Week Four journal  06/23/02 (Sun.)- Well, again, Laini still hadn't shed so I decided to give her another fifteen minute soak in warm water. Again I had to hold her down but she quieted down much more quickly this time and really seemed to enjoy it. Perhaps she realized she needed it. I am certainly aware when my poor, dry skin is comforted by moisture and I'm sure she was at least as aware. In anycase, no filming this time, but overall the same experience. :) I must say, it's very cute when they float as little ones. (smile) She's also spending more time on the warm side which leads me to believe that my impulse to use only the heating pad has been rewarded. It was good advice. I now am using just a regular lamp for her and it casts enough light to make it seem 'day' without sending heat down into her terrarium. I'm pleased, and she certainly seems to be happier. On another note, I also found out that part of this hiding probably has to do with the fact that she's still small. It can take up to a year for her to feel 'big enough' to be safe in the open! Wow. I'm glad I found that out now so I wouldn't be stressing for that long. :) It was relieving to know, I am waiting for her to shed now, so we'll see. Then she can have her meal and I'll pick up her normal schedule next week. :)I held Addae today and he was a little nervous I think because he'd had a bigger meal. However, I was very slow and gentle with him and he was fine. I also didn't keep him out too terribly long. He struck a wonderful 'vogue' pose and we got a fantastic picture of his whole body curled up in my hands. It's really a great shot! :) I was quite pleased. Anna left today for home and we all had a great time, I even got to introduce her to Steven and she seems to enjoy both snakes. No one as of yet is as bad as I am with 'snake fever' however. (grin) Ah, I also found this gorgeous snake online (gee) that's a Thayeri. It's a Mexican Variable Kingsnake and this one is a morph that's completely black!!! Wow, talk about gorgeous! They also only get about 36 inches long so that's a fantastic size. I'm rather partial to smaller snakes, especially Kingsnakes. Anyway...it'll be a while before I get another one, as much as I'd love it. :) I'd like to take the time to thank Matt by the way. He is a wonderful, loving partner and he has been nothing but supportive and understanding and patient!!! through this whole new 'experience' for me. Some call it an obsession, but Matt tries his best not to snicker and point at me in front of others. :) Hehehe. Anyway, he has borne more than most snake-uninterested humans could bear and as always been a wonderful companion. Matt, thank you. |) 06/24/02 (Mon.)- Laini shed last night!!! :) I went to 'create the dawn' and her skin was lying at the left of her log. She was also wandering about and exploring. I cannot quite express how pleased I was. Tonight she'll be fed and then she can be content and happy. Hooray! :)Actually, I've decided to wait until Wednesday to feed her. That way, she can keep to a normal schedule. Well...her shed did come off but there was a little piece still covering one eye. I was distressed, but I saw it wrapped around her chin and there was a tiny piece sticking out. I gently (geeeeeeeeently) and carefully pinched it with my nails and pulled very slowly. She turned her head a bit and it popped right off! :) I filmed it...lol. Also, when I got home, I went over near her terrarium and was shocked to see her tiny little head poking out. (she was being very sly...hehehe.) Well, it was one of the cutest things I have ever seen so I filmed it too and got Matt to play 'Find the Laini' game, which he lost. I only saw her because I was right near my cabinet which is directly next to the terrarium. It was unbelievably good! :) I took her out for a while to clean the shed out and save it and we got another picture to measure her with as well as some 'posing' shots. :) I've updated the page with pictures!!! There are thumbnails now below the names (which is pretty obvious since you're reading this page...grin) and they'll take you to larger images. I purposely made them progress in the same order starting from the middle outward. However, I must add that originally I didn't plan it...it just turned out that the best pictures of them were extremely similar in setup. I was, of course, delighted. :) (i think i live these days in a state of perpetual snakey bliss really...) *titter* Ahem. -cough!- Right, back to business...I have also FINALLY updated my guestbook on the site and hope to get some 'hits' there as well. Hooray! In anycase, haven't yet taken out Addae as he was curled up under his log. Until later...gotta go shop for frozen mice. :) Currently, www.rodentpro.com looks like the best bet so I'm going to see what's up with their setup. Wish me luck! 06/25/02 (Tues.)- Okay, whew! Exhausted from class and seeing Matt. Man. Anyway, not too much news here really. Still have not chosen a place from which to get mice, need to research that more. Currently, I have added yet another photography class onto my already good load. :) I'm really enjoying them.Anyway, Laini is pretty much chilling as usual, tomorrow is feeding day! :) Addae is also in the blue!!! :D This really means for him that his eyes are clouded over white. I got him out before I'd noticed it and although he was calm, he couldn't see and the dogs were out so I got musked. :( Alas. Oh well, a little more being out and he was tail-rattling (I think it was the dogs) so I put him back and he seemed very eager to go and hide. This seems to be a good bet of why he was hiding under his log yesterday. I'm excited! I can't wait to see him shed. He did seem more milky when I got him out but I'd thought it was the light at first. Tomorrow I'll change his water again and perhaps make it a bit warm. I look forward to his shed! We'll see if he doesn't rip it to shreds like Laini typically does. :) Here's hoping. 