Reptile & Amphibian Forums

here's another pic of one of the extreme's I'll probably keep from this years production.

Another reason I think I'm going to be keeping this one is that besides looking nice and light, he is also a fantastic eater, but even more importantly, he is just unbelievably calm. Most hatchlings usually thrash around wildly and crap all over the place when they are held, but this little dude is as calm and easy going as they come. I have NEVER seen a hatchling in all my years any more mellow than this guy. To me, this just makes him that much more special, and I think he is just plain all-around COOL!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Very nice Doug!! On another note, do you find the "chips" better then shredded substrate? (sounds like a cereal commercial).LOL

Really nice hypo, Doug; I would definitely keep him. You have some other very calm snakes... You might just come up with a calm strain right out of the egg, and guarantee no musking, biting or anything other than slow, deliberate movements!

Thanks, and it's funny you mentioned that too, because recently I've been giving some serious thought to breed some other stuff I have for being less thrashy, and having calmer dispositions. There is no doubt at all that a lot of their individual behavioral characteristics are inherited from both the parents, just like any other trait is.

I bred two freak-out nervous psycho ghost parents together, and they followed suite perfectly too, they all bite and crap all over me the second they are touched, and never stop.

I have some anery clutches that came from two fantastically mild-mannered parents, and the offspring are all absolute sweet-hearts too. they didn't even crap and musk me when I sexed them, they just calmly went about their business as I was doing it. How often does that happen with Hondo hatchlings?, not very, that's for sure, that is extremely rare to have happen. I've seen these same things over and over over the years.

Yeah, those ghosts, as nice as they are, are real pains in the ass to do anything with, they just smack their heads on everything possible, and biting trying to escape the big "monster" man..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Thanks Joe!,....

Well, actually no, I like the shredded aspen a lot better, other than it can be more dusty though too, depending on what brand it is, and who packages it. It absorbs way better in my opinion, but I was in a bind a while back, and paid less than half the amount for more of the chips, so since I needed some substrate real bad at the time, I went ahead and got this. I might go ahead and mix the two different bags next time, when I have mixed it in the past, it works much better that the big chunky chips do alone. When the chips are too big, it's sort of like expecting a 2 x 4 to be absorbant..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

LOL. Thanks Doug. I was just curious as I have used the chips before too. I had gotten some real cheap at Tractor Supply and stop using it when I read the fine print that stated "this bag might contain other pet friendly wood". YIKES. Most think cedar is PET friendly. I got "this might or might not kill your snakes" from that !!!! I use the shredded type too and am okay with it but I am always looking for the "better" substrate.

Yeah, I hear ya bro!, it seems that most everything is a compromise to one degree or another...LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

It's hard to beat the brilliant colors of a nice hypo (extreme or otherwise).

-Cole

Thanks cole!, you are right about that buddy!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Awesome snake Doug. Brilliant colors, very symmetrical banding and a great eater to boot. Can't beat that.

Dave
DNS Reptiles

Thanks Dave, yes, You're right, this dude has it all as far as I'm concerned. I was just freakin' blown away at how easy-going he is too, just unbelievably so.

take care, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Beautiful animal Doug. Most of the time it's the good looking animals that are either nervous, pissy, or non feeders.
Steve

"Most of the time it's the good looking animals that are either nervous, pissy, or non feeders."

Thanks Steve!, yes, you are right, I have a good number of all the above that you mentioned too, and it does usually tend to be that way for some stupid reason..LOL!

All the other hypo clutch mates to that one are being real pains about eating too, even with different scenting, braining, etc.., same with some other stuff too, that should normally be scarfing down meals. I just don't get it. This year is still nice and warm in eastern central Florida too, yet many of these want to try my patience to their limit!...geeez!

Oh well, at least I don't have to worry about THIS particular one..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"