Gerald Super Dwarf Ultra Ivory Retic Progression

[Sauzo]

Retics are still reptiles and reptiles have evolved over millions and millions of years to sustain themselves during long periods of famine. Just because something is a retic doesn't mean it is open season to give it endless food. JM and I SD x dwarf retics for a reason. They are smaller. They are from island populations that have seasonal peaks in feeding. Seasonal migration of certain bird species to those islands, mating and birth cycles of other mammals, rainy season, and other events play a role in their feeding and adult size.

Though they are more active than the average boid, they are not made up the same way as some of the colubrids that actively forage.

Feeding SD retics in theory should mimic their natural food cycles. They should have some prey variety, some variation in prey size and frequency and you as the keeper should observe their individual needs.

It is well known and stated by more than a few experts that a male SD and dwarf retic can thrive and live a long healthy life by eating 1 large rat a week. Females may take a bit more, but if you are not breeding them, there is no need to stuff any snake unless you want it big.

I'm doing just fine feeding my snake 1 small rat every 7-10 days and have had zero issues.

JM,

Find what the snake wants/needs and go from there but I'd always stay conservative.

Gerald is a beauty!!

I agree Gio but your retic also doesn't push or turn into a terror when hungry. As I stated, every animal is going to be different. Also the statement of feeding should mimic nature is correct but that would only apply to a pure SD. Mainlands do eat more than a SD by nature to an extent. I mean there will be lean times and there will be plentiful times. There is no hard and fast etched in stone rule for feeding any animal. Every animal carries its weight different and has different needs.

Our retics are not pure SD so the you need to take that into acct. I mean Caesar is more mainland than yours which might affect his feeding wants and also how Caesar is much more laid back than Wallace. I mean if I went by the natural feeding schedule for a SD in nature, I would be taking Caesar to the vet every few weeks because his face would probably be hamburger from pushing and destroying when hungry. He already got those 2 little nicks I posted from when he was feed medium rats every 7-10 days. Heck he was hungry enough to strike at my shadow in his cage and struck the door once.

I was told by a few mainland guys that retics will and need to eat. They aren't a boa that goes a month or two between feedings or ball pythons who go months. They are retics who are more active and require more food. I take in their knowledge as well as those with SD knowledge as Caesar is a cross so what applies to a mainland wont apply to him 100% and what applies to a SD wont apply to him 100%. I try and find the happy median.

And yes, find what your individual snake needs and go with that. Take the rest of what is said by everyone as a grain of salt as the animal is in your care and you are really the only one who is reading it and knows what it needs. What I said at the first post about underfeeding and buying a male hognose if you want small etc was meant more as a joke but it seems it was taken serious lol.