Early Birthday Present! Buckskin Honduran!

Chu'Wuti · 06-27-09, 05:28 PM

My DH got me an early birthday present today at the Oklahoma City Herp Show--a gorgeous Buckskin Honduran Milk Snake produced by Norm Damm from BRBReptiles. These are an unusual morph with black diamond shapes in two of the buckskin bands--see a pic of the snake DH bought me here:

Honduran Milk Snakes - BRB Reptiles

Of course, when we got him home and I started to show him to my son and put him in the enclosure we'd prepared, he bit the H*** out of me. He was totally stressed. First was strike and instant release--I'm sure he was hoping the giant predator would drop him in reaction. Unfortunately for him, that didn't work, so he struck again and basically shook his head like a dog shaking a rope when play tug-of-war . . . but I still didn't let go, just released him into a hide in the enclosure. Then he let go.

Thank goodness it was only a milk snake biting me and not something bigger!

I'm happy--now I have a diurnal snake again! Hooray!

siz · 06-28-09, 08:21 AM

Yay! Happy early bitrhday! That's so great you got a milk, I know you loved the one you snakesat

Haha, and he's nice and fiesty!

Will0W783 · 06-29-09, 08:06 AM

Lol- nice pictures- that is a really neat milk. I have two, and even though my female Pueblan gets terrified and musks all over me, she's never bitten. That's unusual that you got tagged twice by a milk. But at least you know he's spunky and healthy- lol. I'm sure he'll calm down over time. Congrats!

Chu'Wuti · 06-29-09, 08:16 AM

Oh, yes, I believe he'll calm down. He didn't bite when I held him at the show. At my house, having just arrived home, the dogs were eager to greet us, and even though I shooed them away, I'm sure the snake smelled them. Not only was he being handled by unfamiliar Godzillas, but also there were four-legged predators around, too! Poor thing. He buried himself in the aspen immediately!

Today he's out on top of the aspen and actually appears to be fairly relaxed, though he definitely kept an eye on me when I walked by him!

Will0W783 · 06-29-09, 11:47 AM

Awww poor little guy. Yeah, I can imagine that was scary- shows have to be stressful for them and then they get stuffed into a bag and brought somewhere unfamiliar. I bought a pair of white-lips at a show and they were quite docile there but as soon as I got them home the female went psycho. She would bounce off the glass at me the first week, but with some patient work and a few bites, I got her to calm down and now she's handleable although I still don't trust her.

BP_okay · 06-29-09, 12:24 PM

Happy early Bday Sandy! I am so happy for you. I know you only had the one ball, and a new snake is the most exciting thing in the world! I am sorry for your troubles with the bites, but thankfully you have a ton of experience, and knew not to let go.

I am glad to hear he calmed down the next day. He is gorgeous, and I am extremely jealous. I just love diurnals too. It's so nice handling my corn at 6pm vs. 11pm. Just be sure not wear any pretty skirts around this one

Traci

Will0W783 · 06-29-09, 01:35 PM

Oh no..only one ball....

Chu'Wuti · 06-30-09, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Oh no..only one ball....

LOL! That's not gonna last!

Quote:

ust be sure not wear any pretty skirts around this one

You bet! Thanks for the reminder, Traci!

I picked him up very briefly yesterday. He wasn't quite so freaked but still struck at me, though he missed. I really don't want to handle him much right now--need to let him get used to his new environment--but a friend was visiting who is leaving the state soon, so showing him the new guy yesterday was the only option.

Turns out there may be a very interesting breeding opportunity with this Honduran, too. The Buckskin is a fairly new morph and apparently nobody really knows how it will combine with other morphs. I'm working on getting more info.

Will0W783 · 06-30-09, 10:18 AM

Cooool beans!

jonny666 · 06-30-09, 10:50 AM

Congratulations on your gift! All I get this year is a freezer stocking of F/T mice. Oh well I guess the ends justifies the means.

BP_okay · 07-11-09, 03:16 PM

Hey Sandy,

Any new updates regarding your new guy; breeding info, calming down, etc. Btw, what did you name him and what is his max size?

Traci

Wolfus_305 · 07-11-09, 09:37 PM

Ohhhhh Sounds fantabulous...minus the biting and shaking.