Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Dan]

Ok so i have put a few "brief" notes together that somewhat resemble a caresheet.

I hope atleast someone finds it usefull

Retic care
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TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[Dan]

BTW, can someone just let me know if my signature block is showing at the end of the document please.
_________________
TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[mark]

hi dan just a suggestion wouldnt it be easier to cut and paste it into here as i currently dont have anything installed to read a pdf file the info is no good to me personally as i wont never take on anything that size but im just thinking for others visitors that want to see it that may be in the same shoes

dont mean to speak out of line just a suggestion
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boas and burms

[BIGUN]

yes your sig block shows!!

[Dan]

The document is 10 A4 pages long so it may, possibly, just be a bit on the large side for posting up on here
_________________
TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[Scott W]

[Dan]

Ok (please excuse the format on here, it is better in the document)

THE RETICULATED PYTHON
HOUSING


Temp:

This is a tropical species from Asia and is generally found very close to the equator. As a
result tropical temperatures of 90 - 95F in the warmer end are a good average to work
from. However it is worth noting that due to the size of land this species covers some
localities and specific snakes will be happy with slight variations on this. A maximum I
would work with is105F and this is only for those animals that spend the majority of
there time basking at lower temperatures. The act of basking itself is carried out to
increase the body temperature of the snake until it reaches a workable level for the snake
to begin its daily routines. A constantly basking animal is in need of a higher temperature
spot and one that never basks requires this spot be lowered by a few degrees. Spending a
few days with your snake and getting the temperatures just right for the animal will pay
dividends when it comes to handling. The cooler end should be of no less than 70F and
should be a maximum in the low 80’sF to reproduce natural temperature cycles.

Cage types:

Freedom Breeder Rack systems, contico type boxes and custom-built vivariums are all
suitable for younger animals. However, cages must be escape proof, easy to disinfect,
free of sharp edges, ventilated, and able to hold heat, ensuring proper temperatures. Your
choice for housing reduces significantly as your snakes grow due to a lack of
manufacturers willing to make such large enclosures. When the snake reaches a large size
it is often easier and cheaper to make your own enclosures for your snakes. Avoid leaving
unfinished wood and porous surfaces when designing custom cages, these surfaces are
difficult to disinfect and often don't last as long as a finished surface. When sealing edges
of your custom vivarium use aquarium sealant only as the other types contain fungicides
that are dangerous to your snake's health. When varnishing use "yacht varnish”, as this is
also safe to use with snakes. After sealing and varnishing your snakes new home leave to
"air" for a week or so with the heat switched on in order to remove fumes and let it all
settle properly.

Heating:

There are various ways of heating a vivarium, ranging from heat pads/cables to ceramic
bulbs. These are all commonly available from most pet shops. Heat rocks are unsuitable
and can be extremely dangerous to the animal as they don't realize how hot the rock is
and can severely burn themselves.
Whatever method you use to heat your vivarium, always make sure that the snake can't
come into any direct contact with the source. If necessary use a protective cage to
separate the immediate area around all types of bulbs, ensuring there are no gaps the
animal can go around to enter the cage. Mats and cables should be placed on the outside
of the housing to remove any chance of contact leading to burns. This also eliminates any
problems that can occur through a faulty item or incorrect wiring. No matter what type
of heat source you use there should always be a thermostat within the circuit, to control
the temperature at a specific point within the vivarium. The heat source should warm 1/3
to 1/2 of the cage with a basking floor temperature higher than anywhere else within the
environment you provide. Use a thermometer to gauge this accurately. It is essential to
allow the animal an area that provides an optimal basking temperature and a cooler area
so that the snake can thermoregulate.
Humidity:
Again due to the origins of this species the humidity levels as classed as tropical. They
can often be found in rainforests or by streams and rivers, both of these habitat areas have
a high humidity level. Therefor the humidity within the vivarium should be maintained at
60-80%. There are several ways to achieve this, including strategic placement of water
bowls or misting the area with a spray bottle. There is also an option of a "damp" box.
This is usually a box filled with wet moss or newspaper designed specifically for the
snake to enter as and when it comes to skin shedding.
Which ever you chose you will have only until the snake begins to shed its skin to perfect
your method. If the levels are too low you will find the skin comes off in lots of pieces
often leaving chunks on the back of the snake. This will have to be removed manually,
which when you have a large nervous snake is far from an easy task. Often at this time
many keepers raise the average levels by increased misting of the cage to ensure a clean
and healthy skin is produced.

