Dekay's Visitor

Well, we let the black rat go and a few minutes later my stepdad (who's terrified of snakes) started screaming about a snake he found. I went out and caught the little thing and brought her in. She was so dull in color I couldn't tell for sure what she was, but I assumed she was a young garter based on her size. I stuck her in a spare cage for the time being because I wanted my roommate, who was at work, to see her.

She shed immediately, and in her new skin I could see she wasn't a garter. She's a little Dekay's snake, and I think she may be gravid. We will be hunting slugs for her this evening; if we can find some and get her to feed, I'll take some pictures.

I also included her perfect shed skin in the pictures.

So pretty! Do they lay eggs or live bear?

They're ovoviviparous--they give birth to live young, like garters. I'm highly considering keeping her as a guest until she has her babies, for the sheer "aww" factor of how tiny and adorable they will be. I mean, she's tiny--how itty-bitty will the wormlets be?

And she'll be pretty easy to feed--dig up a worm or catch a slug every few days. We've got plenty of those, and my mom is actually thrilled that we found a snake that likes to eat slugs.

So cute! I hope she has babies for you!

Ooh, interesting! The black rat must have let her know that you are a good home for snakes.

I hope she has her wormies for you! I'd love to see how teeny and precious they are.

Awesome hope she has her babies soon for you x

Wormnomnom

We couldn't find Thumbelina (as we're calling her) any slugs, but we did find her a couple of small worms. I was only able to snap one picture of her eating two worms, because this tiny dainty little snake hit those worms like a Mack truck and swallowed them in 5 bites. I'd read Dekay's snakes can be shy and hard to get to feed in captivity... not her.

It looks like if she is gravid, she's early on in the development process. If you look closely at the picture, you can see where her vent is as she narrows considerably past it. Time will tell if she is gravid, although she's certainly eating as if she's feeding 3-21 babies.

(Also, look closely at her eyes in the picture--you can see her "mascara", which makes Dekay's really adorable in my opinion.)

what is this i don't even.

Try #2 for picture.

Will be very interesting to see if she's gravid!

Any updates on this little cutie? Moar pictures, plox!