"Milagro" (translation "miracle")

So, it's time for me to come clean & admit that ever since the 27th of August, I've been harboring a brand new hatchling rat snake, & her name is Milagro. :snake:

I have good reasons for not sharing my happy news with you all sooner: she wasn't supposed to be here...I didn't plan to have another snake but she hatched out of an
infertile egg, I assume the result of parthenogenesis. Snakes that have only one parent (are not the result of breeding) often have many defects that keep them from
surviving, but so far, she's doing great! :aww: I also know that you'll be mad at me for not posting pictures, but by now those of you that 'know me' here have no such
expectations, lol. So "sorry" in advance for that ;) but there isn't much to see yet anyway*, plus my first priority will always be what's best for the snake, & right now
that's eating, resting, & growing stronger. *She is a typical Pantherophis alleghaniensis hatchling- blotch pattern in shades of muddy-gray that will eventually change
to adult yellows with different markings (dorsal stripes most likely), & she's tiny! Just 11" long & no fatter than a pencil, her head the size of a striped sunflower seed.

Milagro's mom is Lainey, one of my 11.5 year old Florida rat snakes (a blend of yellow, gulf hammock & probably some Everglades thrown in). I have 2.2 of these c/b
snakes...I've had them for about 10 years now, since their owner in Florida lost both his job & his home, sadly had to re-home the snakes he was working with & move
up north. They've never been together, yet every year both females do double-clutches of eggs, which is why the males are so much bigger than the females. Their
1st clutches have been up to 27 eggs, & their 2nd clutches are typically around 18. Many of those eggs are obvious slugs that I toss, & in the past I've used some of the
nice white eggs for "show & tell" but only this year did I actually try incubating them.

You can imagine my shock when I walked past the eggs one morning & saw a tiny chin peeking up out of it, & blowing bubbles in the goo. :O Sometime that afternoon
she made it out of the egg & was exploring; I quickly fixed up her own place to live. The only defects I can see are a very minimal bump in her neck, & a tail tip that's a
bit more blunt than it should be. She has no siblings, but there have been at least 4 fully-formed hatchlings (from either adult female) that did not make it out of their
eggs even after they made made some slits in them. There are only 5 "good" eggs left incubating, & only from Lainey's second clutch (not due yet), none from the other
female. Now I am not by any means an expert on parthenogenesis...the only other possibility is that these snakes were put together when young by their first owner, &
that somehow they managed to mate at that time. I don't think that's the case, & even if it were, it would mean it's been at least 10 years since that mating. :confusd: Unlikely.

So no matter how Milagro came to be...it's pretty amazing. At one day of age she was chasing the motion of my finger so I gave her a live pinky mouse, which she ate.
After that, she went into 'shed' & after shedding on 9-4, she easily took a f/t pinky, then again on 9-7 and again on 9-13...so she's off to a great start. She's active in
her cage when hungry, and climbs pretty well, but she's also not above slipping face-first into her container of damp moss after 'posing' from the side, lol. I've often
caught her peeking & watching me...very typical of rat snakes, but mostly she's hiding & resting/digesting. (I'm assuming she's a "she"- I've not checked.)

I've bred plenty of snakes but it's been some years, & I've not been wanting to add any more snakes...but I have to admit that I'm pretty stoked about having Milagro in
my life. I've often said my best pets have often been the ones I didn't plan or choose, so here I go again. :)

Very cool Boger. I know it's not your thing, but you should post some pics..:D

Very cool indeed bogertophis
Hopefully we get to see some pics,soon.
so glad it's eating already too

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Re pics, I'm not trying to be a tease, I'm just not real techy, & never take pix, much less post them, lol.

Anyway, I'm delighted that her appetite & digestion are working so well. Hatchlings don't typically eat before their first shed, but she didn't hesitate. :love:
I'm pulling for her...such a tiny thing!

That really is a miracle snake, I had a cockatiel (parrot) that pretty much shouldn't have made it but did and his name was Miracle for like 10 days till we renamed him Shadow. He was hatched by love birds and hand raised from day one. The name Shadow suited him perfect because he followed me around everywhere like a shadow.

Here's his story if anyone is interested, I know it's not snake related but I found him to be a miracle too.
https://imgur.com/gallery/MjMtka2

That definitely is a miracle! It's really cool that she's doin so well with no defects. She was obviously meant to be yours so hold on to her and treat her well!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Toad37

That definitely is a miracle! It's really cool that she's doin so well with no defects. She was obviously meant to be yours so hold on to her and treat her well!!

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Thanks, I know...it's just crazy! :D She's pretty much a hands-off snake right now, while she grows & gets stronger. She's not much to look at yet...if you're curious about what yellow rat snake hatchlings look like, you can google & you'll get various images that represent her well enough, like this one:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...mHB39lBnVkjDgw

I don't recall which thread it was here, but a while back I happened to mention that my adult Florida rat snakes automatically lay eggs every year & that this year I thought I might try incubating them (since many appear as viable, white eggs with healthy veins & a red glow when candled), & someone asked me for an update if I tried...I never really thought I'd have this much to update though. And then I wanted to see how well she did...I didn't want to jinx it the minute she made it out of her egg.

I didn't even have tiny pinkies to feed her when she appeared to want food. My mice are in-between litters & my frozen supply is larger pinks at the smallest, for my Texas longnose snake. He mostly eats fuzzy mice, but sometimes the mice have more than they can care for & so I happened to have large pinkies too...so that's what Milagro has been eating from literally "day one". She's a tough little rat snake, alright. :snake: Don't you wish BPs (& other snakes) all switched from 'live' this easily? LOL

WOW - Crazy story Bogertophis! Yes, you did give me a hint after all, but not what I was expecting!

I am pulling for the little one!

You might have your own Yafe on your hands, huh?

Thinking good thoughts and sending them both of your way.

Keep us posted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dakski

WOW - Crazy story Bogertophis! Yes, you did give me a hint after all, but not what I was expecting!

I am pulling for the little one!

You might have your own Yafe on your hands, huh?

Thinking good thoughts and sending them both of your way.

Keep us posted.

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What were you expecting anyway? I guess you thought I bought a new snek, LOL. It's not as if I was expecting this either. :rolleyes: I just couldn't bring myself to throw
away eggs that appeared so viable, & they were easy in incubate...my house is the right temperature all summer, so all I did was plant them in damp moss. As time
went on, some went bad & were tossed, but even now there's still 5 "good" ones from Lainey's 2nd clutch...yikes! It still surprises me that 4 of them came very CLOSE
to hatching- fully formed snakes but with defects they couldn't quite survive, & that may be the fate of these last 5 too, but I'll let you all know what happens.

I really don't expect Milagro to have the troubles you had with Yafe- for one thing, there was no air shipping. But only time will tell if there's any life-shortening issues
and we welcome your good thoughts for sure.

Life is full of surprises sometimes, & if you ever have a snake that lays "infertile eggs" just don't be too quick to count them out. ;) :snake:

Wow! Milagro is aptly named. Also how lucky are you witnessing two parthenogenic hatchlings in a lifetime!
Fingers crossed that she continues doing well :)