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Posted - 19/04/2011 : 14:22:29
Well, as some of you may know, I've been toying with the idea of abandoning my royal breeding plans and, while keeping my royals (and corns) as pets, getting a Hogg Island boa, having fallen in love with Lotabob's Sanke. Went after one on Preloved, but it was sold ...
Been keeping an eye on the stock of an online rep shop which has a good choice of snakes at reasonable prices, and couriers them for £14/15. Although there have been no HIBs so far, a critter called a gopher snake has caught my attention.
Gopher snake? It's a colubrid, closely related to the bull and pine snakes, comes from California and surrounding regions, may grow to 6 or 9' and is often mistaken for a rattlesnake, owing to its appearance and defence display. Adult snakes are actually very placid on the whole. Husbandry is very similar to the needs of a corn snake.
Off to google. Oh boy. I'm lost. What a fabulous snake!
I get back to the shop. (I DO enquire if any HIBs are expected soon, just to delay the moment of temptation. No. Oh. So I enquire about the gopher.)
She's 4/5 months, and well grown on, about the thickness of a man's thumb. 'And an attitude to match.'
'Oh,' I say, (knowledgeably lol)'but it's all bluff, isn't it?'
'Not with this one.' An honest shop, good on them.
That does it. As with Missy, (who is calming down well but still has her moments) I can't resist a snake with an 'attitude problem.'
Think I'm going to end up as the female counterpart of Chewy on Snakebyte TV if I carry on like this.
Well, need some understanding, don't they? Special voice, bit of psychology, hmm? ... Evil little sods, but I like a challenge.
And young snakes are often nippy and zippy - she's got time to calm down ...I hope! Er, 9' and STILL nippy and zippy? What a prospect!!
She's coming on Thursday. Her name is Ziska. (Gophers come from California, right? San Francisco ... Francesca, Franziska ... Ziska.)
Eagerly awaiting Ziska!
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| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
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Posted - 26/04/2011 : 10:03:10
Mystery cleared up - it's official - she's a girl! Many thanks to the shop for sorting that out.
And another little girl will be arriving from the same shop tomorrow - a caramel motley corn hatchling. And after that, no more snakes as I'll have run out of room ...
Fun though, isn't it ...
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Posted - 25/04/2011 : 18:54:45
Ah, well, thereby hangs a tale ...
Since I realised she was getting up early in the morning and getting into a tizzy, striking at Mouse the cat through the viv window (perhaps because Mouse had noticed her and come across to investigate; perhaps because all my snakes seem to have been fascinated with the cats on arrival, and totally unafraid) I've been propping polystyrene sheets against her viv window at bedtime, so that she can wake and explore without distraction. Which she has; there are deep piles of aspen at either end of the viv; both are riddled with Ziska-sized burrows.
Since then she's been invisible, but I reckon this is all to the good; a nice gentle settling-in time.
However, there is one comic problem. When I rang to place the order, I was told she was female. The other day, tidying up and putting away her travelling box, I noticed it was marked with: 'Gopher snake' and the MALE symbol of 0 and upward-facing arrow ...
A case of someone getting the symbols mixed up?
A case of a snake changing sex in transit?
I've emailed the shop and asked them to confirm 'her'?? gender - but how embarrassing for 'her' if she turns out to be a 'him'!
Plus I'll have to change 'her' name ...
Ohh dear ...
Amendment - this isn't meant to be any sort of 'accusation' towards the shop.
No snake's sex can be conclusively proved, even by probing, and in any case, I would have bought this snake since she/he is to be a pet only - and I've made this clear to the shop.
Just pointing this out since I've remembered another member recently had a run-in with a buyer who accused them of marketing a snake of the 'wrong' sex.
As I said above, this is a 'comic' matter and I'd just like to know which sex 'Ziska' is, out of interest only. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 25/04/2011 : 18:38:08
How is the wannabe rattler settling in? |
| n/a |
Posted - 22/04/2011 : 22:50:11
Pics in 'other reptile photos' |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 21/04/2011 : 12:30:19
Yey, welcome home Ziska. |
| n/a |
Posted - 21/04/2011 : 11:32:14
She's arrived!
She's gorgeous - and a lovely big lass for her age!
