I'm a brand new Retic owner as well (2 of them), but I go out of my way to handle both of mine daily no matter what. I can't attest that a Retic that is defensive as a baby will settle down with time, but personally, I feel that daily handling is necessary to help ensure that they remain tame and trust is maintained. A bite from one of these guys as an adult is no joke and will almost assuredly result in a trip to the ER for several stitches. For that reason, I also HIGHLY recommend hook training with these guys even more so than any of the other species I work with. I think the best approach to removing Retics from their enclosures is to not reach in until they are moving away from you. I also believe that handling these guys with confidence is even more important than a lot of other species. A lot of more experienced handlers rave about the intelligence level of Retics and claim that they can not only tell one person from another, but also quickly become accustomed to their handler's routines/habits/actions. I definitely wouldn't want an adult Retic pushing me around and thinking it could punk me out! lol
Reply With Quote