| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:04:26
Just thought I would post on here for those of you that have been following my exploits with the warrior princess.
At 14.5" (bless her) she has now settled into a (get this) 24" Viv. She is reguarly eating two one day old pinkies and is now looking for a third so I am going to try stepping one of them up to a larger pinky.
She sits in her viv with her head poking out of one of her hides casually surveying the world as if nothing had happened to her.
Now I would add to anyone who has read this thread and not familar with my little fighting machine that I would not recommend putting a corn so small in a viv so large. She actually did "choose" where she wanted to live as I gave her the choice of the viv or a small rub that was in the viv. After several days of leaving the RUB in there with her and her choosing not to use it I took it out and now she is (unbeivably) super confident in her new home and properly gives it the large. Xena is actually ten months old but as she didnt eat for the first seven of those months is very underdeveloped so I believe whilst she is small she has the persona of a snake that is her real age and probably nearly twice the length.
Anyway to cut a long story short she is well settled into the viv and properly treating it like its hers (which it is) and is eating for her country so...
I know I have said it before but thank you guys for all the help and support and brilliant advice you have given me.
Cheers
Steve
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| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 04:12:59
quote:
Originally posted by godzchild9
My hubby informed me two weeks ago that he was tired of living in Germany......The last two weeks in church as soon as the music started, I started to cry. Hopefully learning more about the place we are moving to will help me pass the depression side of my present experience. As far as "moving home", we aren't. California is where all our children and grandchildren are. We will be a nine hour drive from our nearest relative. After ten or eleven years here in Germany, this has become home to me. Culture shock is going to kill me.
I am sorry Godzchild, hadnt realised you had been in Germany for that long. No wonder this is such a big move for you...and as for you moving home, I guess you could look at the positive that at least you are in same country as your kids and grandkids....and must be easier for them and you to travel to visit each other.
I just praise God that you have a faith to turn to. At least wherever you go you will be able to visit the different churches and find one that suits you best. You know the friendship and support and fellowship you can get from that environment....and the strength you can gain from your belief.
It is tough when you have to follow your OH when he moves for work. My mother had to do that, and as a child I lived in many different countries until my dad retired (often leaving a sibling behind when we moved on!!)...so I do understand how hard it is to start a new life yet again.
No matter how tough this is, you can do it...you have done it before and got through it. Just make sure you reach out for the support when you need it....and the forum will ALWAYS be here for you as well!
xxx |
| elament |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 15:58:14
Thats very commendable and very good to hear I do hope you manage to move her successfully |
| n/a |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 15:47:16
Actually, no there isn't quarentine for snakes. I do have to wrap her in a tied off pillow case inside a sealed box with air holes and "live animal" written on the outside for the flight.I've been in communication with a lady in Arizona and she will be mailing me some heat packs for the flight. She has agreed that our chosen time to fly is the best time for the health of the animals. I hear it is like 200 dollars to move her, but my hubby has said he'll pay it to keep from losing her. She has become part of our family and I don't want to leave her behind.quote:
Originally posted by elament
yeah sorry to hear bout the move. How do you go about moving snakes to the state there must be some kind of quarenteen isnt there?
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| n/a |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 15:38:59
My hubby informed me two weeks ago that he was tired of living in Germany. At that time he mentioned the possibility of moving to England or Australia. Then he informed me we were moving to Arizona. So in a way it is a surprise, but I'm starting to get used to the idea which is good. The last two weeks in church as soon as the music started, I started to cry. Hopefully learning more about the place we are moving to will help me pass the depression side of my present experience. As far as "moving home", we aren't. California is where all our children and grandchildren are. We will be a nine hour drive from our nearest relative. After ten or eleven years here in Germany, this has become home to me. Culture shock is going to kill me.[quote]Originally posted by Kellog
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| elament |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 11:07:31
yeah sorry to hear bout the move. How do you go about moving snakes to the state there must be some kind of quarenteen isnt there?
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| Kellog |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 10:52:27
quote:
Originally posted by godzchild9
Unfortunately .........back to the states in one piece..... I found this news ironic after our threads a short time back concerning the dryness of the natural environment of the corns in NC and then I find out we're moving to the desert. *YUCK*
Sorry to hear about the move Godzchild....am assuming it is to do with work?? Is it expected or not so much so? At least you are able to take her with you and dont have to rehome her, even if it does mean you having to replace all the equipment. I have no idea how she will travel, do you?
