I've got a couple of snakes, acquired when found in their 20-gallon habitat next to one of the complex dumpsters. Originally, Rodney and I had no intention of keeping them, thinking they should go back to Rightful Owner. Over time we realized Rightful was Deadbeat. Since Spooky, the cat, enjoyed the snakes like Live-Feed For Cats TV, we kept the snakes.
Last week, I found that Gordo, which means Fat in Spanish (so named because this corn snake will eat anything at anytime), had shed. Look at how shiny and vibrant he looks! This is his "going out clubbing" skin. I'm sure female corn snakes would find him a hot item, especially since he exercises regularly. Gordo, while toward the glutonous side when it comes to food, stays lean by constantly investigating and traversing his 40-gallon home.
Sleepy, named such as this ball python spends most of his time in a "ball" or lazily bathing and is exceptionally finicky when it comes to eating, was in the middle of his shed period last week. Look at how dull his skin looked and note the "blue" eyes. If you look closely, you can see a lesion just behind his head.
Tonight Sleepy's shed period was completed. I managed to catch him mid-shed. A couple minutes later, he was finished and was wearing a brand new snake-skin outfit. The old outfit was cast aside in a wad. Sleepy is only finicky when it comes to eating, but not at all conscious of keeping his old skin clothing neat. However, he has eyes and a pattern that would make any female ball simply swoon. Nevermind that he takes everything slowly. That makes any ball-girl hot in her snake-skin skirt, I'm sure.
He looks pretty sharp, doesn't he?!
If you didn't know, snakes tend to leave a nice poop loaf after shedding. Sleepy didn't let me down. And I was glad to see it since he hadn't crapped anything decent in weeks! The photos I'd collected weren't good ones so I didn't include them. Just imagine a Tootsie Roll, not the little 1.5" snack ones you get at Halloween times or the large segmented bars, but the ones in between, like the ones Bill tends to eat and sort of choke on after cramming the entire thing into his maw while yammering. Add to that a small, dime-sized hair ball with a smidgeon of bloodyish hangers-on and you've got yourself an image of snake poop from a snake that only eats fresh mice.
I feed the snakes every Saturday night during the warmer months and every other or every third Saturday during the cooler months. This makes snake maintenance easy for me and it keeps their growth regular, and best of all, essentially simultaneous, including their shed periods.
Last week, I found that Gordo, which means Fat in Spanish (so named because this corn snake will eat anything at anytime), had shed. Look at how shiny and vibrant he looks! This is his "going out clubbing" skin. I'm sure female corn snakes would find him a hot item, especially since he exercises regularly. Gordo, while toward the glutonous side when it comes to food, stays lean by constantly investigating and traversing his 40-gallon home.
Sleepy, named such as this ball python spends most of his time in a "ball" or lazily bathing and is exceptionally finicky when it comes to eating, was in the middle of his shed period last week. Look at how dull his skin looked and note the "blue" eyes. If you look closely, you can see a lesion just behind his head.
Tonight Sleepy's shed period was completed. I managed to catch him mid-shed. A couple minutes later, he was finished and was wearing a brand new snake-skin outfit. The old outfit was cast aside in a wad. Sleepy is only finicky when it comes to eating, but not at all conscious of keeping his old skin clothing neat. However, he has eyes and a pattern that would make any female ball simply swoon. Nevermind that he takes everything slowly. That makes any ball-girl hot in her snake-skin skirt, I'm sure.
He looks pretty sharp, doesn't he?!
If you didn't know, snakes tend to leave a nice poop loaf after shedding. Sleepy didn't let me down. And I was glad to see it since he hadn't crapped anything decent in weeks! The photos I'd collected weren't good ones so I didn't include them. Just imagine a Tootsie Roll, not the little 1.5" snack ones you get at Halloween times or the large segmented bars, but the ones in between, like the ones Bill tends to eat and sort of choke on after cramming the entire thing into his maw while yammering. Add to that a small, dime-sized hair ball with a smidgeon of bloodyish hangers-on and you've got yourself an image of snake poop from a snake that only eats fresh mice.
As for Sleep's lesion, I was concerned that it was viral because it seemed to get gradually bigger, but post-shed I see that it's smaller and not as nasty looking. It looks like it really was due to a mouse bite and he's recovering. I expect that it won't be long before it's just a small scar like his old ones. Maybe Sleep will learn that his strikes should be better.
5 comments:
That's one sexy snake.
Sure is!
...are those snakes in the same viv?
Yes, Anon, they are. I realize keeping them in the same vivarium is probably not ideal since they are from completely different parts of the world. However, this pair seems to be thriving. Both eat, excrete, and shed regularly.
I've been considering recently getting a second 40-gallon (to segregate) or up-sizing to a 60-gallon. I'm torn. Being in an apartment with limited space, a single 60G would be more convenient for me, yet it makes me feel like a monster, though they've been cohabitating just fine for years and were cohabitating when I found them by the dumpster, but it doesn't make it right that they continue cohabitating just because I found them that way.
Are you a snake aficionado? If so, any insights are appreciated!
I implore you - please separate these snakes. Snakes are naturally solitary creatures and do not need friends.
It doesn't matter if they still eat etc regularly (you did say Sleepy is finicky though), they are not supposed to live together.
I'm not trying to be nasty but if you cannot afford the space, then don't have 2 snakes. That is irresponsible pet ownership.
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