random general questions for all of you lol

[snakems]

hello.... I am up super early and bored. While cleaning snakems' tank a few minutes ago I got to thinking of a few things I'd like to ask you guys seeing as you all have experience with your snakes :)


... one... I am able to handle my snake frequently because I only have one, but how often would you say you handle your snakes? Specifically I suppose regarding garters. Mine particularly loves slithering inside of my sleeves and doing what I call "sleeving". Haha
I pretty much make names up for all of my animals "habits" because Im so fond of observing them and enjoy all their little "quirks".
She loves going inside anything warm and often finds her way into my pantlegs sometimes as well. Im assuming that it is quite common but Im curious as to whether everyone else's garters do this often too :)


... Two... I was watching my snake after I put her back into her tank after I changed her water and it just came to me, as if often does, how gentle and defenseless (maybe not so much to their food but in general) garters are. Or at least the type of garter that I have is so docile. This could be due to a range of things seeing as I dont know too much about her because she was caught in the wild.
I found her raking on a very cold fall day with about a dozen or so others. She was the only one that I was able to apprehend because I couldnt move fast enough to grab any others and unfortunately no one with me was very fond of snakes, so I had no help lol
They all went every which way, and now I am assuming they are all brumating for the year wherever it is that they are. I was quite surprised that they would be out and about in that cold because we had already had our first frost here, so I almost felt like I was saving her by taking her in, but who knows, Im sure the other's found their way somewhere to do what they do.
ANYWAY, haha.... it just makes me so annoyed with people that detest snakes. It's always because they are SO misinformed & ignorant about them. My mother is that way and over the time I've had snakems, ive been slowly but surely getting her used to her. She even held her hand out recently & held her!
The whole idea of them being "slimy" and "dirty" bothers the crap out of me! I know not everyone has been brought up to tolerate & respect all other living things but the stubborness and squeemishness exhibited by most individuals afraid or snakes or even those that just arent familiar with them, really just gets my blood boiling! lol
I suppose I should try and understand them better but I cant help but think... IF THEY ONLY GAVE THEM A CHANCE! and I tend to be that way in pertinence to everything. Even trying new foods lol
You dont know until you give it a try! So dont make groundless uneducated comments and act like you hate something you know nothing about!

...phew! lol that was a rant....

and finally... I'd like to inquire about the shedding process.
I feel like my snake should have shed by now because Ive had her since halloween, but maybe I am just worrying over nothing.

thanks for reading! :)

[Stefan-A]

... one... I am able to handle my snake frequently because I only have one, but how often would you say you handle your snakes?
The ones that don't make an effort to avoid being handled, I handle about once a week just to check their health. The ones that go ballistic I only handle when it's absolutely necessary, in other words when I have to move them or clean the enclosure. I don't really consider them pets.


and finally... I'd like to inquire about the shedding process.
I feel like my snake should have shed by now because Ive had her since halloween, but maybe I am just worrying over nothing.

thanks for reading! :)How often they shed depends primarily on their growth rate, but also on how much wear and tear the skin's subjected to. If they shed often, I'd consider it a sign of trouble.

[snakems]

thank you! this is comforting to know :)

[snakems]

also another question I forgot to post up here is....
Does anyone's snake drink when brought to their water?

normally I dont bring my snake TO her water knowing that she can achieve this on her own lol but since she was bitten Ive been worried about the temperature in her tank (now that its warmer to boost her I.S.) making her need more water and I dont ever happen to catch her drinking anymore.
of course this is not to say that she isnt drinking, its just that I dont catch it. When She's out and about in her tank I lift her with 2 fingers to her dish and its like she cant resist drinking. I, by no means, force her under the water or try and make her drink if she moves away from it but it seems she is always like "oo water!" and drinks it if presented to her.
lol just wondering if this is something that they just do or if this is because she is extra thirsty.

