Meet Honda

[guidofatherof5]

I thought I would introduce a very unique radix. Not unique in appearance, although she is beautiful but unique in attitude.
Here's how this big girl and I met.
During the Summer I was out mowing the grass with my Honda(yes, that's where she got her name). I had it on slow speed and was watching for any radixes or other snakes. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a large(gravid) female heading right for the mower. Just as she was about to go under the deck I shut the mower down and flipped it over as a precaution. She just looked up at me and stayed still. I reached down and picked her up. She was completely calm and relaxed. Acted like one of my adults that I raised from a baby. I sat down on the grass and checked her out for any injuries or other problems. She didn't mind being bent and inspected. I was amazed at how calm she was. I knew I had something special so I took her in the house. Two days later she gave birth to a group of beautiful little scrubs. Her and her babies are still here on the Ranch. The babies will be released this Spring back into the yard.
As for Honda, she will be staying inside. I have never had a wild caught snake like her. She follows my every move in the snake room and rides in the hood of my sweatshirt as I'm doing chores. As I type this she's giving me that "I'd like to get out" look. I'm very glad she came out to greet me and hope she'll live a long time here at the Ranch.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/honda.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Lovely :) quite a dark colouration.

[drache]

is she greenish?

[wadih]

That is really lovely snake, she looks so calm in the picture... It is a good chance to find a snake but a great gift to get a pregnant one. Keep a good eye on her, I am sure she is worth it :) and Good luck with the babies

[guidofatherof5]

is she greenish?

Nope. I see what you were looking at in the photo. The camera put that green in there.

[drache]

Nope. I see what you were looking at in the photo. The camera put that green in there.lovely anyway, but I do like the green ones

[guidofatherof5]

lovely anyway, but I do like the green ones

I have a pair of very green radixes. It's that lite olive green. If they produce this years you may have a pair of green babies, if you want.

[drache]

I have a pair of very green radixes. It's that lite olive green. If they produce this years you may have a pair of green babies, if you want.oh Steve - you have no idea
three years ago I saw a green radix at the White Plains expo. She was a magnificent beast; very green with no pattern, and a deep orange yellow dorsal stripe.
at the time I had a very restricted list of what I was allowed to get and I'm still kicking myself that I stuck to it.
yes, I'd love a green radix; will have to work on the real estate part

[Mommy2many]

Another beautiful snake, Steve. Glad to see you have offspring from her. when you do the massive release in the spring, you'll have to film it. I can just imagine 500 radix's all "running" back towards the house, thinking "What, is he nuts? All the food is in there!!!":D

[jitami]

I can just imagine 500 radix's all "running" back towards the house, thinking "What, is he nuts? All the food is in there!!!":D

LOL! I'm sure it will be a bit of a shock! Too funny. As for Honda, she's lovely, Steve. I like her darker coloration :)

[Jeff B]

Steve I know what you mean when you say, "she was looking at me like let me out."
I have a couple snakes that when I come into the snake room come to the front and get excited like a puppy wanting out.

[guidofatherof5]

Steve I know what you mean when you say, "she was looking at me like let me out."
I have a couple snakes that when I come into the snake room come to the front and get excited like a puppy wanting out.

That's how I would describe it also.

[ConcinusMan]

The big girls have always been my favorite among thamnophis snakes. She's lovely.

[guidofatherof5]

The big girls have always been my favorite among thamnophis snakes. She's lovely.

Thank you for your comments.
My girls are so calm. The guys, most of them are much more flighty and easy to spook. I have some adult males that have been here from birth and they still act skittish.

[ConcinusMan]

Same experience I had with concinnus. Males liked to tail whip me and musk. CB or not. Years in captivity or not. Females were always sweet as can be. I'm getting the snake in my avatar from Don. I think I'll name her "Pinky" I hope she turns out to be sweet too. I would love to eventually have one like Honda as well.