Lighting:

12 hours on and 12 hours off is roughly what should be provided. Never leave white
lights on continuously as this can cause stress. Red lights are an option for lighting as
they don't disrupt the photoperiod and can be left on permanently to help heat the
vivarium although they do mask the colours of the animal. A good idea is to either use
some form of timer switch to automatically control the light timings or a switch
connected to a photo-sensitive device which will turn the lights on and off depending on
what the daylight is doing around you. This does mean you can’t rely on the bulb solely
for heat but this is easily overcome with the addition of another heater.
IF you are lucky enough to know exactly which island or island group your snake comes
from there are resources available online that note down daily temperatures, rain levels
and how many hours there are with sunlight for the areas you are looking for in
particular. This can help eliminate some of the early teething problems with shedding and
finding the correct basking temperatures.

Size:

Enclosure sizes is a topic that can vary depending on who you ask. Some say enclosure
length should allow the animal to stretch out half its length and the width should be a
third to half of the animals length. Others (including myself) work to the theory that as
long as the retic can stretch out completely around all the sides of the vivarium then it is
fine. The first method is often based on the sizes other species require and is advocated
by people with little to no experience. For example, say there are 2, 18 foot retics. The
first is housed as described in the first method so the cage length is half the size of the
snake and the depth is a third of the size making the dimensions 9x6. The second is
housed in an enclosure using the second method and has just reaching the size where a
6x3 vivarium is too small. You work this out by adding up all the side lengths
(6+3+6+3=18 feet).
There are some additional guides that can be used, for example when the snake reaches
roughly 12 feet it will start to fill out. From this point onwards an enclosure should
measure no less than 3 feet in depth to enable the snake to coil up in the stereotypical
manner.
What is clear, no matter which method of minimum sizes you decide to use, is the
concern to be taken when aiming for a large enclosure. Retics can often be tame and
tractable in smaller more confined spaces than they are in large spaces, this is territorial
behavior. If the snake feels its enclosure is it’s territory then it will defend it by biting,
head butting and musking. Yet if it feels the enclosure is just a hide space then this
behavior never surfaces. Encouraging large retics to show this behavior is incredibly
dangerous for anyone that has to interact with the animal at all. While I understand the
desire to provide a large space for your pet which will look out of place in a smaller
enclosure I simply can not tell you how important it is to fight this urge, for your own
safety. Retics grow at an amazing rate, often reaching 8 feet or more within the first year.
As a result don't buy a snug fitting cage for your hatchling expecting it to stay in there for
much more than a month or so. The important thing here is to be prepared with each next
size of vivarium ready as your snake begins to outgrow its old enclosure. When your
snake reaches adulthood and a large size it will significantly reduce movements so trying
to provide a space for the animal to wander is no longer necessary. A size of 7x3x3 for
adult pet retics is usually a good rule of thumb, so if you don't have this space to devote
to an animal then don't buy a hatchling.

Furnishing:

A water dish large enough to allow the animal to soak should ideally be provided. When
the animal is small this is easy to achieve, however as the animal matures you will find it
harder and harder to do. When you can no longer provide the size needed for a full body
soak then reducing the bowl to a smaller more manageable size is the best idea. You can
then take the animal to a bathtub or other suitably sized area every now and again so it
can have a good soak. If the bowl is located near the heat source it will slowly evaporate
creating humidity to help the snake shed but be aware as it evaporates you will need to
top it up and change the water completely more often. Always provide clean water and
disinfect the bowl weekly. A hide or shelter in both ends of the vivarium is ideal so the
snake can thermoregulate in privacy if it so chooses. If this isn't possible locate at least
one in the heated end so the animal does not have to choose between security and heat.
Many older retics are noted to ignore hides and generally they do fine with out the
confines of a specific hide area. Disinfect any natural furnishings you may wish to add
before placing them in the viv. Retics, especially youngsters, love to climb so logs and
branches are always welcomed. In the wild youngsters can often be found in trees
looking for birds to prey on or resting above streams/rivers. When disturbed they drop
into the water in an attempt to escape any possible threats.
Substrates:
This is yet another area up for dispute, which has two main courses for you to try out and
follow. Newspaper or paper towels are safe and inexpensive and easy to replace.
However they are by no means great to look at and struggle to hold humidity with any
efficiency. Aspen, hemp and various other bedding may also be used; these often look
much nicer than newspapers but need to be researched, as some are unsuitable for large
snakes. Gravel, sand, mulch and wood shavings may cause health problems such as skin
lesions and mouth rot so should be used with great care. Cedar is deadly to reptiles so
avoid this at all costs!

