The Traveller

My sister found Coral last night!
She came into my room in the middle of the night proclaiming her miraculous find. She'd heard some noises in her room and decided to investigate, and lo and behold, Coral was enjoying a stroll through her floor.
Ok, here's the thing you need to know: sister's room is downstairs. So Coral exited the snake room, trailed down huge wooden stair steps, and managed to cross the family room to get to my sister's room.
All that while avoiding the many other animals that run around the house at one point or another.
It's flabbergasting. I bow down to your cunning and courage, Coral.

Barbossa and the Evil Syringe

I'm going to make the attempt to feed Barbossa tonight. He still hasn't eaten, which has put me in a mild state of panic. The other day I tried to give him Nutrical, which is a perfect dietary supplement for pretty much any animal,including snakes, and I think he almost died of fright.
I'd diluted it in water so that I could give it to him by syringe instead of forcing it down his throat in one huge chunk.
Yeah...I had more of it on me than I managed to get in Barbossa's stomach. What a mess. My floor is still sticky.

Coral is still a no-show, by the way. I've looked everywhere. She's probably hiding somewhere, laughing as I pass near her a hundred times a day. Evil, evil snake.

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 41

Super short feeding day today, only two snakes in the morning and Topkapi in a few hours. I was kind of disappointed, I was looking forward to a full day of shenanigans. Oh, well, there's always next week.

Topkapi's tail is looking better, so I guess the Neosporin and Betadine are doing their job. She is also abut to shed, which will help her heal.
Snakes have really incredible abilities, if they're injured they shed their skin to help the wound close, if they have bacteria they do the same thing.
They're amazing, but then again, I already knew that.

As promised, here are some pictures of Topkapi enjoying my soft, cottony bedspread.
My moniature loch Ness monster.

On the Loose

It's been a crazy bunch of few days, but all my babies are just fine.
One teeny tiny little thing...Coal has managed to thwart my security efforts and is on the lam.
That's right boys and girls, a snake pried apart my state-of-the-art folded piece of cardboard, which I'd placed in between the sliding glass doors, and has Houdini-ed (ha, I've created a verb) her way out.
I was so happy, it'd been months without an escape, but I guess she was just biding her time. Lulling my defenses before she STRUCK with her clever reptilian mind.

Yes, it's overly dramatic, so what?

In other news, I took some cool pictures of Topkapi this morning which I wanted to post up, but I think I'll devote a whole post to the beauty that is Queen Topkapi. She would not appreciate sharing a page with Coral's craziness.

Moldy Tail

Tybalt ate last night! Yay!
I am however, a bit concerned about Topkapi. She seems to have some sort of mold growing on her tail. I noticed it a few days ago and I've been maniacally spreading Neosporin and Betadine on her to try to get rid of it. It's not worse, but it's not really better.
I guess I have to give it more than three days to see effects, but I am not known for my patience. No, indeed.

As a pagan, I can't very well go about celebrating a saint's day so...

Happy Green Beer Day!

Picture Day!

A group picture! Not all my babies are here (especially Coral, since milksnakes actually eat other snakes.

So on the picture, Barbossa on the bottom step, Topkapi on my lap, Damascus doing all kinds of crazy stuff in the back and Odin between my hands. Next time I have to get the other three, so I can have a complete picture to frame up or something.

Atrocities in Sweetwater, Texas

I am taking the opportunity today to share with you what is happening in Sweetwater, Texas right now.
Today is the horrific Rattlesnake Roundup. I have mentioned them before, but to the ones that don't know about it, here is a brief overview of what happens annually in these barbaric festivals.
Rattlesnakes hibernate in large dens, several hundred of them curled up together to keep safe, and humans take advantage of this camaraderie to hunt them down. These "people" pour gas fuel into the dens to draw the suffocating rattlesnakes out. They catch them and take them to a large convention center, where the party can begin. The snakes are all poured out into one giant pit where they run the risk of injuring each other or dying crushed by the weight of their companions. If they survive, they are taken through the rounds, where they are weighed and measured (what the hell for?), they are displayed, angered, frightened and made to bite containers to extract their venom. They are paraded, always gripped by the back of the head with such violence I wouldn't be surprised if many of them die in the brutal hands of these so-called humans. Finally, their heads are chopped off, they are skinned and then they are put up to hang, like at a butcher shop, for people to order a rattlesnake meal. There are pictures of children who watch as the poor creatures are murdered in front of them, while humans laugh all around.
How these disgusting and savage "celebrations" are allowed to continue is beyond me.

Birthay to the Blog

Today is my blog's birthday! It's been a year since I began to chronicle the craziness that takes place in my den. It doesn't feel like it's been a year, not at all.
But anyway, I raise a glass to my beautiful snakes, past and present, for the incredible gift of allowing me to take care of them.
Cheers!

Tantrum

Yesterday afternoon, I saw that Topkapi's much was quite dirty, so I decided to change it. Problem was, I had no much left. Well, paper towels would not be such a bad idea, right? Oh, foolish, foolish human.
It seemed like I'd dipped her body in acid. As soon as I put her down on the QUILTED, very soft, paper towels, she flinched back and began to circle around her cage, hoping for an exit. Even this morning she still looked as uncomfortable as a snake can look.
It's only for today, Topkapi. Tonight I'll bring clean mulch.
I wish she'd get used to it, though, because paper is so much easier to clean. Way more convenient.
Oh, well. Whoever said keeping snakes was easy.

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 40

Feeding is done! Every one of my babies behaved with reptilian decorum, you could practically see them demurely wiping their lips on engraved silk napkins.
Damascus, however, is shedding so he did a little frightened dance and hid his head beneath his coils.
All in all, a satisfying day.

By the way, I have started another blog in which I'll review books. Since I'm a reviewer at You Gotta Read and Midwestern Book Review, I thought it'd be a good idea to keep things organized. If it is something that interests you, head over to Carabosse's Library

A Prince

That is Mr. Damascus. He seemed captivated by the camera, well it is bright pink, so it's hard to miss.



He explored all over the table, lifting up the pages if the book I was reading, and just being his adorable self.



A closeup of his majestic profile. And no, I'm not nuts, I happen to think he has a majestic demeanor.