And the excitement never ends around here

[lauwersp]

Had a GREAT feeding day. One notch short of perfection. Mama ate Silversides for the first time in her life and seemed generally happy.

All the squibs ate except one who didn't wanna come out because shedding is imminent for the little one. This requires a followup from the last feeding session where all the squibs ate but one wouldn't eat anything unless there were no other squibs around and I wasn't watching. THIS session they all ate and the finicky one ate three worm pieces both while I watched and there was a lot of other active eating going on around it. I fed Little Offender separately and he happily ate two pieces of fish.

The only thing that would have made it perfect is the four squibs that won't eat fish still didn't eat fish. I start them all off with fish only and THOSE four are the first four to go in the feeding tub... I then add one of the others at a time hoping that seeing a squib eat fish will eventually get them to too. I have rubbed worm on fish bits as well and so far that hasn't done the trick but I'll keep trying.

I haven't been feeling well so I went to take a nap... the cats both soon joined me. Half an hour later my girlfriend joined me mumbling something about not having put the lids back on the tanks. Now... while I know how tricky and clever these guys can be... especially those darn DeKay's... these scrubs have not even come CLOSE to getting out of their 20 gallon enclosure. The only prayer they have is climbing the sunken shipwreck in the middle of their tank (which they love to do) and trying to climb out onto the fake plants that "grow" out of it. They are generally so heavy that they always sink to the bottom or fall off. Having just FED them, I figured both from fatigue while digestion sets in plus the added weight of the food it wasn't urgent that I fix the situation.

Another half hour goes by and I get up. I'm putting the lids back on and just because I'm as anal as I am I decide to count. Where there should be 5 in the main tank there was 4. I took everything out looking inside the hollow things and carefully shoved the carefresh around... again irritating the imminent shedder. 4. Wake the girlfriend. She insists there is no way a squib can get out but I make her get up. She counts 4. The tank sits on a glass table so we can look from underneath and see anyone hiding under Carefresh. 4. We check the other enclosures they all have the correct number they are supposed to have... 4 + Little Offender who is still in solitary. On top of that... it was the last remaining squib that has significant orange coloring who happens to be a pretty active little squib.

Let the ransacking of the house begin. We live in a large upper story apartment of a historic house in Detroit which means floor vents with large square holes. All the carpet came off the floors and got rolled up. All the floor vents came up. Furniture moved. No squib in sight. We'd basically given up for the moment and had decided all the carpeting would stay up and we'd have to be on tight, tight cat monitoring until the squib was found or we'd decided it was gone.

Sadly I sit down on the couch and stare around the room. Girlfriend goes to the tank and counts. 5.

Ugh.

It's really a good idea to leave the lids on the tanks.

[snake man]

Sounds like an annoying but relieving day at the same time.

[Lisa4john]

Wow, sounds like a real roller coaster ride. Glad he was there after all.

[guidofatherof5]

And all that when you're not feeling well. Get some rest buddy.

[lauwersp]

Thanks Steve... I'm back on the couch with all the tanks in plain sight.

[setfree]

I never say this but... LOL!!! Sorry you had to go through all that work though.

[lauwersp]

Overall I'm just REALLY glad no one is missing...

[kueluck]

Sooooo happy no one is missing.

[jitami]

Awww, glad they're all accounted for...

[ProXimuS]

Glad to hear the good ending