Sorry about the desert move, but at least you are going 'home'.
xxx |
| n/a |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 07:06:12
Unfortunately what she doesn't know is that here we are just a short few months after buying her nice viv and we have to sell it. There is no way we're going to get that monstrocity back to the states in one piece. I'm glad my hubby wasn't able to sell her smaller one. That is the one we're bringing back to the states with us so she will at least have something when we get there. All the electrical equipment that we've bought for her, we have to sell since the strom value is different here than in the states. I've already been in contact with someone in Arizona concerning proper equipment for the area since it is so dry there. I found this news ironic after our threads a short time back concerning the dryness of the natural environment of the corns in NC and then I find out we're moving to the desert. *YUCK*quote:
Originally posted by HannahB
glad shes doing well 
bet she loves her big viv
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| Kellog |
Posted - 21/02/2010 : 04:16:12
Stephen, it is such good news to hear how well Xena is doing - and such a relief that she is away from her old life and enjoying her new life so much!!
It is also a great thread to have....and I am glad that you stress the fact that most corns need to be in smaller enclosures than the one Xena is in considering her size. But what you say about her is right, she is a different case to most corns and therefore may react differently - hence why she has adapted to the larger size viv so well. But what you have done to make her feel so at home is vitally important and you are seeing the results!
Love the way you have done her and Colin's vivs....they are very lucky snakes and I bet you are loving spoiling them  !!
xxx |
| HannahB |
Posted - 20/02/2010 : 19:50:20
glad shes doing well
bet she loves her big viv |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/02/2010 : 15:35:32
Snickers was going to the cold hide more often until I moved the "piece of wood covered with greenery hide" to the hot end and the second "log" hide to the center and now she chooses the center hide more often and spreads out evenly the length of the log over both the cold and warm end of the log.quote:
Originally posted by elament
yeah I think thats a good tip Godzchild. If you do "have" to put in a snake that is essentially too small for the viv then to provide lots of ground cover and three hides instead of two. I personally have noticed that Xena uses the cold hide and the one in the middle more but does visit all three.
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| elament |
Posted - 20/02/2010 : 14:53:01
Funny thing is she was always active in the viv but last night she was super active and obviously has no confidence issues whatsover as she was layed right in the middle with her head in "up periscope" mode staring intently through the glass at my other half lol I would add that she was introduced to that viv on the 23rd of december, spent a few days in an rub inside the viv then (by propping the lid of the rub open) was given the choice of viv or rub. Under advise from SB I left the rub in there for a few days with the lid propped open but after about 4 days of her not using it (and wriggling straight out when i put her back in it) I took the rub out and let her get on with it. Since then its been about two weeks of her coming out at night when all the room lights were off but now she comes out regardless so i reckon its taken two weeks for her to fully settle in which isnt suprising because of the size of the viv. I just want to finish off by reiterating my earlier comment that I would normally NOT recommend such a big viv for such a small snake as Xena is something of a one off and with another corn you may not get away with it without stressing out the snake but on saying that I would add that if you are planning to introduce a snake to a viv then the rub inside the viv method IS one i would thoroughly recommend. It worked wonders for me even if it was an accident lol |
| elament |
Posted - 20/02/2010 : 12:07:30
yeah I think thats a good tip Godzchild. If you do "have" to put in a snake that is essentially too small for the viv then to provide lots of ground cover and three hides instead of two. I personally have noticed that Xena uses the cold hide and the one in the middle more but does visit all three. |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/02/2010 : 06:16:47
That's the way I've set Snickers' viv up too because it is so large. I've noticed that she prefers the middle one over either end.[quote]Originally posted by elament
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| n/a |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 18:57:27
Looking good Steve, nice one, i can't wait for Steve to go in his viv now, it is being made as i type this now so hopefully here by the end of next week. |
| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 18:08:39
In fact SB if you look at the pic of colins viv you can see on the left how I had the thermo and stat probes with the tips touching the surface of the mat. DONT do this peeps, the thermo and stat probes need to be laying flat on the surface of the mat. I have hcnaged it since I took this pic (see my other thread probe positioning) |
| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:57:45
This is what I mean this is what I have done with colins its great for him he loves it but its a sod for me as its all propped on his water bowl so when I change his water every day i have to dismantle the whole thing and recreat it (if i was honest i kinda enjoy it)
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| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:44:01
yes SB i have done this with colins viv too only his is fully enclosed (front to back) which is how i intend xenas to be eventually
Editted to add: I intend to get some branches and form a framework like I have with colins over which I will drape the hanging plants forming a canopy so she can freely travel from one end to the other under cover. I think this benefits the snake but its a sod when you need to find em lol. |
| SexyBear77 |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:38:33
The plants are good because she can move across the whole viv whilst still being super invisible- that alone helps generate a feeling of security. |
| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:38:02
i think its the fact she can "sneak" her way round the back and traverse the whole viv without being spotted that has done it. Baring in mind the light is on too which isnt normally as the room is quite light
Editted to add: oh for those of you that spotted the thermometer its not actually in use any more her viv has digital now (out of sight) |
| elament |
Posted - 19/02/2010 : 17:36:26
This is her viv (found some more batteries) you will see from the pic that the space is still there (previously occupied by rub) and that the viv is quite tall which dont seem to faze her in the slightest
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