One of the neat things about having a snake is observing her behavior.
Watching Lady Mortimer drink, for instance,
which she does several times a week.
She usually likes to drink when I have just refilled her water dish
(and I try to do this very frequently, and keep the dish very clean)
but she can tell the difference between fresh water and stale stuff that's been sitting there for awhile,
and when I've refilled it she will come over and investigate.
That's often when she drinks.
She lowers her head to the water and I can see her throat moving slightly,
and I often count.
Fifteen seconds is a moderate drink.
Thirty seconds is a long drink.
I usually don't have time to go for my camera,
but the other day she was really thirsty- she was there for a whole minute.
That will last her for a day or two.
Her eyes are milky in the above photo because she is getting ready to shed.
Late last night I was watching TV and I had put Lady Mortimer in her 'snake bag' to hold her.
(This is a tightly-velcroed mesh bag that I sewed in order to contain her, and I also sewed a carrying strap so I can put it around my neck- as part of my 72 hour emergency kit, I was thinking how I would keep Lady Mortimer safe and warm, and pretty much the only way to do it if the power goes out is to use my own body heat, and the bag makes sure she can't escape. It comes in handy when I have to take her to the vet, too.)
Anyway, sometimes when I am holding her in the evening and I get drowsy I put her in my snake bag so if I drop off to sleep I won't wake up and find her disappeared.
(I used to trust in my ability to find her again, but not after last November's Big Disappearing Act.)
Anyway, I'm glad I did put her in the bag, because I did doze off.
I woke up to a small scratch, scratch noise, repeated over and over.
She had been very dry and crackly on her outer skin and so I knew this was the start of her shed.
I have rarely seen her at the beginning of her shed.
I put her back in her cage so that she will have more surfaces (like her climbing stick and her hiding log) to rub against, which seems to help her pull the old skin loose.
Meanwhile, here's a view with her head completely free (both eye caps pulled right off, a good healthy sign).
I also turned on the humidifier to help her shed more easily.
I expect next morning I shall come back to find a dry old skin and Lady Mortimer looking nice and shiny in her cage.
Watching Lady Mortimer drink, for instance,
which she does several times a week.
She usually likes to drink when I have just refilled her water dish
(and I try to do this very frequently, and keep the dish very clean)
but she can tell the difference between fresh water and stale stuff that's been sitting there for awhile,
and when I've refilled it she will come over and investigate.
That's often when she drinks.
She lowers her head to the water and I can see her throat moving slightly,
and I often count.
Fifteen seconds is a moderate drink.
Thirty seconds is a long drink.
I usually don't have time to go for my camera,
but the other day she was really thirsty- she was there for a whole minute.
That will last her for a day or two.
Her eyes are milky in the above photo because she is getting ready to shed.
Late last night I was watching TV and I had put Lady Mortimer in her 'snake bag' to hold her.
(This is a tightly-velcroed mesh bag that I sewed in order to contain her, and I also sewed a carrying strap so I can put it around my neck- as part of my 72 hour emergency kit, I was thinking how I would keep Lady Mortimer safe and warm, and pretty much the only way to do it if the power goes out is to use my own body heat, and the bag makes sure she can't escape. It comes in handy when I have to take her to the vet, too.)
Anyway, sometimes when I am holding her in the evening and I get drowsy I put her in my snake bag so if I drop off to sleep I won't wake up and find her disappeared.
(I used to trust in my ability to find her again, but not after last November's Big Disappearing Act.)
Anyway, I'm glad I did put her in the bag, because I did doze off.
I woke up to a small scratch, scratch noise, repeated over and over.
She had been very dry and crackly on her outer skin and so I knew this was the start of her shed.
I have rarely seen her at the beginning of her shed.
I put her back in her cage so that she will have more surfaces (like her climbing stick and her hiding log) to rub against, which seems to help her pull the old skin loose.
Meanwhile, here's a view with her head completely free (both eye caps pulled right off, a good healthy sign).
I also turned on the humidifier to help her shed more easily.
I expect next morning I shall come back to find a dry old skin and Lady Mortimer looking nice and shiny in her cage.
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