[drache]

when I've been away for a few days, and I'm changing the water after it has been sitting a day or so longer than it should, some of my snakes will come right away to drink, but most of them don't

[guidofatherof5]

My Radixs are very active around the water dish.
When I change the water many of them come out for a fresh drink. A few weeks ago there were a few posts about snakes being dehydrated. I will from time to time place a snake right in the water dish after being held. On most occasions they will take a drink while they are there. A good supply of fresh water is imperative.

[snakems]

when I've been away for a few days, and I'm changing the water after it has been sitting a day or so longer than it should, some of my snakes will come right away to drink, but most of them don't

thanks for sharing! I love hearing about other's snakies :)

[snakems]

My Radixs are very active around the water dish.
When I change the water many of them come out for a fresh drink. A few weeks ago there were a few posts about snakes being dehydrated. I will from time to time place a snake right in the water dish after being held. On most occasions they will take a drink while they are there. A good supply of fresh water is imperative.

innnteresting. :)
my snakems seems to do it 9 out of ten times I place her at the water. Its fascinating. I love it :)

[olive oil]

and finally... I'd like to inquire about the shedding process.
I feel like my snake should have shed by now because Ive had her since halloween, but maybe I am just worrying over nothing.

thanks for reading! :)[/QUOTE]


I was just wondering what you feed her and how often?
I'm so glad to hear she is getting better!

[reptile3]

I don't handle mine that much, only cause they are hiding, or just being curled up in the vine. Don't like to disturb them. Kyle my red sided is very active, he likes to get all the way at the top & lay. Probably trying to find a way to get out!LOL

Brownie & Mikey are Dekayi's, they love to snuggle with Kyle alot. I do check here & there to make sure all 3 are moving, looking good. I give fresh water everyday. I feed them every other day, or 2-3 days apart.

I have only caught mine a few times drinking water!

[adamanteus]

I'm not a great advocate of handling just for the sake of it, although doubtless many peoples Garters don't seem to mind. Certainly they will seek out warm spots within your clothing etc.

As Stefan says, shedding depends on many factors, and frequent shedding can be an indicator of underlying problems. I don't know if you're familiar with the process, but if not it works like this;
The snakes colours will become subdued and dull. The snake may (or may not) go off feed. The eyes will become cloudy and 'blue-grey'.
After a few days the eyes will clear, then within a couple more days the old skin will be sloughed and you'll have a shiny new Snakems, all resplendent in his new colours!
If you already knew this, please accept my apologies.... I don't want to appear patronising!:)

I'm not quite sure what your second question was, Sayra!;)

[snakems]

no no! no worries I understand that you're just trying to help of course. and no it just so happens that I was not too familiar with the shedding process so thanks very much :)
im eating all this information up like candy! lol

[Snake lover 3-25]

i personally handle mine all the time...... i think handling helps you to monitor their progress and detect problems easier.... it's also helpful to get them used to it in case something does go wrong... then they won't be too much more stressed when ill..... if they seem to enjoy it or not to mind it.. like mine sure do... all the better lol:)

[infernalis]

Shanley has very docile snakes;)

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol how's she doing:)

[snakems]

i personally handle mine all the time...... i think handling helps you to monitor their progress and detect problems easier.... it's also helpful to get them used to it in case something does go wrong... then they won't be too much more stressed when ill..... if they seem to enjoy it or not to mind it.. like mine sure do... all the better lol:)


yeah I handle mine a lot as well. Prob more than most snakes would want to be held to be honest but I would never continue handling mine as much as i do if she gave any indications she wasnt ok with it.
She often likes just coiling up in my warm hand and most of the time when i stick my hand inside of her tank, if shes being active, she goes RIGHT for it to crawl her way up my arm lol....
she's like "SWEET a ladder!" lol
snakems is so used to me by now she seems pretty fearless and never ever gets fast on me to make a getaway. I luff her :) lol

[crzy_kevo]

i handle my snakes usually one or twice a week either showing them off to some friends or just because i feel like they want some time out of the tank

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol one is in my hoodie right now and another is in my hand lol it's very hard to type with your left hand lol:p

[snakems]

lol one is in my hoodie right now and another is in my hand lol it's very hard to type with your left hand lol:p

haha..... yeah.... Im always multi tasking with my snake either inside my sleeve or in one hand and doing things one handed, when she's just laying there. my mother thinks I am crazy but she's always wanting to get out of her tank so I take her out often.

