First large constrictor?

[Rob]

Personally, I happen to think retics are the most beutiful, but i do get a little nervous about temperament as i have kids who might not be able to "read" them like an adult could so it seems like the general even tempered burm might be a safer bet.

If you love retics get one. They do not have a bad temperament, as you said you know it all depends on the individual animal. You could get a very defensive burm same as you could get a defensive retic. Burms in general are just a lot slower moving, but retics in no way have a bad temperament most captive bred retics are sweethearts. With kids you would have to take the same precautions with any large snake, a proper high quality cage being number one. You just need to know your animal.



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[bcr229]

If you love retics get one. They do not have a bad temperament, as you said you know it all depends on the individual animal. You could get a very defensive burm same as you could get a defensive retic. Burms in general are just a lot slower moving, but retics in no way have a bad temperament most captive bred retics are sweethearts. With kids you would have to take the same precautions with any large snake, a proper high quality cage being number one. You just need to know your animal.

This. You could also look at purchasing an older critter rather than a baby, and ask the seller about temperament before you buy.

[JoshSloane]

I have to second what Rob is saying. Out of all my snakes my two retics are the easiest going of the whole lot. Retics have an unearned temperament reputation from the early days of wild caught specimens, and the stigma refused to die for a while. As long as you are prepared to be able to house/handle a full grown retic's size, then you will do just fine.

[JoshSloane]

I know this thread has been inactive for a little while, but its super interesting as i too want to upgrade in size at some point. i have a CA boa; dont know if its technically considered a "dwarf" but at 2 years old and he's just under 3' and about as thick as broom handle at his widest point so i dont envision an adult size any bigger than 4 to 4.5 ft (but please tell me if you disagree). In my mind i am between a full-sized boa and a male burm. Personally, I happen to think retics are the most beutiful, but i do get a little nervous about temperament as i have kids who might not be able to "read" them like an adult could so it seems like the general even tempered burm might be a safer bet (while fully acknowledging Josh's point about individual personalities vs species generalities). I have a question about housing - I have a spot all picked out for a 6' by 3' enclosure - is this even big enough for a male burm? and also, what kind of height do they like? With a boa, i plan to go 3' tall with sturdy climbing structures (does anyone think taller would be better? i have the room to go a bit taller but dont want to waste the space if its not going to be used) . But i havn't been able to find much about whether or not burms will climb if given the chance. This isn't a collection, this is [going to be] one big pet, so i am happy to give it as much room as it will actually enjoy, but i dont want to build an artificial floor-to-ceiling rainforrest for an animal who really just wants to curl up under a rock either.

6x3 is plenty for a male burm, and male retic, even some adult female retics. I wouldnt go into this at first building a large enclosure. You will want to buy a baby of whichever species you choose, and grow it up to an adult. Yes they grow fast, but they dont become monsters over night. My male albino burm is approaching 1 year pretty soon, and he is still in a 41 qt tub with plenty of room. These snakes like to feel comfort in an appropriately sized enclosure.

[JoshSloane]

This. You could also look at purchasing an older critter rather than a baby, and ask the seller about temperament before you buy.

Im always wary of buying older snakes for a few reasons. First, its not me taking care of the animal for the years before I purchase it. I know the high level of care that I give to my snakes, and Im always skeptical of another's care. Second, descriptions of an animals behavior are very subjective. What one person thinks is calm and manageable could be vastly different than another's. Even if you observe the animal before purchasing, transferring the animal to a new location and environment can result in behavioral changes. Third, getting an animal young allows you the time to mature and grow together, learn the unique personality and behavior of your pet, and develop trust. I think it could be very overwhelming going from no retic, to an adult one over night.

[Andylee11]

Agreed . . Most of my retics are terrific docile animals. .......Some can certainly be piss ants as well .......... Lol

[JoshSloane]

Definitely. If the OP wants to get a hatchling, I recommend looking at what Andy Deitz (AD reptiles), or Chase Delles (Chase-N-Reptiles) has available. Both these guys sent me tons of pictures and videos of them holding and interacting with the specific retic I was inquiring about.

[enginee837]

I second the opinion regarding the intelligence of retics. Unfortunately that means they can have much stronger opinions regarding what they do and do not want (to be handled, to escape, etc.). I personally would not only get a baby, I would only pick one out in person from the breeder and only after looking at all of its clutch mates so you can see the difference in attitude between them.
I agree that the bad attitute is for the most part unearned however there is a chance of getting one that will simply never appreciate your presence or may always be cage aggressive. Our Black pastel female BP may have been born a BP but clearly identifies herself as a Tasmanian devil. NO matter how much work we do with her she is ALWAYS cage agressive and can never be trusted 100%.
When I was in college I worked at a family owned reptile shop that specialized in exotic snakes. My job was to work with them and make them suitable as pets. For the most part I was successful but there were a couple that no matter how much I worked with them they would always have an issue that made me question their intentions. I managed to get everything from scrub pythons to GTP's so docile that kids could handle them (with supervision) and although some species took more work than others, I have yet to find an entire species I could not work with. With that said there were some individual animals (captive bread and wc) that simply did not like people and there was no changing their mind.
For a ball python that is not much of an issue however for a retic in a house with kids, I would be very selective.

[JoshSloane]

After owning retics and burms for a while now, I dont buy the argument that they are smarter than other snake species. My male retic acts like a complete dope, while my male burm is sharp as a tack, and constantly aware of what is going on.

While selectivity is good when picking out giant pythons, ultimately I believe the safety factor comes down to the adult responsible. Regardless of whether the snake is horrifically aggressive or puppy tame, the same measures need to be employed to keep the retic contained day to day, and supervised when children are present. Even if a snake hasnt exhibited any aggressive tendencies, I think it is always paramount to maintain the same caution. At a minimum, the retic needs to be in a competent enclosure that is locked, and preferably in a room that can lock from the outside as well. Redundancy in safety is always preferable to me.

[dkatz4]

As usual, i am humbled by the generosity of wisdom in this group, but i fear i may have inadvertently hijacked the thread

I would love to hear from the OP and find out if she's leaning one way or the other. And lets not forget she had boas on the list as well.