Dog Community

rw-Lily will be getting her own pet

Posted : 4/14/2009 8:44:51 AM

She is turning 8 this month, so after the trip to DW we'll be getting her a pet as a present. We had some parameters set and chief among them was ease of upkeep, low noise, contained, and friendly.

She will be getting a corn snake! She is very excited about the prospect and has already printed off a ton of info and care sheets to read and has been telling me all about them all weekend LOL. She is now a Corn Snake, expert LOL.

I am on board...I like snakes and this one is no threat to her or anything else living in the house, a good reasonable size and most apparently have very nice dispositions.

I've contacted a breeder and she is willing to help us choose a nice color/pattern with a temperament to match so that is great. We're excited about it...it's going to live in Zorak's old tank in Lily's room until it grows to a size where we need to change tanks. We talked about what they eat (frozen/thawed pinky mice as hatchlings, to adult mice as grown snakes)...and of course my little carnivore is on board...."hey I eat cows and chickens, that's Nature...so what?" were her exact words LOL.

Should be fun! They live for about 10 years so it's a nice long term commitment for her as well.

glenmar

Posted : 4/14/2009 8:59:26 AM

Shuddering at the very thought! Feet tucked up under me......

Better you than me, Gina. I'd have to move out.

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:03:36 AM

LOL Glenda...I will NOT post pictures of it in any thread not clearly marked..I promise okay? I respect your fear...they are very colorful and pretty tho. Wink

Benedict

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:04:24 AM

rwbeagles
"hey I eat cows and chickens, that's Nature...so what?" were her exact words LOL.

LMBO that's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Has she picked a name yet?

Liesje

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:06:19 AM

Cool!

We were not allowed to have dogs or cats (my mom hates cats, and both parents thought we didn't have enough time or space for a dog which was probably true) so they let me keep guinea pigs. I miss those little squeakers, I'll probably get some for my future kids when they beg for a pet.

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:09:03 AM

Benedict

Has she picked a name yet?

Nope...we're waiting to see what color/pattern and sex we eventually end up with. She reaally liked one particular pattern but the breeder said they tend to be fiesty and a bit hard to handle so she wouldn't reccomend one for a child's first snake...she'll be bummed but there are just SO many to choose from I think she'll get over it. Smile

BlackLabbie

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:13:49 AM

Very cool!

My first pet (that was all my own) was an all black (surprise, lol) mini lop bunny named Upity. IDK where I got that name from, but I was around 8yrs old, too. He lived about 10yrs, so this bunny saw me from elementary school to the begining of college!

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:21:21 AM

BTW I have advised Lily that she might consider telling her brother Eli that her new pet is not in fact a Corn Snake...but is in fact a "South American Brother Eating Snake"...might make for a VERY secure bedroom!

luvmyfurbabys

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:26:54 AM

Gina you are so funny. I think snakes are cool I would not want one because while I am a meat eater I just can't see my self feeding a living breathing thing to another one. Smile

iluvjamison

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:33:41 AM

glenmar

Shuddering at the very thought! Feet tucked up under me......

Better you than me, Gina. I'd have to move out.

Ditto.

Deb W.

glenmar

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:34:28 AM

Thank you Gina. You, and most of the others who have been here for any length of time KNOW that they need to put a warning in the title!

You are right, corn snakes actually are rather pretty. I worked really hard on desensitizing myself when I was at Petsmart on a regular basis with the rescue. I could TOUCH them, so long as someone held them with their faces away from me so that they couldn't bite me, and I stopped having to go way around to avoid their tanks. And, could even stop and look at them. So, I think I've maybe stepped down from severe phobia to just phobia. But, its a heck of a lot different in a tank than in the real world!

Is it true that some varieties of snake are "born" while others come out as little eggs? I'd heard that, but researching snakes online and actually seeing the pics doesn't do much for this feeble hearted soul!

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:37:06 AM

yes there are live bearing snakes. It's not really like people...with placentas and all that...more like the eggs bust INSIDE the momma and then she expels the babies ready to roll...LOL.

I asked the breeder about the egg thing as I don't want non fertile eggs showing up all the time...so we are looking to get a male if they lay without being bred.

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:40:31 AM

luvmyfurbabys
while I am a meat eater I just can't see my self feeding a living breathing thing to another one.

She won't be...you buy the mice dead...frozen...at Petsmart or similar places. Kinda like you buy your steaks in a store LOL, or your Raw for your dog from a dealer/butcher. You thaw them out then feed them to the snake. Live feeding of adult mice can result in an injured snake so most people don't do it. BUT some Corns REFUSE anything but live...and the breeder will tell you so, so you can be prepared.

I don't have a problem with either method. I fed my Mantis butterflies and crickets live all the time...she is a hunter...it is her way. I'd be a hypocrite to do that without an issue but flinch about a mouse just because it's furry/cute. But I certainly can see other's having a hard time with it and don't judge anyone on that score. Smile

JackieG

Posted : 4/14/2009 9:53:50 AM

Corn snakes are so pretty! I love snakes but have never owned one. Can't wait to see pic's.

aDorkable

Posted : 4/14/2009 11:40:41 AM

From a friend's experience, don't thaw them[the mice] in the microwave. They will explode.

I have a Ghost Corn now named Captain Jaq, he's about 6 years old and I've had him since he was 2. He's about 6 ft long. I do feed him live (or recently killed), but he was a confirmed feeder when I got him. Never once turned away a meal -- live or frozen. I'm very intrigued that you guys are going through a breeder, let us know how it goes!

I also had a little guy named Epicac for a while, but he was mean. What color was she considering that was "feisty"? I don't see how any one color would be more feisty than another unless it's a Rat Snake cross, which is what Epicac was.