[ssssnakeluvr]

she is sweet right now... should stay that way. only have one mean radix.... our mascot Cariad

[ConcinusMan]

Cool. Got everything I need to set her up in a 10 gal for now. I think it will be ceramic heat emitter bulb on a thermostat and no UV for her. Just ambient dim florescent light coming from the tank text to hers, and hide cave. I hope to get her started on pinky parts soon. Maybe some "fishy" smelling pinky parts. I know where I can find hundreds of very tiny tree frogs/tadpoles in the spring too. I'll bet she'd like those. I'll shoot you a pic when I get her home set up.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. I'm done.

[guidofatherof5]

During the first week of my recovery from shoulder surgery my daughter Gabby brought Honda up to see me. She curled up in my blanket and we took a short nap.
Afterwords, Gabby took her back to the snake room but failed to get her lid on tight. Honda is now on the loose. She been gone for about 10 days. I've been leaving food and water out. She's a smart snake and won't be recovered until she's ready for that. Gabby feels terrible but I reassured her everything would be OK.
I have a feeling one of these nights she'll just come out to me.

[guidofatherof5]

She's back and looking great after being gone for a month and a half.
While looking for an different snake I came across Honda. She appears to be in good health and has already eaten a couple fuzzies.
She's ready to shed and I expect a new, clean Honda by morning.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/honda10.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Little rascal :D glad she's back

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome! glad you found her alive and well. That's great.

[Quibble]

Glad you found her! She must have missed her routine pinky-platter while on her little vacation.

[MichaelSmith]

Nice, Steve. Do you suppose she could be a previously released snake that is so calm because she has some previous experience with people?

[guidofatherof5]

Nice, Steve. Do you suppose she could be a previously released snake that is so calm because she has some previous experience with people?

Considering the way her and I met it wouldn't surprise me. I never thought about that as a reason for her calmness. She's in deep blue phase now and I expect a shed in the next few days.. I'll post an updated photo of her after the shed. She is a beautiful dark phase.
She's destine to be one of my big girls. I have a dark phase male I want to breed with her. The babies should be awesome.

[guidofatherof5]

Honda shed yesterday and looks super. I really love this natural dark phase. She came out and greeted me this morning as if she had never been gone.
After eating a breakfast of worms, she climbed on my arm and proceeded to wipe the dirt and worm slime up my arm. She's such a good girl.:D

[guidofatherof5]

Here's an updated photo of the shed Honda in all her dark phase glory.
This is what surrounds the T.radix Ranch. Let the season begin.
I love my dark phase radixes.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nice_Honda1.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/nice_honda.jpg

[infernalis]

Nice photos, thanks for sharing.

[guidofatherof5]

Nice photos, thanks for sharing.

Not a problem. Snakes like this are rapidly becoming my favorite phase.
Along with lite,red,brown,orange,gray,brick,albino:D

[gregmonsta]

Not a problem. Snakes like this are rapidly becoming my favorite phase.
Along with lite,red,brown,orange,gray,brick,albino:D

:rolleyes: ie .... radix :D ... lol.

[guidofatherof5]

I snapped a couple more of Honda today. It's great having her back. She's such a pretty girl.
Sorry about the dirty face on the second photo. She had just stolen a worm out of the food dish. This is her "who me" face.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Honda_close.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Honda_close1.jpg

[mustang]

geez to many baths steve

[guidofatherof5]

Honda continues to slam down whatever I offer.
I didn't witness her breeding but if appetite is any indication, she's gravid.:D

[guidofatherof5]

3/23/10 She shed.
4/10/10 she shed again.
She's a growing machine.

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome. 3-20-10 Amy shed. She's got that albino version of "blue" right now.
She continues to slam down fish and pinky parts every time they're offered even when in shed. She looks larger and thicker overall and when you support her in your palms she has a heavier feel to her lately.

She's my first radix Steve and she's everything you told me a great radix would be.:D

[guidofatherof5]

She's my first radix Steve and she's everything you told me a great radix would be.:D

I do think there is something special about them.
It seems radix and people are a good mix.

