Hi everyone! I haven't been here in a long time. Some of you who have been around a while might remember me. I had a website called Here There Be Serpents. I had alot of Corns and also had put together the Corn Snake Gallery that had hundreds of pics donated from people on this forum. I apologize that the website and gallery are now gone, as are all of my Corn snakes. This was due to personal problems I have been dealing with for the past year. Luckily, the problems are being resolved and I have been slowly rebuilding my collection. I am afraid to buy a Corn snake, much as I love them, because I don't believe I will be able to stop with just one. Many of you here can appreciate how hard it is to own a single Corn. I have only 3 snakes currently as you can see in my sig line.
My newest addition is as close as I've come to a Corn so far. He is an integrade between a Yellow Rat and an Everglades Rat. I was told he was a Yellow Rat when I got him, but the folks on the Rat Forum quickly decided that he had some distinct features of an Everglades and was likely a cross. He is an older snake and very well may have been wild caught from an area in Florida where the two species naturally cross.
Brief history on him - He's about 12 years old and had a very rough start to life. He was owned by 2 guys who were not caring for him properly. He was rescued last fall by a friend of mine. He said that there were 3 old sheds and lots of snake and mouse droppings in the cage. The snake was thin and only 4 feet long. They were only feeding him 1 or 2 live mice a month. I figure with that many sheds in the enclosure, they must not have cleaned it for many months, just tossed in the mice and (hopefully) gave him water. That makes me so sad.
My friend got him into a clean enclosure and switched him to f/t rats and chicks. He has put on weight and is in good health. I mentioned wanting another snake, so he offered to give him to me since he has so many animals and no time to work with him. I agreed to take him sight unseen. I hadn't even seen a picture.
I was thrilled on St Pattys day when I got to see the snake for the first time, he was prettier than I thought he would be and has a good temperament considering his background and lack of handling. He is a bit nervous and will hiss and strike if provoked, but with gentle handling he does ok.
I named him Pumpkin because of his orange color and stripes. I'm sure happy with him and hope he likes his new home. Here are some pics...
He has been very tolerant of my taking tons of pics...
Here is his new home, it's a 40 breeder. Don't bother looking for him in there, this pic was taken the day before I got him...
He has a really neat black and red tongue...
The top of his head looks hand painted...
This is the "baby" of my little snake collection. Two year old Wilbur the Hognose...
And the big boy of the group, this is "Bear" (named because he gives such great Bear Hugs!) This was his first public demonstration. I'm hoping Pumpkin will calm down enough to help Bear out with future demos.
If I do break down and get another Corn I'll post pics. I figure eventually I'll run across an older one who's owner doesn't want him/her anymore and I'll open my home and heart. I don't have the time/space for a large collection like I had before, so hopefully if I do get one, I'll be able to actually stop at just one.
I still love stopping in here and looking at all of your beautiful pictures. It's amazing to me the variety of colors and patterns that are still being developed.
Thanks for looking at my pics and listening to my ramble. Hi to all my old friends and nice to meet you if I don't know you!
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www.LynsLair.com
0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow / Everglades Ratsnake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Albino American Bullfrog (Prince)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.9 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Buttercup, Nala, Mystique, Jewel, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Princess Leo, Twister)
i know what you mean about not being able to stop at one, but, as Draybar said, once you have owned one, resistance is futile! LOL
