Working his Mojo

[Will0W783]

Yesterday I vended with some friends at the Oaks, PA reptile show. I ran into a guy I've done some deals with in the past, and he had some amazing baby retics. He saw my stuff for sale and made me a trade offer I couldn't refuse!

So here's my new baby...a 1-month-old, 50% dwarf, lavender albino tiger male. I named him Mojo, because he's just so cool and has a LOT going on genetically.

I can't wait to see how he grows and how the dwarf genetics play out in him. The last litter from his parents produced babies of varying sizes- from 8 feet up on to 15. I plan to grow him up and breed him to Calypso.

Sorry about the mediocre pics- he doesn't sit still...at all. lol

[TeaNinja]

you're a machine! lol :p
he looks nice :)

[shaunyboy]

very nice kimberley,i really like how strong his colors are

look forward to pictures of him growing up and as an adult

cheers shaun

[Will0W783]

Me too. He is so very tiny right now. He is like a toothpick compared to Trogdor. He did rub his head on the way home yesterday- he found a tiny crack in the plastic box and rubbed all over it. So he's got a boo-boo on his head. I'm applying reptile wound-healing aid twice a day and hoping it will be gone within a few sheds. Poor little bugger. He's also very very young, so his colors aren't fully developed yet. I can't wait to see how he turns out as he gets some size on him.

[stephanbakir]

Those are pics to drool over :P Retics are amazing!

[marionsclan]

I love the lavender on snakes. So pretty. As for retics, are they all aggressive or just certain breeds of retics?

[stephanbakir]

They can be tamed down easily for the most part, they are gentle giants unless in feed mode, or they have reason to be.

[Will0W783]

Calypso is extremely tame- she's curious and alert, but hasn't struck at me. Mojo is shy because he's still so tiny, but is also not at all nippy. It's all in how you raise them- just like with dogs. Also there is some variation in individual snakes' personalities.

[stephanbakir]

It's all in how you raise them- just like with dogs. Also there is some variation in individual snakes' personalities.
Well said :)

[SnakeyJay]

He looks so sweet.. If only I had the room and experience lol...

[Will0W783]

He is surprisingly sweet. He's only about 18 inches long. A real tiny little 'Tic. It's nice to get them small- then you can shape its temperament and watch it grow from a newborn to a giant. :)

[SnakeyJay]

I saw a purple super dwarf today... Absolutely stunning.

[marvelfreak]

Congrats Kim! He a really beauty. More pics are a must once he settles in.

[Will0W783]

Oh definitely more pics will come. I just don't want to stress the little fella out too much. Once I've gotten a meal in him and I'm sure he's settled in, I'll be photo happy I'm sure. I've always wanted a lav albino, but they were waay out of my price range. My fiance went nuts happy when I told him. He was so excited to see Mojo when I got home. lol.
It's soo nice to see John showing enthusiasm for the snakes again...for a while he really didn't want much to do with them.

[stephanbakir]

Where did you purchase him if I may ask? Did you know Bob clark does online auctions of some of his animals on facebook? Prices are crazy low sometimes. No reserve price.
How many feeds did he get prior to him getting to you? 1-2?

[Will0W783]

I did a trade, because I wanted to have the dwarf genetics. I didn't know that Bob Clark does online auctions, but I have reviewed his animals...and they are wayyyy out of my price ranges. I got this male from a breeder that I know and have dealt with in the past, so I know his animals are of good quality.
Mojo was born on May 20, 2011 and has 2 meals.

[stephanbakir]

An albino super tiger went for 400$ lol, clark strain :)
Nice though, as long as he was fed before being sold you should be fine :) He looks amazing.

[Will0W783]

That's a good price...but don't forget that this fellow has dwarf genetics. Also, with the trade he essentially cost me $180.

[stephanbakir]

Nice! forgot he was part dwarf!

[Will0W783]

Yep...the dwarf part was why I was so hot to get him. :)

[Will0W783]

Question for those who have experience with neonates...Mojo is one month old. Should I be feeding him every seven days or more frequently? I read on one breeder's website that they feed their retic hatchlings twice a week until they hit 3-4 feet long, and then once a week until they are a year old, then every 2-3 weeks.

[stephanbakir]

I always fed them every 3-4 days till 4-5 feet, and kept them in relatively high humidity till a year old

[Will0W783]

Thanks, Stephan. :)
I'm going to get him some mouse fuzzies or rat pinks today, since he struck and wrapped, but did not eat, the frozen/thawed mouse hopper I offered him last night. My guess is that since he's only eaten two meals, he didn't recognize the f/t as potential food. All in good time- I will get him solidly eating live for me, then do fresh-killed, then f/t.

