Yes, hello All. I haven't been on these forums in years, but I felt like sharing something special to me.
Today, August 2nd, my longest-term-kept Chrysopelea ornata ssp. of nearly five (5) years--"Angina" her name was, 'custom-derived' from Indonesian 'angin' meaning "wind"--died what I believe a natural death. I had received her on September 15, 2005, from Jeff Kowalsky of Exotic Aquatic Reptile in MN whom I had obtained MANY C. ornata ssp. from and kept successfully.
Angina was WC and full-grown to begin with, but she was as healthy and beautiful as could be. She had been kept in the same exact spot of the basement all her time, only having switched enclosures once a few years ago, from a 29-gallon aquarium to a nice Exo-Terra PT2612 (24"Wx18"Dx24"H). Everybody of the select few to travel the basement loved viewing her...she was always so conscious/alert and cute with her big round pupils, and of course attractive as We all know the genus of Chrysopelea is.
Her last shed was on April 30th of this year (previous shed was on 9/30/09), in one piece minus the eye caps which I found peculiar. I did everything I could to safely remove them (all "tricks of the trade" exercised), but to no avail. It reminded me of ancient "Pagan" times when the elderly became too old and weak and had nothing more to offer the village...to keep their dignity, they would then wander the forest to whither. This told me Angina's time was coming. But she continued to tough it out, be moderately active up and down from her tree, and ate:
5/10: 1 peach fuzzy
5/19: 2 peach fuzzies
5/27: 3 peach fuzzies
6/4: 3 peach fuzzies
6/21: 3 peach fuzzies...her last meal
Since that final meal, I observed ever so slowly-progressing emaciation occurring (mostly in the posterior third of her body), and she had also had this abnormally big infection- or tumor-looking bulge post-neck/beginning of body for a very long time (about a year perhaps), yet she had NO problems eating and keeping it down, and her feces were indicative of this. Id est, the food was able to pass through this area without problems, and thus ingestion-->digestion appeared normal. But I have pictures for anyone and everyone willing to try and diagnose what Angina could have possibly had - I just wish I could post more than one at a time on here...? I am sure it was directly or indirectly linked to her death, along with the retained eye caps to the end which impaired her vision to possible blindness.
I like to believe Angina died a natural death, as again, she was WC and full-grown to begin with when I got her on September 15, 2005 (yet most healthy and beautiful), and nothing changed with the environment inside and outside of her enclosure, and her f/t food of course parasite-free. Thus, if she was a human, I would regard Angina as having lived a good, healthy and full life and going out with an honourable death.
R.I.P., Angina. (Pre-)9/15/05-8/2/10
Until today, of my eight (8) snakes I had (now, I have seven (7) without Angina), she was the third longest-term-kept one I had. She was a GREAT snake and pet, and though a natural death which is a beautiful thing, it is a sad day for me.
***
Since January 5, 2001, when I received my first-ever Chrysopelea ornata ssp. from Glades Herp, I had become most attached to this species (and also the 0.1 Chrysopelea pelias I had acquired from Glades Herp back in 2003-2004). I had/have also considered this date the beginning of a new era in my now-near-19 years of keeping snakes, where I would specialize in the keeping of rare and unusual species - many that most people had never even heard of - especially rear-fanged/mildly veneomous, most coincidentally coming from (SE) Asia and more coincidentally, most being arboreal.
Not boasting here, I consider myself to be quite experienced with these snakes, and should anyone ever want help or tips on how to properly maintain them--although they've been in trade for a while now, and thus I am sure many more people have had success with them, too--I would be glad to be of assistance and pass my experiences on to You including faults as well ("trial and error," You know?). I am actually contemplating typing up a caresheet.
For the record, I currently own (from longest-term-kept to most recent):
0.1 Leioheterodon madagascariensis, "Pepper," since 10-21-03
0.0.1 Boiga dendrophila, "Eversor" (Latin for "destroy" which has irony - please do inquire, heh), since 10-5-04
0.0.1* Eunectes notaeus, "James," since 4-15-06
1.1 Heterodon nasicus, "Mr. and Mrs. Pug" - the Mrs. since 7-14-09 (inherited from my cousin who went into the military]; the Mr. since 11-11-09
1.0 Lampropeltis getula nigrita, "Blackie," since 10-23-09 (inherited from a former friend who was getting rid of snakes due to busy-ness)
0.0.1 Acrochordus granulatus**, "Flaps," since 4-11-10
*The vendor at the New England Reptile Expo in Manchester, NH, that I purchased James from and I tried to sex it and believe it is a female; however, it was too squirmy, and We didn't want to hurt it, so I'll never be 100% sure until I bring it somewhere, hence the 0.0.1. NOTE: My girlfriend (at the time) and I named it after the most kind vendor, James, whom had assisted Us, before We sexed it. James is also my middle name (truth be told...no stupid expression).
**Yes, the Banded Elephant Trunk Snake, a.k.a. "Little Filesnake" that only a select few around the world have successfully kept long-term. I will take pride in maintaining him for over three (3) months now, and videos of Flaps eating may be viewed at www.acrochordus.com and YouTube. They are the first-ever known videos on the internet.
Thank You, All, for reading this.
Sincerely,
Timothy
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T.J. Gould
...leading to imminent death. As much as I love WC specimens of any herp, I don't believe in it...at least not on a mass-basis, and prolonged. Id est, not just for the particular concern of hypothermia with Acrochordus granulatus do I want to see a (steady) captive-bred population established, but also just so they don't have to caught. Period.