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




Sunday, February 27, 2011

Ode to a Coward

Barbossa seemed to want to eat today. I put the mouse inside and he struck, twice...and missed, twice. Of course, now he does not want the mouse, and is doing all he can to show me there's NO WAY he's taking it.
I'm hoping he'll try again later, but I'm not holding out too much hope. He's so frustrating! I have the poor mouse in a plastic container so he can't escape.
Good thing I love him so much.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 39

It's been such a good feeding day today, everyone ate with gusto.
I have to share how Coral ate though, because it boggles the mind. When I opened her cage she was in her tree, or really, half out of her tree because she doesn't fit anymore. I tried to pull her out but she is ridiculously stubborn, so I took out the whole tree along with her into the feeding container. She took the mouse in that position! I couldn't believe the laziness!
How do they come up with these things?

Oh, by the way, on the right you'll see a badge that will lead you to a petition to stop rattlesnake roundups, so if you could take the time to sign it, I will give you a million dollars. OK, no I won't, but I'll be grateful.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Members of the Hefty Club

I had these fabulous pictures of Damascus that I wanted to post but I just realized my sister took my camera's memory card. Argh!
Oh well, you'll have to wait another day to see my reptilian movie star. My mom saw him the other day and couldn't believe he was the same snake I used to hold in one hand.

Talulah and Tybal are looking great. She is almost twice his girth, and takes full advantage of it, pushing him away whenever she wants a particular spot in their cage. She's a bit of a bully. I have to separate them when they eat or she'll steal his mouse. Feisty.

Coral has shed and is looking around for food. She'll have to wait until Friday, not a huge deal when she's as fat as she is right now. The other day she tried to curl up inside her tree and she couldn't fit. The embarrassment, Coral!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Baking for Venom One

It's been a busy bunch of days. I've been doing a lot of writing and typing, so forgive the long silences.
All my babies are doing wonderfully, they all ate this past Friday (except for Barbossa.
Tomorrow I'll be doing something quite interesting. My sister bought me two baking molds, one in the shape of an alligator and the other one of a snake, so I'm going to bake some cookies for the Venom One team. If you don't know who these people are, my Gods you are missing out! They are the division of the fire department that will come to your rescue if you get bitten by a venomous snake. They fly to anywhere in the country, toting antivenin, ready to see you through the horrible experience.
Apart from that, I've also adopted two of my snakes from Lisa, a member of the unit. She gave me CocoRosie, my darling, and Coral, my lightning bolt.
So, yes, I'll be sending them some yummy cute stuff to eat. I have to remember to double or triple the recipes I use. They are fire-fighters, after all.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Topkapi the Vampire Slayer

I just finished holding Odin. He looks huge. Every time I see him, he's grown a few centimeters. He is calmer, but I still have to be careful when I go to grab him or he starts hissing and lunging in fear. I'm sure he'll grown out of this when he gets older. Just look at Topkapi, she was a little ball of fangs when she was little and now you could do cartwheels around her without disturbing her.
Speaking of Topkapi, today she was on the couch with me and I am convinced she could actually see what was going on in the screen. We were watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the last two episodes of season two, which for any Buffy fans are MAJOR episodes. So I Topkapi was caught up in the drama that is Buffy and Angel.
You had to see her, her little head lifted in attention, flicking her tongue occasionally at the movement before us. Adorable.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Powers

So we're back to square one with Barbossa. Well, maybe not quite square one because he did eat last week, but still. I don't know what he expects me to do, call the winter away and make it nice and balmy so he can walk outside? I do not have those powers Barbossa!

Coral is shedding so she is looking mighty scruffy. She's still laying by the door waiting for someone to forget there's a wee snake in there, but that's not going to happen. And even if she does manage to get out I know her secret hiding place. Mwahahahaha.
Pathetic, huh?

I am baking some yummy stuff, spice muffins, so if you are interested in getting the recipe, hop on over to Carabosse's Bakeshop, link on the right.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 38

Coral is shedding yet again. You know what that means, she's eating a lot! I think I'm going to have to put her on a bit of a diet, for a few weeks at least so that she doesn't run the risk of exploding.
Topkapi just finished eating. She gave me such a smack when she struck, my hand actually jerked back. She's getting so strong.


Odin is eating beautifully, as is Talulah. All I have to worry about is Barbossa on Sunday. Since it's turned cooler and I've not been able to take him out walking, who knows.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Missions

Coral has been giving me evil looks recently. She paces and gazes (rhyme!) around her door, seeing if there's any possible way she might escape. For now, I think I have her thwarted, although give her some more days and she'll probably pull a Mission Impossible. She's probably been watching the movies to get ideas.
Can you imagine, a snake watching TV, remote gripped between coils? Too cute.

I just came back from a lesson and I am tired tired tired. I'm debating whether to bake today or do leave it until tomorrow. By the way, I've been putting all my recipes with pictures in the link on the right: Carabosse's Bakeshop. Stop by and see the yumminess.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Blackmail

Barbossa ate yesterday!
You know, I've come to the realization that snakes are smarter than they appear. Point on case: for weeks I've not been able to take Barbossa outside because it's been too cold for him. So, foolish little me, I thought that taking him out to roam the upstairs hallway was a good substitute. Stupid, stupid human. To snap me back into action, my shy baby decides to go on a hunger strike. I, of course, begin to freak out and obsess about everything around him. Nothing is amiss...until I realize I haven't taken him outside in weeks. That's when it hits me, and, thanks to the obliging weather, I have granted him his wish.
And just like that, he's back to eating.
Incredible.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 37

Yeah, so the experiment with Barbossa was a huge failure, as you could probably had predicted. He looked at the pinkie as if aliens had landed and he was seconds from being abducted by the hairless creature before him.
Then Tybalt didn't want it either so I gave it to the ever-hungry Talulah. *sigh*

At least everyone that was supposed to eat today gave me no trouble. I guess they leave notes for each other like "hey, take it easy on the human today, I nearly drove her mad two days ago", that kind of thing. Except, of course, on those days when they band together and decide to throw a collective hissy fit.
Whenever someone says snakes are easy pets, I have the urge to slapped him or her with a frying pan.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Reluctant Reptile

I am going to attempt something crazy with Barbossa tonight. My sister was mandated to get two live pinkies instead of just one and I will try to tempt reluctant reptile to eat. He can't possibly be afraid of a pinkie, right? Stay tuned and find out.

We might be acquiring a gecko that has gout. He needs a home and people who will give him his medication (which he has to take for the rest of his life). I have no problem with taking care of him, on the contrary, but I asked my sister to make sure he is stable and that he eats regularly, because I don not want a tragedy on my hands. not after Maat. So we'll see. My mom has seen it and she says he is adorable.