[stephanbakir]

I actually start my animals off with warmed F/T or F/K, never had any issues. Stay away from mice though, rats are better and any baby retic even a SD can eat a baby rat.
And you REALLY don't want to have to switch over to rats in like a month :P
Chances are, with 2 meals in him, he isnt "used" to anything, so switching him now should be a cakewalk right? I duno, never had to do it.

[Will0W783]

Ok, well I'll see if I can get live rat pinks...he didn't take the f/t and I'm afraid to let him go for too long without eating. I'll try to get him directly onto fresh-killed..he should be fine with that since he did strike and wrap the f/t...just didn't swallow it.
Do retics get "used to" mice like carpets can? In my experience they're usually insane eating machines and will gobble up whatever is offered.

[stephanbakir]

For the most part they will eat anything with a heartbeat, but some of them can be finicky #$@%@ and will take months to swap over to rabbits. Again, I've never tried to switch a snake that early into it's life so good luck and keep us informed :)

[Will0W783]

Ok, thanks Stephan. I've never had a baby this young, but figured a retic should be easier than a lot of other species. He's becoming more curious and out and about- when I first brought him home, he hid under his hide for two days...this morning he was out and cruising around his cage and didn't run back under the hide when I came in. I also just got him on Saturday, so he's pretty new. I didn't want to let him go too long without food though, and last night was a scheduled feeding for everyone.

[stephanbakir]

Worst case, toss in a live pinky/weanling rat. But I wouldn't worry.
Retics are resilient.

[Will0W783]

Ok- how long can a baby his age go without food?

[stephanbakir]

Longest I've ever had without them EVER eating was 2 months, but that was once. I've heard of them taking much longer from people on this forums.
Retics are eating machines though, you shouldn't have to wait more then a week.

[Will0W783]

Ok... I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't hurt him if I made him hold out for f/t and tried again in a few days. I'm like a paranoid new mother...lol. He's just so tiny and delicate-looking.

[stephanbakir]

I would be too:P

[Lankyrob]

Think shauny holds the record with his hatchling taking ten months to eat. :)

[Will0W783]

Ten months...I don't think my nerves would hold up that long! My fiance brought home two rat pinkies. He wanted Mojo to eat something, so I fed him. He had two live rat pinks, and next time I'll be trying the f/t again before offering live. I know he was being fed once a week. So I'll let him go a week and then try a f/t pink. He's full to bursting right now, lol. I snapped some quick pics on my phone and I'll try to get them uploaded soon.

[stephanbakir]

I just noticed how many active "Kim's" we have on this forum lol :P My count is 3 lol
Edit: 3, ones a Kat :P

[Freebody]

Omg i think im in love!! :) Huge grats!! more pics? :P

[Will0W783]

Here's Mojo taking his first meal. He has got to be the laziest retic I've ever seen when it comes to eating. I put the first rat pinky in with him, and he slowwwly made his way over to it and started rubbing his face along it, back and forth, then set his head on it, and watched me. I sat there for about 5 minutes, and then left him alone. When I came back 40 minutes later, he'd taken it, so I gave him a second. Sorry it's somewhat blurry...my camera lens needs to be taken apart and cleaned thoroughly.

[stephanbakir]

Lazy retic, must be a fake!
Damn hes a cutie :P

[SnakeyJay]

So how big will he get with the dwarf genetics in him?

[stephanbakir]

I believe she said he was 50/50 dwarf? so like 14 feetish if she isn't lucky. Probably closer to 12.

[Lankyrob]

From memory Super dwarf are 8-10feet, Dwarfs 10-15feet and Normal 18feet+

[stephanbakir]

I believe its a male though isnt it? they get much shorter on average.

[Will0W783]

Yes, he's a male. It also depends on how he expresses the genes...the previous clutch from his parents had a variety of sizes. Some of the siblings grew to 10-12 feet, others to 15-17.

I would expect that he will be around 13-15 feet. But you never know. His future mate is a normal, so I keep telling my fiance to be prepared for her to be 18-19 feet and 150-200 pounds eventually.

[stephanbakir]

Or, you can not be prepared and ship it to me when hes big and awesome :)
On a more realistic note, as a male I would be surprised if he passed the 14 foot mark while being 50/50 dwarf.