[snakems]

I'm not a great advocate of handling just for the sake of it, although doubtless many peoples Garters don't seem to mind. Certainly they will seek out warm spots within your clothing etc.

As Stefan says, shedding depends on many factors, and frequent shedding can be an indicator of underlying problems. I don't know if you're familiar with the process, but if not it works like this;
The snakes colours will become subdued and dull. The snake may (or may not) go off feed. The eyes will become cloudy and 'blue-grey'.
After a few days the eyes will clear, then within a couple more days the old skin will be sloughed and you'll have a shiny new Snakems, all resplendent in his new colours!
If you already knew this, please accept my apologies.... I don't want to appear patronising!:)

I'm not quite sure what your second question was, Sayra!;)


haha.... I JUST reread my initial post and you know what?.... i have no clue what my second question was either! lol i guess it was just me ranting about my detestation for ignorance....
i got a little carried away and lost where I was going. lol

[adamanteus]

So, where are the pictures then, Sayra?:D

[Snake lover 3-25]

haha..... yeah.... Im always multi tasking with my snake either inside my sleeve or in one hand and doing things one handed, when she's just laying there. my mother thinks I am crazy but she's always wanting to get out of her tank so I take her out often.


yup me too lol durring the summer i 'll have meadow with me from the time i wake up until the time i go to bed..... i'll take her on walks with my dog, and sometimes even to my friends house lol i love that snake....

[snakems]

So, where are the pictures then, Sayra?:D
well right now unfortunately I am not on my computer and dont have the cable to upload the pics I took. But I DID take them soon after posting that thread. I will have them up later on tonight I hope!
.... I stopped at the bait shop today for worms because I hadnt been feeding her this week since her incident because I was afraid the digestion would take away from her healing as some said. I think it might be ok to do now, but there's an area right around the middle of her that i am worried about that there is a small bulge that is not ALL that noticable but I am sure that it WAS NOT there before the attack. This concerns me because I am afraid that its POSSIBLE this is something internal :(
I dont have the money right NOW to bring her to a vet and I probably wont until a couple weeks from now so I pray that this isnt anything serious. maybe swelling of something inside of her? ... but that doesnt sound too good to me :confused::( .... I dont know what to think but her demeanor seems great so im torn.

[snakems]

yup me too lol durring the summer i 'll have meadow with me from the time i wake up until the time i go to bed..... i'll take her on walks with my dog, and sometimes even to my friends house lol i love that snake....

hahaha thats awesome. It sounds like me with snakems! she's such a precious little snakie :)

[Snake lover 3-25]

well right now unfortunately I am not on my computer and dont have the cable to upload the pics I took. But I DID take them soon after posting that thread. I will have them up later on tonight I hope!
.... I stopped at the bait shop today for worms because I hadnt been feeding her this week since her incident because I was afraid the digestion would take away from her healing as some said. I think it might be ok to do now, but there's an area right around the middle of her that i am worried about that there is a small bulge that is not ALL that noticable but I am sure that it WAS NOT there before the attack. This concerns me because I am afraid that its POSSIBLE this is something internal :(
I dont have the money right NOW to bring her to a vet and I probably wont until a couple weeks from now so I pray that this isnt anything serious. maybe swelling of something inside of her? ... but that doesnt sound too good to me :confused::( .... I dont know what to think but her demeanor seems great so im torn.

i've healed some of the most serious injuries with bacitracin...... i had one snake that took around 5 months to heal..... hit by a lawn mower.... i just kept him in a bare cage with only paper towel and hides i made out of paper..... he healed up great.......

