| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 06:24:18
Hi, just thought I would introduce myself. My name is Fi (please use it as I know Foxtrotsierra is a gobful - I am just not very imaginative when choosing names) and I am going to pick up my first corn snake today.
It is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, so after extensive research, extensive nagging of my husband (the children were won over the minute I said the word snake), I am going to pick my girl up this afternoon.
Her home is up and running, it is at the right temperature, she has got the right bedding, fresh water, a moist hide, a dry hide and food in the freezer. Along with feeding tongs, "pooper scooper" for want of a better word and some sphagnum moss!
The breeder I am getting her off is selling her as an albino but I know I am going to want a little more information on her, so when she is settled, I will take some pictures to introduce her to you all.
I just wanted to say, this forum is what actually tipped the balance for my husband, as I showed him that there was somewhere that was serious about snake care and health, so thanks guys, you didn't know you did it, but you made this lady very happy!
I have thoroughly enjoyed lurking and learning, so as of this afternoon, I can't wait to participate.
Just one last thing, PLEASE tell me straight away if I am doing anything wrong with my snake (I have named her, but will 'unveil' when I post pics of her), I am not one to throw my toys out of the pram and have joined here to learn and hopefully make some new like minded friends. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 16:17:34
Thank you Razee - she seems to be quite settled - she had a quick roam round her new home (after being quite disgruntled at going in there!) and is now snug in her warm hide. Her head keeps popping out from time to time, I am guessing to check she hasn't been moved again, but I am just going to change her water for this week and then it is playtime!
I have done a book with all her feeding and shedding records that her breeder sent me via email last night, and done a diary ahead for her, so I know roughly when her blues are due (right now!). I am lucky that she seems quite happy so far, and I know every owner thinks their snake is gorgeous, but am totally smitten with her!  |
| Razee |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 15:56:47
Hurray! Just seen her in the morph section, she's beautiful. And yep, that week will seem like a long time, but you might still see her roaming around. Or, she might not roam, if she's just going blue, mine hide the whole time they're in blue. Congrats! |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 15:06:17
Well, she is home and safely ensconced in her new home. It was a half hour journey home from the breeder's house to hours and she spent half of it nosing round. Turns out she is just going into blue, but she is still a gorgeous girl. I have posted some pictures up of her in the "transfer from RUB to new home" window that I had in the "Pictures of corn snakes" and "What morph am I" section of the forum.They aren't the greatest as she was too busy wriggling round my arm and hand, tasting the air! Thank you everyone for such a lovely welcome, and it is going to push me to the edge of my sanity leaving her be for a whole week! |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 09:28:16
Thank you Razee, I feel slightly less embarrassed now! It was smart bunny who said I would have a window of opportunity to take a few snaps of her when I was taking her out of her RUB and popping her into her new home, so I shall be taking full advantage of that for sure
Fortunately I have a nice bridge camera that I can turn the flash off on so I don't frighten her. I know it is going to quite literally drive me to distraction not being able to take her out of her home for the first week, but I genuinely want her settled. I want to get some good pictures of her markings as I know she was advertized as an albino, but is a snow - and I am going to want to know a little more about her morph, so pictures of her head, tummy and back will hopefully be incoming this afternoon when I get her home.
I have just checked her home, temp is good and changed the water (I rubbed my clean hands all over the dish, so hopefully there will be a familiar smell to her from the kitchen paper when she goes into her new home). She has been on substrate, so a nice little inch level has been put in there for her, and 2 hides - one each end.
As I have now found out she likes empty loo rolls, one has just been popped in there too for her arrival. Phew - think I have got everything covered, including food in the freezer, tongs, "doings" remover and yep, I am waffling so shall bow out before nobody wants to interact with me again! |
| Razee |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 09:07:23
Nothing embarrassing about that, I was in a similar state myself, when I went to pick up Bazilishka ( and I'm similar age to you ). I only had to wait 24 h, that was 1 good think that the garden centre, where I got her, did. They wanted to make sure you had the equipment set up, before selling you the snake, so you had to wait 24h ( pity they didn't include thermostat ). That was the longest 24 h ever....