[Will0W783]

Lol...I doubt I will part with him. I've drooled over lavender albino retics for years, but was never able to afford one. Now I'm thrilled I have one. :)

[stephanbakir]

Soon it will be 2, then 3 then 4 *starts to drool*

[Will0W783]

Soon it will be 2, then 3 then 4 *starts to drool*

Size in feet of current retic? Or number of retics?

I have two now..the supertiger lady and the lav albino tiger male. I can't imagine that I could afford to feed more than these two when they're grown up, but you never know. Housing and time to work with animals is also and issue.

[stephanbakir]

Either or, the bigger they get the more their colors change, and the more you get, the more pics we get to look at :)

[Will0W783]

LOl! True...or I could just bombard you with pictures of these two as they grow!

P.S. Calypso went into blue today. I absolutely cannot wait to see her fresh out of shed...she's sooo iridescent.

[stephanbakir]

Expect something drastic from at least the first 2 sheds.

[Will0W783]

I am so excited...I cannot wait to see him change and brighten as he ages. He's already got some seriously vivid lavender going on. I finally got some decent pics of him last night. You can see the little spot where he rubbed his head...poor little bugger. I'm hoping it heals well.
I know he's only had one shed so far. I can't wait to see how he develops as he grows.

[Jenn_06]

he is looking great Kim i been wanting one but hubby said no more big snakes for now :( ....
i see the little boo boo on the head poor thing my GTP has one too.

[stephanbakir]

What did he rub his head on?
That first pic has me giddy, might not be able to wait till October to get my retic >.>

[Will0W783]

I brought him home in a little plastic deli cup...he found a crack in the lid and rubbed his head all over it. I saw he was bleeding when I got home and panicked until I saw what he'd done. He seems none the worse for it, but it still has me annoyed...I hope it doesnt' scar permanently.

[stephanbakir]

Lame, careless way to ship an animal, you ALWAYS puncture the cups from the inside...

[Will0W783]

He wasn't shipped. I got him at a show, and brought him the 30 minutes home in my car. There were air holes in the plastic bin. It was a critter keeper.

[Will0W783]

He was in the back of the car, nestled carefully on the floor, with the seat moved so he wouldn't get tossed around. I also put some shredded newspaper in with him so he could feel secure in the thing. The seller didn't have any snake bags to put him in.

[stephanbakir]

Sorry to hear that :( you did take allot of precautions to avoid this :(

[Will0W783]

I did the best I could, but the little ba$tard was bound and determined. It should heal quickly though right? I guess if he is eating and active and seems content, he didn't do any real damage right?

[stephanbakir]

Retics are ridiculously resilient, they heal back from pretty much anything quite easily, RI's and mites are their only real worry.
Make sure it stays clean, and there is nothing for him to re-open it on and you're golden.

[Jenn_06]

no he will be good in a few sheds you will not even see where he rubbed soon.

[Will0W783]

Cool! I'm glad for that.

Jenn, you're white albino retic is just smoking! I always love seeing pictures of her. :)
I'm hoping some day I can get a white albino too....but for now, two adult male Burms, and two baby retics is all the fiance will tolerate..lol!

[Jenn_06]

Thank you she is in shed right now so ill get more pics of her soon, i want a tiger albino but hubby said one burm and 2 retics is all i can have right now :( i think we both need new man j/k lol

[stephanbakir]

/waves
You guys are awesome :P

[Will0W783]

Hahaha! Yeah...perhaps we do, Jenn. We could be roommates and have a retic ranch! LOL

[stephanbakir]

That might be worth leaving canada for! Assuming you plan on breeding them XD

[Will0W783]

Oh I definitely plan on breeding them. Can you imagine how awesome the babies will be from Mojo x Calypso?
They'd all be 25% dwarf, all 100% het albino, and a mix of tigers and supertigers.

[Will0W783]

I'd really like, also...some day in the future once I get the retics to breed to each other, to try to use Trogdor to create some tiger bateaters.

[stephanbakir]

I like bateaters, but I love the look of balltics, saw one in person a while back... /drool
Too bad only the males? maby females... cant remember... are fertile in bateaters.

[Jenn_06]

retic ranch sounds like a great idea lol, all mine are girls so no breeding at my end. :(

[stephanbakir]

I'm buying a male purple albino, a female sunfire het and a female motley het!!

[Jenn_06]

one i want and if i ever can save money for it is a golden child *drool*

[stephanbakir]

I love the albino golden childs!! and the leucistic golden childs... DROOLLLL