# Check out the retic



## longqi (Dec 30, 2011)

Second photo is an absolute monster

Giant snakes commonly attacked modern hunter-gatherers in Philippines


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## brayden49 (Dec 30, 2011)

Lol what the ******* the second picture the snakes head is bigger than his


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## Renenet (Dec 31, 2011)

Holy moly! Have you ever come across one like that, Longqi, or are specimens like that so rare now that you'd be lottery lucky to see one?

Interesting article. It's easy to forget that humans were once a lot smaller and more vulnerable to large pythons. There was a thread recently about a scrub python apparently attacking a toddler in Port Douglas. Someone mentioned that scrubbies can eat wallabies up to 30 kilograms. If an adult male in this tribe only reached 44 kilograms, and they had pythons that size slithering about, it's not at all improbable that adults were occasionally prey.


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## longqi (Dec 31, 2011)

Most wild ones are a lot skinnier than that one
Biggest Ive seen was 7.85 metres but very skinny

The head on that one is HUGE
So god only knows how old it was

We are heading into a cave system next year
Might be a beauty in there because the local Dyaks are scared stiff of it and tell stories about it
Only leaves the caves twice a year to feed
Saw some shed skin and the belly scales were lots wider than my hand


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## Renenet (Dec 31, 2011)

longqi said:


> We are heading into a cave system next year
> Might be a beauty in there because the local Dyaks are scared stiff of it and tell stories about it
> Only leaves the caves twice a year to feed
> Saw some shed skin and the belly scales were lots wider than my hand



Cool!


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## cactus2u (Dec 31, 2011)

very cool... so are they like big olives & quite docile when they realise your not food Longqi?


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## longqi (Dec 31, 2011)

Probably get blasted for this but they appear to be one of the more intelligent snakes
The power of a big wild one is unbelievable
Fast to strike from any position and dont telegraph the strike much
Like eels in the water they swim really well and will strike from under water accurately

We dropped a 5metre one into a triangular shaped glass box for the night before releasing it next day
It sniffed around then jammed itself in one corner and flexed
Popped the glass straight out
Plastic storage boxes just get the locking handles ripped off so we just put them in a bag overnight now

Tame ones are gentle and do recognise their handlers
We have one here we took from from a bad situation and its still a bit tricky to handle
But we have come to an understanding and it lets me take it swimming etc without having a go
Its old owner dropped by and Bitch nearly broke the viv trying to get at him
Didnt calm down for about 30 minutes after he left
Just cruised back and forth in full strike mode
Never heard of or seen that before in any snake and if anyone had suggested it I would have politely listened and forgotten it immediately as just a story

Much like carpets they have adapted to living near people reasonably well
Surprising how big they can get even in the city

Pretty new to learning about retics but very impressed at what Ive seen so far


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## Justdragons (Dec 31, 2011)

jebus


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## Cockney_Red (Dec 31, 2011)

Cant wait till my spotted gets that big


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## KingSirloin (Dec 31, 2011)

Cockney_Red said:


> Cant wait till my spotted gets that big



Careful, your spotted probably can't wait either.


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## mad_at_arms (Dec 31, 2011)

"I think we're gonna need a bigger bolo"


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## Fuscus (Dec 31, 2011)

longqi said:


> We have one here we took from from a bad situation...
> 
> I would have politely listened and forgotten it immediately as just a story


I think I'll politely read this and forget it immediately! :shock:
Seriously it would be very good to attempt to document this behaviour properly as a controlled experiment, perhaps a continuous film of people looking in and recording the animals reactions. 
Have say 20 people ( including the previous owner ) stand in front of the enclosure for a set amount of time. The subjects should be similarly dressed (cover-alls?) and non-provocative.
Repeat a week later in a different order.


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## Renenet (Dec 31, 2011)

Longqi, if you say retics are one of the more intelligent snakes, I'm not going to dismiss it. Scrub python keepers on this site have said that their scrubbies display intelligence at times. Both are large snakes, with presumably a larger brain than, say, a stimmie, so they've got a bit more to work with. 



Fuscus said:


> I think I'll politely read this and forget it immediately! :shock:
> Seriously it would be very good to attempt to document this behaviour properly as a controlled experiment, perhaps a continuous film of people looking in and recording the animals reactions.



If you can record some of this behaviour it would be very interesting indeed.


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## Retic (Dec 31, 2011)

Retics are without doubt my favourite python species, not just for their amazing colouring and pattern but also there is something about them that is hard to describe, maybe it is an above average intelligence ?


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## longqi (Dec 31, 2011)

Burmese and retics are roughly the same size
Burmese are like other snakes when we rescue them
Sometimes ok and sometimes strike out at anything but telegraph the strike and strong but easy to read

Retics are a whole different game
A lot of the time they have been annoyed by the time we get there
Usually they just watch us and often let us guide them straight into a dark bag
But if they change their minds and decide to hit we have zero warning
Just this big mouth full of teeth heading at our face
Probably 80% of the attempts are head shots
Burmese and other snakes just go for anything

We have a burmese and a retic we take to schools
Get the kids to sit down and they slide across the floor to their handlers as the kids pat them
All good
But if the retic handler swaps ends the retic will turn around and go to her
Burmese just continues down the end and waits

Our feeding schedule is huge feeds at irregular intervals
Burmese and chondros couldnt care less
Retics actually 'tell us' by cruising the viv but not coming out to play if we dont feed them

Anyone who has scrubbies will comment on how they often size you up before letting you play with them
Retics do exactly the same thing

Anyway back on topic
That retic in the second photo has the biggest head Ive ever seen on any snake
Was measured at 24ft 6inches by the photographer/author of the book


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## mje772003 (Dec 31, 2011)

I like the retic that Brian on snakebytes TV has called "sunshine" lovely animal


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## nagini-baby (Dec 31, 2011)

cant sleep, snake will eat me.
cant sleep, snake wil eat me.

seriously wow!


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## Scleropages (Dec 31, 2011)

Retics are freeking awesome snakes!!!


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## Scleropages (Dec 31, 2011)

longqi said:


> We are heading into a cave system next year
> Might be a beauty in there because the local Dyaks are scared stiff of it and tell stories about it
> Only leaves the caves twice a year to feed
> Saw some shed skin and the belly scales were lots wider than my hand



HHHmmm You don't run the trip to the cave twice a year do you???.... to feed the python poor backpackers, lololol


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## longqi (Dec 31, 2011)

Actually taking 2 pommies in there to have a look
They are naturalists and photographers not collectors and promised not to divulge exact location if we do find it
They told me about it
Mentioned it to my gf and she knew all about the stories but had never told me
On tribal land so she had to arrange permission but that was easy for her


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## Scleropages (Dec 31, 2011)

longqi said:


> Actually taking 2 pommies in there to have a look
> They are naturalists and photographers not collectors and promised not to divulge exact location if we do find it
> They told me about it
> Mentioned it to my gf and she knew all about the stories but had never told me
> On tribal land so she had to arrange permission but that was easy for her



Lucky buggers!
Are you going to take pics or is it not possible?

P.S Hope ya don't get eaten, maybe time it just after its fed


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## euphorion (Dec 31, 2011)

Wow. That's just amazing.


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## longqi (Dec 31, 2011)

Its feeding is how we will know to go looking in comparative safety
Will have about two weeks I think or maybe more as the caves are not warm so digestion will be slow
Dyak hunters will let us know when theyve seen it
Pommies will already be in East Borneo so just meet up and start walking


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