The Hassles of Snake Keeping

[Didymus20X6]

Well, I've had a trying morning so far.

Scarlett, who is still very skittish and at times even hostile, managed to escape the enclosure this morning while I was trying to feed her. So I spent the better part of 20 minutes chasing her around the snake room, trying to coax her out from behind various boxes, appliances, and even the tarp I put under the snake table to prevent water messes.

Finally, I put one of the cottages from the enclosure on a wooden board, and using a PVC glove on a bamboo pipe, managed to coax her into the hide. Once inside, I managed to block the openings with a couple of small planks, and finally got her into the water enclosure. She is not happy with me at all; musking like crazy and snapping at me any chance she gets.

Meanwhile, when I went to check on Little Dude during all the commotion, I found some yellowish slime on the edge of one of the smaller cottages, and saw her tail contorting into a weird hourglass shape. Looks like she's getting ready to drop a load of jellies. So I hastily tried to line the enclosure with some old newspaper to minimize the mess, and in the process, think I traumatized Little Dude.

So, just great: I now have two traumatized snakes. One small one that still thinks she's wild, and one big one about to become a very disappointed mommy.

Oh, well. The last time Little Dude dropped jellies, she started eating like a pig again. So at least I won't have to worry about her eating anymore.

[drache]

there'll be days like that . . .

[Didymus20X6]

Apparently, Little Dude is insistent on laying her jellies in dirt, and not on the newspaper. She laid one on the newspaper, but is now curled up in one corner where there was still some substrate exposed, and is now laying the rest of them. Poor girl.

[Didymus20X6]

More snake-related drama: I was trying to clean up some of the jellies, and Scarlett escaped AGAIN! This time, I just put on my snake-proof leather jacket and blue gloves, picked her up from her hiding place, and put her in a separate enclosure for a while (specifically, the old snake trap). I put some cold water in there, along with a brick and a small hide, and waited until she calmed down. After that, I gently picked her up and put her back in the regular enclosure. But on retrospect, I wish I had just left her in there for a while longer, to give Little Dude some privacy (and to allow me to painlessly clean up the jellies when she's done).

[RedSidedSPR]

Dang... How is she getting out?

I must ask, snake proof clothing? For a garter?

[Didymus20X6]

I have to lift the lid to get into the enclosure myself. She just launches herself at the top and goes for it.

It's basically just an old, warn-out jacket with no liner. As ferocious as Scarlett was earlier this morning, I didn't want to take any chances.

[RedSidedSPR]

Gotcha, so she gets out when you open it.... My adult has tried that, but he can't get passed me

Jeez, what a day...

[Cfleming]

You think chasing a garter around the snake room is bad. Try chasing a p-oed 7ft+ coastal carpet. That is fun and bloody.

Glad you were able to catch her, twice. Hope little dude recovers quickly.

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear Little Dude is passing jellies. Hopefully her system will get cleaned out and she be back to eating real soon.
Did you breed her? If so, she may surprise you with a few live born snakes.
I had two moms pass jellies and one alive.

[d_virginiana]

There's always gonna be days like that. Haha, I like the idea of the snake-proof jacket! I bet it makes you a lot more confident handling snakes that are known biters. I have a pair of snake gloves, but they're only for wild snakes.