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Progression thread: Normal Cape African house snake

DollysMom

DollysMom

It never gets old!
Vital statistics:

Breeder/Vendor: Elemental Exotics (Tavia)
Hatch date: July 24, 2015
Morph: Normal, het T- albino
Sex: Male
Purchase Date: October 30, 2015
Received via SYR: November 3, 2015
Age at purchase: 14 weeks
Weight at purchase: 8 grams
Length at purchase: 10 inches (approx using serpwidgets)
Name: Clyde (short for Clyde Van Dusen, my dad's army nick name)

The picture in the classified section here that I couldn't stop looking at (photo courtesy Elemental Exotics):

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I really thought about the commitment, but once I named him, I was a goner. There was no use waiting further on the decision!

From Clyde's last pre-shipping photo shoot. You can really see his beautiful little snake eyes and the iridescence that AHS are known for (photo courtesy Elemental Exotics):

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There's something precious in this box:

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Unboxing!

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Who is peeking out of that deli cup?

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Active healthy baby!

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One more snapshot for good measure before his departing for the warm hide.

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Welcome home little Clyde!

It has been a real joy working with Elemental Exotics. Thanks for such a healthy and beautiful little snake!
 
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It's evening here and I just went to check on Clyde. I never expected to see him out, about, and climbing in his fake bush. I think of new babies hiding out for a few days unless it is pitch black.

I tried to make his viv like Disneyland for house snakes. Evidently he feels secure enough to explore a little. I couldn't be happier! It's too dark for a pic of this snakey activity, but here's a pic of the viv during set up while I was testing the UTH. He was in the leaves of the bush in the center.

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Clyde had his first shed with me last night. I didn't know he was in shed. Now, I know he why he looked dusky. I had thought it was my lighting since I've only had him for 6 days but he was in shed. Hiding during acclimation of a baby is normal so I had no clue from behavior.

It was incomplete and I've now corrected my husbandry by providing a humid hide 24/7.

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Still, it was a real bonding experience helping him shed the tail, which was stuck. After it was shed he just curled around my fingers. He has totally taken my heart. He's the sweetest little guy especially since my first handling experience with him was having him sit in damp paper towels and then running his tail through the same.

I'm always excited by the first shed with me and am so proud of my little trooper!
 
jagodzinski said:
Congrats! That's awesome - very cool first handling experience.

Love seeing the pics of him and his shed :)
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Thanks jagodzinski! I'm looking forward to getting some new pics after he eats and has digested.

Yeah, after he nestled in my fingers, when I put him back in his viv, he had his tail wrapped around my ring finger and didn't let go until he finally decided to head for his warm hide. My heart just totally melted.
 
Wow, I just saw this thread. Cute little snake. How big do these guys get? Are they similar in Nature to a Corn Snake?

I have been looking at Mexican Black King snakes myself and may get one next summer.

Good luck with Clyde.
 
Karl_Mcknight said:
Wow, I just saw this thread. Cute little snake. How big do these guys get? Are they similar in Nature to a Corn Snake?

I have been looking at Mexican Black King snakes myself and may get one next summer.

Good luck with Clyde.
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They are similar in nature and care, though they need a 90 degree warm side. They are not known to need a lot of humidity, but some like mine need a humid hide due to incomplete shed-- same kind of humid hide you'd make for a corn. They are known to be docile and are good eaters of f/t mice once started. Over feeding is possible. They are prone to mouth injury from substrate if fed in viv, hence the paper towel substrate. They can be kept on aspen, but definitely not fed on it. They like a lot of clutter for security. The males get about 2.5 to possibly 3 ft and the females are 4 to 5 ft long. They are slender bodied like corns. It is said that they are a bit more bitey and flighty as babies than corns, but that's not true in my case. Clyde was quite patient and mellow during the shed assist, especially since he had just traveled from Idaho in a box last week and I hadn't handled him before!

I love Mexican black kings. I think it is a real blessing to keep and learn about more than one kind of snake. Best wishes on that.

Nanci said:
I love house snakes!!
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:D awesome!
 
Karl_Mcknight said:
now you'll just have to be sure to spend equal time with Cleo and Clyde so as not to make the other jealous
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LOL, I'm not sure that one knows that the other exists at this moment, though their pinkies all come from the same big bag o freezer mice!

I am pleased to announce that Clyde just ate a pinky head. It was his first meal here. :licklips:
 
Wish I had more than my phone and the light from a light bulb available, but I got a post shed picture of Clyde tonight. He's a lot more iridescent in real. I tried to get a pic of him on my left hand, but he kept crawling toward and flicking at the lens :)

This was the first "for fun" handling session since he arrived. He is so sweet. I kept it short and positive, but I could have held him all evening.

He's just a little love bug!

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