FEEDING

In their natural habitat, they feed mainly on warm-blooded prey such as nesting birds,
waterfowl, deer, pigs, rodents and other mammals. They are also opportunistic eaters that
will devour recently deceased animals although this doesn’t fulfil a major part of their
diet.
Frequent feedings of 1 - 2 times weekly will result in quick growth and a healthy animal.
This should be reduced as the snake grows depending on the size of food offered. An
adult snake is recommended to be fed an appropriate meal every 2-4 weeks when in a
normal routine, this can vary depending on the health of the snake.
A baby retic can begin feeding on mice or small rats. Starting a retic off on rats is
preferable as it can eliminate problems later on when changing from mice to rats as the
snake progresses in size. As the snake reaches adulthood, you will have to change the
food item to rabbits and guineapigs. If you have a large retic then they can also progress
onto pigs and goats. I suggest that you try not to constantly feed only one prey item to
your snakes as this will result in a swift and easy change over of primary food items
when the snake is ready. I currently use quail, chickens and squirrels as an addition to the
normal items. You will find that feeding poultry will result in a very runny and smelly
defecation. However, while this isn’t pleasant for the keeper I do feel that it is good to
feed such items every now and again in order to clear out the digestive tract of any old
food that is undigested.
Generally retics are voracious feeders with a healthy appetite that can be highly
aggressive. As a result of this food items usually only need to be placed in the vivarium
or feeding container (depending on your choice) for the animal to feed. Feeding
containers separate from the normal housing of a snake is often recommended, however
this is rarely ideal or safe where a large retic is concerned. Moving a large, hunting snake
is never a good idea and can result in injuries to yourself that could easily have been
avoided.
It is said that snakes learn to associate opening of vivarium doors with food and will
strike at anything entering, however if you handle your snake regularly then this
association should not be a problem. Should this prove to be a problem for whatever
reason there are several methods you can adopt to change this. A popular method is to tap
the snake lightly on the head with a hook each time you enter the viv with the intention of
handling.
Avoid handling after a meal, it is stressful and may cause regurgitation. If this does
happen, don't panic no long term damage has been done. However if this does happen
leave the snake in peace for at least a week before feeding again, as it will need time to
rebuild up digestive fluids.
Never handle any item that the snake may think of as a prey item and then handle a
snake, you may be mistaken as food. This is a common way to become yet another
statistic of those people seriously injured through a large constrictor
Many Americans feed their snakes live prey items, this situation is highly inappropriate.
There is no need at all to put the snake under risk from injury from a prey animal simply
because it has been done for some time. Frozen items are always accepted (even if it does
take some work for the keeper) and most keepers in the UK use this method with no
problems at all, including hatchlings. While I have my own opinions on this I understand
that live feeding is the way which many people carry out the task so I ask only that you
follow these guidelines. If you do choose to use live food, never leave a prey item in the
snakes cage for lengthy periods and NEVER unattended, a prey item can cause serious
damage to your pet! Provide food and water for any animal left in the snakes’ cage longer
than 30 minutes.
Developing proper feeding habits and maintaining feeding/health records is a good
practice to get into as you can go back through records when in doubt about something.
This can help to reduce worry on your part if your snake misses a meal or two, records
could show a pattern of feeding and shedding that can explain sudden "problems".
Reluctant Feeders may be happier to eat at night or with lights off, and may prefer to
ambush prey from a hide box. Try a variety of prey items and sizes. Could the snake be
ill? Reduce handling to a minimum. If an animal refuses all feeding attempts and appears
to be loosing weight, consult a veterinarian or experienced herpetologist. If a snake is
reluctant to feed it may be induced by placing it in a locking plastic box (with air holes)
with crumpled newspaper and leaving it for an hour or so, then introducing a food item.
Water should also be available to these pythons at all times. This will allow the snake to
drink at its leisure and assist with proper humidity in the cage, which will lead to good
skin sheds. Shedding is dependent on the animals’ growth rate and condition and
typically occurs every 3-6 weeks when the animal is young. This can be a period that
your snake refuses to feed so don't panic if this happens.
A reliable source of food is a major requirement that must be considered when
purchasing a retic. As they grow larger, they will consume prey as large as rabbits and
even young lambs, goats and pigs. If you can see a problem with being able to provide
enough food or appropriate sized items for your retic please don't continue on and get the
animal anyway. Many shops and web sites will tell you that if you feed your snake less
then it will stay relatively small. This is very dangerous, to say the least. If you feed your
snake less it will still grow but it will become undernourished and ill, often leading to
death. If you want a small retic then please don't purchase one of the larger forms, there
are plenty of dwarf retics on the market today and obtaining one isn't hard. Taking the
time over your choice now will benefit everyone in the long run.

