I think I want a BIG snake...

that dwarf retic is beautiful!

He's not a dwarf, just a baby for now

Just a side note before you make a choice. On both retics and burms, what you see is not quite what you'll end up with. You know how they grow, but some will change colors too. If you're partial to the albino varieties, that gorgeous little baby with the bright yellows, oranges and or purples, will in most cases fade to a pale yellowish color. Most normals pretty-much keep their color & high contrasting patterns well into adulthood. This in only MHO, but I've seen very few pics of large albinos that had anything close to their baby colors. My favs are Tiger Retics and Yellow-Heads.

Rocks have always been a personal favorite of mine having owned Rocks, retics, burms ect. Everyone always says to handle frequently when you get a new snake and I think that is a crock. I have always found personally less is more. I do not touch my snakes other than when absolutely imperative for the first month. I find a place to put them in the house that is quiet enough to provide them with security but where they get to observe me going about routine activities on and off during the day. Rocks and retics especially tend to be a bit curious by nature and you will notice them observing you. I also always put a cut up shirt or similar of mine in their cage when they first get home so that my scent becomes synonymous with security and comfort. I start off with quick handling sessions once I notice their body language showing they are much less concerned with me in their space. Keep it short, sweet and positive...maybe only 45 seconds to a minute the first time or two. As time goes on extend it out and just observe the snakes reaction. Their posture, breathing, ect tells you everything you need to know. Rocks are much more patient than they get credit for, but once you ignore their warnings most don't mind backing up the threats if you let it get to that. Like most baby snakes Id keep them clear of the face...the only time a baby snake feels breath on them is during feeding time or from a threat, and either response isn't a good one.

I've owned somewhere in the range of 10-15 rocks over the years and I've been bitten one time by an import hatch-ling the first time I handled it and that's it. Sure some have struck, bluffed, gotten crabby, but if they are acting that way I leave them alone and come back later. I've rescued adult rocks with a history of "aggressive" behavior and using this never had a problem. Rocks really give you a full display of body language before they strike. My rocks and I always had an understanding. I respect when they are having a bad day and they don't kill me. Rocks more so than others do seem to get nasty outside on the ground. Not recommended...instinct seems to take over. My biggest female was the tamest snake I ever owned and she was a rescue that came in because she was biting her owner. She was about 7 feet then, and about 16/16.5 when she passed some 8 years later. That snake never once struck at me, and admittedly in hindsight I made so many mistakes with that snake I deserved to get bit. I used to let her out and shed crawl around the snake room while I was cleaning cages. I accidentally kicked her, stepped on her, dropped her ect, and never so much as a hiss. She would sit across our laps when we watched tv at times. As she got bigger it was nice having her so tame. Her cage was floor level so you could just open the door and shed come right out for you and let you clean her cage. She was a great eater, but never food aggressive, literally couldnt say a bad thing about her other than when you picked her up she would just hang there like dead weight haha...and she was way over 100 when she was over 16 feet. She sadly died in a tragic accident about 3.5 years ago, but she was so incredible. I miss her every single day of my life and her pictures are up in my living room. She is what really got me into the rocks and I never ever have had one that didn't tame down within a month or two. Definitely owned several more aggressive or defensive BP's than any rock. Just my experiences for what its worth. On a side note never had a problem with the 10 or so retics I've owned either. Both species seem to be on the intelligent side and so consistency and respect seem to go a long way in the beginning. My rock now gets taken out maybe once every two weeks or so and she acts tough, but shes never bitten, shes not flighty or cage defensive or anything. Shes just got a little edge to her. She was an import last april and have had her ever since. Just took me a few years to get another rock after I lost the big girl, it was very tough on me. Most of mine were imports and seemed actually less flighty than the CB ones I've had which seems odd, but just what I've observed. Good luck and sorry for the novel, I just love my rocks and any chance to sing their praises!

good post and i respect your opinion and experience, i think it depends on the snake ans the keeper ive kept rocks, burms, boas and retics and the ones i handled the least were the biggest assholes

Thanks everyone for your input! I have to do a better job keeping up with this thread, but I do certainly appreciate all of you taking the time to comment!

Originally Posted by Mike Gay

On both retics and burms, what you see is not quite what you'll end up with. You know how they grow, but some will change colors too.

Thanks Mike, works the same with ball pythons and corn snakes...colors change, wash out, fade, bleed, lighten, etc.

Originally Posted by fuscusking13

Rocks have always been a personal favorite of mine having owned Rocks, retics, burms ect.

Daniel, thanks for taking the time to add some of your personal experience...these type of posts always seem more helpful to me. Being a rock guy, have you seen the T+(probable) albino rock imported into the UK a few days ago? Amazing looking animal! If not, here's a link...

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forum...an-rock-5.html

...................

Originally Posted by AGoodwin

...................

What's off topic Amanda? Not understanding where you're coming from...

ive kept rocks, burms, boas and retics and the ones i handled the least were the biggest ases

Warning: unacceptable language

(I know you weren't calling somebody that name, but let's not create a confusing double standard)

Your post can be read two ways - that the snakes you handle infrequently seem to show the most aggression; and/or that the snakes that show the most aggression get handled more infrequently.
My own approach with aggressive snakes has been posted enough, so I'll just say I agree that less is more. I will agree with you that it shouldn't be considered a blanket policy; and that individual results may vary. As an example, while I've had great success with my approach with aggressive afrocks and bloods, I can't claim the same results with retics and boas. I've dealt with a few decent sized (9-12 ft) imported retics that were quite nasty....and, while some became somewhat handleable, none ever could be called tame, and there was always the expectation that they would lash out. I've only dealt with a couple of pi$$y adult boas, and they improved the least of any nonvenomous snake I've kept.
Maybe I just have a better understanding of rocks and bloods, or maybe they've just responded better to my methods

*Please don't read the above as anything negative about retics; I like them a lot, and have had the pleasure of keeping and working with some amazing 'tics over the years...it has just been my experience that imports of that size were less likely to become "tame".

Originally Posted by AGoodwin

...................

Care to explain?