Hydra

[aquamentus_11]

Excellent! All that worrying for nothing!!

yeah....i'm a tad neurotic at times, but now at least i'm not a failure

[aquamentus_11]

ok, i'm going now because i'm getting the look. is it ok for a grown man to be giddy?

[snakehill]

yeah....i'm a tad neurotic at times, but now at least i'm not a failure

Prozac works for me! (most of the time! )

[aquamentus_11]

a few new pics if anyone's interested.

first and foremost is a strange one. she retained a bit of her shed on the tip of her tail and I had to gently help her with it. everything seemed to go really well with it. when i got back from the store with more worms, her tail looked like this. i didn't scrape hard enough to damage her and the retained piece came off easily after some warm water and paper towel. i wonder if this was underneath that and caused the skin to stick here. it looks well-covered and i never saw blood so i'm thinking it's old and from her ordeal with the sharp wood. i never saw this before though....do wounds reopen slightly after a shed? is there any concern for loss of her tail tip? it remains mobile and she uses it just the same as always. i worry that there might be a stricture there as it heals and the vasculature may get squeezed off. hopefully not.




anyway, she did some exploring today through my girlfriend's lecture material and computer.



look how the color fades to the orange-red as it progresses from the back of her head. what a dish.



afterward, i put her on the bromeliad i keep on my desk and she stayed there for 20min just hanging out and flicking her tongue. she's very mellow once she's out.


she sat there like this resting her chin on the rim of the flower pot. this is organic potting soil, btw, so it's safe.



just thought this one looked pretty. that's right, PRETTY.

[aquamentus_11]

updated pics of her set-up.

this is looking over top from cool to warm side. she likes to bask on the magnetic rock ledge up here. i keep the fake vines covering half of it because she likes to move in and out of the shade. this is also the sacrificial altar where she accepts my offerings.



and the corresponding lateral view




i hope to foster her hanging out with me on the bromeliad while i study. i never thought a reptile would do that sort of thing. thanks again tina for a great snake.

[EasternGirl]

OMG Nate this is so major!!! I just came on here and read this and I am so excited!!! I could just jump up and down! My family is going to think I'm nuts...who cares...this is awesome! She ate! I have been hoping for you and worrying for you and...this is just a very big thing. I am as excited as if it were my own snake! This just made my day. I am so happy for you. She shed and she ate...good girl Hydra...we knew you had it in you. See...the altar paid off. She's a beautiful girl...she looks great. Her tail is a bit concerning...looks like she could lose that piece. But, that happens...it is a pretty common thing with garters. Tail rot. They get an injury to the tail and then the tail dies and falls off. If it does, she will just have a stub there. Seeley has a stub tail...looks like he probably lost the end of his tail when he was a baby outside before I found him...it happens a lot in the wild. You're a med student...I would just keep an eye on it...if it looks like it needs it, put some hibiclens or betadine on it. If it falls off, definitely put some on it...and some neosporin and just keep and eye on it. Congrats again on her eating!

[aquamentus_11]

thanks. it is a big deal because now she won't wither and die. i think her tail has been like that. i really hope it doesn't fall off. it's such a nice tail. i think if i keep the scab soft it'll have a better shot.

[aquamentus_11]

i think if it was necrotic, she wouldn't have use of it. plus, a loss of circulation to the tail tip would be pretty painful. i don't think she would be using it if it was hurting

[EasternGirl]

I honestly don't know about that...wish I could tell you more on the subject.

[guidofatherof5]

Love the photo spred. Very nice.