That sounds good - about the kitchen roll, she's already getting used to you that way.
You can always snap couple of pics, when you get her home, and transferring her to her new home :-). Only hours to go!
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| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 08/03/2013 : 05:10:55
Thank you ozziesmum!
I have to be honest - kids have their Christmas day, this is mine, but I don't get my present until 12pm!
I got an email off her breeder last night, with her shedding and feeding records and it looks like she refuses a feed slap bang in the middle of her blues, so it is something I can keep an eye on, and know when they are coming up.
When I went to visit her, the breder asked me to rub a piece of kitchen paper on my face and hands (my husband was in hysterics, which is saying something for sure - looking back it must have looked hilarious) which he has kept in a sealed bag and put in her RUB 24 hours after her feed, to see her reaction as she took the pinkie so well. Apparently she is curled round it and hasn't left it which he is really pleased about. She is sat with a loo roll and a scrumpled up piece of kitchen paper and hasn't gone into her coconut shell as she normally would to digest. She has sort of made her own burrow with said items.
So, 6 and a half hours to go until I can call to see if she is good to go - ARGH! The excitement is ridiculous (I am 39 by the way, so you get why I am a little embarrassed at the state I am in!)
If that young lady regurgitates, I will be having words with her, that is for sure! |
| ozziesmum |
Posted - 07/03/2013 : 16:21:23
Hi welcome and good luck for tomorrow :o) |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 07/03/2013 : 13:25:39
Well, all good news so far! Cathy ate her pinkie yesterday without it having to be brained, and she actually did her first strike for it - she must have been hungry. The breeder is really happy with how she is, and as long as she doesn't regurgitate her pinkie between now and 12pm tomorrow, I can go and get her. As he lives a half hour drive away, he has no problem me giving a call before we leave the house.
The excitement I am feeling is building to a ridiculous level now - I just want to bring my Cathy home
I have to say, I am really impressed with the breeder not parting with her on Monday, even though at the time I was disappointed. He really does care for every snake that he has, and making sure she was fed and happy gives me peace of mind that she is coming from a good place.
He has told me that if for any reason I can't manage her, or I have any problems that are outside of my realm of understanding, I can take her back to him, not a problem. I think that I am very lucky to have found a breeder of this calibre (he did say that he offers the option to everyone he sells to but has only had one back in over 100 sales, and that was due to a divorce).
So, fingers crossed she keeps her dinner down, and a Cathy picspam will ensue tomorrow, just as I put her into her new home  |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 07/03/2013 : 08:08:00
ohh, smart bunny - genuinely hadn't thought of that
I have held her already, and she is a lovely bright girl - the minute she was in my hand she she was eyeballing me and tasting the air around me to get a good smell and taste for me (hopefully she won't tag me!). I had a good 10 minutes with her and when she decided it was a fantastic idea to take a trip up my cardi sleeve the breeder was going to take her back quickly, but I said as long as he was OK with it I didn't mind in the least.
She is definitely one inquisitive girl, and that is what has drawn me to her. You will have to excuse the total n00b language here, but he had a few CB12's that were black and red (yeah, that bad I don't know what morph the colour is!) but they just seemed totally uninterested - whereas my Cathy was wanting to see anything and everything. I have a blog and I commented on it that he was surprised at her behaviour. He said she definitely seemed to single me out for taking home!
Just can't wait to give him a call after lunch to see if she had her pinkie yesterday - if she did, I can get her tomorrow morning and like you said - it would be rude not to take a couple of pictures of her entering her new home!
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| smart bunny |
Posted - 07/03/2013 : 07:53:59
There will be a short period of time where you lift her from her travelling container into her new home - it's permissable to get pics then as well :p :p :p |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 07/03/2013 : 05:19:40
Thanks for the lovely welcome again everyone.
