(hastily snapped photo cause I didn't have time to fiddle with my camera)



Took Paradox, Enigma and Charade in, Charade and Enigma to be checked out cause they came from pet stores and I wanted to have all three weighed and sexed (I did ask for a digital scale for Christmas). They are all healthy and they are all males. Enigma is 90g and Paradox weighed in at a whopping 564g.

Good grief, the Petco cashier dork...um...dude evidentally weighed Charade in ounces not grams. And I asked him *three* times, you are *sure* it's grams, not ounces? That's 34g not 3.4 ounces, right? Grrrrrr. Charade weighed in at a healthy 137g. And he is a boy! Seems my fears about his health were unfounded, he's in near perfect condition. The vet described him as "robust". So yes, Virginia, you can get a good snake from a mass market pet store - despite his entire head and neck covered with retained shed. (I'm wandering around with a pretty active case of bronchitis, which appears to be affecting my judgement and probably contributed to my overreaction).)

I'm keeping Paradox on 40g f/t small rats even tho that's below the 10% guideline. He's still getting supplemented with the occasional fuzzy that Enigma rejects. Rather than upsize Charade's prey, I'll prob start tossing him 2 fuzzys and put him on the 7 day feeding schedule as the rest of them.

Is interesting reactions that Enigma gets, "oo, it's a boa constrictor!" the vet quietly said. He's a Nicaraguan, a dwarf variety, I responded. Hopefully will max around 3 feet provided he really is a Nicaraguan and pure-blooded.

Exams were pretty uneventful except for Paradox peeing all over the place when he got probed. My vet is very informed about herps and seemed to find my three a refreshing break from the ubiquitous cats&dogs.



As for cost, total was $128.75. That was $38x2 for exams, $10x2 for cloacal wash, and $15x2 for fecal smears. And a $2.75 biohazard fee, I suppose for the paper towels I used to mop up the ball python pee. The lovely assistant in the front additionally knocked off a $30 fee ($10x3 for sexing) as she confided, "we've never charged for sexing."