[guidofatherof5]

Honda continues to slam the food down. She's really getting big. Hoping for babies in the next few weeks. She was bred with a red phase male.
I do have a feeling her darkness will over power the red. In any event I'm looking forward to her giving birth.

[lokai99]

she's posing, what a little camera hog :), if she had eyelids she'd be winking

[guidofatherof5]

she's posing, what a little camera hog :), if she had eyelids she'd be winking


She's not a delicate flower.
More like a bull in the china closet.
She's a go-get-her. When the enclosure door opens or I stop in front
she comes shooting out to see what's going on and there's nothing lady like when it comes to eating.
Before she even gets one night crawler down she's swallowing another.
While the second one is going down the first is trying to make an escape.
She's one of the funniest snakes I have.

[ConcinusMan]

That is funny. The hypoery male concinnus I have did something funny today too. He had a small bullfrog by the rear foot, trying to eat it. Frog kept kicking him in the face and he just kept right on swallowing. I said "you're doing it wrong, stupid!" I guess I was the stupid one 'cause in spite of all the kicking and squeeking, he got it down. That's my boy!

[Tyrel26]

ever hear the frogs croaking AFTER being swallowed? I seen it once with a redside i had, 2 frogs had been swallowed and they were still making noise a couple minutes later.....very creepy. Maybe this is fairly common but i only ever seen it once

[ConcinusMan]

ever hear the frogs croaking AFTER being swallowed? I seen it once with a redside i had, 2 frogs had been swallowed and they were still making noise a couple minutes later.....very creepy. Maybe this is fairly common but i only ever seen it once


No, but they scream like a banshee when a snake has a hold of their rear or leg! I might be overly cautious, but when that happens, I apply lethal pressure to the skull so it isn't alive after being swallowed. Bullfrogs are quite strong. I don't want the snakes getting hurt. You could also just do that before feeding. Snakes don't care if it's alive.

[Tyrel26]

I agree, i always kill the larger frogs (makes them easier to catch when they are in deep water too lol) but the frogs that made the noise where fairly small wood frogs. She was able to swallow them very fast, this probably allowed the frogs to survive a lil longer than usual.

[guidofatherof5]

Honda is in the process of giving birth. I wish I had better news but it looks like all jellies with one partially developed little one. So I guess at this point it's about 15 jellies and one stillborn. Honda seems fine and I'll wait with her until she's finished. Still hoping to get one live scrub out of the mix.

[Mommy2many]

I hope for a live scrub as well. Prayers are with Honda. Poor Mom:(

[guidofatherof5]

Not a live one in the bunch.
Honda spent the last week ignoring me and any food. Now that she has delivered, she's back to her old self. Greeting me at the front door and searching my hands for food. It's nice having my girl back. She's just a normal dark phase radix from my backyard but she is very special in her attitude. She trust unconditionally. She's been this way from the moment I picked her up. I'm a lucky man to be working with such wonderful snakes.

[Stefan-A]

Sorry to hear that, Steve.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm sure it's nothing I can prove but for two days after the death of Rita. Her roommates Honda, Boomerang and Nova have been staying away from me. They wouldn't come out to greet me or show any interest in food(very unusual).
Tonight, things were back to normal. Boom and Honda came out for a back rub/scratch. I won't say they missed their friend but something was off.
The enclosure doesn't seem the same without Rita.
Covering her with dirt was hard to do. She's resting beside my old girl Alex(the dog in my avatar)

[guidofatherof5]

Honda is such a strange radix. I would have to say by feel she is my most solid snake. Picking her up surprises me every time, as she feels heavier than she looks.
My largest radix(Speckle) looks big and feels her size. Honda just seems to be packed tighter. She feels more muscular.
I'm not sure what to think about her. She's a very healthy, alert snake.
She's like the bodybuilder of radixes. Solid as a rock. I'm really glad she came and introduced herself to me last year.

[infernalis]

Just don't make Honda angry, you won't like her when she's angry.