Gah!! In Love...

[GartersRock]

So you are saying you are trying to find a new owner or setup for your Radix...
Why would you trade a garter you already have for a kingsnake??
It's "bred" not "bread" by the way.

[LyrisFlame]

It's "bred" not "bread" by the way.

Gee, thanks. Thought it was obvious I was typing in a rush. I almost always use spell check before I post. Nice to know someone will be there to notice and jump on it the first time I don't. W/e.

Okay, everyone relax. I'm not throwing out the baby radix I have worked so hard to take care of. I shouldn't have posted without going into the details, but I was all excited and trying to decide what to do and I felt compelled to gush to other snake people in the five minutes I had before I had to be somewhere else.

I understand that this is a (mostly) exclusive forum for garter aficionados and you can't imagine how a garter snake could be a less than satisfactory pet, but hear me out:

My radix is doing pretty well. From the first day I caught him I have done nothing but see to his health and well being to the best of my ability. I was down right neurotic about keeping his tank clean, water fresh, temperature right. The only blip was the worm thing and that was not my fault. He's eating fish regularly now, I prepared little slices for him that I froze individually and I thaw for him each feeding, I know exactly when he's hungry, I just got some calcium powder, and I do everything I can to make his existence stress free and "happy". Despite all I've done, I can tell he's not a completely happy snake. I only see him a couple times a week when he goes for a swim and I have to move very carefully or he'll dart back in his hide. I'll see his little head poking out a few times a day, but if I so much as look at him he will recoil back into the shadows of his log. I don't pick him up anymore because even though he does calm down eventually it still seems to be overly stressful for him and that's not much fun for me. No matter how gentle I am, it scares him enough that I don't feel good about picking him up. And now the only time I even touch the tank is when I leave fish or change his water. I haven't really done anything to make him this shy, so I have to conclude that that is just the way he is. A shy, nervous kind of snake. He's very pretty, he's severely cute, and I love it when I do see him, but it's more like having a pet fish. You look at him, he hides from you, you go do something else. He's like my herb garden. I take care of him every day, I give him everything he needs to thrive for the simple pleasure of having him around and watching him... be a snake. As long as I leave him alone, he seems okay with that.

Then today I go to PetSmart on a mission for a new UV light and calcium. As I am passing the reptiles for sale this gorgeous black and white banded California king snake catches my eye. King snakes don't usually interest me, but this snake is beautiful. It reminds me of those little agate stones. Not only is it beautiful, but its responsive and seems engaged. So I'm cooing at it through the glass and what does it do? Run and hide? No. It sits there in its water dish just as it was before, it looks right at me, flicks its tongue and just watches me as I make a fool of myself baby talking to a snake. I sigh at how cool that is that it didn't run away and go pick up my radix supplies. I can't resist going back, and I am tickled to see that he's gotten bored of soaking and now is making his lazy way to his hide, which he doesn't even go in. Instead he curls up beside it because there are vents in the side of the tank and he wants to sniff at the outside air. I'm still making a fool of myself and cooing at a snake, my boyfriend is shaking his head at me because I am recently "poor" and now is not the best time for a snake like this, and the snake has raised it's head and is actively watching me through the glass. To make things worse, a name for him springs to mind right then and there.

Now the reason that is at all significant, is that my radix doesn't truly have a name. We tried to give it like 8 names in an effort to make him more of a pet, but they never fit. I never connected with this little snake. To me he is just "(the) Snake".

Does that make sense?

Anyway, I think what I'll do is keep my radix, buy a bigger tank when/if I take the king snake home, put the radix in the big one so he can move around more (maybe that's all he needs now - space. He is growing like a weed) and put the king snake in the old tank since he's not going to care too much. It's do-able. The only thing I really have to adjust for is the likelihood that the king will bite me at some point (I know the radix never will) and that I would need to start buying frozen pinkies/"furries" for the new guy.

We'll see.

