| T O P I C R E V I E W |
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Posted - 30/10/2011 : 11:22:11
It's a good thing I'm an insomniac!
Today I woke at 5am with the youngest cat, Mouse, on the bed with me as usual. Presently she jumped down and peered into Saada's viv.
My bed is under the window; the six-viv stack is against the opposite wall. Saffy's viv is nearby. So I have a view of the stack from my bed, and the red light's handy for night time visits to the loo.
No sign of Saada and Mouse returned to the bed. Saffy was out in her viv; the rest were quiet. I came back to bed and wondered if I'd sleep. Then I heard something.
A sort of shuffling scrape, followed by a subdued scrabbling, as of something light falling. It stopped. Then it came again. One of the snakes, it had to be, messing about in the viv. Or a cat? Whatever it was, it couldn't be very important. I closed my eyes ...
Scrape ...scrape ....shuffling thud ...must be Saffy.
I knew it was nothing untoward. Mouse, who is the most stressy cat on the planet, was snoozing and unconcerned.
But ...scrape ...scrape ....shuffle ...I got up and checked Saffy, who was lying still. No activity from the other vivs. I went into the back bedroom, where Buffy was asleep in her viv, and Emily, who sleeps on its warm top, greeted me with waving paws.
So what the hell was it?
When I moved here, 12 years ago, a neighbour took great delight in telling me that the place was haunted. There had had to be, so she claimed, an exorcism ...Oh please ...The best reaction to this sort of thing, especially when you're living alone for the first time in your life, is a glassy stare and a reply of, 'Oh, right ...'
Her next door also added her tuppenceworth. A previous occupant had only stayed two days and left in terror. The bathroom was so haunted that she couldn't stay in the house. Hmmm. Another scaremonger.
As it happens, from an early age I'd been unable to deny the existence of ghosts. And yes, I do believe in them - in my experience they exist. But you have to really rationalise an occurrence before you put it down to anything supernatural.
However, as things turned out, I was forced to admit that there is...something ...in the vicinity of my bathroom. Fair enough. It's an old house. Plenty of room for us all.
In the meantime this wasn't getting me any further with tracing the noise. The house on the other side of me is empty. Nothing can come in to my loft and anyway the noise wasn't coming from the loft. Her next door messing about? Wouldn't put it past her.
But SOMETHING was stealthily moving about ...I got up again and put the landing light on.
Well, it's Halloween tomorrow. It's that time of year ...I checked in the back bedroom again, went downstairs and checked. Nothing. Finn, the third cat, asleep, downstairs snakes asleep ...perhaps, if it really was my unseen presence in the bathroom, the lights and activity would deter it ...all the same, I thought, it was a Bit Much ... (no offence old chap, but I WOULD like to get back to sleep ...)
Nothing fallen, not so much as a kitchen roll off the top of a viv or a dislodged towel or a book off a shelf ...I'm untidy and things tend to topple everywhere. Nothing.
I went back to bed, but switched on the bedroom overhead light first, just for an extra check. The top of the viv stack is littered with snakekeeper's junk - rubs, kitchen roll, scales, tongs and the like; perhaps something up there had caused the noise?
Something certainly had. A familiar fat gold and black backside hung down over Surahi's viv window. Shahi!
How the hell had he got out? All the viv windows were closed; the white rubber wedges in place. Then I looked again - and saw a gap at one side of his viv glass ...I'd changed water bowls the previous day and although I'm very careful about making sure viv doors are closed, it's quite easy, when pushing a wedge into place, to slide a door ajar. But I had checked and rechecked ...Nevertheless, Shahi had got out.
How the hell had he got up there? His viv is in the middle of the stack; an escapee would be more likely to slither floorwards. He hadn't. Somehow my big lad had scaled the smooth front of the viv stack and was pottering about in the junk on top...was it because of Surahi? He's been getting very macho just lately, started his fast, full grown young male ...and Surahi's breeding weight and also fasting.
I picked him up. Snakes are usually cool to the touch but he was icy. How long had he been out? I checked his nose for rub marks but he was fine. He refused to go back in his viv; he was as wriggly and argumentative as a colubrid and in the end I got back into bed with him and turned on the electric blanket, low, to give him a warm. He explored with interest, totally hyper, brushing his feathery tongue over my face and zooming off down to my feet before falling angelically asleep on my stomach. For a while. Then he wanted to explore again. At 6.30 I returned him to his viv, having first checked temps and for any mess, in case that was bothering him. I also sellotaped the doors fast - just as well, because he was straight on to them. At 10.30 this morning he was still hyper.
Was he hungry? He hasn't eaten for three weeks. I'd planned to offer food to the royals today and had a rat defrosting so as soon as it was ready I offered it, and he has just taken it.
Apparently he's none the worse for his adventure. I'm shattered! But very very glad I woke and found him ...
Happy Halloween! 
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| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
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Posted - 07/11/2011 : 10:56:41
Thanks, Missy - yes, he's coming tomorrow os I'm having a royal tidy-up today ...world's most untidy person lol.
Hope you find your pastel soon. |
| missycupcake |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 00:22:39
lol bats this is so cute and funny :)
i see your getting another royal yeyyy im looking for a pastel atm for my 2nd one x |
| n/a |
Posted - 05/11/2011 : 21:07:01
Well, as a postscript ...
Woke at three this morning and decided to get up for a while ...and someone else, guess who, was also awake...
I went to talk to him, and opened his viv door ...want to come for armchair walkies, Shahi?
He wasn't sure until I put a hand in with him, and then he came out confidently, on to my shoulder ...then changed his mind and periscoped up against the viv frame and ...sliiiide ...up he went to Surahi's viv, again!
