Oh....Emm...Gee....new snakes!.

[Minkness]

Hey guys. So, I know I'm a bad bad person because my mom said no more snakes and I really wanted a boa next anyway. However, Craigslist is an evil place that I will now be banning myself from.

That said....let me tell you a story...

About 2 months ago I noticed someone on CL selling some hognoses. I contactes them, but I couldn't afford them (prices were not in the CL ad). I am a CL stalker of sorts and saw the same post over and over for a month. Then a new one popped up. One for an ivory female BP. While another BP wasn't exactly on my radar, ANY white (or white ish) snake is a DREAM for me. So...I contact them, not realizing it was the same person. I talk to them a bit and like before the snake is out of my price range. But I'm in love and so try a little harder to talk them down. They said they would think about my offer and get back to me. They kept their word, but in the end, the answer was no.

Back to stalking CL I went.

About a week ago I saw the same ivory on CL again. So I contacted the person again explaining that I would pay some $, draw a custom illistration for them, and even sign a contract of 'no resale'. She said she would think about it again, and she did. She agreed!

So, I went out to pick the BP up today and met the lady and her family. The BP is TINY. I asked how long they had her and they said about 6 or 7 months. She is so small I thought she was maybe a month or two old. From what I can tell right away, she's got shed on her face and 'dirt' under her belly scales. The lady mentioned how the snake looooves to soak, and gave me the bowl she liked to soak in to make sure I'd have that for her. I suspected mites at that time vut couldn't confirm at that moment. So took the snake and the dish and handed over the $ and the drawing.

I happened to see she also had a hognose and commented how much I loved mine and asked if they knew it's gender. They said it was a female. I commented at how I wish I had more $ to 'clean them out' (they had a bunch of snakes). I was joking, but the lady asked how much I had. I look in my wallet...I only had 40$. While we were talking, her daughter wanted to show off 2 other male hoggies. An anaconda and a 'brick red'. Now I'm torn. I ask if I could buy one of the males instead. After some more talking, the lady decides to let me have the female AND the brick red for the 40$!

At this point I'm shaking and feel REALLY weird. Good, but as if I'm taking advantage of them. I even said to her that I didn't want to take advantage of them or their generosity. The lady wouldn't hear it and not only gave me the 3 snakes, but a hide, water dish 3 tanks (two 5 gallons and 1 that must be a 3 gallon) and an uth for 140$ total....

I feel oddly sick....I wasn't supposed to get one more snake...let alone 3. However....I have a problem....I'm a reptiholic (and a bleeding heart). I just couldn't leave them there no matter how I felt. The price and the fact I could tell this person cared enough about them to basically give them away, made me agree. So, loaded everyone in the back of the car and headed home, stopping by a store for mute treatment.

Now I have 3 temporary (quarantine) enclosures set up, leaving the actual tanks in my car till next week, soaking the snakes, then going to put them away and just leave them alone for 2 weeks (checking progress on mites, shed, and keeping fresh water) then offer some food to see how well they take it.

My only questionnis this. How long should they be quarantined for?

Also, managed to get the stuck shed and 3 retained eye caps off the BP and there's still 1 left that won't budge.

Below are some photos of the ivory girl who I have named Ivrina before and after the soak and shed removal.