The joy of Radix

[chris-uk]

The radix are coming on well. Particularly Lipwig.

Lipwig seems to have settled, comes out to see us when we are in the room, and eats very well. In fact, Lipwig is probably the most aggressive eater we currently have, he happily comes to the viv door to eat and actively looks for more. His feeding frenzy means that I have him marked down as being the deliverer of the next bite - he doesn't really look before going for it. On the other hand I was able to move his front third back into the viv when I'd finished feeding him (it's hard to close the viv doors when he's still hunting for more in the dish). When he's not in a feeding frenzy he's a lovely snake to handle. He's also had his first shed with us, all fine. Char missed the blue phase while I was away last week - being pregnant she's not handling the snakes as much as she was before. Anyway, his colours are fantastic straight after the shed.

Adora Belle hasn't been causing a bit of concern, and had a trip to the vet while I was away last week. Verdict is, that she isn't gravid, she's generally in good health, and there's something odd about her tail which isn't an infection. So thecvet thought it could be an old injury to the tail. He gave us some injections of anti-inflammatory (carprieve). I've discovered how tricky it is to deliver a subcutaneous injection to a snake that doesn't want it, and that you absolutely must put the needle in rear to front (if you go front to rear it ends up going deeper when the snake jumps forward).
Adora has eaten some salmon tonight, the first she's eaten since the pinky she took on the day she arrived.
She seems to be a snake that prefers to be out candidates being held.

So radix are still a joy.

[EasternGirl]

So now you get to experience giving the injections, huh? Not too fun. They taught me at my vet to do the injections rear to front...the only problem with that is that when the snake jumps and tenses her skin the needle often pops out. It certainly isn't easy giving injections to a snake! I feel for you.

Lipwig sounds exactly like Cee Cee when she eats!

[chris-uk]

Lipwig is still the most aggressive eater in the house, he's eaten well today.

Adora is still causing some concern. She seems to have reacted to the injections, lucky she only needed 3. Over the injection sites of the two I injected the scales have kind of crinkled, I don't know how else to describe it. And after the injections I noticed Adora slithering and twisting on her back to rub where I'd injected on the substrate - it wasn't until after the second injection that I associated the twisting with the injection. Anyway, it looks like she rubbed the first injection site enough to open a wound and has taken off two scales... Not what we wanted from the anti-inflammatory injections. I've been applying a barrier ointment to avoid infection. She didn't eat today when I fed the others, but I couldn't see her eyes when I fed her.
This evening I took her out to check the wound and her eyes are clearly blue, so it looks like Adora is one who doesn't eat when shedding. So I hope that the wound will be healed up by the time she looses her skin, and that after shedding her scales will be nice and shiny again. Has anyone had any experience with shedding with a healing injury?

[guidofatherof5]

I've had a few snakes do a quick couple of sheds after stitches were removed.

[chris-uk]

I've had a few snakes do a quick couple of sheds after stitches were removed.

So can then shedding be a response to a skin injury? A case of shedding to get the skin right and help heal the injury?

[guidofatherof5]

So can then shedding be a response to a skin injury? A case of shedding to get the skin right and help heal the injury?

Yes. Yes.

[Eight]

I may have to look out for a radix after reading this thread

I'm sorry to sound like a complete noob but what are the main differences between checkereds and radix? Only the female picture looked similar to a checkered in colour and pattern, but with thicker stripes. I'll get there eventually but garters are a new,large and exciting world to me

[chris-uk]

Steve will be happy to see another member of the cult of the radix.

Visually radix have a lot of variation but from what I've seen (bearing in mind that John's two radix are the first I've seen in the scale) the main differences are: radix have a much more prominent dorsal stripe; checkereds have a bolder check pattern; the background colours of checkereds doesn't vary too far from earthy-olivy sort of colours.
Behaviour-wise, radix do seem to be very intelligent and adapt well in captivity. For example, within two feeds Lipwig will come out to the front of his viv when he senses us moving nearby, and if I open the viv doors I can see him look through the glass to see if I've put a bowl of food in front of the viv, if there's food there he goes into feeding mode and comes up to the bottom ledge of the doors to be tong fed. If there's no food out there he stays calm and will pick and choose how much he interacts with me. So the point of that example is that in a new home, with a new keeper, he was instantly friendly and not jittery, and learnt after his second feed what my routine is when he gets fed.

Radix are great. The intelligence may not be unique, but it was fairly clear with Lipwig. It's harder to see with Adora because she's been to the vet, and gone into shed, so having a harder time settling.

[Eight]

Cheers for that. They really do round rather good I'm guessing that they aren't that common on this side of the pond?

Its quite impressive that he has learnt your routine that quickly

[chris-uk]

They pop up occasionally on the RFUK classifieds, but not the most common here. If you want a radix your best bet may be to contact Sjoerd at crazyreptiles - they are coming over to the Doncaster show in September and breed some stunning Radix.

Lipwig has shown his intelligence best, but Adora is such a friendly snake. Considering she's been to a vet, been injected a couple of times, and had me cleaning her wound every day... She hasn't bitten or musked once, and still likes to sit on my lap when she's out.