Moppet - I was going to call the breeder yesterday, but I have uncontrolled epilepsy at the moment (we call it Frank Fitzgerald, i.e. if I have a fit, we say Frank has payed a visit), and the breeder is aware of this, so I am going to call today to see how she is getting on and if she fed yesterday.
Fingers crossed one more sleep till Cathy comes home (dear god, just realized I quoted Emily Bronte there!) 
So, fingers crossed for a pic spam through her home as I want to leave her to settle in before getting her out to know me  |
| Callazagy |
Posted - 06/03/2013 : 21:44:59
Hi & Welcome |
| Moppet |
Posted - 06/03/2013 : 19:23:04
Hello and welcome to the forum I look forward to photos of your new little one when you get her Hopefully she fed well today. |
| coxymk2 |
Posted - 06/03/2013 : 06:36:55
Hello and welcome |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 05/03/2013 : 18:50:07
smartbunny - although I was very disappointed, I really was pleased that he didn't part with her without her being fed and settled for 48 hours. I can call him tomorrow afternoon to see how she is doing, and fingers crossed, she will be home with me on Friday. I think I have definitely gone to the right breeder too, as I was (when I thought properly about it) pleased that he didn't let me have her when she hadn't fed.
I know I am going to have to leave her a week to settle, so trying to get her to feed 3 days into a new home would have just been irresponsible, from both sides.
I have taken on board all the advice I have been given so far, and the breeder has told me that he keeps her between 24 and 28 degrees celcius, so it has given me the chance to ensure that both ends of her home are at the correct temperature. Looking back, I think this has actually been for the best.
As herriotfan said, although she was advertised as an albino, she is what he called a snow lavender morph, but when I get her home and settled, I shall no doubt be asking for the knowledgeable members of the forum for a proper ID for her, more out of interest than anything. I chose her as I thought she was pretty, and she was bright, interested when I went to visit and happy to have a curl around my hand. If I didn't know better she was having a "staring out" competition with me before going on a venture up my sleeve
Again, thank you all for the lovely welcome and advice so far. I have checked and he has full records of feeding, shedding and I know she is a CB12, so am very happy with that. |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 05/03/2013 : 17:58:48
Shame you have got to wait a bit longer, but good on the breeder for wanting to ensure all is OK rather than letting you take her anyway :) |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 05/03/2013 : 03:25:38
Quick update - I couldn't get her yesterday as she hadn't fed (her usual day is Saturday) and the breeder wasn't happy (and I think quite rightly) letting her go without a feed, so he is going to feed her on Wednesday and I can go and get her on Friday so she will be settled for the journey home. It is only 15 miles, but I think it is well worth it, as I want a happy lady. I did inquire a little more about her and yup, she is a snow, as Herriotfan says.
I am not going to lie, I was beyond disappointed, but above all, I want a happy lady when she comes home, so for now, I shall just sit and look at her new home ..... and wait ..... albeit impatiently! Thank you so much for the lovely welcomes. Now it is just a countdown to Friday and m'lady will be home with me. I can't contain myself, her he has actually put her name on her RUB for me (and mine!) so I shall introduce you all (hopefully) to Catherine on Friday, along with a mini pic spam!
With regards to the moist hide - duly noted and removed as I know she shed 2 weeks ago. THIS is the exact reason I signed up here, thank you so much for the advice, one potential problem removed before her arrival! |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 20:40:28
Awww that's great, welcome to the forum, and congrats on acquiring your first *ahem - so far* snake!!
Just a quick pointer - please leave the moist hide to one side for now (or just don't put anything dmap in it as yet!). As Scaly said corns don't need moist hides unless they turn out to have trouble shedding, and too much humidity is bad for them as it can cause respiratory infections.
I'm looking forward to pics once she has settled in :) |
| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 18:39:45
Hi and welcome |
| Razee |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 14:33:47
Hello and welcome to the forum :-) |
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