Doc - Progression Thread

I sent my wife the picture below, and she mentioned how perfect his mustache and soul patch are. She pointed out the striking resemblance to Doc Holliday, and so, we have a name. I will keep up with the rest of his progress in this thread.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...527_185758.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...4-92acd991.jpg

Very cool name, I love the moustache on boas

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

My late female BCI had a nice 'stache too...poor thing had trouble getting dates. :D Welcome Doc! (what's up?)

Love the Stache!

Doc had his first meal with me a few days ago. I initially tried to feed too early in the day, and he completely ignored the mouse, preferring to continue his nap. A few hours later, when offered again, he struck rather ferociously, and after a brief constricting session, devoured promptly. I was actually kind of surprised and at the sheer power in the strike.

Anyhow, first thing this morning he finally emerged from his hide and started exploring while I was in the room. He has been exploring, but up until now it has always been when I am asleep, then he relocates to a paper towel tube when I get up, where I couldn't even lift the hide if I wanted too. Today though, he was out and ready, so I figured it was time to go ahead and handle him for a few minutes.

Started slow, approached from behind, gently touched him a few times, all that good stuff. He's a little more touch jumpy than Sushi was in the beginning. Once I picked him up and gave him a minute to realize I wasn't going to eat him, he settled down and proceeded to climbing my arms, neck, up the back of my head, down the bridge of my nose, etc. Goofy little guy.

I cut some dowels and mounted them into the foam background walls in one corner, making a kind of climbing ladder for him to play around on. All in all, he seems to be settling in well.

Glad all went well with your first handling session and he ate for you, I always try feed in the evening if I can

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

So now you know he doesn't like "breakfast in bed" lol... He sounds like he'll be an EXCELLENT pet!

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...59_resized.jpg

Oh, hey, I love what you did there, adding those "steps". Looks like he does too & didn't waste any time.

Quick update here also, Doc has nailed his first three meals and has started to relax a bit. I catch him poking his head of the hides and scanning around more now. I did bring him out for a few the other day and went to work climbing all over my head again. He even snatched the glasses right off my face and dangled them by his tail for a while before dropping them on the floor. Goofy little guy.

Snakes can be a little rough on eye-wear, for sure. ;)

Doc is currently up to just shy of 150g, and eating F/t adult mice, albeit the smaller ones. He finished his first shed with me on Friday, a nice solid one piece sock with eye caps and tail tip included. I was very proud of that, keeping the humidity up in that glass tank is a task, but he is doing really well. Still a bit shy, but ever curious once he's out. I will try to get some pics up soon here as well.

A few post-show natural light shots:

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...59_resized.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...04_resized.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...17_resized.jpg

I tried to catch the tongue flick on that last one, but it didn't come out as clear as I had hoped.

Post-shed^

Looks really nice, great colour

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Well, it finally happened. After about a month now, Doc dropped a bomb this morning. His new updated weight is 156g.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fadingdaylight

Well, it finally happened. After about a month now, Doc dropped a bomb this morning. His new updated weight is 156g.

---

.....it happens. :D He's looking great, & makes a nice bracelet too.

And another long overdue update, Doc is impossible to weigh and still doesn't care much for being taken out of his enclosure. Once out he's fine being handled, he just doesn't like the initial pick up for whatever reason. He is roughly 4 foot long now, just over a year old, and spends a good bit of time outside his hides these days. Still goofy though. Here are some fresh shots from today:

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...04_resized.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...22_resized.jpg[/IMG]

Doc is looking good and growing well.

"Impossible to weigh"??? All you have to do is let him hide in a pillow case & secure with a twist-tie. If you still need more support, you can put the bag into an open
box, & weigh all together. Then after you take him out, weight the bag (pillow case) + box (if used) & subtract that weight from the weight with him on board. ;)

It's very normal for a snake to feel afraid (insecure) outside of their enclosure, but it's easier to have them learn & get used to it while they're smaller. The trouble I had with the large BCI that I had for years was getting her back into her enclosure after she was out for a while...she liked it so much she didn't want to go back. (fun times! a bit of a rodeo)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

"Impossible to weigh"??? All you have to do is let him hide in a pillow case & secure with a twist-tie. If you still need more support, you can put the bag into an open
box, & weigh all together. Then after you take him out, weight the bag (pillow case) + box (if used) & subtract that weight from the weight with him on board. ;)

---

What I wound up doing was similar, I have a large plastic tote that I use to put them in while I'm cleaning the tanks. The day after I took those pictures, Doc finally released the floodgates and covered half of his tank in his quarterly potty time. I moved him to the tote and weighed him in there then subtracted the empty tote weight. Doc checked in at 476g.