Kalatoa 100% Pure SD Retic Progression (Pic heavy...)

[Sauzo]

Any update on how she did?

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He came home and the cage was demolished...the house was a wreck, and there was a giant turd on the pillow...Phyllis was not happy!!

[Stearns84]

That would be amazing. Locks were changed, Phyllis runs the place. Officially a squatter for 6 - 9 months.

He came home and the cage was demolished...the house was a wreck, and there was a giant turd on the pillow...Phyllis was not happy!!

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[Sauzo]

That would be amazing. Locks were changed, Phyllis runs the place. Officially a squatter for 6 - 9 months.

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Lol would be epic. Phyllis the squatter lol.

[Stearns84]

Lol would be epic. Phyllis the squatter lol.

Jacob just smashes his face against the windows trying to see what Phyllis is doing while standing outside in the sun.

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[67temp]

That would be amazing. Locks were changed, Phyllis runs the place. Officially a squatter for 6 - 9 months.

She got his CC#. Had a freezer chest delivered and placed an order of rabbits online to fill the freezer.

[Stearns84]

Drank his beer.

She got his CC#. Had a freezer chest delivered and placed an order of rabbits online to fill the freezer.

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[jmcrook]

Lmao! She did alright but I came home to the stinkiest poop and piss filled cage ever. Stunk up the whole room. And FYI, two colossal rats last her just as long as one colossal rat. She’s a freak. Seems she’s gotta be on a 6 days schedule. Gerald had a bit of push face though and was only on day ten after feeding. Deep cleaned them both and they’re on paper for the moment because I’m moving today and that just makes things easier. Might actually move them to the new apt right now before it gets real hot outside and keep them in their holding tubs until I can get the cages over there in the moving truck. the joys of owning solar powered critters...


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[Sauzo]

Man, cant say i miss the pushing. Caesar has been fairly good. Kind of shoves his face into the center brace to test it once in a while at night but thats it. He just windshield wipes both doors all over and climbs all over the shelf and hides until i open a door and give him some petting. That usually gets him to quiet down.

Not sure why Phyllis is so psycho but i think for Caesar, it was him wanting to breed. And the rabbit didnt last as long as i thought either. By about day 4, he was out from behind his warm side hide and looking for attention at night like usual lol.

[zina10]

Retics seem to be such intelligent snakes (for a snake). And very hungry as well.

I wonder if anyone has ever built a custom enclosure that would give those snakes a sort of a "play ground" ?

I'm envisioning 6 feet wide cages and 4 of those stacked on top of one another. Each (but the very top one) has a round hole cut into the ceiling, big enough for the snake to fit through comfortably . For example, bottom cage would have the hole in the ceiling on the left side. Next cage would have the hole in the ceiling on the right side. Then left again. The snake could move up and down throughout all of those cages.

The Radiant heat panel could be mounted behind the hole, to give the snake a warm side of each cage on the side with the solid floor. Water could be in the bottom cage.

Of course that leaves the matter of the substrate. If substrate was desired, each hole could have sort of a "lip/dam" around it. The snake can easily crawl over that, but the substrate, liquid, poop or whatever else the snake pushes around should be kept from falling through the hole. One could also add more stuff, like shelves or other obstacles.

While that wouldn't keep the snake from getting hungry or wanting out, it might keep them busy looking for food on the different levels and across many obstacles, possibly tiring out their bodies and minds to a degree.

I know, that would be a labor of love and take up a huge amount of space for one snake, but I wonder if something like that would make/keep a retic happy !

[zina10]

I have put some thought into this "pushing" issue with Retics off and on throughout the years, even though I don't own a Retic nor plan to. (just don't have the space for one..)

From what I've researched, this species of snake is more intelligent and "aware". Which leads me to believe, their mind is more active as well. I have also read that in the wild, they tend to travel quite long distances.

Like a Ball Python has the innate need to HIDE, prehaps a Retic has the innate need to move/travel ? Perhaps being full of food makes them sluggish and rest, but once digestion is mostly done, they feel the need to get moving again? Could it be that its not just hunger or the need for food that makes them push, but rather that digestion and a full belly stops them from pushing, but the built in instinct to get moving again causes them to push as soon as most of the digestion is done?

The behavior reminds me of some animals I have observed in a zoo. They were the kind of animals that normally travel long distances throughout the day and maintain quite a large area as their habitat. Those animals would pace back and forth, sometimes almost in place, causing themselves damage in the process. Its almost as if they couldn't help doing it. I've also observed that behavior in horses where it is called "weaving". Usually in horses that are closed up in small spaces. They cause themselves a lot of harm in their legs and joints and sometimes rub their heads in the process. Its almost neurological and once they start this behavior it is next to impossible to get them to stop.

I wonder if Retics being more of a intelligent species do actually need more stimulus then snakes usually do ?

I could be way off, of course, since I do not even own one, nor am I an expert in large snakes. I've just often wondered about them and I admire them..