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newbie
Hatchling
184 Posts |
 Posted - 08/10/2011 : 12:28:51
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After 2 weeks of wonderful and social behaviour, our little female dwarf retic has turned into a miserable grouch! I've been tagged twice during feeding, and now she's developed a nasty habit of striking upwards when you go over to the RUB! What did I do?
She was a little angel to get out at first but seems to be loathe to be lifted and God help you if your hand remains in her RUB too long after putting her back! Any suggestions for calming her down? |
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gmac
Grumpy Scots Admin
United Kingdom
710 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2011 : 17:24:45
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| is just their nature newbie, patience and regular handling is the only way forward. Also is possible it may be shed time. |
GMac
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martinking6
Hatchling
United Kingdom
152 Posts |
Posted - 15/10/2011 : 23:05:37
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Hiya newbie
I found my burmese was going a little backwards like this, never tagged me but very hissy and showing intent when in her viv, after speaking to the breeders they reckoned I was being too nice and she was picking up on the fact she could play on this
I was treating her like I did dorris my red tail boa that tagged me, I was going in slowly, removing her hide if she was under one, then stroking her for a short while before gently lifting her out, this has worked great for dorris, she`s a babe now but for the burmese it deffo wasn`t the way forward as she became very hissy and was starting to spin round with what I believed to be the intent of tagging me, I now let her know am there, remove the hide if she`s under one and straight to her and lift her out, she`s a completely different snake already 2 days after implementing the new approach
Not sure if this will help with your retic but you never know
Best of luck
Martin |
Got a lovely royal python called earl, 2 brazilian rainbow boas called zeus and hera, a red tail cross boa constrictor called dorris and an albino burmese python called angel as well :-)
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newbie
Hatchling
184 Posts |
Posted - 20/10/2011 : 10:33:42
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Hiya Martin,
Reckon you're right! She was lovely and calm at first and we were beig very slowly-slowly with her and she started striking, we've now adopted a very robust out-you-come-now approach so she doesn't have a chance to strike! She's still very keen on eye-balling us but no more bloodshed! Thanks!
Thanks Gmac, I think they're just so clever you can't be too soft with them! |
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CDN_Blood
Rainbow oddball
Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 20/10/2011 : 13:52:50
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quote:
Originally posted by newbie
...I think they're just so clever you can't be too soft with them!
Boy-o-boy, you hit the nail on the head with that statement. Retics are the most intelligent snake I've ever worked with. I had one for years and years and I can assure you that they don't miss a trick, or an opportunity, lol.
One other thing that can make them a little testy is underfeeding. A lot of people tend to feed them like they feed their other snakes, but you have to remember that a 6 foot Retic is essentially a 3 foot stomach with a few extra bits on each end, and a 3 foot stomach requires more than 1 or 2 little items.
Don't let the slender body fool you, these are big snakes with big appetites and very high energy levels. There are 3 words that best describe a Retic's nature; active, active, active. They can get a little grouchy if they don't have ample opportunity to burn-off that energy, also.
I mentioned in another thread just moments ago that I'm the larger, less frequent meals kinda guy, and I can't think of a better snakes to illustrate the benefits of that. Big meals (and I mean big for Retic) with plenty of social time between them seems to keep Retics the most happy, or at least that's what I noticed over the years that I had mine  |
TODD
25 Years of Commitment and Responsibility in Private Herpetoculture |
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newbie
Hatchling
184 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 18:20:39
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Hi Todd,
She is an active girl! Although she's miserable at the moment, all dull skin and cloudly eyes! We're considering moving her up to a proper viv soon, how aboreal are retics? Everywhere seems to have conflicting info! Would love to give her room to climb if she would use it  Thanks |
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CDN_Blood
Rainbow oddball
Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 19:54:52
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quote:
Originally posted by newbie
...how aboreal are retics? Everywhere seems to have conflicting info!
I consider Retics an all-purpose snake. They're just as happy draping their long body over branches as they are curling their mass on the ground. Smaller/younger animals will be more inclined to spend time higher, and larger specimens tend to prefer the ground, but if it's fit and well adjusted as opposed to over-weight and unsocial, it'll do the 50/50 thing.
Should you happen to have a space in which it's safe to let the thing explore without getting into trouble, let it go and watch what it does. It'll show you it's preference :) |
TODD
25 Years of Commitment and Responsibility in Private Herpetoculture |
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Grouchy Retic
