Other pets (pics and discussions)

[mikem]

My westerns love rodents. If you decide to get one, remember that females get bigger than males. I've also noticed that my males will go off feed, especially during breeding season, for weeks at a time. All of my females are pigs though. Incredible feeding responses!

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[drumcrush]

Not sure what order my pictures are in but here are all my pets, all of which are female and I have now idea how that managed to happen haha.
Normal leopard geck Zadna
Mexican black kingsnake Ammit
Albino checkered garter snake (no name)
Eastern garter snake (no name)
And my kitty baily
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[aSnakeLovinBabe]

If you decide to get one, remember that females get bigger than males.

LOL! Ain't that the truth! Females dwarf males.... they get like 4x the size.

[mikem]

Yea, always puts a smile on my face when I see a little bitty male doing the mating dance with a big girl! Of course, there's always the exception and you'll get a big male that could pass for a small female.

[aquamentus_11]

their antics are literally the most hilarious out of all the species in the snake world. They are drama queens, actors, bluffers, and just plain awesome.

lol yeah that's one of the major reasons i like them. i love the hissing and puffing

[guidofatherof5]

Interesting Tank (24 pound Chelydra serpentina - Common Snapping Turtle) situation.

Yesterday was Tank's food day but I was busy so he was extra excited to see me walk in with a plate in my hand today. I grabbed a couple pieces of lean steak and started to move it down to him. He made a wild grab toward my hand but it was still pretty far away so there was no danger. I pulled my hand back and told him to settle down, which he did. He was now starring intently at the food, but waiting. I offered two pieces of steak under the water and he took them nicely. It was then I noticed he had some gunk in one of his eyes. By this time he was ready for more food. I showed him my hand was empty and reached into the water and wiped his eye. He offered no resistance and didn't bite at me. I've worked with many other hungry snapping turtles in my life. Hungry to them means grab anything you can grab.
I found Tank's reaction to be very interesting since he was truly in an eating mood, for him to not grab my hand tells me there's a thinking turtle behind those eyes. I wish more people realized what special animals these turtles are.

[aquamentus_11]

how do southerns do with an all-rodent diet? also, where might one get frogs to feed an eastern other than from the wild? do they sell frozen ones?

[EasternGirl]

Hey Nate! Nice to see you on here! I really want a hognose...but I just can't take on anymore snakes right now. Perhaps when I graduate, I will get one for myself as a graduation gift. Speaking of small males and large females...it was really hysterical to watch my small eastern male, Seeley, mate with my large eastern female, Cee Cee. The funniest part would be when Cee Cee had decided she had enough, and she would send Seeley flying across the tank with a flick of her tail!

[guidofatherof5]

I know I post a lot about Tank but this is one unique turtle. This evening I took him out of his water and put him down in front of his bookcase. I hoped he would go right in and go to sleep. All his blankets were in perfect position but he was having none of it. He turned away and headed back out to the kitchen. He sat in a dark kitchen for a few minutes then returned to the bookcase and crawled in. I was very pleased to see he put himself to bed. I guess he doesn't need his old dad putting him to be anymore. He has become much more independent as he's gotten older( ha, older. Not even 5 yet) and I like it. He also seems to want more talk time from me. I give him about an hour in the morning when he gets up. It's up close and personal time, he has every opportunity to bite me but would rather sit and listen to my ramblings about a special snapping turtle. Then there's all those times I stop in to see him throughout the day. Leg and skin rubs, a pat on the shell. Snapping turtles as a rule don't like their shells touch but Tank allows me full access. There are times he bristles but that doesn't happen very often. He accepts me and trust me implicitly. Cleaning his eyes or mouth would usually not be allowed by a normal snapping turtle but Tank allows it all and it's never done with a weary, untrusting eye. He fits into this family so well.
I'm happy he lives with us and hope we can provide him the kind of future he deserves.

[jwolfe152]

I'm happy he lives with us and hope we can provide him the kind of future he deserves.

it sounds like he has the present he deserves which means i know he will have the kind of future he deserves. you just got one spoiled rotten snapper. hell he will have a statue erected in his honor before to long i suspect.