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Author Topic: My pet project  (Read 18470 times)

Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2012, 04:19:57 PM »

I've heard they're crafty, and have placed cans of diced tomatoes on the lid. All's safe until I need to make some chicken and veggies :P



Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2012, 10:30:12 PM »

Speaking of escape... Walked in to find him on the humidity gauge poking at the lid. Busted!



(what shameful quality! this is through the plastic with no flash, be kind)



Offline BFM_Tails

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #17 on: November 19, 2012, 01:02:40 AM »
So how big will he get in the end?

Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2012, 01:16:32 AM »

The end will be about as big as the front.



Offline jim360

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2012, 02:29:58 AM »
Only thinner.
Check out my Short introduction... corner and my "Historical figures who should perhaps be better-known" thread!!

Exciting videos: 1.1 / 1.2 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6



              

Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2012, 10:08:30 AM »

A bit thinner in the end.

It should be about 4-5 feet long, and maybe as big around as a golf ball at its widest point.

Will hopefully look like this as an adult, but the pattern may end up being more orange and visible:





Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #21 on: November 21, 2012, 12:00:36 AM »

Omgosh, I'm so nervous! Fed him for the first time, just now.

I guess babies sometimes don't get started eating well. He's about four months old and so has eaten several times for the breeder, but stress can make them not eat, or the wrong temperature. I gave him five days after shipping to chill and get used to things, as recommended. I've been so worried about it! What if he doesn't eat? What if he throws it up later?

But I wrangled him into a small container, let him sit awhile, then dropped a thawed pinkie in with him... and he attacked it! I left him on his own (as recommended), but he was working his way to the head when I left.

One hurdle down! What a relief. Hope the rest of it goes well  *nom nom nom*



Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2012, 02:01:29 AM »

My baby! He ate again, this mousy morsel a bit bigger than the last one. I was afraid it was too big, but he downed it with gusto. I'm still afraid he's going to throw it up and die. I feel just like Shirley MacLaine at the beginning of Terms of Endearment -- I'm a baby pincher. :P

He may shed soon, can't wait for that. Also, my daily search for poop has been unsuccessful. Snake poop, I mean.



Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #23 on: December 01, 2012, 02:59:26 AM »

The snake poop eludes me no longer! Unfortunately, I had rubbed it between my fingers for several seconds before I realized what it was  :mike:

It wasn't what I expected. I knew it was supposed to be like bird poop, but I still missed it. It looked different than the aspen bedding and was kind of hard and I thought it was just a burnt piece of aspen. As soon as I thought "why would the aspen be burnt", I noticed the white powdery part... "This is poop." I'll probably die of salmonella poisoning soon.

I tried to get a better picture of him in his smaller feeding container before dropping in the tasty treat (third one and went well! It's hardly worth mentioning anymore haha). He's feisty and kept trying to get out so I had to make it quick. I took my picture, dropped the camera, dropped in a mouse, and got the lid on the container. I managed to get a fine shot of the container lid next to the container, not a single portion of the snake in it. :doh:

I've found that some baby snakes are a little wild and mine isn't defective. Apparently you're supposed to hold them until they calm down before putting them back in their cage, 15-30 minutes at a time. I thought I was doing well to wrestle this thing for a minute or two before needing a break. It's stressful for both us! I accidentally squeezed his head last week.



Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #24 on: December 01, 2012, 02:15:44 PM »

In a single moment, all my questions and concerns about snake poop were assuaged.

I pulled up a seat, woke up the snake and held it. He did calm down after a minute and, while he was moving continuously, wasn't trying to dart away. He did get a little zippy the further away he got from my hands, but nothing I couldn't handle.

After about five minutes, he stopped moving with his head under one of the wrinkles in my sweatshirt. "Aww, he's resting! So sweet." That warm feeling was soon followed by a warm trickling in my palm. He pooped on me.

Most of it got on my sweatshirt, and there was quite a lot of it. I guess I should have known... Anytime a baby creature stops for a moment, it's probably going to the bathroom.

So that was our first extended handling session. Note to self: Wear an old T-shirt next time. And a gas mask.




Offline BFM_Tails

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #25 on: December 01, 2012, 08:25:09 PM »
this thread is going down the toilet

Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #26 on: December 01, 2012, 08:50:29 PM »

Or all over my shirt. Either way, my snake poo fascination is way, way over  :P

A few hours after The Incident, I went in to pick him up again (not heeding my own note and wearing a clean shirt), and he was calm! I barely had to hold him to keep him from getting away. Another day or two like this and I should be able to spare a hand to get a good picture of him.



Offline MrMxyzptlk

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #27 on: December 01, 2012, 10:11:51 PM »

Or all over my shirt. Either way, my snake poo fascination is way, way over  :P

A few hours after The Incident, I went in to pick him up again (not heeding my own note and wearing a clean shirt), and he was calm! I barely had to hold him to keep him from getting away. Another day or two like this and I should be able to spare a hand to get a good picture of him.


You're going to feed him YOUR HAND?!?!

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Offline BFM_JANE

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #28 on: December 01, 2012, 10:56:51 PM »

Anything to distract him into sitting for a good portrait ;D



Offline Grillman

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Re: My pet project
« Reply #29 on: December 05, 2012, 12:44:43 PM »
Just wait till he gets even bigger it will get cooler. I had a gopher snake 25 years ago and have been thinking about another one the one I had I was able to hand feed him also if you want him to be out in the open get a heat stone and place in the cage also he Will love to curl up on it and rest and that will keep him out were you can see alot more of him . Also some different food varieties you can try. Is to have a small glass bowl of water and put a couple small gold fish in there really cool to watch them them fish !

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