Week Two

journal

06/09/02 (Sun.)- After waiting a while in the morning, I go to remove Addae from his enclosure. He is very nervous and I get several tail rattles. I decide to leave him alone for a bit and replace the cardboard hiding box with a plastic bowl that has a dip (convenient entry door) on one side. He seems to grow more comfortable and even explores it, then burrow himself. Two hours later, I venture forth and though he still seems nervous, I move very slowly and cautiously and successfully bring him out. He is still very unhappy but as soon as I move him away and sit down, he calms right down. He explores me a bit and then settles down, looking around and sniffing. He then lounges on me for a while. I hold him for about half an hour and put him back. He seems much calmed and happier. I decide to name the female Laini. I hold her for a bit and then let her rest again.

06/10/02 (Mon.)- After I got home today, I decided to wait a few hours, and then take out Addae. His enclosure was dirty...(aw, how cute, his first poo. :P) and I needed to make sure it got cleaned out for him. Well...heh...he was nervous. When I tried to get him out...he rattled his tail and actually jerked around a bit. SooOoo, I figured I'd leave him alone for a bit. I turned out the little light I use for daylight and left him to calm for about an hour or so. I decided to get Laini out and check her cage for messes, but hers was clean. It's been since Wednesday that she ate, but I guess she's slower with messes than he is, maybe because she's younger? (shrug)

In anycase, I went back to get him and he was calmer, partially burrowed and along the front of the enclosure. I put my hand up against the side and he tensed a bit, but looked up and smelled and calmed down. I sloooooowly moved the front of the enclosure and after he seemed very calm, carefully moved some litter over him. If he responds well to this, he's normally okay. So, he moved a little and sniffed but he was fine. So then I gently and carefully picked him up. My heart was pounding. His earlier nervousness was the worst I'd seen so far. However, as soon as I got him up, he musked just a little but was alright. I held him for about half an hour, let my roommate Tim meet him and let Matt hold him again while I cleaned up. He stayed out a bit longer and then I put him back. Once again, heading inside he seemed calm and secure. Only after he'd gotten all the way in did I close up and turn his light back on. This is the first large snake I've dealt with and I'm rather proud of myself but still a bit green so I'm trying to be as cautious as possible. I respect that he could bite me if he feels really threatened but I don't want that for either myself or him. :)

I also called Petland to make sure they'd ordered both the large hollow log for him and some ESU Reptile Enclosure Cleaner. Both were available and I am expecting them tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing how he likes the log. It should prove much better (and nicer looking) than the plastic bowl I have in there now. Here's hoping!

He climbed on his branch for the first time today!!! :D Yay!

06/11/02 (Tues.)- I must say that today was quite eventful! Not only did I get a new hallowed log for Addae that was kind of a pain to retrieve, but I'll have to go back tomorrow morning (if lucky) to get the ESU Cleaner. Hrrmmm.

Well, now for the good news! |) Today when I got home, he was curled up under his bowl! This may not seem like a big deal, but this was the first time I'd seen him completely comfortable under it. It seemed a sad hide, but it was all I had at the time. Also, an amazing event, Laini was out! When I first came upon her, she was actually climbing one side of the enclosure! She hung there for several minutes, sniffing and then finally sort of slumped back down. Ah, already looking for escapes...(grin) Of course, she won't find any. :) My four large clamps should be more than enough for such a little girl. They barely lift and that's with a good amount of strength behind my fingers. In anycase, she didn't appreciate being watched at her craft, so she went under the log...suspicious. Well, not two minutes later, I walked back and she was out and up on the other side!!! I was so thrilled! My baby is getting more comfortable! (laugh, i'm so silly.) Anyway, again she seemed rather put-out by being observed being sneaky and retreated under her pool to remain there for the night. Oh, I forgot to add that I did see her a little while before her wall-climbing episode. She has definitely answered the 'can she get up to the pool' question. She was lounging halfway on it and looked like she'd just had a drink.