[snakems]

i've healed some of the most serious injuries with bacitracin...... i had one snake that took around 5 months to heal..... hit by a lawn mower.... i just kept him in a bare cage with only paper towel and hides i made out of paper..... he healed up great.......

how did you go about feeding during his/her healing?

[Snake lover 3-25]

i fed him small easily digested meals often..... his injuries were such that he was in for the long term...... so i'd just feed her easily digested food....

[adamanteus]

yup me too lol durring the summer i 'll have meadow with me from the time i wake up until the time i go to bed..... i'll take her on walks with my dog, and sometimes even to my friends house lol i love that snake....

Shanley, I can't believe you're still doing this! After all the discussions we have about maintaining a stable environment, about introducing pathogens, about losing your snake! It's such a bad idea for so many reasons!

[Snake lover 3-25]

Shanley, I can't believe you're still doing this! After all the discussions we have about maintaining a stable environment, about introducing pathogens, about losing your snake! It's such a bad idea for so many reasons!

she was wild before..... she's lived out in the same sort of stuff that i take her out in for who knows how many years of her life.



about losing your snake! It's such a bad idea for so many reasons!


it's not like i can lose her when she's around my neck.... she has a higher risk of escaping.....

[snakems]

Shanley, I can't believe you're still doing this! After all the discussions we have about maintaining a stable environment, about introducing pathogens, about losing your snake! It's such a bad idea for so many reasons!

I dont take my snake out of my house but I do handle her in other rooms in my house... is this a bad thing?? I had no idea! :eek::confused:
lol Im a such a noob

[adamanteus]

Handling your snake around the house isn't a problem, if that's what you like to do. I just feel that keeping it around your neck or in your pocket/hood wherever you go throughout the day, is an extaordinarily bad idea.

[Snake lover 3-25]

why??????????

[Stefan-A]

Hardly surprising, but I agree with James. I mean, you've been insanely lucky so far, Shanley.


why??????????
What do you mean?

[adamanteus]

Shanley, you know I love you to bits and I don't want to 'have a go'.:)
But be honest, before advocating this as good practice to newcomers to the hobby, you should tell them how many times you've lost or nearly lost your snakes.

[snakems]

i can completely see where the both of you are coming from.
When you "know" you can be responsible about it, if you're used to handling your snake often is seems like an alright idea, especially if you have stuff to do, but in all honesty it probably is not the best for MOST people.
This is not to say that some people out there wouldnt be extremely careful and watchful of every move their pet made, but speaking for people like me (exTREMELY spacey and forgetful) it prob just is a bad idea in general for the well being of the snake :(
I love my snake so much and I know that she doesnt even have emotions like me so to a degree I can recognize that as silly but its just the way I am haha and BECAUSE of this I tend to want to take her everywhere with me like a FRIEND, but knowing how I am I wouldnt chance it. I am guilty of coming close to taking her out for halloween w/ me. :o:(
I was cleopatra and she would have been a great accessory to my get up lol but I ended up deciding against it because I didnt know how long I would end up at the costume party and I thought people might want to touch her and the loud music and smells and all of that would be just too much for the poor little thing.
haha I know that sounds SO stupid im sure and Im ashamed to say it but hey... while we're being honest lol

.... what matters is that I DIDNT end up doing that!
I really am a kind & humane person I promise.

[Snake lover 3-25]

Shanley, you know I love you to bits and I don't want to 'have a go'.:)
me either lol

But be honest, before advocating this as good practice to newcomers to the hobby, you should tell them how many times you've lost or nearly lost your snakes.

you're probably right... :)i have come pretty close.... but mostly from not closing their cages.........

[Stefan-A]

This is not to say that some people out there wouldnt be extremely careful and watchful of every move their pet made,
They can certainly try to be, but not everything is under the owner's control, least of all that little spring-loaded reptilian brain.