Draco Profile - Page 9

bigsnakegirl785 · 07-13-16, 11:20 PM

Double post.

bigsnakegirl785 · 10-24-16, 10:09 PM

So I didn't get to the updates earlier because the site was down, but here's a quick update on these two goofballs.

Last I weighed Draco he was 55 grams, and he's now on a diet because he's gotten quite chunky. lol He's going from eating a rat pink every 7 days to eating a pink every 10-12 days.

He also took an earthworm for the first time a day or two ago! When he was a baby I couldn't get him to touch a worm, and he gobbled up two enthusiastically this time. So I may mix worms into his diet, too.

So I hoped the tub would work to sorta contain him to show his chunkiness overhead (I mainly use it to hold the old dirt when switching bedding), but nope. As soon as the camera went over him, he launched up a couple feet in the air and plopped on the ground next to the tub. So I had to hold him still.

Demigod now weighs a whopping 45 grams, and is still significantly smaller than Draco. Demigod has also become chunky, so he's being put on 2 mouse pinks every 10-12 days and 1-2 earthworms every 2-3 days.

About a month ago he refused his first meal of the season, which he's done every year I've had him. He usually eats the next meal, but all I had at the time were mouse fuzzies. He tried his hardest to eat it, but either the fuzzies are still too big or the fur freaks him out because he never ate it. A day or two ago, he ate 2 worms and I found a single mouse pinky so he'll get that next. I want to buy everyone's food at one time, but my main bulk websites are out of the size of rats I need for the bigger snakes, so until then Demi gets worms after he eats the last pink.

He's gotten this weird indent down his back, too, not sure what that is about. He hasn't shown signs of being ill, so I assume it's just his chubbiness.

All these photos are at least a month old, just never got around to posting them. lol

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-11-17, 12:07 AM

So I haven't updated here in a long time.

I got the FIRST EVER length measurements on Draco and Demi, and they're pretty much what I expected. According to SerpWidets, Draco is 25" and Demi is 20". Demi is a bit bigger than I've been giving him credit for (16"-24" range, but I was expecting under 20" in all honesty), but those 5" really reaaally make a difference between the two. Put together they don't look too far off, but looking at the photos I took of both for the measurements, you'd swear there was a whole foot between them...

I was incorporating worms in their diet for awhile, but it got to be expensive to buy $2-3 worth of worms in what turns out to be maybe 2 feedings before they're frozen to death in the fridge. So, until I can figure out a way to keep them alive I may have to put that off...Now, I would just grab worms out of the yard since we don't use pesticides buuuut...we don't have any! As amazing as that sounds I have yet to see a single earthworm in over a year of living here. Believe me, I've tried. I've taken red lights out after a heavy rain, turned over rocks and logs...nothing. Not a single worm hole, not a single worm.

I have recently been considering starting a small guppy tank since to my knowledge they're easily bred, and they stay a small enough size I could easily feed even an entire adult or two to either Draco or Demi. We do have a well-established axolotl tank, I'll have to do some research, but assuming his water isn't toxic to them or anything I can make the basis of the guppy tank from his tank water and have a tank ready for them in half the time.

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-25-17, 06:55 PM

Draco was watching me intently while I photographed Homura, so I took his photo, too. :P While Demigod the forever voracious was snapping at me from his tank on the other side of the closet. I think he may be going into shed as well, he looked kinda dark and shiny in the face when I fed him earlier at least.

If you expand the photo you'll see each of his scales have two tiny dots at the tip. They're pores, don't remember the exact name, and not sure what they're used for. I assume to let out oils when shedding and for moisture exchange but I honestly don't know. (Dang the photo isn't big enough to expand so you can see, but you can sorta make them out.)

**EL Ziggy** · 01-25-17, 08:56 PM

Draco is looking good BSG. I just noticed that you have S, M, L, and XL snakes. That's pretty cool.

bigsnakegirl785 · 01-25-17, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL Ziggy

Draco is looking good BSG. I just noticed that you have S, M, L, and XL snakes. That's pretty cool.

lol Yup, I've got a pretty good variety.

bigsnakegirl785 · 05-06-17, 03:28 PM

Draco was actually pretty well behaved this time when I took him out. He didn't run away from me, and even came up to me and let me pick up without a fuss. I'm afraid to look outside the window for fear of flying pigs...

