Yesterday I had the day off as I am lucky enough to have all federal and state holidays off. Unfortunately my day started off needing to take my daughter to the doctor since she had been running a fever all weekend. Sure enough she has strep but hey at least that is treatable and she will be feeling better soon. Later that morning while cleaning the kitchen we noticed one of our outdoor cats limping and sure enough his front paw is swollen. This cat has the worst luck. He is always getting sick but there is no keeping him inside. He just tolerates us and lives for the wild animals that he catches on a regular basis. So off to the vet I go.. and yes Dusty has a fever and an infection in his paw. Oh joy, giving pills to a cat and a kid twice a day....

Then I settle down to finish my snake chores when I realize that the night before I had not properly closed the lid on one of my female ocellatus' cage and she is nowhere. I am so angry at myself. That lid is a very tight fitting lid and I know that occasionally it feels like it is on but it really isn't. Well I guess I was tired since my daughter had been up most of the previous night and I messed up.

I have never posted before when I have done something incredibly dumb, like this, since I have seen many people get flogged but I definitely deserve it if I get it. I must say though that the people on this board are very nice and that is probably why I am posting here. The superstitious part of me hopes that since I am "coming clean" maybe she will show up. So far no luck. Out house is big and we are pack rats so I have little hope. I also fear she followed the radiators and is in the walls or worse burnt. I have snake traps out but I have never heard of success with them...

So remember always double check your lids!

Joanna