Blood vs Carpet vs dwarf Retic

[Trogdor80]

I've thought about possibly getting another snake(if I don't get a tegu). I'd like something bigger than my ball I used to have, but I want something smaller than a Burmese or a regular Reticulated(I've had rescues of both before. both are too big for my tastes, especially reticulated).

Blood pythons look cool, but I know the rescues I've delt with before where aggressive.

I've never tried a carpet.

Dwarf Reticulateds look cool(especially tigers and albino tigers) and are about the right size, although you run the risk of getting a non dwarf like the poor fellow I rescued the huge reticulated from. The big reticulated I rescued was probably the most mellow snake I ever handled, like as or more mellow than a ball. I'd think a dwarf would be as mellow.

 

[Trogdor80]

I've heard that carpets are mellow, but haven't had one before.

 

[PastorAaron]

To be honest I think I'd recommend a blood python. The ones I've had experience with were really mellow, and they look amazing.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[Trogdor80]

The only bloods I had where supper nippy, but they was rescues, and they was possibly wild caught.

I'm kinda leaning towards a jaguar carpet or a dwarf tiger retic, because I'd kinda like to breed mine at least once, and if you have a morph to stud out you will have no trouble finding a taker.

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

I've actually heard that carpets are a bit nippy. Although that could be because don't generally rehome retics or bloods on craigslist...

And I've heard more recently that bloods can be quite mellow. There was an article in them in Reptiles. Bloods are getting so much more mainstream these days, and I really think captive breeding mellows out an animal.
You even hear about "nice" GTPs now that everyone's getting into them. And man, those Sumatran red bloods... oof. Admittedly, I think the article did mention that Sumatrans tend to be a bit more aggressive than some of the other locations. I should try to find that article...
I LOVE some of the retic morphs.
I hear such mixed things about them temperamentwise, that I'm really not even sure what to think- I know I'm not ready! But good lord, they are pretty!
What kinda price difference are we talking? Are they all around $300? I would think the dwarf retic might be considerably higher...

 

[Dave94]

Carpets are awesome! But since carpets are native to aussie thats why I'd recommend one :lol: . My Bredli (Centralian Carpet python) are great snakes.. nippy as young but aren't all your exotics like that too? Bredli get 7-9ft.. 9ft being old females. Not extremely heavy bodied, which makes them manageable if your a slender type of person lol. Coastals are bigger again, 10ft but normally 8-9ft as adults. Not as colourful really unless you get a hypo one which costs a fair bit (well here there 500dollars+ for a good hypo coastal) Then theres darwins/Murry Darling carpets.. bit smaller then bredli... also you can get albino darwins (lol there about 5grand each here) Then jungles are the smallest morelia. normally only 1.5metres as adults. We can't get IJ jungles etc.. but our tully/krauss all the locals are pretty snappy as babies and adults. Also Green tree pythons... but there still 2grand or so each here.. think there pretty cheap over there? about the same size as a jungle.. need to mist them more often.. harder care..

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Trogdor80]

And I've heard more recently that bloods can be quite mellow. There was an article in them in Reptiles. Bloods are getting so much more mainstream these days, and I really think captive breeding mellows out an animal.


I LOVE some of the retic morphs.
I hear such mixed things about them temperamentwise, that I'm really not even sure what to think- I know I'm not ready! But good lord, they are pretty!

What kinda price difference are we talking? Are they all around $300? I would think the dwarf retic might be considerably higher...

I have had bloods before(rescues) and they were the very definition of nippy. Granted they was raised by people that didn't know herps and they was possibly wild caught.

The big retic I rescued, that was raised by someone that was used to herps, but got sold a big retic as a dwarf retic, It was super mellow. It was effing huge. like you could feed it a deer huge.

As far as prices, from what I've seen both at online breeders and local herp shops, non morph coastal carpets and bloods are like $125-175. Non morph dwarf retics and jungle carpets are like $250-300, jaguar morph carpet is like $350-400. Dwarf tigers are like $500-600.