EQUIPMENT

There are several pieces of equipment that retic owners should keep on hand when
working with their animals, especially if they are wild caught. Do not underestimate the
value of the equipment listed here, as it can become very handy in a sticky situation. It is
always better to be safe than sorry.

Hook:

A proper sized snake hook should always be maintained near the cage whenever the
animal is being interacted with. The snake hook will allow you to keep distance between
the keeper and one hundred teeth all coming towards you at a high rate of speed. As the
snake matures you will find that a normal every day snake hook is of less and less use, I
suggest you purchase a hook specially designed for this type of snake.
Spray Bottle of Vinegar/Whisky:
This can be a great ally in the event of a long bite. When bitten, spray the face of the
snake. Once the snake tastes what has just been sprayed with, it will usually release its
grip. The spray bottle allows the liquid to be dispensed quickly and accurately. Some
keepers often suggest that hot water is also a good deterrent but this is rarely a practical
idea unless you keep your snake in the bathroom. The main objective is to introduce a
liquid that the snake finds so offensive that the bite is no longer worth the effort. Please
make sure that what ever you use is not toxic before considering use. It would be a great
shame to lose an animal through accidental poisoning

Snake Bag:

A proper sized snake bag that can contain a large snake is an invaluable tool. If the
animal ever has to be moved from their cage, it is vital that the snake has a bag that can
properly accommodate its size. It is usually necessary to make your own snake bag for
large snakes. All that is needed to make a snake bag is a duvet case and some extra thread
and a length of rope. It is recommended that the bag be at least double stitched in order to
make sure that it is strong enough. There is a lot of pressure put on the stitching of the
bottom of the bag so here it is recommended that triple stitching is carried out. The rope
is stitched onto one side of the duvet, on the seem line, about 12-18 inches from the
opening. This enables you to tie off the bag securing the snake without having to reduce
the amount of space available. Remember that should the snake feel the need it will strike
at you through the fabric, many people make this mistake and have the scars to prove it.

BREEDING

When:

They are able to reach their sexual maturity when about 7-12 feet or in as little as 18
months for males. Females however take much longer and are often unwilling to breed
until they reach the age of 4 or 5. The important thing is not to assume that because your
retic looks big enough that it is ready. This will only lead to heartache on your part.
I have listed below the two main directions people take in order to get their retics to
breed:

A

Cooling:

Stop all feeding a minimum of 2 weeks before this begins in order to get any previously
undigested food out of the snake. Animals should have excellent weight and be
established before any breeding is attempted.
Retics can be cooled in the low 70's during autumn. This temperature drop is to be
achieved gradually in order to reduce the stress on the snakes body and to avoid any
respiratory infections. During this period it is an ideal time to reduce the daylight time
they receive to around 9 hours in order to simulate natural winter daylight conditions.
They stay in this state for 4-5 weeks before the next step.