During her journey she's amused herself by shedding, and at present she's sitting in her travelling box in her viv. While removing all the tape from the box I was treated to the full 'rattlesnake display' - well, who could blame her? A mystery tour in the dark and then suddenly full daylight and a strange pair of hands taking liberties with her box! So no quick handle or pics before installing her.
Full marks to Blue Lizard for a really beautiful snake and excellent courier service - AND the courier had actually kept a gopher snake himself. Feisty, he said.
Welcome home, Ziska!
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Posted - 20/04/2011 : 15:06:43
LOL - you know me - there'll be updates all right!
OMG I'm counting the hours, but a good thing I delayed the courier - those vivs have not gone to plan ...
Partly it's my own fault, since I have my city and guilds in the Laurel and Hardy method of carpentry, but also ... window tracking. I'm now an authority on window tracking and glass fitting. They're in - at last - but I'm cream-crackered.
Hitching up all the electrics tonight (after a good rest) and then ...touch wood...that's me viv stack! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 20/04/2011 : 13:11:37
Oh brilliant, I'm very intrigued to see how you get on, I like animals with a bit of character, a bit of fight in them so I will need regular updates. |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/04/2011 : 11:56:58
Ooooh, Bob, oooh nooo!
I only watched the first few seconds! I'd never do that to my cats!!
(Now cats throwing humans - that would be a laugh!)
24 hours and Ziska will be here! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:55:33
BATS I Found it, I can't help it but I can't help but think of this and associate it with you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2-15mYWpmA&feature=related |
| n/a |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:35:22
Hah - cute!
Reminds me of Kermit the frog!
Sweeeeet little thing ... just don't let THAT nibble your nose!! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:24:09
OK I am about to reveal my dream snake, the ultimate climax to my collection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpE4U6DoTo
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Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:21:42
Ha - like me you've weakened - I see a gopher takeover looming!!
They are drop dead gorgeous, you've got to admit! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:19:00
They are really cute, think I might see if you survive a week and possibly add it to the wishlist. |
| n/a |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 23:08:50
LOL - snake and cat woman of Wakey is here to stay - if you were a gopher snake, rolling along in the California brush, just minding your own business, and some trendy jogger or pesky child chased you and grabbed you to make a cute video, YOU'D huff!
Can't wait to meet Ziska! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 22:52:36
Yeah I just visited the tube of you and every video is the gopher attacking the camera or generally rattling and hissing. It was nice knowing you BATS, lol. |
| n/a |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 22:44:13
LOL - edited;
Cat lady of Wakey HYPNOTISES huffing gopher!
(Now you're a GOOD girl, aren't you?)
LOL - have to laugh - yesterday sitting on doorstep talking to kids in street ...Tristan (my mate Tristan) said: 'It's like a JUNGLE in Lil's house!'
ps have you googled vids of gophers - they are amazing!! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 22:19:55
quote:
Originally posted by BurnedAtTheStake but as if she had a 9 foot Gopher
Yeah, that's the impression I got, that it was all bravado, but hatchlings can be pretty feisty until they settle down and get bigger.
OMG can't wait to get heftghjkm.....
NEXT DAY, WAKEY NEWS.
CAT LADY OF WAKEY DRAGGED OFF BY HUFFING GOPHER! |
| n/a |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 21:55:39
Yeah, that's the impression I got, that it was all bravado, but hatchlings can be pretty feisty until they settle down and get bigger.
OMG can't wait to get her - I could have had her couriered tomorrow but as they first suggested Thurs thought I'd wait the extra day in order to get the viv stack spot on. (Wonder why they suddenly said - well we can send her on Wed? Bet she's a right little pain in the whatsit lol!)
They are soooo beautiful! I do like boas, but as soon as I saw that broad face and bold pattern, I thought ... aah!
There IS a photo of her actually - on Blue Lizard - if you go into livestock (snakes) and scroll down to the end of snakes for sale, you come to the sold snakes, and she's there, sticking her tongue out, bless!! |
| sandi |
Posted - 19/04/2011 : 21:31:34
Dont know much about them really, only that they do a good impression of a rattler and i guess they got a reputation from that. The bull snake was the first big snake i ever handled so im a bit soft on them and they are definitely softies so im sure the gopher is full of bullish bravado really. |
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