Cuddles!

[acovert]

I'd been at my computer for a while tonight (well...this morning, since it's after 1am) and when I started to get up I noticed a little head peeking over a log and staring right at me.
SAM_1645.jpg
I think he was trying to tell me something...it's bedtime!
We used to keep pretty regular hours in Montana. Lights - including his lamp - off by midnight, a little bit of light around 6am when I got up to work at the high school, and then it was time to wake up at about 8:30 before classes.
Now I'm up until 2am or later sometimes - sometimes with the light going off and then coming back on later. Unfortunately for Cuddles, my insomnia means it takes me an eternity to fall asleep, and I get restless and get up and do things to try to make myself tired. By the time the light finally goes off it's 3 or 4am, and it doesn't come back on until 1pm!
Sometimes I catch him watching me once it's past midnight. I think he knows that it's supposed to be bedtime and wonders why the light is still on.

Then again, maybe he's just exploring...although he was never out of his hide after 11pm when we were still in Montana!

[kibakiba]

I'd do it just in case.

[EasternGirl]

What an adorable pic! You may want to try to make the light/dark more consistent for him if you can. It will be better for him. I completely understand the insomnia thing and the odd hours...don't get me wrong. Try to make his light and dark mimic the daylight hours outside though. When it is light outside, have his lights on...and when it is supposed to be dark...if you can't make it dark in your room for him...maybe put a towel over part of his enclosure to make it darker...as much as you can cover while still giving him air circulation. It helps them to regulate their cycles and be healthy and active when they should be and get rest when they should.

[acovert]

I try to keep things regulated for him. I'm attempting to get back into a normal pattern myself. I'll try covering his tank with a towel. Since I have to stay in my room at night so I don't make noise for all the working people in the house who are sleeping, it's hard to not be in here with the light on!

I'm noticing some dry, flaky skin on him this morning and I'm worried. It doesn't feel any different from the rest of the skin, but it almost looks like a shed. There's a spot near his head and a spot near his tail. What could it be?

[acovert]

It seems to flake off when I touch it, but I'm still worried. It doesn't seem normal to me.

[EasternGirl]

Could be some retained shed...those are usually areas where some can easily be retained. Can you post a pic? Best thing to do is put him in a shed box and then see if it comes off...let me find you a link for Steve's shed box video...

[EasternGirl]

Here...it's on this thread...I'm not sure how to repost a video...just scroll down on the thread, you'll see it: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/urge...ough-skin.html

[acovert]

I haven't been able to get a good picture. It's so faint and hard to see, and when I touched it to check if it was rough or felt different from the rest of his skin a lot of it flaked off and now I can't see it at all anymore.

[EasternGirl]

Hmm...I would try the shed box just in case...it can't hurt him.

[acovert]

Yeah. I may do that. He might hate me for it, but it won't hurt him.
I want to feed him tomorrow so I'd like it if he was nice and healthy.