Misting:

Then you place the male & females together at the cooler temperatures and mist the cage
for a couple of weeks. This is done by adding the female to the males cage, this simulates
the female entering the males territory as she looks for a mate. There must never be
another male in the same cage as they can and will fight causing injuries to each other
that often lead to death. Please be aware that males are often more aggressive during this
period.

B

There is a more recent thought that retics do not require cooling. After all these are
tropical snakes that originate from near the equator. Their wild counterparts are not
subjected to such dramatic temperature variations so there should be no need for captive
animals to either.
While the first method listed can be seen as an attempt to bring the females into season
this method relies on the good husbandry and the health of the female. Every year healthy
females will stop feeding for a short period, at this point near by males can be seen to
start cruising around their vivs. This is a sign she is ready. It is then you should introduce
the male, as the female will now be receptive.

Copulation:

After the introduction you will hopefully observe some copulation. Copulation can
sometimes occur only at night. After the 3 weeks the retics should be separated. In
comparison to other pythons the copulation procedure is relatively short with breeding
lasting under half an hour each time and only occurring 3-5 times.
Misconceptions:
A few common actions females undertake when males are introduced are often mistaken
as signs the female is ready to breed. The most common by far is the tail wagging and
musking. This happens when a male tries to mate the female. She will wave her tail from
side to side in the air, if after repeated attempts the male still doesn’t understand she will
musk the area at the same time, creating a shower of musk all over the area. If that
happens the male usually gets the point and they both settle down again.

Gravid:

After the female ovulates (witnessed by a short-term swelling just past mid-body that
goes away after 24-48hrs) she will begin to develop the eggs inside her. It is worth noting
that once the fame has ovulated she will lay something at the end of the gestation period,
even if that is a clutch entirely of “slugs”. Females may typically lay with their bellies up
as egg follicles grow larger and they become more uncomfortable. After 45-60 days
(approx.) she will have a pre-lay shed. You then have a further month or so to wait to see
what she will lay. Females will generally lay between 25-80 eggs but numbers above this
have been recorded.
This number is affected by the number of times she has been bred before, how old she is
and how big she is. An animal that has bred before will generally have a higher amount
of eggs than one that has never bred before. The older and bigger they are before being
bred can increase the initial clutch size which will make later clutches larger than smaller
animals that have been bred several times. In this way it is beneficial to everyone if you
take your time with breeding and only do it when the female is in perfect health.

After laying:

Like most pythons, female retics incubate the eggs themselves in the wild all the way to
hatching, they "shimmer" in order to change the temps the eggs are incubated at. This is
done by twitching muscles. As a result, be very careful when removing the eggs as the
female is likely to be a little upset about you taking them away from her. If possible, it is
best to remove her from the cage prior to taking the eggs. If not try placing a board in the
cage separating the two sides, so that she is on one side and the eggs are on the other.
This will minimize your chances of getting nipped. Although how common it is I am
unsure of there are several cases where the female has entered a catatonic like sleep while
laying her eggs. This results in a highly docile snake that will let you remove the eggs as
and when she lays each one. The female should resume eating in about 2 weeks although
it is common for this figure to be highly varied. It is more important to get her feeding
again if you plan to breed her the next year as she will need to be brought back up to a
good weight for her own safety although I dont personally recommend this. There are
current studies been undertaken to try to judge just how often female reticulated pythons
breed in the wild and if this varies with the age of the animal. Until this report is
published I would suggest that breeding every other year is a good figure to aim for.

Incubation:

It is recommended to remove the eggs and incubate them yourself. This means you have
greater control over the temperature and humidity the eggs are subjected to. The
temperature will need to range from 88 - 90 degrees F (31-32 degrees C). The Eggs are
quite large in size, in fact they are the largest eggs to be laid by any snake species. Clutch
averages are often greater than 250g with some individuals weighing up to 320g. Kept at
the stated temperature they should start to hatch in roughly 80-90 days although this is
dependent on the stability of the temperatures.
_________________
TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[mark]

thats a very interesting read mate must of took you some time
_________________
boas and burms

[Dan]

From start to yesterday it took roughly 14 months, give or take an hour.......
_________________
TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[mark]

cool so basically youve written it up yourself from your own expierence then even better
_________________
boas and burms