that is 8ft+ without another capable person in the house that is available to be in the room every time you interact with the animal (cleaning, feeding, handling).

[Bluebonnet Herp]

I hate to put this out there, and in no way am suggesting it is ok, but in situations like this I wonder how many people keep knives or whatever near when they handle their large snakes alone. Not that anyone would ever want to harm their pet but when it would come down to them or the snake the answer would be obvious. Again I'm not suggesting that it is ok, nor do I or would I own a large snake unless I could get someone else to be there with me to handle it. Just kinda putting it out there as I'm sure it happens more than people would like to say. On that note the pet store I frequent recently stopped buying from one of their local breeders because, long story short, word got to the pet store that the breeder got bit and wrapped up (to an unknown extent to me....possibly just his arm) by one of his larger boas and he ended up slamming the boa against the wall a few times until he thought it was dead....well it turns out it never did die. Sorry for dragging that out but I just thought it was worth mentioning the mentality of some snake keepers.

I've heard that pepper spray can be used if the person knows their life really is in danger. Safer alternative than a knife or the wall for both parties involved.

Or the alternative mentioned above.

[Expensive hobby]

If one of my big girls bit and coiled me, as long as it wasn't in a vital area I wouldn't freak out. That's the worse thing you can do with a large constrictor. Ever jiggled and pulled on a rabbit when an anaconda is coiled? Good way to make a mess real fast, because they coil up SUPER tight when you do it.


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[Dehlol]

I fully hope my female gets to be 25', and that's why I got mainlands. I have yellow anacondas for kinda big, boas for smaller snakes, and balls and bloods for even smaller yet. If you want a small snake, stick with the smaller snakes. If you want a monster, get a retic or green annie.


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

Your snake will never get 25'. 25' is a lie, no snake has ever been that big or close. The largest on record is 22' 9", that's beyond rare, expect a max of 18-20 if you're lucky, more like 14-16 as a female.

*kicks myself in the head* why must Jay continue putting this idea out there . . . its marketing . . . as has been said. The topics been covered I just wanted to drive that home. ITS MARKETING.

Because... Jay is accurate and correct in his information. You don't need to power feed the animal or feed it heavy. I'm sure snakes stay 10-12 foot in the wild and breed and produce. Retics don't have to be monsters unless you make them as such.

If a 10'+ animal is too much for you alone, retics are not for you.

I handle every animal up to my 18' 140lb tiger alone every day (someone is nearby, but they don't help).

[reptileexperts]

Because... Jay is accurate and correct in his information. You don't need to power feed the animal or feed it heavy. I'm sure snakes stay 10-12 foot in the wild and breed and produce.

I handle every animal up to my 18' 140lb tiger alone every day (someone is nearby, but they don't help).

haha ok - I'm going to raise a turtle in a soap dish now because it will never outgrow its cage!!! Stunting an animals growth is as detrimental as powerfeeding it to grow faster. They CAN do these things, but its not how they are and not how it will happen every time. If you want to control its growth, get a dwarf or super dwarf, if you want a big snake, get a Sulawesi . . . its locality and fact, not marketing and hopeless fiction.

[Expensive hobby]

Your snake will never get 25'. 25' is a lie, no snake has ever been that big or close. The largest on record is 22' 9", that's beyond rare, expect a max of 18-20 if you're lucky, more like 14-16 as a female.


Because... Jay is accurate and correct in his information. You don't need to power feed the animal or feed it heavy. I'm sure snakes stay 10-12 foot in the wild and breed and produce. Retics don't have to be monsters unless you make them as such.

If a 10'+ animal is too much for you alone, retics are not for you.

I handle every animal up to my 18' 140lb tiger alone every day (someone is nearby, but they don't help).

You are greatly mistaken. I personally held a 22' female last night. While it's not 25', she is still young.

The largest ON RECORD is 33'. The largest living retic is 25'. I'm lost as to why this is a lie??


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[jclaiborne]

Your snake will never get 25'. 25' is a lie, no snake has ever been that big or close. The largest on record is 22' 9", that's beyond rare, expect a max of 18-20 if you're lucky, more like 14-16 as a female.


Because... Jay is accurate and correct in his information. You don't need to power feed the animal or feed it heavy. I'm sure snakes stay 10-12 foot in the wild and breed and produce. Retics don't have to be monsters unless you make them as such.

If a 10'+ animal is too much for you alone, retics are not for you.

I handle every animal up to my 18' 140lb tiger alone every day (someone is nearby, but they don't help).

Have you ever been to Prehistoric Pets? I wouldn't believe anything that guy had to say about caring for animals. Every animal in his "Zoo" was sick, in an undersized cage, the list goes on.

[Expensive hobby]

Just another question for the retic expert on this thread...

Why do you handle your 18' retic everyday? And alone at that?

An 18' animal is more than capable of killing you. Why risk making large constrictors look even worse than they do with irresponsible handling practices?


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[reptileexperts]

much like zoos . . . we ask that you please do not feed the trolls . . .