A new way to protect an expensive item!

[nytrokiss]

Do you need a new way to protect those valuables? If a safe isn''t your thing why don''t you get a Snake! Like Harrods did on a pair of sandals! Read more at http://www.jewelerslounge.com/index.php/harrods-uses-cobra-for-security

 

[strmrdr]

Works for me

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Well considering the owner is Egyptian, I think it''s quite fitting.

 

[Pandora II]

I have two pythons - I have been know to hide my jewellery in their cage when I'm away!

 

[Pandora II]

This is my male one, who is 6 years old and incredibly tame. He''s a Royal Python from Ghana.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Pretty. I don''t mind pythons of the non-man eating size and variety.

 

[scarleta]

Pandora: who looks after your pet while you are gone? Just wondering..Thanks

 

[Pandora II]

I can go away for up to 3 weeks (which never happens) and as long as they have heat and light they are perfectly happy. I get my neighbour to check the waterbowls every week and top up if necessary.

They are really fussy eaters and go on mega long fasts - 9 months sometimes. I was really worried the first time, but the vet said they were in beautiful condition and to only worry if they started to lose weight. So I weigh them every month and they don't seem to have lost more than a few grammes so I stopped panicking. I offer them a defrosted rat regularly if they look like they're hunting but they quite often turn it down. Force feeding is stressful for everyone involved so I don't do it.

They are very nice, shy animals who love to sit on your knee and be stroked! They are also besotted with each other, they say that they are solitary animals but mine are always wrapped round each other and look miserable if they are in different cages. They also have very different personalities which I didn't really expect!

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 9/11/2007 9:17:46 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Pretty. I don''t mind pythons of the non-man eating size and variety.

HERE HERE!

 

[Julianna]

Hey Pandora. I had a jungle carpet python for 6 years, raised him from a baby. He was a lovely guy, very friendly, never bit. Beautiful coloring, more browns and golds than the traditional black and yellow. I miss him, I gave him to our local zoo just recently (not a big zoo, more of a small animal park) when I moved because my roommate would not deal with a snake (and it''s her house).

I fed him huge, thawed rats, too. I wish I had a picture to post. Pythons are the best, most low-maintenance pets ever. So sweet and smooth.

 

[scarleta]

Thank you Pandora for educating me ..I had no idea that they can fast for 9 months...Also if you want rats I have them in my yard and would be glad to part with them..If only I could catch them...Thanks again..

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 9/11/2007 5:16:25 PM
Author: Julianna
Hey Pandora. I had a jungle carpet python for 6 years, raised him from a baby. He was a lovely guy, very friendly, never bit. Beautiful coloring, more browns and golds than the traditional black and yellow. I miss him, I gave him to our local zoo just recently (not a big zoo, more of a small animal park) when I moved because my roommate would not deal with a snake (and it''s her house).

I fed him huge, thawed rats, too. I wish I had a picture to post. Pythons are the best, most low-maintenance pets ever. So sweet and smooth.

Wow, I''ve heard they can be a bit unpredictable - but having any python from a baby tends to make them tamer (not sure I''d ever trust a rectic though!).

Carpet pythons are beautiful - how big was yours? Shame you don''t have any pics.

I told FI I had pythons before I even kissed him - and that they were non-negotiable. Luckily he loves them too - his brother had a reptile shop - and a pet spectacled cayman (that bit him a few times). I''d like a burmese, but FI has said no due to cage size.

Here it''s illegal to feed live food - thank goodness. Though some people get a bit of a surprise if they go into the bottom drawer of my freezer - it''s full of ratcicles!

Tell me about low-maintenance! The hedgehogs have been a real shock to the system after an animal that poops once every few months and eats 3 times a year if I''m lucky.

God knows how I''d cope with a baby that wants feeding and changing x times a day!


No problem Scarleta - I can talk snakes till the cows come home. I''ll have to decline on the rats - first I don''t think they''d travel too well and customs might take a dim view, and secondly it''s not good to feed wild-caught, they end up with parasites and worming a python is not easy (I''ve tried it, Portius had a severe allergic reaction and ended up on a drip at the vets). All my rats are specially bred as snake food, with a specific diet and extra vitamins. I could never feed live - I''d end up with hundreds of rats because they had nice faces or something! My sister has pet ones and they are so intelligent.

Actually talking of rats - I was looking at the Giant Gambian Pouched Rats (the ones they use for mine clearing) and was rather tempted. Imagine a 3ft rat weighing 6lbs - not that they are actually rats, they are a rat-like rodent. So cool!

 

[Julianna]

Date: 9/11/2007 8:05:41 PM
Author: Pandora II

Wow, I've heard they can be a bit unpredictable - but having any python from a baby tends to make them tamer (not sure I'd ever trust a rectic though!).

Carpet pythons are beautiful - how big was yours? Shame you don't have any pics.

Ohhhh I have pics!