Okay...now, I have delayed long enough!!! The BIG news! |D (beside myself with delight!!!) I went shopping for the log and when I returned, Addae was partially covered, but seemed calm as he normally does when burrowed a bit. Well, I cautiously opened the front of the enclosure and used something to gently push at him. Well, he seemed to tense a little, but didn't jerk. So, I used it to brush some litter atop him and he seemed fine. After that, I touched him lightly, then stroked him briefly and slide my hand under him. I brought him up very slowly so he could see what was going on and he did beautifully!!! He stayed very calm and didn't tense or musk at all!!! |D All you snake handlers out there can appreciate this I'm sure. I've only had him since Friday and this (while it might not last...) is to me a major breakthrough. He turned and went straight up into my arms where I held him for about half an hour. He explored and looped around my neck, using me as an anchor as I walked about the room and let him sniff things. He was particularly interested in the two house plants and seemed more than eager to climb into them. However, he soon found out that neither would support his weight and so returned to me (the sturdier branch...grin) of his own free will. That had sort of been my goal...at least, the returning part. I really didn't think he'd try to climb them. Hehehe... :)

After holding him for about half an hour, I figured it was time to go back as it was approaching my bedtime. I manuevered the bowl out of there before ever getting him out..so now the area was clear. Carefully I laid the log hide in there, trying to give him some room to enter on either side. It's nice and cozy as well as providing him plenty of room to curl up underneath. He immediately went under and seems well pleased for the moment anyway. I am excited to see what he makes of it in the next few days! :)

Tomorrow is feeding day for Laini and I might have a few friends over to meet both the babies and perhaps watch her eat!

06/12/02 (Wed.)- Well, today was feeding day for Laini and she was a healthy eater as always! This time she didn't constrict at all around them and kept coming at the middle...the first took her a little while. She soon figured out it would be much simpler starting from the head and gulped the first pinkie right down. :) The second she didn't constrict either and I dangled it for her...she seemed to enjoy that a bit. This time, she picked it up in the middle and moved it, but then started right away, tail first, and she did just fine. After they both passed her mid-point, I slid her back into her enclosure. She was a bit more fiesty than last time and I had to manuever her to keep her from climbing out and onto me! :)

The snake encounters today involved letting Rachel and Travis who'd come to see her feed holding her. This visit was cut rather short when she experimentally and very gently 'mouthed' Travis' finger. (grin) I've made a new rule of no handling on feeding day except to put into the feeding cage. It seems a good policy to follow in general. When I put her in the feeding enclosure, she was zipping around almost immediately, very eager!

Ah...and now we come to the Addae section of our journal. (grin) Well, he was pretty nervous today...but then, I'm sure half of that was me because I was almost expecting him to be his soft self of yesterday. However, I did have guests over and Matt said this probably made him more nervous. I would have to agree. In anycase, after they left, I was able to get him right out and he did indeed seem much more calm. He was very curious and active and wanted to wander around the room again. Well, let me specify...he wanted ME to wander around the room like I did the night before...giving him 'the grand tour' of my room. It's pretty large so there's actually quite a lot to sniff and such. I didn't let him on anything except the two house plants which he tried with more effort to crawl into today. (grin) After gently unwrapping his silly self I got him to crawl back up my arm seeming rather disappointed. However, it would never have held his weight and was already buckling. :) Poor plant. In anycase, he was pretty active for about twenty minutes or so, then he began to calm down and explore me. He seems to enjoy wrapping around my neck and hanging over my shoulders. He'll use one side as a perch and from there survey his terrain. :) Today he sniffed inquisitively at my ear, and my face, actually licking my nose. I of course washed my face later to be safe but it was very cute and quite ticklish. Perhaps I am overly optimistic, but I took the face investigation as a larger sign of trust or being more comfortable. Who knows. Time will tell. He's a good boy. He did rattle a bit at me, but when I calmed him down and actually lightly touched him, he was okay and I was able to lift him out. At first as I was pulling him he rattled a bit but he calmed down right away.