06/26/02 (Wed.)- Well, there's honestly not that much news. (grin) Addae pooped twice, once in the morning and once in the evening and I cleaned up both promptly. However, since he's in the blue, I couldn't hold him. I satisfied myself by changing his water with fresh stuff and cooing at him presently. Like he cares. :) I know that when/if I become a mother I'll be one of those embarassing parents that always kisses their kids goodbye and generally humiliates them in front of their friends. I look forward to doing that. >:) Heheheh.Today was Laini's feeding day! I took her final two frozen pinkies and brought her to her feeding enclosure and set her down. She kind of sat there for a minute seemingly dazed and thrilled at the idea of eating. She didn't eat last week because she was in shed. Hmmm...I'm wondering if Addae will eat this week for basically the same reason. I suppose we'll see. I might just wait until after he sheds because of the strain he experienced when just being brought out. I can't imagine what he'd do if brought out and then expected to feed. Yes, good plan, I'll wait. I don't want to cause either of them any undue stress. In anycase, Laini ate very eagerly...though she took both of them backwards! Lol. She attempted to eat several times, especially on the first, this way and then gave up and wandered around it. Then she just came right back and finally got a good angle. The first time one of the legs would just NOT cooperate. :) Hehehe. It was as amusing as such a thing can be...after all, it is the natural way of things. In anycase, she stubbornly decided to eat the next one the same way though she did much better at it. Then of course, I couldn't pick her up. :) Yay. See? I need more snakes! :P Tomorrow will be even more exciting since I can't do anything with either as Addae is still in the blue and Laini is digesting. Ah, fun. :) 06/27/02 (Thurs.)- Well, as I predicted, nothing much happened with the snakes. :) Addae still is in the blue, so he'll be at least a few days shedding. It would be awesome if he did it over the weekend and I got lucky enough to watch. So there's that to be hopeful of...however, because he's still like that, I decided to leave him alone.Laini was happily digesting her meal, so...that's pretty much it. :) Ah, the most boring day so far in the life of my snakes. Whoohoo. 06/28/02 (Fri.)- Today is feeding day for Addae but unless he miraculously sheds earlier than he should, he won't be eating. I think because of the stress he felt when I held him (he did musk me after all...) that I won't put him through anything else until he's shed. Feeding requires his transport to the other container, then he has mice dropped in near/with him. I just don't think he'd respond well to that based on Laini's feelings. She was obviously not pleased, couldn't care less about the mice and simply wanted out. I don't want him to feel that way. I thought she might eat because she's normally so voracious, but I won't attempt it again until after she's shed. Now I know my snakes better. :)I might go ahead and pick up some mice for Addae anyway so at least I'll have them. However, I might wait...yeah, I'll wait. That way, they'll be more 'fresh'...and take less long to defrost for him. So far, I've typically tried to call maybe half an hour before I pick them up. That way, they're cold, but they don't melt on the way home and are easily defrosted once there. I still haven't chosen a mouse supply place yet. Call me picky and I'll agree. :) My roommate's boyfriend's roommate (arrrrgh...) Alan also keeps snakes and has about twenty. He told me there's a supplier of mice and rats in Georgia and so I'm waiting to talk to him about that. However, I haven't heard from him and will probably just give up and call. I know he does a lot of 'teaching' classes and brings his snakes to various parks, etc. to show and educate people. I think that's fantastic! Perhaps one day I'll be at the level where I can do the same thing. I think that would be wonderful. For now though, all is quiet in snakey land. :) 06/29/02 (Sat.)- Well, today, not a whole lot happened. However, Laini was exploring her tank again! That was quite cool and I got a little of that filmed. I think... I got some more poop out of Addae's tank. You know, it does rather resemble a dog's, but obviously quite a bit smaller. Laini is still so small you really have to look for it. That's a little annoying because I want to be careful and not miss any so she'll give me looks like, 'WHY are you digging through my stuff!? I had all these cool tunnels burrowed!' :) She's so cute.Today was Mike's birthday and Mary and I went to the party for just an hour because we both had to get up really early for work the next morning...blargh. Entry Gatekeeper Tea Room Gallery Nest Box Music Book of Wisdom Quotes Gates    © 1998 skadiwolf@yahoo.com
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