Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The baby bluebirds flew the coop a few weeks ago, but I'm sure Jack picked up the scent...

When I was around 10 or so, we had this one birdhouse with grey titmouse babies in it. One of them always fell out of the nest, so I took to teaching him how to fly - picking him up and letting him flutter short distances. I named him Prince Featherhead. I know now that you're not supposed to handle baby birds, but the mother never seemed to neglect them. One day I took a friend over to show her, opened the bottom of the bird house, and a snake's coils bulged out. In a panic, my friend ran off to get my mom and dad. They came back outside just in time to see me calmly grab the snake by the tail and pull it out of the nest. My mom flipped out and made me let it go. I knew it wasn't venomous but she didn't care. Sadly, she made my dad kill it. Fortunately for the baby bird I'd taught to fly, he was the only one that escaped. I saw him sitting in a branch higher up in the tree. This was a formative experience and later I realized that I'd felt much worse about my dad killing the snake than I had about the snake eating the other baby birds. We never did figure out what kind of snake it was either, I just remember it being a pretty blonde color.

I didn't get to own a snake until I had my own apartment as a senior in college.

Great photos, I especially like that last glamor shot Sorry for the rambling!

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~Cynthia

"And in the spring, I shed my skin and it blows away with the changing wind..."

It's okay Cynthia, I like it when you ramble
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Paul D

www.MoonlightBoas.com

I wish more people would ramble, that's what makes forums more interesting, at least to me. I enjoyed your story.

I think that whole thing about not touching baby birds is a myth. The few experiences I've had with baby birds defies the concept that mother birds will reject babies after being touched by humans.

Thanks,
Ed

>>Ed, as always a set of amazing photos. Apologies to Jack for getting to the buffet table so late.
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No worries, he got three nice size quail later on that evening!

Thanks Cliff!

Ed

Jack has always been one of my favorite snakes. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

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Paul D

www.MoonlightBoas.com

>>Jack has always been one of my favorite snakes. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
>>

Thanks Paul!

Hey Ed, NICE pictures of Jack!!! I love seeing his progress over the years, he is absolutely stunning anymore!!! He also looks to be getting BIG!!!

After seeing how beautiful he is in all black, I wish leucistic was actually a solid black morph rather than white!!! That way we could have BRBs one day that have Jacks color haha, that would be the best of both worlds!!!
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Ike Lightner

2.3 BRB Breeders(Dugo, Sultan, Roxxy, Brazita, & Lucille)
1.0 BRB striped holdback of my 8/23/10 litter of 25 (Nando)
1.1 100% het hypo BRB (Diego & Rasheena)
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0.2 BRBs still on hold. 1 hypo/1 het hypo (Ireena & Liddia)

>>Hey Ed, NICE pictures of Jack!!! I love seeing his progress over the years, he is absolutely stunning anymore!!! He also looks to be getting BIG!!!
>>
>>After seeing how beautiful he is in all black, I wish leucistic was actually a solid black morph rather than white!!! That way we could have BRBs one day that have Jacks color haha, that would be the best of both worlds!!!
>>-----
>>Ike Lightner

Thanks Ike. Yeah, he's getting big, over 6' long now.

You got me thinking. Why are there so many black colubrids, but no black boids???? I did find a video of a rare black boa, but other than that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1H3-I9Ajj0

Thanks,
Ed

Ed,
...Jack is looking great. You get great snakes and take really good care of them. Way to go!
Jeff

>>Ed,
>>...Jack is looking great. You get great snakes and take really good care of them. Way to go!
>>Jeff

Thanks Jeff, appreciate it! I need to start sweet talking my wife, I'm getting the itch for another snake...