His viv is in the left hand middle of the stack; Surahi's is the top right hand viv. The air spaces between the vivs are masked by thin varnished slats, attached by those velcro pads ...Shahi attached himself to a slat and, holding on to his climbing branch with his tail and bracing himself on the slat, it was an easy matter to scale the viv front like a cat burglar ...clever aren't they?
On this occasion however, not so clever. The velcro gave way under his weight and I was left juggling slat and Shahi as everything collapsed. Idiot snake!
He allowed himself to be taken downstairs for armchair walkies ...meant I couldn't smoke but I reckoned his need was greater than mine ...he wrapped himself round my neck and, by the warmth of the fire, fell asleep for an hour. I felt rather like a parent with a small demanding baby, and like the parent of a newborn, I think this may happen again ...and again ...
He went back into his hide, good as gold, afterwards though.
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Posted - 31/10/2011 : 11:35:51
Thanks, Lorraine, not half he isn't...
He was out again last night, but not as hyper, thank goodness. I'm sorely tempted to let him and Surahi breed, especially after yesterday, but fear I'd never part with the offspring ...we-ell ...could break into my savings and with a little reshuffling of furniture, build another stack in the back bedroom ...
No, I must not get tempted! |
| Lorraine |
Posted - 31/10/2011 : 11:20:24
Great tale Bats. He's a boy isn't he? lol. |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 16:51:21
LOL - I tried those bad boys ...the first one reduced me to a gibbering wreck ...I needed three hands and a kink in my viv doors ....aaarrrgghhhh!!!!
Viv locks and me are not compatible ...pity, as they would give a worrybucket like me real peace of mind ...
Thank heavens, the lad has now gone to sleep ...until darkness falls and he emerges from his lair, ready for more wicked adventures ...It's a teenage male's dream, isn't it, to find a beautiful older woman to seduce him. I fear there may be more trouble ahead ...
From ghoulies and ghosties
And long slithery beasties
Going bonk in the night,
May the good lord deliver me ... |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 16:38:22
I use these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ProRep-Reptile-Vivarium-Lock-100mm-Key-Same-/130459536548?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Reptiles_Spiders_Insects&hash=item1e5ffe8ca4
I attached one to each of the vivariums and they haven't budged an inch. |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 15:53:01
quote:
Originally posted by frambo
Wow what a story... talk about slipping across the corridor for a night time encounter haha.
Sorry to sidetrack but you said he was very cold? What temp is your room? Mine gets to about 19 in the night and her faun is only heated with a heatmat to 33 in the hide. Worried she may be feeling cold...
And one more thing, how much red light is given out by the IR? Was just thinking today if it would annoy me or what.
Thanks BATS!
Oops sorry, Frambo, we overlapped lol. I don't know the room temp, but I rarely heat it tbh as this is an inner terrace. I have central heating for the really cold weather. I just keep an eye on my temps and let the stats keep the vivs warm. It is easier with vivs in a cool room as they keep the heat in better - I think you do need a warmer room for a faun or rub. The light is very dim, as Bob says (didn't know that about ceramic and IR, Bob!) - just enough to see my way to the bathroom, which is next door, but not enough to see an escapee snake - I never noticed him until I put the overhead light on. You sort of get used to it.
LOL, Love-My-Snakes, I once woke up - and the hot bathtap was full on! That was really strange. Rational explanation can only be that I'd sleepwalked, but I don't think I do ...
Those viv locks would be great, only I just can't get them to stay put ...I've seen an Australian magnetic lock, but can't seem to source it in the uk, pity ... |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 15:10:18
Frambo its not a massive amount of red, its far softer than a normal red bulb thats for sure. I dont understand these IR bulbs though because infrared shouldn't be visible yet you can see it so it cant be proper infra red lol. True infrared is produced by ceramic heat bulbs. |
| I-love-my-snakes |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 15:09:25
Hahaha, maybe you should get some locks with keys for the vivs then. Would be quite impressive if your creepy flat mate could open them too ;-) |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 14:25:09
Thanks guys ...yes, when they get as cold as that they often just curl up and go to sleep in a corner; I was very lucky that he stayed so active. Ohh...Bob, you've got me thinking now ...a snake friendly ghost who feels sorry for poor randy Shahi ...maybe there was a plot to open Surahi's viv too and ...Shahi gets his wicked way??? (And so does Surahi for that matter lol...)
Come to think of it, if he did open his own viv, he could have probably opened Surahi's too ...the mind boggles. Despite his meal, he's still on the go, but the sellotaped doors seem to be defeating him ...is he going to be like this all winter, I ask myself ??? |
| frambo |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 14:23:47
Wow what a story... talk about slipping across the corridor for a night time encounter haha.
Sorry to sidetrack but you said he was very cold? What temp is your room? Mine gets to about 19 in the night and her faun is only heated with a heatmat to 33 in the hide. Worried she may be feeling cold...
And one more thing, how much red light is given out by the IR? Was just thinking today if it would annoy me or what.
Thanks BATS! |
| LittlestarRed |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 13:33:43
LOL! Bless Him! That is a great story! Glad you found him when you did, poor naughty cold snakey! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 13:21:35
LMAO naughty snake, yeah my money is on the ghost opening the door. |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 12:41:07
Lol - thanks guys ...maybe he was just going trick or treating?
Oh boy I AM glad I found him! I'm amazed Mouse, the cat, didn't show more interest, but yes, it's true this household is so weird I expect she thought it was normal. |
| reptilemadd |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 12:30:04
Lol Bats with all your little anicdotes you should put a book together, "the life and times of a self confessed snake nut " lmao nice story though and glad you found him...... |
| I-love-my-snakes |
Posted - 30/10/2011 : 12:23:07
:-D Great story, well written, very entertaining :-D But maybe he just got upset cause of that ghost, who knows?......... |
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