They like each other

I knew you werent agrreing with me susang - I was being sarcastic.

I admitted I was being sensitive - I apologised and then people still carried on. Which was not neccesary. The message was heard, the point was taken, and I posted pictures.

Taryn7 said:

I knew you werent agrreing with me susang - I was being sarcastic.

I admitted I was being sensitive - I apologised and then people still carried on. Which was not neccesary. The message was heard, the point was taken, and I posted pictures.

Click to expand...

That's exactly the thing. I don't think the point WAS taken at all. If the point was taken, your snakes would be happily squared away (even without heat - not too big of an issue if you keep your house in the comfy range) in whatever buckets, tupperware containers, or other misc caging you could find.

Ok my turn to jump in the fray.
Everyone on here has already heard my story, but Taryn, for your benefit, here goes.....

In March 2005, I came home from work, had dinner and thawed mice to feed the snakes. When I went to feed Zoe, the ball python, she was going crazy, lunging and striking wildly. There was a wierd smell in the room. The heater in her rack had malfunctioned and her tub was melted at the bottom. Her substrate was burned. Thankfully she was unhurt. I had to rehome 3 of my ball pythons, because there was no warm enough place to keep them in my chilly house. I had to toss that rack. I had to cohabit some corns until a new rack came in. I had always been against co-habbing, but I had no other choice and it was going to be temporary.
I cohabbed Sniper, a 3 year old male corn, with Kelsey, a 7 year old corn that the breeder told me was a male. He had never shown any interest in the ladies, but I was not seriously into breeding at that time and thought I caught the timing wrong.
They were housed together approximately 3 weeks.
New rack came in, everyone was seperated and life went on.
In June 2005 I noticed Kelsey was looking a bit chunky. He had always been a great eater. It NEVER occurred to me that Kelsey was a female. Kelsey shed and I didn't provide an eggbox. One Saturday night in July, I went to feed "him" and found "him" surrounded by 13 eggs.
Kelsey became eggbound due to being co habbed and not having an eggbox.

Kelsey died August 2005. She had 2 vet visits but it didn't save her.
3 of the eggs hatched, all males. I kept all 3. One is Kato, the hatchling in my avatar.
I still miss that girl, and still cry when I think about how I failed her. She was one of the most beautiful cornsnakes I had ever, or will ever see.

And they will be happily squared away - soon.

I just dont see the the emergency in the situation when they are eating well and doing well. So what if it takes a week or two - at least I am doing it. If one was showing signs of distress - of course I'd seperate sooner. My animals are all happy and healthy. I don't beleive in keeping beardies together because they show obvious signs of stress and they actaully fight but the snakies are doing fine... Having said that I am still going to seperate. All 4 of our beardies have beardie "condos" - I spend every cent I have on them rather than me.. But I don't have the money to buy a set of tubs and heating pads when I have a rack on the way.. They are expensive here for a decent size tub - for a hatchling.. I'd rather save that money in case someone gets sick and needs the vet.. They may be sharing a viv but its a great viv with the right temps, hides, water bowls, thermometer and hygrometer, a log, a fake plant to climb as well as astro turf.. I even took the time to cut out letters and decorate their viv with their names.. All of this obviously took alot of time and money so I dont think its fair if people think I'm not a good owner.
Yes - maybe instead of spending the money on extras at the time I could have bought more containers to seperate but everyone here that influences my life - told me it was fine to keep them together. Once I realised they should not be together - I didnt have any money.. You guys come to South Africa and see how easy it is to find a decent job. I'm sitting with enormous debt from borrowing money for lights etc for the animals as it is. I'm frikkin trying here ok - I have had to borrow money once again to buy the rack as it is. When I say I cant buy tubs in the meantime - its because I literally dont have a cent to my name at the moment.. I didnt realise how hard it would be to find a job - I should have been working at the beginning of January already. Why cant I find a job - because of affirmative action.

Perhaps now is not the right time for you to commit to 3 expensive pets nevermind thinking about buying more!?

I'm sorry to to hear about Kelsey

However at this stage - the male is 4 months old. The females are 2 months and 6 months. There will be no breeding within the next 2 weeks.. To add more surety to that - breeding season has come and gone here - its almost autumn. I really dont think my 4 month old is in the mood

When I got them - I was under the impression that by now I would be working - no one can predict what life throws at them. I can afford their everyday neccessities - just not little extras that can wait for 2 weeks

But you talk of getting more more more! Stop and concentrate on these guys. I think we have all firmy got the message that you will be seperating them which is great news. You will see differences in their behaviour no doubt. When I seperated my 2 young males, the smaller of the two became increasingly active, calmer and a better feeder.

I'm not talking about getting more and more - I said one more and thats it.. And thats in a months time - and rack will be here and a tub will be ready and waiting for him.. If I dont get him now - I'll have to wait another year and I want all 4 to grow and be roughly the same size and age. I can afford to feed another corn and since the rack comes withe a space for him - why not.

It's entirley your perogative. Positivley none of my business and not my descision, I was just questioning the fact you claim to have absolutly no money yet want more exotic pets to feed, house, heat, clean etc...

You do not need to address my inquiry if you do not wish to. Just me thinking outloud.

I think you should try to focus on your life first, and only keep one pet snake or something. I know you love them, but you said you're in debt for borrowing money. Maybe you can try to move to another area, with better jobs? You don't sound like you're in a good stage in your life right now to keep more snakes, nor animals IMO.
You're just really irresponsible, sorry if it sounds harsh but that's what it sounds like. :shrugs:

This is ridiculous now, I read this thread this morning and didn't expect it to still be going, Taryn I suggest if you feel you HAVE understood the advice given, then lets end this thread, because I think it's your defensiveness that is continuing the thread, people are giving advice and you seem to be challenging it, I don't doubt you care for you snakes and you believe you are doing whats best for them, but instead of challenging how do we know they're stressed, how about not wanting to take the risk anyway.........we're not trying to tell you your a bad pet owner it's just advice.

Man, the dead horse is nothing but a red stain at this point! :grin01:

In the old days, I probably would have locked this thread by now. I really don't see the value in continuing it...

The whole of South Africa is like thise

And dont call me irresponsible - I bought these snakes when I had the money - life threw me lemons. I don't have a zoos worth - just the one beardie and the 3 snakes. The rest belong to my boyfriend.. They get all the food and love that they need

And yes - the space they need soon too

I'm just asking questions - for educational purposes,,

Not challenging anyone at all

Maybe you should lock it - its turning into an episode of Doctor Phil

The way to do it is.....Concentrate on making vivs....We have a number of snakes, but we have vivs that are ready to go, if we come across snakes we can't do without. The trick is to keep uprating your set ups. Move all your snakes along to the next best, and that leaves the first ones free to be used when the time comes.
We look for new thermostats, new everything all the time. We are in the process of getting a bigger rack. When that comes on line we will have 12 perfectly good vivs ready for any eventuality.....Thats what I would concentrate on...

I know how that feels, heck I've had that happen many times, but I always did what I could. I KNOW it is not expensive to buy 2 shoe boxes, you don't even need heat as long as the temp. in the house is fine.
You ARE being irresponsible for not doing what's best for your animals and still thinking "They are ok," which they're not.

Thanks alot for the advice

There wont be anymore for this year so that gives me time to buy bits and peices in case something temps me next year..

Dude - you are 10 years younger than me - I have 10 more years of life experiences.. Plus you don't live this side of the world..

Your parents still shout at you to clean your room.. Its funny that you call me irresponsible.. Come chat when your legal