Just didn't have any at work. Here is my baby Basil. Last I saw him, he was just about 6 feet long and I couldn't get my hand all the way around him. As far as I know, that's about as big as a male jungle carpet will get. So here he is:

 

[Julianna]

Date: 9/11/2007 8:05:41 PM
Author: Pandora II

Wow, I've heard they can be a bit unpredictable - but having any python from a baby tends to make them tamer (not sure I'd ever trust a rectic though!).

Yes, I did want to state that sometimes he looked at me like I was dinner. More often than not, actually.

I told FI I had pythons before I even kissed him - and that they were non-negotiable. Luckily he loves them too - his brother had a reptile shop - and a pet spectacled cayman (that bit him a few times). I'd like a burmese, but FI has said no due to cage size.

You mean, BASEMENT size? When those things hit 25 feet it's only safe to open the hatch and throw in the live chicken. Hee hee.

Here it's illegal to feed live food - thank goodness. Though some people get a bit of a surprise if they go into the bottom drawer of my freezer - it's full of ratcicles!

Yeah I kept 'em on the freezer door. The place I bought from shipped them all lined up cuddly-like in meat trays, a la hamburger. Awwww...

Tell me about low-maintenance! The hedgehogs have been a real shock to the system after an animal that poops once every few months and eats 3 times a year if I'm lucky.

Basil was eating once a month, sometimes once every two months. Hence I got monthly poos. Kept him on cage carpet though, so I just threw it in the washing machine and voila!

It's so good to find another snakey person on here. I really miss Bas but it's fun to talk about him.

 

[scarleta]

No problem Scarleta - I can talk snakes till the cows come home. I''ll have to decline on the rats - first I don''t think they''d travel too well and customs might take a dim view, and secondly it''s not good to feed wild-caught, they end up with parasites and worming a python is not easy (I''ve tried it, Portius had a severe allergic reaction and ended up on a drip at the vets). All my rats are specially bred as snake food, with a specific diet and extra vitamins. I could never feed live - I''d end up with hundreds of rats because they had nice faces or something! My sister has pet ones and they are so intelligent.
Thanks again.I had no clue??? Must be costly to have special rats for your pets? Fascinating ...

 

[Pandora II]

Your Basil is beautiful - gorgeous colours, and big! Can you go and visit him at the zoo at all?

My two are just over 4ft - which is quite big for a Royal and just fit in the space between my index finger and thumb. I''d like to get Milly a bit bigger by next Spring so I can breed her. !


Scarleta, Rats are quite expensive here - $4 each, but there isn''t a big demand so the shops can charge what they want. I''m looking into mail-order, but it''s tricky as I work all day and would hate to come home to some defrosted parcel on my doorstep! It''s way cheaper than vets bills though.

They are seriously good pets - especially for kids as they don''t need a huge amount of maintenance. I would probably recommend corn-snakes over pythons though, as they are easier to get to eat and don''t need as much of a heating system., definitely not a boa constrictor, they can get BIG, and tend to be a bit nippy (which is okay when they''re babies - but not when they''re adults!). I''ve never been bitten by my two yet - but then they can live for up to 57 years (30-40 on average) so there''s plenty of time yet!

My aunt swore she''d never have a snake in the house, but everytime her 10 year old son came over he spent hours playing with mine - he got a corn-snake for xmas! I used to take them into schools to teach the kids about reptiles - the parents all hated me as the kids all went home and asked for a pet snake

 

[scarleta]

Thanks Pandora again.I would not consider it as a pet because they scare me.I thank you for educating me on them..

 

[Julianna]

Date: 9/12/2007 7:16:43 PM
Author: Pandora II
Your Basil is beautiful - gorgeous colours, and big! Can you go and visit him at the zoo at all?

My two are just over 4ft - which is quite big for a Royal and just fit in the space between my index finger and thumb. I''d like to get Milly a bit bigger by next Spring so I can breed her. !


Scarleta, Rats are quite expensive here - $4 each, but there isn''t a big demand so the shops can charge what they want. I''m looking into mail-order, but it''s tricky as I work all day and would hate to come home to some defrosted parcel on my doorstep! It''s way cheaper than vets bills though.


My aunt swore she''d never have a snake in the house, but everytime her 10 year old son came over he spent hours playing with mine - he got a corn-snake for xmas! I used to take them into schools to teach the kids about reptiles - the parents all hated me as the kids all went home and asked for a pet snake

I can go visit whenever I want, he''s in the Australia exhibit with the other jungle carpets.

He''s far more beautiful (and larger) than the others and easy to pick out. I''m afraid to visit, though, as a crying woman at the Australia exhibit might scare the children.

I got my rats from mousefactory.com. I think I remember reading that you weren''t in the USA, so they might not ship to you, but if they DO, I must say that they treated me very well through all the years I had Bas. I had a lot of questions from the onset, as he was my first snake.

That''s great that you used to take your snakes to school to teach the kids. So many people grow up mortified of snakes, and I think it is because they were taught that way. I know that my mom was always very nonchalant about all animals when I was growing up, and it rubbed off on me. My mom offered on more than one occassion to knit Basil (her "grandsnake") a snake sleeping bag.