I am beginning to believe that it is as Ace from The Kingsnake Pit group suggested, he might just be a rattler. It's perhaps his way of showing his stuff to remind one of the possibly consequences. He's a real sweetie, but I have the utmost respect for him in the capacity that he is an animal to be respected...as we should do with all creatures. I look forward to our growing bond and the years spent together very much. :) Until tomorrow...adieu!

06/13/02 (Thur.)- Well, today I essentially gave Addae a break because he seemed to want to be on his own...he spent all the night in his log. Normally he's much more active.

As for Laini, she was digesting and so of course in hiding. :) I worry about her digestion however because although she urinated right after she ate yesterday she still hasn't defecated and i'm concerned.

06/14/02 (Fri.)- Happy day! Boy, you'd think I was going through adjustment. :) Anyway, happily when I got home, I found that Laini had finally defecated. I was SO relieved. I spent most of the day scouring the web in my spare time and calling up vets to get their advice. So, I was very, very happy. I promptly cleaned it and then found that Addae had defecated again as well! Sheesh boy! :) So of course I cleaned that up too...this time with him in the enclosure. He was remarkably calm and patient and I was very slow.

Feeding day today for Addae. :) I picked up some mice on the way home, frozen. They took rather a bit longer to defrost than Laini's pinkies for obvious reasons. :) I cleaned the enclosures while they defrosted and that worked well. I frequently change out the HOT water I soak them in so they remain heated and thaw more quickly. In anycase, today was also the first day I pulled Addae out from the back of his enclosure. It was a breakthrough in a way for me. He rattled his tail at me but I am beginning to believe more fully that it's more a show than anything else. I have the utmost respect for him and want him to be comfortable with me. So, still, I was very slow and patient with him and when he seemed okay, I brushed some litter, then stroked him and when he was fine, I picked him right up. He's such a good, sweet boy. :) (beams motherly pride!) Anyway, then to the feeding enclosure! He went in fairly well but kept wanting to explore rather than just go in. I dangled the mice this time and he seemed to enjoy that. Afterwards, I brought it and slid the enclosure door open (with Matt's wonderful help!) and he kept going back into the feeding cage! Lol! He kept sniffing around it and wanting to climb back inside. So finally I top the top off of it (it's a Critter Keeper) and basically just dumped him out of it. :) Slowly of course! I wasn't out to startle him.

Since being fed, he's actually being fairly out in the open. I don't think he's a shy snake like Laini, he's just a little nervous from being mistreated. I see a long and happy future for us though. :) He is already far more comfortable with me than I'd hoped and that's really rewarding. So now he has a full 24hrs ahead of him to digest before I fiddle with him again and I'm sure he'll enjoy it to the fullest! :) Laini looks like she might be about to shed AGAIN! Her eyes aren't blue, but her skin is taking on a grayish shade and some of it looks slightly more 'rough'. We'll see!

06/15/02 (Sat.)- Well, this morning at approximately 10:30am we got out Laini and Mike and Matt helped me measure her with the very useful and incredibly cool Snake Measurer program. Awesome! She is now officially 16 inches at exactly 6 1/2 mths. of age! :D!!! As you can see, I'm quite pleased. :) Oh, it definitely looks like she's going to shed again! Sheesh! I guess those two pinkies a week are really beefing her up. :) Anyway, her eyes haven't turned blue yet but her scales are all dull with a grayish tint to them. I'm looking forward to another skin, maybe this time I'll get a whole one! I must add that this morning I thought she'd gotten out and was quite alarmed. :) However, she was merely burrowed under the litter above her heating pad and under her log - WHEW! She also had another little poop in there which pleased me immensely. I am no longer worried at all about her digestion. She apparently just takes a bit longer. :)

Addae is currently still digesting although I'd love to take him out. Alas. Must wait at least until after 5pm, but then hopefully I'll have some more updates.

Okay, update! :D I decided to go ahead and get a picture of Addae and measure him since he was conveniently folded into thirds almost perfectly near the front of his enclosure. He was a good and patient baby as I slid open the front and took lots of pictures. :) Anyway, we got a measurement of 40 inches!!! Awesome! My big boy!

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