Responsibilities

My sister came yesterday with the news that one of the snakes at the center where she works is starving. STARVING. In captivity. It boggles my mind how something like this can happen. Well, maybe not so much because I know who runs the reptile division. The young man (I won't name names although I should) has said many times, and I quote "I hate reptiles". And yet, no one fires him, no one asks him for his feeding schedules, which is good for him because he doesn't keep any, no one does anything. Two snakes have already died in his care. How many more of them does it require for his supervisors to take charge of the situation?
My sister comes day after day, week after week telling me "well, he left without feeding them today" and I seethe at the words. I get stomach-aches of guilt if I am one day late in feeding my babies. We are keeping them in cages with the hope that we can give them safer lives, we trade freedom for steady meals. I just...I don't understand the mistreatment. If you don't care one iota for the poor creatures, then quit.
I told my sister that if they want, I can take care of the starving snake for a few weeks until she is back to the right weight, but I doubt they'll allow that. I have a freezer full of mice and patience by the bucket-full to coax her back into eating.

*whoo* Deep breath.

My precious ones are all doing beautifully (except for Ms. Coral who remains MIA). Topkapi has shed and looks like a movie star, Catherine Zeta-Jones style, while Barbossa is still mid-way through the process.
I took Damascus out yesterday and he is looking so chunky. Beautiful. I just want to snuggle against him, but he pulls back in disgust, a "human, away!" look in his eye.
Oh, well I must manage with my unrequited love.