Adventures in Dining

Barbossa ate his three mice yesterday. He had problems with all of them.

The first one he grabbed from the middle, so, of course he ended up killing it and then putting it down to rearrange it...and then loosing it. He looked like a guy in a parking lot "now, where did I put that car?" Except he has a superb smelling sense and a tongue designed to pick up exactly where the prey is.
I had to stick my hand in there, which I DO NOT advise anyone to do when a snake is in "feeding mode", but I know my shy baby well enough to know he'd rather chew off his own tail than bite me.
I repositioned the mouse and down it went.

The second one he grabbed by the tail. He's done that before and it takes him a few minutes to realize that the only thing he is constricting is a tail and that he'll get nowhere if he doesn't restrike. Which he did, and ate that mouse also.

The third one he was a little confused on. It was a light brown, spotted mouse. I'd heard before that some snakes are super picky when it comes to even the color of the mice they eat. Some will only eat white ones, others only black ones, etc.
I'd never encountered this behavior before in my snakes, but I saw a little of it yesterday.
Barbossa looked disconcerted. Not sure if it was food or an alien sent to destroy him. After a bit of prodding, he realized it was food and promptly ate him, while I shook my head.

I swear, these snakes will lead me to drink.

Villainous Affairs

I was lazy yesterday and did not post about how the feeding went. Everyone who was supposed to eat, ate. Ta dah! Done.
Now that I look at what I wrote, I'm pretty sure I could have mustered up the energy to write it yesterday, but at the time it felt like a cataclysmic event that I just couldn't bring myself to perform.
Dramatic, aren't we?

Anyway, I went to my French class today, not the most fun I've ever had but at least I'm polishing up my long-forgotten inner French person. Afterwards I stopped by the library and got some books. I picked up The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and an Agatha Christie in French so I can continue practicing.
I then went to the movies to see Devil.

Now, after The Happening, I wasn't sure I would EVER watch another M. Night Shyamalan movie. If you've seen that laugh-riot you understand completely. The wind, people, the wind.

Ok, I saw the previews of this new movie and I thought, unless he's on crack, I don't think he can screw it up too badly. A bunch of people trapped in an elevator, and one of them is the devil. Good, simple scenario. I still went into the theater with trepidation, hoping I wouldn't spend the whole afternoon cursing Mr. Shyamalan.
The movie started...and it was good.
I was so relieved and kind of proud. He managed to redeem himself quite nicely. Good suspense, good acting, some frightening moments and a killer soundtrack.
I left the movie with a new pep in my step, which is surprising after watching a movie about the Devil killing a bunch of people, but don't judge me. I have a soft spot for villains.

Musical Snake

Today's been a pretty dull snake day. I had a voice lesson this morning, so I didn't take Topkapi out. She was not too thrilled. but I made it up to her in the afternoon.
I took her out and placed her around my sister's neck while I finished some muffins I was making. She was playing the guitar (my sister, not the snake, although how cute would that be?) and Topkapi was extremely interested in the vibrations coming off the instrument. She kept stretching herself out to reach the strings. Adorable.

This is what I was baking:

Orange muffins

1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. butter
1 3/4 cups and 2 tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. orange zest
3 1/4 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups orange juice

Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, add orange zest. Sift lour, baking powder and salt together. Pour flour mixture in parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the orange juice.
Pour into prepared muffin pans. Bake at 350 F. for 20-25 minutes.

To Be or Not to Be

Damascus has finished shedding and he looks gorgeous!
I guess I am going to have to give the humidifier SOME credit, even if it is reluctantly done. I love having fights with inanimate objects. Sometimes I feel like just throwing a glove at the toaster and challenging it to a duel.

Barbossa is not done yet. I have been placing him in his steam baths and slathered him with baby oil, so we'll see how he ends up shedding. I'm hoping to take him out after I'm finished writing this, so he can soak up some Miami moisture. There is plenty to spare, believe me.

It is getting perilously close to Halloween and I still have no costume. I wanted to be Medusa, because, hello, having snakes in my hair is my job description. But we'll see.
Last year I was Cleopatra, so if anything, I could dress up as her again. I don't know, I am torn. It also has to be a costume that I can pack up and take to the next Florida Pagan Gathering, which is in early November. It celebrates Samhain, which is Halloween in Pagan-speak. I'm so excited, I'm already having dreams of setting up my tent. I'm such a camping dork.

Waddles of Courage

This is not snake related, but I thought it was quite amusing.
A few days ago I step outside with my iPod and as much sunblock on me as I could slather, to go for a walk. I go most mornings, a good 45 minute walk that clears the head but might one day give me sunstroke. So I open my door and I encounter a grey cat and a momma duck with her babies. They were both sitting, patiently waiting to ambush me with heir cuteness.
Of course I went back inside and brought out a big bag of cat food for them. I placed a pile in front of the cat and was about to put one in front of the ducks, when they decided I just wasn't quick enough. They took matters into their own hands.

Cat, what cat?


We laugh in the face of danger!
The cat, however, did not find it too amusing. Is a little respect too much to ask for?

Feeding Frenzy Friday Part 23

Some babies ate today, some babies did not.

Damascus of course ate the mouse I offered him. It was a pretty large mouse so at one point I really thought he was having trouble swallowing it. I was preparing myself to jump to the rescue (don't ask me what I would have done if he really was choking, I have no clue) when he managed to slide it down a bit more down his throat. I almost had a coronary.

Maat, say it with me, did not eat. I gave her Pedialyte and checked her for the millionth time to make sure she has no injuries or anything that might give a clue as to why she is being so stubborn. I found nothing, of course.

Talulah ate fine.
I did not offer Coral food since she already ate earlier this week and I don't want her to explode. She looked disappointed, but she'll get over it.

Upgrade!

I'm trying a new thing with Maat. My sister brought an article from the wildlife center about feeding reluctant colubrids, which is what Maat, as a corn sake is. This would also include Coral, but thankfully, she likes her food just fine.
One of the recommendations they give in the article is to check and see if the container the snake is in is too big. Snakes live in dens in the wild, so they prefer smaller, more constrained spaces. For an older snake this is no problem, since they are used to being in captivity, but for a really teeny tiny one like Maat, a smaller cage would maybe make her feel safer.

I have a ton of containers, but none of them are really appropriate. I was standing in the snake room, casting my eye around, when I tripped over an idea. What if I switch Tybalt and Talulah into Maat's tank, and put her in their's? The two siblings are getting chunkier by the hour it seems, so a new tank is not such a bad idea. Maat's is roomier so they might, I say might, be tempted to, I don't know, maybe MOVE a bit. Lazy snakes.

So that's what I did. I scrubbed the two cages and placed fresh paper towels in them. I placed Maat inside her new home and she seemed pretty okay with the move.

Tybalt and Talulah, not so much.
They are still up there bemoaning their fate, but hopefully they'll realize their tank is actually bigger. It's an upgrade, guys!
I know it's hard, but have faith in the human who's been taking care of you for a year. Geez.