To be honest though, there is one of the local herp shops I've done a lot of business over the years with that would probably cut me a deal (well below marked price) on what he has in stock. As far as what I'm looking at that would include a blood, a coastal(non morph), and a dwarf retic(non morph).

 

[Trogdor80]

Carpets are awesome! But since carpets are native to aussie thats why I'd recommend one :lol: . My Bredli (Centralian Carpet python) are great snakes.. nippy as young but aren't all your exotics like that too? Bredli get 7-9ft.. 9ft being old females. Not extremely heavy bodied, which makes them manageable if your a slender type of person lol. Coastals are bigger again, 10ft but normally 8-9ft as adults. Not as colourful really unless you get a hypo one which costs a fair bit (well here there 500dollars+ for a good hypo coastal) Then theres darwins/Murry Darling carpets.. bit smaller then bredli... also you can get albino darwins (lol there about 5grand each here) Then jungles are the smallest morelia. normally only 1.5metres as adults. We can't get IJ jungles etc.. but our tully/krauss all the locals are pretty snappy as babies and adults. Also Green tree pythons... but there still 2grand or so each here.. think there pretty cheap over there? about the same size as a jungle.. need to mist them more often.. harder care..

Cheers,
Dave

In the U.S.(the rules vary by State) we have pretty much the opposite rules, you CANNOT keep native species in most states(to discourage wild catching). Of course except for like Florida and Hawaii the U.S. is too cold for Aussie/Asian/South American/African species to survive in the wild.

Of course Florida now has a wild Burmese Python population because of irresponsible owners releasing them.

 

[herpfreak]

I haven't owned any of the 3, but I personally love Bloods. Other options are Borneo Pythons and Sumatra Pythons, which are both pretty much the same as Bloods with different markings/colors. They are so gorgeous!!! I know they can be pretty nippy, but I hear that if you get a CBB as a hatchling, it will normally calm down before it gets big enough to cause any damage.

 

[Eventide]

The species here can all be baby tame if handled frequently. My friend has three GTPs that are all as cuddly and tame as ball pythons.

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

The species here can all be baby tame if handled frequently. My friend has three GTPs that are all as cuddly and tame as ball pythons.

All CBB? I seem to be noticing that there's a greater number of "nice" GTPs out there lately. And I'm really thinking it's the result of greater demand, hence greater breeding. Most common species, BCC, BCI, ball python, corns, don't tend toward nippiness. Obviously there's the special ones, but in general they are pretty freakin' chill. And I'm pondering the idea that it has to do with generations of captivity. We may one day consider particular breeds of snakes as domesticized.

 

[Eventide]

All CBB? I seem to be noticing that there's a greater number of "nice" GTPs out there lately. And I'm really thinking it's the result of greater demand, hence greater breeding. Most common species, BCC, BCI, ball python, corns, don't tend toward nippiness. Obviously there's the special ones, but in general they are pretty freakin' chill. And I'm pondering the idea that it has to do with generations of captivity. We may one day consider particular breeds of snakes as domesticized.

Yep, her GTPs are all CBB. They also get daily attention, so that helps a ton, too.

But yeah, you're right. The more generations of CBB snakes there are, the more used to humans they get.

 

[lacy_black]

Yes they may be calmer with more generations but like any other "domestic" breeds they'll still have the old wild habits lying dormant waiting :lol: makes them more exciting IMO, will they nip me is always on my mind.

 

[NegativeCreep]

I'm a little late on this conversation.. but..
There is a new carpet python at the rescue where I've been volunteering, and he seems very nice.
The owner said he's barely handled him over the last year or so, but he seems calm. He has not struck anyone, or threatened for that matter. He's really a beautiful guy, and I would guess about 8 feet or so (I've not seen him stretched out, yet).

I'm learning a lot about snakes, so my current knowledge is minor, but this guy is def. more gentle than many of the other guys about his size.