The New Giant Snake Keeper Question and Answer thread!

[Samhain]

I thought I would start a NEW thread where new folks thinking about getting animals could come and ask questions. I hope to be of help on this. Dont fear being railed or attacked for asking questions. I started this thread and if anyone starts in again THEY will be the one put on the spot not you so feel free to ask anything you want. I will answer any and all questions so dont feel its to dumb to ask because we are all here to learn including me!

A word to this sites know it alls.....please unless you have something good to say or helpful STAY OFF this thread.

[THORATIO]

I've got a quick question. I've noticed in everybody's retic pictures their snakes are being all good and still for pictures. The '08 dwarf retic I picked up a couple weeks ago just will not sit still while handling him. I understand that retics are pretty active but my question is will he most likely calm down a bit or not? The closest he's come to chilling out for me was yesterday when he wrapped around the top of my head like a retic crown lol. Thanks in advance and great thread Harry.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[morti]

I will answer that one... Dwarfs seem to really like to move and wiggle. Even my adult dwarf that I used to have seemed a lot flightier than mainland varieties.

That said, like any other snake, they will probably have their good days and bad days. Some people who are taking good pics might have calmer snakes... some of them might just be catching theirs at just the right time.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Sakara]

Ditto on what Morti said... My little half Jamps from harry LOVE to RUN!!! they are always moving! They eventually calm down, but they seem excited to run around and explore

it's VERY hard to get a nice clear pic of the half jamps, lol... I delete soooo many that I take it's not funny, lol... My mainland is much calmer and easier to take pics of, lol

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Samhain]

To back up Morti on his answer Dwarfs that come in WC ALWAYS seem to be runners. Threw CB they have seemed to calm down a LOT! Though my F1's will still boogie once in a while but its nothing like the WC blood. Give us some time with the breeding and we will have some nice lap dogs

Keep the questions coming folks and I will be back to answer them one at a time.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

	Captive Born Captive Born

	Wild caught wild caught

[THORATIO]

Thanks all. He does like to go sometimes. The first time I handled him, I turned around to set down the lid of his tub and I look back 2 secs later and all I see is a tail going down behind the cabinet its on lol. Caught him 10 mins later but I thought it was a lil funny.
P.S. He's in a sealed room so it was no real worry, and I knew where he was the whole time, just had to move stuff to get to him.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Byron]

I kept going back and forth about wanting a giant. My original thought process was that I could get a small burm then as it grows, I would be able to learn the correct way to handle a giant. Once I found out that they can grow 10 feet their first year and actually saw a yearling that was 9 feet long, I decided that a giant wasn't for me at this time.

Now, I know others will decide that they want a giant for their first snake and there will be no talking them out of it. What advice would you give that person (with no experience) that is dead set on getting a giant? what would be a good "giant starter kit" also?

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[morti]

Originally Posted by grnxnam

Now, I know others will decide that they want a giant for their first snake and there will be no talking them out of it. What advice would you give that person (with no experience) that is dead set on getting a giant? what would be a good "giant starter kit" also?

The best advice I could personally give anyone who wants to keep a giant is Always Have someone else on hand to assist with the snake. They don't have to constantly have a hand on the snake, but they should be there to "Spot" for you.

The second best advice is to always provide enclosures that are 100% escape proof.

According to Rexano.org, the following is the list of people who have died by constricting snake from 1993 - 2008:

2008 - VA
Woman/owner was killed by her Reticulated python while she was trying to give the 13-foot pet snake medication

2006 – IN
Man/owner was crushed to death by his 14 foot pet Reticulated python

2006 - OH
Man/owner was killed when his 13-foot Burmese python who wrapped itself around his neck

2002 - CO
Man/owner died when his pet Burmese python strangled him by coiling around his head, neck and chest and squeezed him to death

2001 – PA
Owners’ 8-year-old daughter was squeezed to death by the family’s 11-foot Burmese python. Her father was later found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but guilty of endangering the girl’s welfare

1999 – IL
Owners’ 3-year-old son was crushed to death after the family's 7 - foot African rock python got out of its cage (possibly through 2-inch gap in the aquarium's homemade wood lid) as the family slept. Judge issued a directed verdict -- innocent of child endangerment -just before attorneys were scheduled to begin closing arguments. The couple could have faced 10 years in prison. Supposedly, prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to even justify sending the matter to the jury.

1996 – NY
Man/owner, 19, was killed by his 13-foot Burmese python who might have possibly mistaken him for food

1993 – CO
Boy,15, had his torso crushed by his older brother’s 11 1/2-foot pet Burmese python, and died from asphyxiation due to mechanical compression of the chest

These cases can easily be separated into two categories: 1) Events which could have been prevented by having a second person present and 2) Events which could have been prevented by preventing the snake's escape.

You are absolutely right... we can't preach sense into everyone... but hopefully we can help with some of the problems.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[morti]

Also also...