[CrazyHedgehog]

send me the garter snake, and then you will have room for your king snake!!

[Loren]

Something I try to do (key word "try") is to keep a list in my head of the species and quantities of herps I realistically hope to keep, and try to stick to that plan. Otherwise, every cool looking snake I see just might end up back at my house.
I still manage to get a few extra animals from time to time, but it helps.

You dont have to look far to find a really cool herp that needs a home, but you cant take them all. But, if this one is important enough to you, then make it happen.

Hope this helps.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

How much is the cali king at the pet store? you can get them for a lot less at the shows!

I too fell in love with california kingsnakes. They were my first love as a snake keeper and always will hold a special place in my heart. Even though they are viewed as common and boring, they have a striking beauty that msot kingsnakes, even the red black and white ones, lack. It took me 4 years to be allowed to get one, and when we finally went to the store to pick mine out, I was crushed because there were no black and white striped ones. So instead I picked bandit, a little black and yellow twig about the size of a pencil... and he taught me all about the joys of snakes. Bandit is now 6 years old and he's over 5 feet long.... so beware... your cute little cali king is gonig to get BIG

The other day, my little bander-babes decided to try and eat me. Yep... they are always hungry. I was remiving his shed and he first grabbed the shed and ripped it to pieces. Bandit calm down you just ate yesterday... oh but no that wasn't enough he spit out the skin and grabbed my right ring finger and proceeded to wrap around my hand and "kill" it. He would not let go... and a big cali king bite HURTS, a LOT. He had the tip of my finger in his mouth and I could feel all his big teeth digging under my skin. Agony. I tok him to the sink and ran cold water over him... that usually always makes them let go... not this time. So after 5 minutes I got teh rubbing alcohol, which they say makes them let go instantly. Well bndit got a mouthfull of that and then started to SWALLOW MY FINGER... he was EATING ME! AHHH! it hurt!!! So finally, I had to run the hot water, and kept popping his head under it brifly so as not to burn him, and he finally spat me out. He was blowing blood colored bubbles out of his nose... my mom and dad were standing there horrified, and bandit is jsut looking at me with his lips all puffed out and pudgy, my blood dripping and bubbling from his mouth... and I smiled at my mom and said "awwwwe, mum, isn't he adorable!!!"

[Loren]

One of my buddies was showing me a little cal king a while back and it latched onto me, trying to eat my finger. Little bugger would not let go! Took the 2 of us to get him off, since we didnt want to hurt him by just yanking. Didnt really hurt since it was a young'n, but it was funny.

I have seen cal kings in the 5 foot+ range, but seems like 3 1/2' - 4' feet is more normal, although I mostly see wild snakes, so maybe captives do hit larger sizes more regularly. My largest are around 42'' last time I checked.

[lestat]

My Honduran Milksnake bit me as my friend was on the phone trying to sell it on my behalf.Then again it had only reasantly eaten so still had a full belly. All snakes will bite if they sent food on your fingers or are handled when they dont want to be. I wanted a Californian Kingsnake once so if you want it so bad get it other wise you will always wonder and it will play on your mind. They are nice but are canbilistic so cant keep together with other's. Some snakes hide all the time and some dont. Usally garters are active. Give it time with the Raddix and it might get used to you being around. some of mine ignor me and some hide when i get near there viv's.

[Charlet_2007]

he is now 6 years old and he's over 5 feet long.... so beware... your cute little cali king is gonig to get BIG

Boy i hear you there lol try going to get a baby retic python your 13 at the time... Didnt have a computer to look up info and saw pics from time to time seeing them on tv. And saying man i want one of those so bad.. actuly saveing the money up to get one and buying it then relizing after 10 years of haveing this what the heck was i thinking?????? we sold haven almost 3 years ago she was at in avrage almost 18 foot long.. She was eatting baby pigs... i see her from time to time at the St. Louis zoo because the owner we sold her to gave up on a "BIG" snakes.. but at least shes in good hands...