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Selkielass
10-26-2010, 12:15 PM
Last night, I realized that Ziva (My little albino Checkered) was about as large as Abby (My eastren) was when I found her. It might be time to move Ziva into the larger enclosure with Abby.

I've been preparing for this- I found an inexpensive plasticoated wire kitchen shelf that I've modified to fit in Zivas tall enclosure to provide a second story that is about 2/3 the size of the ground level. Piece of a plastic sign, paper towel, some plants, water and an ashtray hide and the expanded accomodations looked good to go. Ziva would have more room on this platform than in her little acrylic tank, and she needn't venture down to Abby's digs on ground level unless she wanted to.

I dropped in a dish with some pinky pieces on it, then introduced Ziva to her new digs. She quickly made herself at home in the plants, ate her Pinkies, then began making her way down the vine 'elevator' to explore the lower level. She was calm and curious the whole time.

Meantime, down below, Abby's tongue is flicking like mad. Ziva no soomer pokes her head out of the vines, but Abby starts to panic.

A big, fat 24inch eastern starts dashing around the aquarium in a panic at the sight of a baby less than half her size.

Ziva continued calmly exploring, while Abby became more and mor panicked. I finally ended the experiment when she began running into the glass in her panicked attempts to flee the terrible horrible pink monster that had invaded her space. Ziva is back in her little acrylic aquarium, and Abby had a second story deck to sun herself on.

Has anyone else here had any experiences with snake that are out-and-out afraid of other garters? Do you think she will become accustomed to company or are some snakes simply inclined to be antisocial?

Note; Abby is usually a *very* calm snake. She moves slowly, is amazingly patient with my son, and she likes to lounge around most of the day. The *only* other thing I've seen provoke this kind of reaction from her was the very first time I caught her out in the field.

guidofatherof5
10-26-2010, 12:55 PM
I've never had anything like that happen.
I think I would give it another try sometime.
Abby may have just been caught off guard with all the changes.

infernalis
10-26-2010, 01:19 PM
I have seen that before..

I have a nice setup on the entertainment console over the TV set that had 3 snakes in it, they all got on fabulously.

one passed away from complications arising from old age so I tried introducing another....

Both of the snakes that live in there wanted no part of a "new" cage mate.

They both flipped out, so I removed the third snake and they calmed back down.

Selkielass
12-09-2010, 01:17 PM
Hey all!
No internet access right now, so I can only check in once and a while.
Update time.

I spent about a week gradually getting Abby and Ziva used to each others presence- now they are full time roommates and are getting along fine. (I've even caught tnem piled up in a stack a few times.!)

Ziva has grown amazingly in the 6 months I've had her- she is about 20 inches long and will quickly wolf down 2-3 large pinky mice if Abby doesn't step up and eat her share. Ziva is a much more eager eater than Abby is- she will eat proportionately larger mice and more of them if she can.

I have a theory that head shape may play a part (Or be influenced by) this behavior. Abbys head is relatively narrow- scarcely wider at the jaw than at the neck. (Easter garter snake.) Ziva's head is much more almond shaped, with a noticeable widening of the jaw and head just before the neck. (Ziva is my Albino checkered garter.)

She really surprised me the first time the stole Abby's whole large pinky mouse- I had been giving her pinkies split in half, but she wolfed her half mouse and then gobbled down Abby's whole mouse without much trouble. Amazing appetite= amazing growth!

Anyway, I'm hanging in there.
Happy Holidays everyone!

ConcinusMan
12-09-2010, 05:36 PM
Yes, my Amy really took off when he reached about 15 inches and started choking down whole pinkies. He's almost 2 years old now and around 24 inches! He was only 9.75 inches at this time last year.:eek:

Gotta hand it to those bottomless pit radixes. The young one's at least, seem to grow much faster than I've experienced with T.s. concinnus babies.

Selkielass
01-18-2011, 12:52 PM
Hey all!
I'm looking in from time to time, but don't have much time to post...
But I just had to share what happened Sunday!

Ziva and Abby are getting along great now- sharing hides and climbing all over each other. Abby is still a reluctant eater, so I've taken to removing Ziva so Abby has a chance to eat before greedy-guts gobbles everything up.

Well, I had Ziva in my hands as I was preparing a peachfuzzy to offer Abby, and Ziva was putting her head into the dish and nosing the mouse before I could put it in the cage for Abby- *Really* eager to eat even tho she just ate heavily on Wednesday.

Well, I gave Abby her shot at the mouse, but she was having nothing to do with it. Ziva was sitting contentedly on a towel in my lap when I pulled the rejected mouse out of the cage- I was going to refreeze it for later when Ziva gave me that look.
That pleading look.
That 'Please may I have that delectable morsel...' look.
Not quite believing her, I let her nose her way over to the hand holding the mouse.
She sniffed it, rolled it delicately with her nose, and then, with her chin resting on my hand proceeded to slowly and methodically devour it!
I could see and feel every movement as she unlatched her jaw and carefully worked herself around the mouse.
It was amazing to see up close, and I feel honored that she trusts me enough to enjoy a leisurely snack while being held.

Now, if only Abby will decide *what* she wants to eat, and when. Ziva is now slightly larger than her older cagemate and is showing no signs of slowing down on the eating and growing.
Piggy snake. (Said with indulgent caring.)

guidofatherof5
01-18-2011, 12:59 PM
Very cool. Thanks for sharing.