My experiences as a snake owner and as a snake enthusiast. With a healthy potpourri of other stuff...




Friday, June 24, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 46

Topkapi just finished shedding, a few minutes before writing this, actually. She looks stunning!

I fed Damascus today first. He just looked so hungry I coulnd't start with anyone else. I gave him his mouse then turned to feed Taluah, who ate beautifully. I turned back and I see Damascus following my every movement through the glass, waiting for me to give him something else. He looked just like a dog begging for food. Too cute.

I assumed that Topkapi wasn't going to eat because she hadn't shed yet. I underestimated her, as I usually do. As soon as I put the mouse in, she lunged and wrapped herself around the very, very dead mouse.


I took that picture yesterday, when Topkapi was traversing the land that is my bed. She explored new horizons, discovered new lands, and spotted a really warm spot under my pillows.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 45

Ok, so today was a short feeding day. I'd fed Talulah and Tybalt (who is eating like a greedy little monster) on Wednesday when my sister brought the live pinkies, so I officially had just Coral, Damascus and Odin to feed. Topkapi is shedding so no mice for her.
Damascus ate with no problem, bless his little reptilian soul, but Coral also decided to begin shedding without warning me (I don't really know how she would have done that, but nevermind)so I had to give her mouse to Damascus also. Not a problem for him.

Next was Odin, who is sick. He keeps throwing up his food and I am beyond worried at this point. He's getting fluids but I need him to eat. He always looks hungry but can't seem to keep anythig down. I've checked and rechecked the temperature and humidity in his cage and nothing is off.
Warning: ye of weak stomachs, read no more.

Today I had an idea. I'd been feeding him pinkies that were a little bit bigger than the previous batch which made me think maybe they are too big for him. So, using my little head, I chopped the pinkie in half. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, chopped it in half with a kitchen knife, Ok, this was a frozen/thawed mouse, not a live one. I had visions of PETA knocking on my door.
Odin took it gladly, so now I'm just praying that he can digest it. I really, really hope so.
My poor little sick baby.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 44

I thought, since Tybalt ate beautifully on Wednesday, that I could feed Talulah while he was still in the cage. He couldn't possibly be hungry, could he? Yeah, well, he was. He lunged at his sister's mouth to grab the frozen pinkie from her. Just picture me, looking down at this sibling war, screaming a slow-motion "Noooooo!" as I flung my hand down to stop the bloodflow. Yeah, yeah, it wasn't quite that dramatic, but it was a sticky situation.
I'd defrosted another pinkie so I gave it to Tybalt. Since when does he eat frozen mice? I mean, it would be great if he switched to them so I wouldn't have to worry about getting him live ones.

Odin is sick. He keeps throwing up his food and I have checked everything, temperature, humidity, ligh-dark cycle, everything. I think he may have to go on anti-biotics. We'll see.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Dramatics

Tybalt ate two pinkies last night. I am so proud of him! He is a little eating machine now, which warms the cockles of my heart, or something like that.

Barbossa and I were walking outside today, the usual round around the pool, when I began to hear a screeching nearby. I look up and I see two birds, one blue jay and one mocking bird screaming at both of us. I mean, SCREAMING. Jeez, you'd think Barbossa and I had personally secuestered their babies and were holding them for ransom. Animals can be so dramatic sometimes.


And that's Topkapi, doing some Olympic hiking.