Reticulated Python Housing Question

Hey guys. I have ball pythons, but honestly snakes are like potato chips- you just want more and more!

I’ve wanted a big snake for a long time, and I have learned quite a bit about the different species of large snakes, I really want a Retic. They are so pretty. I have space for a small/medium retic right now and I’m moving next year to a larger house and I’ll have even more space.

So my question is, if I got a 2022 retic hatchling and didn’t power-feed it, would I be able to house it comfortably in a 36-48in long enclosure? When I move I’ll get probably a 6-8ft enclosure for it, but I know retics grow like weeds and the last thing I want is having to keep a snake in a cramped enclosure until I move.

Maybe it would be best to wait until after I move? I found a 2022 hatchling that I really really love which is why I want to do this now, haha.

I am looking for opinions on this. Should I just wait? Or will it be okay?

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Honestly, I would wait until you are moved. You never know what might happen between now and then and if something should disrupt your ability to move into the house and acquire the proper caging then you are stuck with a snake you are either going to have to get rid of or house inappropriately.

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True, I could probably make a 6-8ft cage work in my house if needed. I don’t want to have to do that, though.

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Retics are awesome! I agree with @t_h_wyman of course about making sure your housing situation is stable. If so i recommend a decent sized bin/enclosure for a hatchling, they want to feel secure but are also way more active and arboreal as younger snakes then ball pythons. Your footprint for a hatchling to young snake can be your standard 41q bin, although taller is better. Then depending on lots of variables such as % of sd how often you feed, and how it acts, in a year to 18months you can use a 4’ x 3’x 18”-24” pvc enclosure, until it needs a permanent 6’-8+’ enclosure, once again depending on genetics, feeding frequency and how it behaves. I keep it simple, when young I feed 1 food item that is the same or slightly larger then it’s body a week, until 2-3 years old then I try to feed larger items every 2-4 weeks(depending on the snake and food item) alot of people feed even hatchlings every 10-14 days which is fine too. Remember they are slender pythons with a very distinct head to body visual difference. More like carpet pythons then Burmese pythons, if you like. Retics are fun, interesting, intelligent pets. Enjoy! Just remember no matter how tame they are always follow simple protocol, tap training, feeding safely. Most bites, are human errors, we don’t need any more bad press with these wonderful animals!

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Is it mainland or super dwarf? My yearling dwarf is about 5ft long now. He also gets fed every 7 days where some people do every 14. Mainland seem to jump in size to 6 or 8 ft pretty fast

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I haven’t done retics for years…but I had one hit 9 or 10’ within about 18 months. So I wouldn’t count on a 4’ cage lasting long.

I also think 8’x3’ cages are too small for mainlands. For superdwarves they’re fine. But my old mainlands all hit 16’ or better. And cramming a 16’ snake into an 8x3 just felt wrong and I wound up getting them 10x4s which still felt smallish for them.