Soooooooo big! *arm gesture*

[kiya]

Got up, checked on Kundalini -- he was out, curled up in the corner. Stuck shed, getting a bit dehydrated; not good. (He hasn't had that issue for a while, since I got the tank humidifier; I'm going to check that setup and tinker with it later to be sure it's functioning right.)

Ran a snake bath. (Lukewarm water, with a little bit of shedding-assist chemistry which I haven't used in so long it took me a while to find it in the tank base.) Checked the humidifier -- it doesn't need filling, but the hose may be kinked.

My baby's gotten big.




Unlike previous bathing rounds, he didn't spend all his time in the water wrigging to get out and explore, until he felt thwarted and subsided into a sullen drift. This time he spent a fair bit of time under the water, and soaked a fair while -- I think he came to the conclusion that it felt good. Both cats tried to investigate; I splashed both (having both hands free from the need to herd snakie makes defensive measures easier). Lennon decided that was enough of a hint, Arthur kept trying, aside from a couple of brief breaks where he forgot the snake was out and stalked the tank for a while instead.

Eventually Kunda had had Enough Of This and decided to go out; his effort of sliding over my hands shed a lot of the stuck stuff on his belly, and he's not looking wrinkly and unhappy anymore. Returned to tank, after a brief and uneventful nosesniff with Arthur, who has freaked out about the existence of snake-in-tank again, and then gotten distracted and wandered off.

Also, this conversation with lstone happened:

lstone: Pretty. Ball pythons aren't dangerous to humans, are they?
Me: Not unless you wrap one around your neck.

Comments

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Wow, he's gorgeous.

My sweetie eventually wants a ball python... Now /I/ want one.

[kiya]

I fell in love with the species at first sight, myself.



Some people read Stranger in a Strange Land and come away with the idea of open relationships. I read Stranger in a Strange Land and came away with an urge to live with snakes. :}


I should probably get a new 'snakie' icon, since this one's a photo nearly two years old and he's grown a little since then.

[jenett]

A *little*?

*grin* That's not a little. That's a big snake.

(Though still helping me get over my snake phobia. Even at 1500 mile distance...)

[kiya]

Hey, he's a very small python. :)

[elisem.livejournal.com]

Oh, he's lovely!

(Now I miss snakes. Used to get to work with two boa constrictors, years ago. Got to see 'em have babies, too, which was way, way cool.)

Is very nice to see your snake. Thank you for pictures.

E,
in happy snake-friendly glowmood now

[kiya]

I forget, are boas livebearers?

Royals are neat; they're one of the few snakes that brood their eggs.

[morningwind.livejournal.com]

I LOVE snakes, and that is one beautiful snake. It's a ball python, you say? (Must do some research on ball pythons... *steeples hands*)

If it weren't for my parents, who are terrified of scaly creatures, I would be sharing my home with a snake right now. :)

[kiya]

Royal python ('Python regius'), also called 'ball python' in the States because of their habit of, when feeling threatened, curling up with their head buried in a heap of all their coils.

Captive-bred ones aren't bad for beginner snakes (the other recommended beginner snakes are kings and corns); they're sweet-tempered, though very shy. Known for going off their food for lengthy, irregular periods; this is really, especially bad with imports, aside from the ethical problems with importing them. (Habitat violation, and they tend to be brought over in very, very bad conditions.)

They're sacred in some parts of West Africa.

The Ball Python Manual is both cheap and a pretty good care overview. :)

[morningwind.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info on the ball python! *grins* When I was in 2nd grade, we had a little bright green snake as a class pet; I wonder what kind of snake he was, and if it could be considered a "beginner" snake for newbies.

How old is your snake, by the way?

[kiya]

He's, gracious, about two and a half now. How the time flies. (The picture of him that's in my 'snakie' userpic is at about eight months old, and was taken soon after I got him.)

I wouldn't be surprised if a classroom snake for that age group were an insect-eater. My understanding is that insect-eaters are a little harder to keep than rodent-eaters, overall.

[maruchan.livejournal.com]

I just finished soaking my snake and was looking for ways of increasing the tank humidity, when I found your site (on Google). I've got a ball python too! I'm a new owner though, so this is the first time mine has shed for me. Was a bit scary...

[kiya]

I used to have trouble with stuck sheds a fair amount.

I wound up covering the top of the tank to keep the humidity in, got a tank humidifier from Dr. Foster's and . . . oh, bother. From here, that's easiest. On the rare occasions he gets stuck again, I soak him with some shed-ease stuff or whatever it's called. :}

I tried making him a damp hide box, but he wouldn't use it. I may try again with a different idea some other time.

Hope that's some help to you. :)

[maruchan.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thank you...I'll definitely look into those things.