Some pet updates

[Sparky]

If you've been on the board for a while, you know about my greencheek conure Kiwi and that she's been laying eggs every summer since she was nine. Well she's twelve now and way ahead of schedule, she dropped her first egg of the year yesterday. So we have a month plus of hormonal parrot to look forward too, whee. And possibly a bald parrot if she plucks herself again. The upsides are that she's quieter when she's broody and also like ten times snugglier. But her poops are ten times bigger, lol.

The other update is that I got a new snake at a reptile show on Saturday. He is a baby California kingsnake and he's white with black streaks:



He's really fiesty and active, quite a change from Duchess the slug, lol. He's maybe a foot long, I'm not sure. I put aspen shavings in his tank and he has fun burrowing around and popping his little head out like a periscope. I've named him Auryn after the snake medallion in The Never Ending Story (specifically the novel, where one snake is white and the other black). I was originally going to name Duchess Auryn but it just didn't fit her and I went with something else. Anyways I hope he does okay, he's eaten once already and that's good.

[Lynnie]

Such striking markings, he's beautiful! We have baby corn snakes at my workplace right now. They're always so pretty. One is almost entirely white, while the other is a gorgeous golden yellow. I don't get to hold them very often, but I love it when I get a minute or two to play with them.

[pitbulllady]

What a cute little CalKing! I've just got one Kingsnake right now, a fat female Eastern who really needs a boyfriend. I absolutely LIVE for reptile shows, though, since it gives me a chance to be around other people who like the same things I do and don't think I'm crazy!

And Lynnie, I envy you actually being able to work at a place with snakes; I think my own job would seem less stressful if I could have at least one with me at work. They are great animals for stress reduction.

pitbulllady

[Sparky]

For those of you who do not read my Facebook or Twitter, Auryn (the kingsnake pictured above) escaped from his enclosure, probably at least a week ago. I hadn't seen him for a while and figured he was just hiding and not hungry when a mouse was left untouched but I finally picked through his substrate early this morning and he simply wasn't there. These guys are known for escaping from seemingly sealed enclosures, especially when small, so I'm hardly alone. I may or may not find him, he could potentially pop up months from now out of the blue - or he may be gone for good, either escaped outside or deceased for one reason or another. I tore my room apart this morning but he is so little, I could have missed him, and of course he could have left my room. Our whole apartment is such a mess, which doesn't help. I vowed to clean the place up this year months ago so I could shampoo the carpets, which may or may not help in finding him. I have set a "trap" with a heating pad, a hide, and some substrate that smells like mice in my room, so if he's in there that may do it - but he may not even be in there anymore.

I feel pretty crappy about it. He's just a baby, I want him home safe.

[Lynnie]

I really hope he turns up ok. He's such a pretty little thing, and all babies are cute if you ask me, so I'd hate to think he didn't make it. Best wishes in catching him.

[Imaginary Light]

Aw, man. I really hope you find the little guy.

[Sparky]

well I'm glad i decided to take a shower before I went out today, because I found Auryn, he was under the mat in front of the shower. I'd checked there before, I'd checked the whole bathroom (which would be the easiest place to find him in the whole apartment) and he wasn't there before. Maybe he just went in there from the bedroom today.

[Lynnie]

Yay! Glad to hear he's safe and sound now. Hopefully he'll stay put this time.

[Sparky]

Another update, I found Duchess a new home today. I'd been running out of room in the bedroom for a while and have been trying to find her a home for almost a year with no success. I decided to chance it and take her with me to a reptile/invertebrate event over an hour away today and she was pretty much claimed as soon as I walked in. The family has a lot of experience and a designated critter room and everything. The room is kept warm at all times which is good because Duchess has some kind of auto immune disorder according to her vet and catches a chill easily.

So, I will miss her, but its for the best. And I'm sure Auryn will be happy to move into the big tank. Goodbye, Her Royal Duchess Diamond Persnickety, the First, Last, and Only. I'm sure you have found a wonderful home.

[KazooBloo]

How are they today?