He's doing quite well on his 12-14 day feeding schedule! He's not too thin and is no longer *quite* as chunky.

My hand is all dirty from doing Cloud and River's bedding.

He has such an angry face, but a scaredy cat personality. lol

Demigod on the other hand has me worried...I was 2 weeks late on his and Draco's feeding when my freezer failed recently, and when I went to check on him he was very limp and had lost some color. He has refused to eat twice now, but shed the other day so I'm going to try again. He's gone like 50+ days without food, and I'm afraid he might pass away soon if he doesn't eat and perk back up.

All but one of his other siblings have passed away now, all went pretty much the same way. They'd refuse to eat, go limp, and then pass. Me and his previous owner are thinking it's because their mom was so old that maybe their genes are weak. She died from old age 2 years after giving birth. None of our other animals have shown symptoms like that so I doubt it's contagious. If he does pass, I'll get a necropsy. So send good thoughts please.

Albert Clark · 05-06-17, 06:29 PM

Wow, wishing you the best of luck with Demi. If he's refusing to eat for that long of a period of time I would consider brumating him. It's really unnatural for them to not be brumated, especially once they remain off food and appear healthy and uninjured. If they continue to accept food that's one thing but in a case like this I would consider the brumation and just make sure he has fresh drinking and soaking water. Maybe even mix in a little pedialite into the water. I would do a concentration of 50% pedialite/ water prior to brumation or until he appears somewhat rehydrated.

bigsnakegirl785 · 05-06-17, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Wow, wishing you the best of luck with Demi. If he's refusing to eat for that long of a period of time I would consider brumating him. It's really unnatural for them to not be brumated, especially once they remain off food and appear healthy and uninjured. If they continue to accept food that's one thing but in a case like this I would consider the brumation and just make sure he has fresh drinking and soaking water. Maybe even mix in a little pedialite into the water. I would do a concentration of 50% pedialite/ water prior to brumation or until he appears somewhat rehydrated.

He has only refused to eat for about 2 weeks. The rest of the time was because I did not have food on hand to feed him, plus the 2 weeks I usually give him in between feedings. Draco has stood up to the time off food quite well, but only went maybe 30 days before I was able to feed him.

I do not have a way to brumate him, and even if I did he would likely perish before the brumation period was over.

Albert Clark · 05-10-17, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

He has only refused to eat for about 2 weeks. The rest of the time was because I did not have food on hand to feed him, plus the 2 weeks I usually give him in between feedings. Draco has stood up to the time off food quite well, but only went maybe 30 days before I was able to feed him.

I do not have a way to brumate him, and even if I did he would likely perish before the brumation period was over.

Oh, ok gotcha. If you did have a way to brumate him you would be surprised at the resiliency of garters with a empty stomach and cooling temperatures. As long as he is not sick and or injured but hydrated by drinking, soaking , or misting them they seem to prevail in my experience. Either way, good luck with him.

bigsnakegirl785 · 05-10-17, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Oh, ok gotcha. If you did have a way to brumate him you would be surprised at the resiliency of garters with a empty stomach and cooling temperatures. As long as he is not sick and or injured but hydrated by drinking, soaking , or misting them they seem to prevail in my experience. Either way, good luck with him.

If he was healthy, that would be one thing. He's very very weak, and his previous owner has had garters die while brumating or soon after brumating if they weren't at 100% health.

If I get more garters I'll probably find something to use as a brumation chamber. All I have are my fridges, but they freeze everything inside them no matter what setting I have them on.

dannybgoode · 05-10-17, 02:07 PM

Love your garters bsg. A snake i can see me owning. I have a 55g aquarium that I'm undecided what to do with and a garter setup is high on the list of ideas.

bigsnakegirl785 · 05-13-17, 11:08 PM

Good news is that Demi perked up a lot on Thursday, and finally ate two pinks for me.

This was a few days after he shed, but perhaps he was so languid partly from the shed cycle. I'm thinking he should rebound just fine, he was a lot more active even before feeding him.

Albert Clark · 05-14-17, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

Good news is that Demi perked up a lot on Thursday, and finally ate two pinks for me.

This was a few days after he shed, but perhaps he was so languid partly from the shed cycle. I'm thinking he should rebound just fine, he was a lot more active even before feeding him.

Fantastic! Thats great news. One thing that garters are is survivors.