If you have children in your home, an escape proof enclosure is NOT enough. A locked, escape proof enclosure (and preferably a locked reptile room) is. Children should never handle any reptile without adult supervision.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Sakara]

Originally Posted by grnxnam

I kept going back and forth about wanting a giant. My original thought process was that I could get a small burm then as it grows, I would be able to learn the correct way to handle a giant. Once I found out that they can grow 10 feet their first year and actually saw a yearling that was 9 feet long, I decided that a giant wasn't for me at this time.
Now, I know others will decide that they want a giant for their first snake and there will be no talking them out of it. What advice would you give that person (with no experience) that is dead set on getting a giant? what would be a good "giant starter kit" also?

a boa lol... sorry....

If someone INSISTS on a giant without an experience, I would think that a good "starter kit" would be a sturdy home, a GOOD income, and someone such as a girl/boy friend, roommate, spouse, brother, sister, etc that LIVES THERE and can help...

So many ppl take for granted that these guys COULD kill you... If someone has the "it could never happen to me attitude" then they don't need to own the object in question, alive or inanimate...

Respect is key... If you don't respect it, you will get hurt and potentially screw the rest of us... If you are a responsible keeper, have the manpower, have the income, have the sturdy home.... If you couldn't afford a child or wouldn't raise a child in the situation you are in, then don't get a large snake...

That's just my $.02

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Sakara]

Originally Posted by morti

Also also...

If you have children in your home, an escape proof enclosure is NOT enough. A locked, escape proof enclosure (and preferably a locked reptile room) is. Children should never handle any reptile without adult supervision.

Ditto! My son LOVES the snakes, but they stay locked in their room and he is good about not trying to go in the snake room. He knows he HAS to ask mommy or Ryan to GO WITH HIM if he wants to see or hold a snake...

If you have children, START THEM EARLY! teach them that they CAN NOT go in the snake room or snake area without a parent

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Derekcm87]

one thing that I thought was a good idea, razeraze mentioned, being trained in cpr? that sounds like a really good idea. in the unfortunate event something would happen that would be a great thing to have under your belt. My wife knows cpr but I am currently looking into it for myself.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[boaterr]

Has anyone ever experienced their Retics or any of their large snakes displaying strange behaviors after consuming pigs for a number of months? One of my friends has been feeding pigs to his 6 year old retic for around 9 months. The retic in question usually displays very aggressive breeding behavior starting in the fall but this year she does not appear to want to breed. The female is around 17 feet and over 120 pounds. I have examined this animal personally and she seems perfectly fine except she does not want to breed? I swear it is the strangest thing I have ever seen I have heard from some people pigs make Retics not want to breed but im curious what does members on this site think?

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[morti]

Originally Posted by Derekcm87

one thing that I thought was a good idea, razeraze mentioned, being trained in cpr? that sounds like a really good idea. in the unfortunate event something would happen that would be a great thing to have under your belt. My wife knows cpr but I am currently looking into it for myself.

There are many who would say that this is overkill. I was trained in CPR years ago, and I feel that it is a good idea for anybody to know CPR. You never know when you could save someone's life. Would I add this to a checklist for giant snakes? Probably not so much. Would I add this to a checklist for life in general? You Betcha!

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[morti]

Originally Posted by boaterr

Has anyone ever experienced their Retics or any of their large snakes displaying strange behaviors after consuming pigs for a number of months? One of my friends has been feeding pigs to his 6 year old retic for around 9 months. The retic in question usually displays very aggressive breeding behavior starting in the fall but this year she does not appear to want to breed. The female is around 17 feet and over 120 pounds. I have examined this animal personally and she seems perfectly fine except she does not want to breed? I swear it is the strangest thing I have ever seen I have heard from some people pigs make Retics not want to breed but im curious what does members on this site think?

Just thinking outside the box here... has her weight/girth increased significantly since her diet of Pigs began?

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[kaotik94]

Originally Posted by boaterr

Has anyone ever experienced their Retics or any of their large snakes displaying strange behaviors after consuming pigs for a number of months? One of my friends has been feeding pigs to his 6 year old retic for around 9 months. The retic in question usually displays very aggressive breeding behavior starting in the fall but this year she does not appear to want to breed. The female is around 17 feet and over 120 pounds. I have examined this animal personally and she seems perfectly fine except she does not want to breed? I swear it is the strangest thing I have ever seen

I just got off the phone with Harry because he is not available at the moment and he says to get your friends Retic off Pigs if you want good healthy breeders. After a while pigs start affecting the health of the animal and healthy breeding. He has been doing researching on this and found pigs to have a real high PH balance and it affects the eggs and fertility rate.
Harry will be back in a couple hours to elaborate on this.......

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[boaterr]

Not really, nothing has changed except she does not want to breed. She had previously had 2 succcesful clutches of normal retics.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[boaterr]

Originally Posted by ChumLee

I just got off the phone with Harry because he is not available at the moment and he says to get your friends Retic off Pigs if you want good healthy breeders. After a while pigs start affecting the health of the animal and healthy breeding. He has been doing researching on this and found pigs to have a real high PH balance and it affects the eggs and fertility rate.
Harry will be back in a couple hours to elaborate on this.......

Thanks I'll pass the news.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[kaotik94]

...also....when you feed pigs....it aint to pretty cleaning up after..LOL. I have seen pics of the mess that comes out after feeding pigs.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[boaterr]

Yea it definetly does not look great or smell great. Almost as bad as Anacondas after they eat ducks.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters