Greg's fun palace!

[gregmonsta]

Well, with the old vivs re-furbished and the new vivs having been installed, I've decided to combine the following three threads together -

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/4597-task-commences.html
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/10246-something-new.html
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/4744-gregs-picture-frenzy.html

All future snakey updates of the general photographic type will happen on this thread.

I've got a few posts worth of pictures so bear with me as I start this. The crowing glory will be the two new additions I collected on Sunday.

Anyhows ... so it begins:

Re-furbed older enclosures, more vegetation still to be added.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt.JPG

Top viv, Everglades ratsnake male. Bottom viv, male group 1 Florida blue sirtalis + checkered.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt4.JPG

Top viv, male group 2 red-sided + red-spotted + plains. Bottom viv, Everglades ratsnake female.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt5.JPG

Old and new side by side.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt2.JPG

Top viv, Florida blue females. Bottom viv, red-sided + Gulf coast ribbon.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt6.JPG

Top viv, red-spotted females. Bottom viv, currently empty.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt7.JPG

[gregmonsta]

Marcianus girls' enclosure.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt8.JPG

El wall del snakeyo.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt3.JPG

Amazing random gift shot to prepare you for what is to come.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt9.JPG

Meet Sanguinia and Terracotta.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt12.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt10.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt11.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Simply awesome Greg. Nice job.

[gregmonsta]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt14.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nt13.JPG

There we go ;)

[guidofatherof5]

Simply awesome Greg. Nice job.

Sorry, didn't mean to jump your posts.
I still meant what I said.:D

[gregmonsta]

Why, thank you kind sir :D

[mikem]

That's an awesome setup you got there!! Sanguinia and Terracotta are beautiful! That bracelet rocks :cool:

[EasternGirl]

The vivs look spectacular and those are some lovely snakes you have there!!!

[Dan72]

Awesome setup, great snakes. Love the new editions. Empty enclosures= more snakes...;).

[reptileparadise]

... an empty viv... Are you serious?

Looking great mate! Lovely new additions as well! Both certain females?

[chris-uk]

Great to see these pics at last. Nice setups, and we can be sure that the empty viv won't be emmemmemmew (sorry, Lipwig wrote that last bit with his tail on my phone's touchscreen, he can't spell "empty") for long.
I'll be taking to you about concinnus babies sometime in the future. :)

[thamneil]

Great vivs and even nicer snakes!

[katach]

Awesome! Great job!

[Stefan-A]

Very nice.

[gregmonsta]

... an empty viv... Are you serious?

Looking great mate! Lovely new additions as well! Both certain females?

:P ... you know you'll be filling that viv in September ...

I'm happy to say that both of their tails leave no doubt as to sex ;). Both are doing great, have already shed and eaten twice, third feed tomorrow. Thanks for all the comments guys, I'm really happy to everything set-up at last.

[d_virginiana]

That whole setup just makes me jealous :D

Great vivs, wonderful looking snakes!

[gregmonsta]

Boo ... just thought I'd say hello ... been/am/will be too busy with work n study to do much more than a quick update .... getting more snakes on Sunday .... the big checkered had 18 babies a couple of months ago ... I've started studying a master's level diploma ... I also got engaged .... :P .... Will probs do some more concise posting when time allows... ;) hope your all good guys. Toodles ....

[EasternGirl]

Hey Greg! We have missed you! I was wondering where you went! Congrats on getting engaged and on going back to school! I'm right there with you with the studying...nursing school is kicking my butt. I have 13 snakes now! Lol...

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to hear from you buddy. Congrats on the engagement and the baby scrubs.

[gregmonsta]

Right, tonight will be baby sorting time. I'll be giving the checkered babies a final once over and be advertising them for sale in the next few days. Interested parties can PM me (remember I'm in the UK). These are 3 months old now and very well established (born 28/6/12).

I had some other strange things to report. I discovered that one of my 'Florida blue' girls, Rusty, is attempting a litter yet again. Fingers crossed she is physically better prepared and produces a viable litter this time. She is more than 30g heavier than her sister at present and the scale spread is impressive. I'm guessing she could pop in a month or so. Stats - Rusty - 314g .... Marina - 283g.

The really strange thing was the following: I have observed females getting 'horny' in the past, ie - seemingly scentmarking their tanks. I'm not sure if Rusty's condition has triggered this but I noticed Marina gaping her cloaca and smearing a clearish fluid anywhere she could. Not one to miss an opportunity I boxed her with a male and saw instant courtship. I'm 99% sure that there's been a lock-up as I saw remnants of a sperm plug less than an hour later as well as a suddenly disinterested male. Marina has also stopped her strange behaviour .... fingers crossed :rolleyes:

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds like a busy time at your flat. Good to hear from you.

[Reptilia]

Beautiful snakes! Love the name Terracotta! ^_^

[chris-uk]

If all the Florida Blue action works out you could have a busy time ahead.

[ProXimuS]

Hope all works out with all the babies(and potential babies):)

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Congrats on the breeding success:) Hope they both drop a good sized litter.

[CrazyHedgehog]

Excellent set ups Greg!!, I am slowly getting my man to allow me to expand again, but in fairness, he kinda lets me get away with what I want (I called him from Doncaster all excited and he just said - "Do you want me to set some more tanks up? go for it!" (yep I am pretty spoiled)):D
Interested in how the florida blues go....good luck!

[Invisible Snake]

Excellent set ups Greg!!, I am slowly getting my man to allow me to expand again, but in fairness, he kinda lets me get away with what I want (I called him from Doncaster all excited and he just said - "Do you want me to set some more tanks up? go for it!" (yep I am pretty spoiled)):D
Interested in how the florida blues go....good luck!

You are incredibly lucky to have someone that supports you in your snake hobby, all I get is "eww a snake" or "why can't you get a dog like a normal person" lol

[setfree]

Awesome setup! I wish I could get something like that. Keep us updated on the 2 females! Good luck!

[zirliz]

Is it a good idea to have a tv that close to snakes?
I would have thought the vibration would stressful for them?

Or maybe that's just me

Nice tanks hope to have something like that one day soon

[gregmonsta]

[QUOTE=zirliz;228170]Is it a good idea to have a tv that close to snakes?
I would have thought the vibration would stressful for them?

Or maybe that's just me

Nice tanks hope to have something like that one day soon[/QUOTE

It's just as well you can't see my stereo ... Never had any issues. Garters are very adaptable and I find that keeping them in a high traffic area actually makes them easier to interact with. my snakes are well accustomed to it and I have never witnessed a negative reaction from new additions either.

[Greg'sGarters]

Those are beautiful!! I wish I had more Oregon Red-spots. I only have 1 right now.

[gregmonsta]

Well :rolleyes: it's taken me long enough!! This is my Doncaster update .... yeah, I know ... I've deprived everyone of picyures for too long.

These were my purchases from our very own 'ReptileParadise':

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/aogirl.JPG
Radix girl number 1 - aka Jaffa

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ao2.JPG
Radix girl 2 - aka Cardboard

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/agento.JPG
Radix male - Agent Orange

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/reddard.JPG
Parietalis male - Gerard the red, aka Baron von Red. Some rather erythristic tendencies there. The other snake crossing over at speed is my other parietalis male!!!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/donkquit.JPG
Parietalis female - Biscuit, aka Donker. Big, bold girlie.

[gregmonsta]

Infernalis duo:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/inferboy.JPG
Male .... Inferno

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/infgirl.JPG
Female - No name as yet.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/infgirlf.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

All beautiful but those radixes are awesome.

[gregmonsta]

Knew you'd say that ;)

[Stefan-A]

Very nice. :)

[ProXimuS]

Awesome additions!

[Invisible Snake]

Cool new additions, how have the Infernalis duo been behaving?

[RedSidedSPR]

Very nice indeed

[reptileparadise]

Jaffa cake!!!!

Great additions Greg :) Hope you'll love m long time!

[gregmonsta]

Cool new additions, how have the Infernalis duo been behaving?

Both seem a little shy in comparison to the rest of the new additions. The girl especially, but both are fine to handle and interact with.


Jaffa cake!!!!

Great additions Greg :) Hope you'll love m long time!

;) I will, no worries there.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Judging by how nice the snakes are I am definitely going to Doncaster next year:D

[gregmonsta]

Thought I'd update this again ... no piccies *sigh* but I can report on certain 'end of brumation' activities. My infernalis have been very active, almost instant interest by the male when I unceremoniously plonked the female down in front of him. I was surprised the radix haven't been quite as eager. So far they've been more interested, both boys n gals, in warming up. I'm hoping this will change soon.
My parietalis come out at the end of the week though and, knowing good ol' 'Sir Slithers' ... I expect sexual bedlam on the horizon ....

[guidofatherof5]

Hoping your crew will be gettin' some jiggy time soon.:D

[chris-uk]

Good to hear that they're out of brumation without any problems.

What are you hoping to produce this year? Presumably radix, infernalis and parietalis. I assume no checkered or Florida Blue this year?

[gregmonsta]

Good to hear that they're out of brumation without any problems.

What are you hoping to produce this year? Presumably radix, infernalis and parietalis. I assume no checkered or Florida Blue this year?

Pretty much ;), although I am considering breeding the albino checkered female this year.
Brumation went very well indeed. I opted for dampening the substrate this year. Will be making a post on that once they are all out ad weighed. I still have the parietalis girls to wake up today.

[gregmonsta]

Thanks to the usual work/study/band business I've neglected some pretty exciting news.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/inferlock.jpg

The first confirmed lock came a few days ago. I also spotted a mini-breeding ball in the radix enclosure - but I didn't see a lock or evidence of a sperm plug on either girl as yet. The parietalis, on the other hand, have been pretty disappointing so far ... no interest whatsoever as it stands.

[reptileparadise]

Wait untill Donker sheds............. She'll be a s*xbeast!

[gregmonsta]

Here are some more shots from February -

The infernalis had a second lock

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1057.JPG

A late night meeting of these two produced a lock

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1084.JPG

This was the wee radix male, Agent Orange, getting lucky

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1094.JPG

Parietalis snake spaghetti

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1125.JPG

After checking the weights today, accompanied by a gentle feel I'm fairly certain that the infernalis, both parietalis, at least one radix and the albino marcianus are all up the spout.
Now .... the scary thing is .... the big marcianus girl I bred last year (that I didn't pair this year .... she's supposed to be having a break) is looking like she felt she was missing out .... currently she's 100g above her 'empty' weights from last year and a good 52g bigger than when she delivered last year! ... I'm pretty sure she's not just fat (at least I hope not!).

[chris-uk]

Someone else who will be up to their elbows in scrubs soon. :)

[gregmonsta]

First litter today!!! Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis

First lock 06/02/2013, born early hours of this morning 20/04/2013 = 73 day gestation.

Weights - 11/02 - 281g
18/04 - 340g

Result - 20 healthy squigglies and one stillborn.

This is what greeted me this morning:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1296.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1302.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1308.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/DSC_1299.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/DSC_1298.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1312.JPG

A few more pics to come ...

[gregmonsta]

Had to peel one or two eyecaps from the first shed brigade -

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1319.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1329.JPG

A good start to the season :D. After last years chasing marcianus scrubs from behind the heating, etc, I'm happy to say catching these guys was a lot easier and all of my babyproofing paid off!!!

[guidofatherof5]

Congrats. That is really strange about the retained first shed. Usually that first shed skin is more like ash. Nothing like subsequent sheds.
I've never had that happen with any new scrubs on the Ranch.

By the way, nice size babies.

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations!

[chris-uk]

Congratulations, that's a good litter and timed their arrival for a Saturday when you have time to deal with them.

The parents are Sjoerd's breeders aren't they? As an indication as to how fast they grow, three of last year's litter are all around 40g and 40cm now, and I think last year's were born later in the season too.

[rickymar81]

congrats, those are great looking lil ones:D

[Selkielass]

Beautiful!

[indigoman]

Great news Greg! beautiful, congratulations.

[gregmonsta]

Congrats. That is really strange about the retained first shed. Usually that first shed skin is more like ash. Nothing like subsequent sheds.
I've never had that happen with any new scrubs on the Ranch.

It was a bit more like soft rubber. I peeled 3 eyecaps in total and a small patch on the back of one of them.

By the way, nice size babies.

Definitely a good length and some are a little chunkier than others. A lot bigger than the wee marcianus squigglies I was dealing with last year!




Congratulations, that's a good litter and timed their arrival for a Saturday when you have time to deal with them.

:rolleyes: I feel lucky on that one - we were sleeping in the living room too as we fell asleep while watching a DVD. I opened my eyes in the morning and my first word was "Babies!" as I spotted 2 little ones squiggling away between the glass and the plinth.

The parents are Sjoerd's breeders aren't they? Aye ;) As an indication as to how fast they grow, three of last year's litter are all around 40g and 40cm now, and I think last year's were born later in the season too.

I expect them to grow pretty fast. About 7 or 8 of them started feeding today some preferring worms but most have already had a small piece of smelt too :D

[chris-uk]

three of last year's litter are all around 40g and 40cm now, and I think last year's were born later in the season too.

I lied. Their weights aren't too far from the 40g I said, but they are closer to 50-60cm long.

[gregmonsta]

Interesting observation today:

2/3 are now feeding the 1/3 that are not on food yet are the ones with very definite blue colouration ... they're more obsessed with climbing than eating ... :rolleyes:

[gregmonsta]

Just found another one .... Mum's been active all day and I gave the enclosure a full clean the other day ... this is a new total - 21 live, 1 stillborn :D

[guidofatherof5]

Interesting observation today:

2/3 are now feeding the 1/3 that are not on food yet are the ones with very definite blue colouration ... they're more obsessed with climbing than eating ... :rolleyes:

Glad to hear you've got a good number eating.

[gregmonsta]

I have a suspicion that I'll have a parietalis litter relatively soon .... Biscuit dind't want any food today and spent most of the morning cruising her enclosure.

[chris-uk]

Hurry those radix girls along, I want to see more radix babies (on the right side of the pond). :)

[guidofatherof5]

Hurry those radix girls along, I want to see more radix babies (on the right side of the pond). :)

I wonder what Chris meant by that?:D

[chris-uk]

I wonder what Chris meant by that?:D

It's all very well seeing photos of beautiful radix babies, but if they are in the US I'm not going to be getting hands on one any time soon, and I want a girl with a nice orange stripe that will be ready for Lipwig in a few years before he gets too old.

[reptileparadise]

The trick to getting the babies out is squeezing them from the front to the back Greg... Just like milking a cow...goat...cat... whatever! Should make her go 'Pop' quick enough!

High red parietalis lady over here is also pacing... Wanna race? :D

[gregmonsta]

High red parietalis lady over here is also pacing... Wanna race? :D

:P ... what's the prize?

[reptileparadise]

Lets go for honour on this one.... My lady is driving me crazy!

She has been extremely restless tonight, but guess she might keep me waiting for some time....
Worst part is that it affects the others, with the snow radix now also being a crazy pacer as well!... damn them!

[gregmonsta]

The first parietalis litter is here - British x Dutch (Slithers x Biscuit)

Quite eventful - I arranged to buy a second hand viv last night (to set up as a 'first snake kit' for a very lucky young man) and at about 1pm I got the call to meet at 2 .... I like to be early so I got ready to leave at quarter too. That's when I noticed that Biscuit was doing the toothpaste wriggle ... I couldn't see anything yet and had to go so I thought that I would catch most of it since I was only going to be gone for a few minutes ....

The other person was running late ... so much so that I was away for more than 30mins. I came back and looked in the viv. Biscuit was at the front of the viv and delivering a fresh one ... Fawn was in the hot hide - covered in Biscuits babies. I wish I had a picture of it but I don't.

Anyway, stats - No lock was observed but I approximate about 80 days or just over.
Weight after brumation - 11/02 - 270g, before birth 18/04 - 340g
Result = 18 babies - 11 live, 7 stillborn/possibly crushed.

The still born consisted of 3 kinked/a little deformed (born dead), 2 that showed the onset of decay at umbilacle and 2 that may have been crushed by Fawn in the hide but there's no way of knowing for sure.

Anyhows ... pics? :rolleyes:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1450.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1451.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1452.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Love those parietalis scrubs.

[chris-uk]

I expect you had more pressing things to do than grab a camera and photograph Fawn covered in babies. :)
Not the largest litter, but you're starting to fill the flat with baby garters... Got to be good.

[gregmonsta]

Got to be good.

:D it is, it is, it is :D

I'm kinda supposed to be studying though!!! :rolleyes:

[chris-uk]

Bah. Revision is for wimps. Exams are always badly timed for the good weather, and in your case birthing season.

[gregmonsta]

Well, the other parietalis girl if officially of food as of today ... and acting fairly neurotically ... more to come on that girl.
The albino marcianus also decided that three of the smelt she ate didn't fit in her frame in her current condition so she decided to vomit them back up ... the other checkered girl did a similar thing last year as she was approaching the end of the 'gravidity'.
No idea on the radix .... Looking like sausages, eating like sausages, hogging the hot-spot like sausages .... you get the picture .... sausages!!!

[guidofatherof5]

Good radix, good radix.:D

[gregmonsta]

By definition a plains garter will hereby be known as Sausage snake ... :D

[Greg'sGarters]

Very nice!!!

[chris-uk]

By definition a plains garter will hereby be known as Sausage snake ... :D

Tastes good in a finger roll with mustard and tomato sauce?

Have the radix girls still not popped? Ready for a big radix litter?

[gregmonsta]

Tastes good in a finger roll with mustard and tomato sauce?

Have the radix girls still not popped? Ready for a big radix litter?

Let's allow the mustard to represent the dorsal stripe of the sausage snake :rolleyes: ... We know Steve does has tomato sauce flavoured individuals but we'll let him be the judge there!

I think my sausage snake (mustard phase) litters shouldn't be overly huge. Size wise (length and weight) these girls are at the lower end of the scale in my collection. They're certainly not as big as Suzy, my last sausage (pale mustard) female :cool:

[reptileparadise]

Can we guess????
They are still quite young, so they might still be in the upward curve... I'm saying.... uhm... 17 for the bigger girl and 14 for the smaller girl!

[gregmonsta]

I'll go 13 and 9 respectively :rolleyes:

[reptileparadise]

Less then last year? Nooooo way matey!

[gregmonsta]

Less then last year? Nooooo way matey!

Ooooooh :eek: ... in that case- 18 and 15 :p

[chris-uk]

19 and 14. :)

[Steveo]

Going against the trend here - 15 and 18.

[reptileparadise]

So...so...so... spill the beans Gregorz!???

[gregmonsta]

So...so...so... spill the beans Gregorz!???

I'll get there :rolleyes: a quick update would be 24 for the little one ... full report later :p

[guidofatherof5]

I'll get there :rolleyes: a quick update would be 24 for the little one ... full report later :p

or we can check out your Facebook page:p:D

[gregmonsta]

:rolleyes: Okies ... summary as promised.

Not the best summary for this one. Born yesterday, 06/05/13

70 days from lock to babies, 24 babies in total - 10 of these were either stillborn or had to be euthanised.

Weight after brumation 11/02 - 161g
before delivery 18/04 - 196g

From the 14 that remain two are special and being kept to see how they get on (1 dwarf and 1 with only one eye). The stillborn/euthanised snakes varied greatly. There were some kinked, some with deformed heads, another one-eyed individual, another dwarf and also one live snake that was born with its heart and some other organs outside of the body cavity. I shot some video of this that I'll post in a comprehensive post later in the month.

The only thing that seems to explain this phenomena at the moment is that the litter was too large for this little girl. She managed 16 for Sjoerd last year and I can't say that she has grown any since I took charge of her. I was pretty amazed that 24 babies had been squeezed out of her.

Anyway, the rest seem perfectly normal and about 80% ate today, their first offer of food.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1551.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1568.JPG

It also seems likely that the next litter will come from Fawn, my other parietalis as yesterday I found a stillborn in her viv. Nothing has been found since but this seems to have been an early jettison of a possibly over-developed baby. Stretched out fully this stillborn was almost 9 inches long!!!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1572.JPG

Anyway, to make up for some of the baby gloom here's some baby cuteness overload:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1574.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1577.JPG

The first parietalis group are doing fantastically!!! All are feeding and all are full of confidence. Love these squigglies!

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear about the losses. Any chance you can post a photo of the one-eyed scrub?
A 35g gain isn't very much. I find it extraordinary she had so many babies.
How's mum doing?

[gregmonsta]

Sorry to hear about the losses. Any chance you can post a photo of the one-eyed scrub?
A 35g gain isn't very much. I find it extraordinary she had so many babies.
How's mum doing?

I will once I get the chance ;). Mum's doing fine and is looking slim. She was straight onto food the same evening and doesn't seemed too stressed by the experience.

[guidofatherof5]

Great news. Sounds like she's a good strong breeder. She'll probably do much better in the future.
Looking forward to the photo.

[gregmonsta]

Did a few thingies today. Feeding the wee monsters has been going well. I think there's only 1 parietalis yet to take food and only 3 of the radix. The infernalis have been split into smaller groups and the non-feeders, 6 of them have been separated out for extra attention. Within 5 minutes one of these decided that worm was worth the effort though ... so only the other 5 to convince now ....

Still waiting on Fawn, Jaffa and Beena to offload ... :o

[chris-uk]

I'm shocked to hear that you still have infernalis not feeding... Little demon snakes when they smell food.

[gregmonsta]

I'm shocked to hear that you still have infernalis not feeding... Little demon snakes when they smell food.

The feeders are true monsters :rolleyes:. I have to be very much on my toes to feed those groups.

All of the 'feeders' progressed to 'fish only' from 'worms n fish today'. :D. Non-feeder list is still 5 infernalis, 1 parietalis but only 1 radix now (the dwarf).

Special little story for today - One of my students approached me about a month back about whether a snake would be a suitable thing for her son. He's 7 years old and I mulled it over for a little while. He has his mother's full support so I started coaching her on snake care and got the bits and pieces together.
They came to visit. Now, this was simply a visit to a cool place as far as the son was concerned. He's snake made and made a good job of interacting with the adults. Then I tested his interaction with one of the babies. Also very encouraging.
Well yesterday I dropped of a fully equipped viv at their flat when he wasn't there and today the most confident parietalis male of the litter went to make this young man happy. We fed it together after a short handling session and I left the family glued to the enclosure after a little chat.
It makes me remember that I started to go snake daft around that time in my life ... although my mother always said 'no' to my yearly request of a snake for my birthday :o

[gregmonsta]

Two interesting things to report:

1) I spotted something squiggling behind the glass in the radix enclosure. The usual shout of 'babies' was called for, expecting Jaffa to be in delivery mode. But, all that was found was this one baby ... it is also tiny and comparable to the dwarf in Cardboard's litter. I suspect this is actually number 25 of the latter.

2) Fawn appears to be in delivery proper. Things are not looking good so far though - 1.5 massive babies delivered, the complete one over 9 inches long. Decay evident at umbilacle in both cases (like in the stillborn delivered earlier). I'm still crossing my fingers for the rest of the litter but I have a feeling I will be seeing more of the same, with the meds administered during the op to fix her tail ( http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/urgent-care/12311-shocking-tail-loss.html ) being to blame!!!

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to here about Fawn's troubles. How's her attitude and behavior?

[gregmonsta]

Sorry to here about Fawn's troubles. How's her attitude and behavior?

Happy to say she's acting normal so far. Will be keeping a close eye on her. Nothing else to report so far unfortunately. The contractions I saw earlier haven't continued. There was a 6 day gap between the first stillborn and today's offerings.

[chris-uk]

I don't think it's surprising that Fawn has had trouble with this pregnancy, the operation must have stressed her psychologically and physically. I hope she gets through without any major problems.

Nice work on the new young garter keeper. :)

[gregmonsta]

I did some further investigating and found the other half, grim I know, as well as another stillborn. Fawn came to say hello and I got her to glide through my hands. Plenty to come yet ...

[gregmonsta]

Almost a full month for these guys ... shedding time!!!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1334.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1327.JPG

[reptileparadise]

As said, the fun starts now! The colours will only get better. Congrats my friend!
They'll start driving you crazy with those sheds now... every 2/3 weeks, one by one........ never a nice viv without sheds.....

[guidofatherof5]

They look beautiful Greg.

[Natrix]

Some folk are Sooo! Lucky ;) Looking very nice indeed you must be a proud 'Daddy' Greg :D

[Mommy2many]

Congratulations!

[gregmonsta]

Wee update -

All of the babies bar one have now discovered the joys of a good meal. The first of the infernalis went to a new home yesterday too.

There has been nothing more from Fawn. She shed last week and the stitches came off.The wound looks sealed, clean and healthy. Planning to give her a good feel this week - also contemplating an x-ray to see if she's properly clear.

Still waiting on the second bloodline of radix and the het-albino checkereds to materialise. Tick tock ....

[gregmonsta]

Baby photo spree!!! >>>>

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1525.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1495.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1503.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1507.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1484.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_1494.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice.

[Foxrun402]

Pretty sweet little scrubs you have there :D

[gregmonsta]

Update on the girls:

Fawn seems to be doing fine and, after some investigative feeling and weight checks I'm sure she's clear.
Jaffa (the bigger of the two radix) presented me with 19 slugs this morning :o
Beena (el albino checkerino) still hasn't produced anything but the babybumps are there. Crossing fingers for a healthy small litter (about 5 I guess) at some point soonish :cool:

[guidofatherof5]

A mixed bag update. Too bad about the slugs.

[gregmonsta]

Had a surprise slugfest from one of my Florida blues - not bred, seems to be on a neverending cycle. I plan to brumate them this year to see if that will snap these girls out of it.

Baby update -
Those remaining after Doncaster are doing very well indeed.
There are 2 exceptions - the 'still' non feeding infernalis (which has just completed its first week of enforced brumation) and one radix male that didn't look too clever today - potential dehydration as the sod seems to have had forgotten what a waterbowl is for ..... picked it up, dropped it in the waterbowl, started drinking straight away .... eeejit!!!!

[gregmonsta]

RIP Panama ...

Old age set in on this one. She'd been stuck in a continual messy shed cycle and losing weight despite food input. Really sad to see this one go. Never fully tame, inquisitive .... an experience worth having.

Day one post shop 'rescue'. No more crickets for this girl from that photo onward -
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/medium/DSC000581.jpg

The day I thought she'd gone AWOL -
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/medium/WTFPanams.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/medium/pnms.JPG

Curiousity at its best -
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/medium/Panams.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/medium/2050500008.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//762/661155555.JPG

[mikem]

RIP. Sorry to hear it :(

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear about Panama passing.
Panama and Shyblue can hangout together now.

[kueluck]

:(

[chris-uk]

Sad news. But she lived to reach old age in comfortable surroundings where she wasn't fed crickets.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Sorry for your loss!

[slipknot711]

so sorry for your loss

[Mommy2many]

Sorry to hear of Panama's passing. My condolences Greg.

[gregmonsta]

Thanks everyone. I do have another death to report, unfortunately. The dwarf from the successful radix litter was reported to have passed by my animal sitter. The little thing managed to make it past the 6 month mark. Knowing that dwarves rarely make it beyond the first year I wasn't really surprised but I'll miss the wee booger. Never missed a feed but still never really grew, despite frequent sheds (some assisted).

[guidofatherof5]

What a shame. Sorry to hear about the passing. The little ones are special snakes but come with a host of issues.

[Foxrun402]

She was beautiful, Sorry to hear it Greg :(

[ConcinusMan]

Had a surprise slugfest from one of my Florida blues - not bred, seems to be on a neverending cycle.

Then stop overfeeding them. They usually only produce eggs when they have plenty of body body mass reserves which get converted to eggs. You're feeding them too well.

[ConcinusMan]

Thanks everyone. I do have another death to report, unfortunately. The dwarf from the successful radix litter was reported to have passed by my animal sitter. The little thing managed to make it past the 6 month mark. Knowing that dwarves rarely make it beyond the first year I wasn't really surprised but I'll miss the wee booger. Never missed a feed but still never really grew, despite frequent sheds (some assisted).

I had a radix that did the same thing. Just wouldn't grow and he made it almost a year and died too.

[gregmonsta]

Then stop overfeeding them. They usually only produce eggs when they have plenty of body body mass reserves which get converted to eggs. You're feeding them too well.

I feed less than 7% of bodyeight at every feed, less than the model provided in most care books. I certainly don't think they are overfed. Now, I have one girl that I was able to brumate and the other is still producing slugs and calcified junk on a regular basis. Her body condition is very lean and I would say - too lean, despite this she won't break the cycle. Gentle palpitaion shows its set to continue and I will actually be making sure she gets extra food to help keep her energy up.

Anyhows, that starts the update to this thread. Some more sad before the happy. I'm loosing one of my concinnus males (not Xerxes) to a fast growing tumour. It's located at the exit to the stomach and surrounds the tissues of the gall bladder/etc ... not a happy chappy.

Good news - I recently took on another rescue group. 8 2013 albino marcianus. 3 came from a shop and were bought by the previous owner, the other 5 were bought by the same person from a local who had allowed his related pair of albino to cohabit since day one (nevermind the consequences, eh?). The intitial 3 are doing well. The group of 5 however is plagued with problems. I had been helping the previous owner to get these on track but despite my advice they were struggling. I'm pleased to say that all have eating a variety of food for me and are starting to look fitter. To be honest there's still some way to go as some look barely one month old as opposed to the 8 months that they are

Anyway, I also have a few new pics to pic things up again:

Trouser, our one-eyed radix is doing well

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/trooser.JPG

This is the new female concinnus I purchased from Steven Bol last year. She's growing really well

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_9839.JPG

Cheesy posy with Squaw ... who is on the list for dropping some babies within the next month.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_9795.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

The snakes all look great.:D Sweet orange stripe on that radix.

[chris-uk]

"Trouser" the one-eyes snake.... I like the style :D

You have a real weak spot for marcies. Good to see Squaw doing well.

[gregmonsta]

"Trouser" the one-eyes snake.... I like the style :D

You have a real weak spot for marcies. Good to see Squaw doing well.

Someone has to ;). I have an interesting video of Squaw trying to eat my jogging bottoms ... need to get yet another converter to make a shareable file of it. I'm way overdue putting another video together!!!

[gregmonsta]

UrSTklsVdrI

[gregmonsta]

Well, it's all about those grils that are food obsessed (for the most part) and 'sun' worshipping ... aka preggos

One preggo infernalis
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/preggodrac.JPG

Two preggo parietalis - Fawn just stopped eating yesterday. She's doing very well - fingers crossed for a viable litter this year.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/preggopar.JPG

Two preggo radix - complete psychos for food ... permanently ... not just during pregnancy.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/preggorad.JPG

The scale-spread of doom and signalling ...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/whattaspread.JPG

... the impending marcianus babyocalypse!!! Your guess as to how many is as good as mine ...This girl had a break last year. Since mating her feeding response has been off the charts (see earlier video).
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/babyocalypse.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Love the scale spread photo. All the ladies look pleasingly plump.

[gregmonsta]

Love the scale spread photo. All the ladies look pleasingly plump.

:rolleyes: think in Squaw's case we could say uncomfortably plump :eek:

[chris-uk]

Scale spread - the harbinger of an impending deluge of baby garters. You're looking at a busy time once they start dropping.

[ConcinusMan]

Scale spread is an understatement. Each one is in different zip codes lol

[gregmonsta]

Quick update. Not been on much of late as we're in the middle of house-hunting, etc, at the mo.

Thought I'd do a very quick baby summary:

Infernalis and parietalis didn't work out this year. Sirtalis was also a failure, as expected.

Bumper litter for marcianus - 36 viable, two two-headed and one or two slugs.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_0011.JPG

A better litter of radix - 16 viable of which one is one-eyed and one dwarf (less deformed than last year), a few slugs/stillborn.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_0020.JPG

I still have the late-feeding albino marcies from last year to keep me occupied too.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC_0204.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to hear from you Greg. Thanks for the update. Good looking scrubs.
Best of luck with the house hunting and touring.

[chris-uk]

Always nice to hear that you've got a couple of good litters. Shame about the infernalis, in another couple of years there should be many more infernalis available in the UK as my three girls "come online" (not that I'll breed from more than one a year, but it means I could potentially have a litter of infernalis a year with each girl getting two years in between).

Glad you got a radix litter... I'm going to need to have a chat about a female... Last year's female is looking more and more like she's in drag.

Hope the house hunting isn't too stressful, I've never enjoyed moving house, and when the new place has to accommodate a sizeable number of vivaria it's even more difficult.

[EKS56]

Very nice set up!!!