Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm constantly reminded of that scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Indiana Jones looks into the well of souls for the first time and sees all the snakes waiting for him. "Snakes", he says. "Why did it have to be snakes?"

My hatchling western coachwhips won't eat pinkies. They won't eat frogs, fish, chicken-flavor, egg-flavor, lizards, lizard-flavor. Two have begun self-feeding on live pinks but it's not steady enough to keep up with their metabolism so I sweat it out between feedings.

I poured some water into the dish and one of the self-feeders rushed the dish, attacking the water splash like it was prey. No pinks, but he attacks falling water. They only do it to annoy me.

Why did it have to be snakes?

You could send those annoying westerns to me and take up flower arranging.

Seriously you have some real nice looking westerns. Are these the babies from Cujo and freind?
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BigT
There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The ignorant can be taught, stupidity is beyond our control.
1.2 P. m. melanoleucus B/W N. J. Northern Pines
1.2 P. d. deppei Mexican Pines
2.2 P. l. lineaticollis Linis or Lined Pines
1.2 P. m. lodingi Black Pines
1.1 Drymarchon melenurus Blacktail Cribo
1.2 M. s. cheynei Jungle Carpet
2.6 L. p. pyromelana Arizona Mt. Kings
1.1 L. g. californiae B/W Cali kings
0.0.3 M. f. flagellum Eastern Coachwhips
1.2 G. m. bottegoi Western Plated lizards

You're right--I should take up flower arranging. They'd probably all wilt. Except the Poison Ivy. Adams Family flower arranging.

Thanks for the compliment on the westerns, although I can't claim credit for their looks as I'm not related by blood....unless you count the blood they've helped themselves to over the years. In that case, we're very close.

The one that attacked the falling water is indeed one of the Cujo/Red babies. He redeemed himself by eating today. He and one of his sisters both feed voluntarily on live pinks. She also ate today--I clean the mouse colony on Sundays and pull out whatever pinks, fuzzies and weaned mice are ready for harvest, so there are live pinks and fuzzies available on Sundays. Sort of a family Sunday thing. Again, Adams Family.

One of the female Glades babies has been feeding voluntarily on defrosted pinks scented with garter snake aujous. Every October, many garter snakes are DOR as they move around seeking hibernacula. I harvest some of the, ah, "fresher" ones for feeders for my Regal ringneck snakes and a few larger ones to make scenting dip. Nice hobby. You don't get this kind of conversation from coin collectors.

Anyway, one of the Glades females is doing nicely, two are still holding out for swallowing defrosted pinks taken from my hand while held in the other hand. Very time consuming. I understand why some people limit their collections to boa constrictors.

Two of the Cujo hatchlings are also hand-feeders. I don't need all these coachwhips, and I do need Regal ringneck food. Those two Cujo hatchlings might want to keep that in mind. Just saying.

>>Two of the Cujo hatchlings are also hand-feeders. I don't need all these coachwhips, and I do need Regal ringneck food. Those two Cujo hatchlings might want to keep that in mind. Just saying.
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BigT
There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The ignorant can be taught, stupidity is beyond our control.
1.2 P. m. melanoleucus B/W N. J. Northern Pines
1.2 P. d. deppei Mexican Pines
2.2 P. l. lineaticollis Linis or Lined Pines
1.2 P. m. lodingi Black Pines
1.1 Drymarchon melenurus Blacktail Cribo
1.2 M. s. cheynei Jungle Carpet
2.6 L. p. pyromelana Arizona Mt. Kings
1.1 L. g. californiae B/W Cali kings
0.0.3 M. f. flagellum Eastern Coachwhips
1.2 G. m. bottegoi Western Plated lizards