Smooth Scales Snakes

[SmoothScales]

Hello, folks!

With the new year started - and picture/editing skills improving - I thought I would post some updated pics of our snakes. While these pics are slightly edited, my editing skills are still horrifyingly bad so all editing is restricted to what I picked up from the Raphy Martinez video on YouTube. If you are anywhere close to as inept as I am at working your way around photo editing software, it is well worth the watch! (https://www.youtube.com/user/raphymartinez)

Check out the results, and let me know what you think!

First up, we have Blackout! This beautiful Black Pastel has been growing like a weed and is now weighing in at 1350 grams, which puts her right on track for breeding this fall. Isn't she gorgeous?


Next, we have her future mate - Mr. Fred the Magnifithent! Our Spinner Blast boy is in shed in this picture, but you can really only tell by his eyes. Last weigh in, he came in at 740 grams. As soon as he's out of shed, we're going to check him to see if he's producing sperm plugs, but I'm confident he's ready to meet the girls!

Continuing with the boys, next on the list is Mr. Bubbles. This Mojave Sable loves to eat! He also was really curious about the thing he was sitting on and spent most of his photo shoot time flicking his tongue at it.



Our newest addition - and last male we currently have - is this feisty little pied. He hasn't been with us very long and is still really tense - he's tagged me twice in the past week!


Onto the rest of the girls!

First, we have a little Mystic that we picked up from Dean's Reptiles at the Costa Mesa Repticon.


Next we have a little pastel. She really didn't want to sit still for her picture to be taken!



Next, we have a little Yellow Belly. She's going into shed and feeling very anti-social right now, so she's a little out of focus. This was, unfortunately, the best pic of her and she looks a bit cross about the whole thing. When she was purchased, we were told she was fed strictly on mice, but she's taken every rat she's been offered without hesitation and has nearly doubled in size since purchase. I don't expect her to be up to size this fall, but wouldn't be surprised if she were ready by early next year.



This little Mojave was so curious about the camera, that she actually stretched out from the position she was in for the picture and tried to lick the lens. She's a really solid eater and is always looking for more.



Last, but certainly not least, I present our Super Lesser BEL. This photo has definitely taught me something - don't take pictures of an all white snake on an all white background. Like the Mojave, she was also very curious about the camera and kept slithering toward it to check it out, making getting a good picture a bit difficult. When we got her, she was only 77 grams. At last weight, she was one meal away from tipping 300. Her back looks a little yellowed out in the picture, which means she is likely going to be in full on shed soon as well. Also, she likes wearing hats.




That's it for now! Although, as soon as the weather gets a little warmer for shipping, two Western Hognose will be added to our growing numbers. We managed to pick up all the snakes on our purchase list for 2015, and have identified which morphs we'd like to add in 2016. We'll be keeping our eyes open! I know a few of the members here breed some things on our list, and will be contacting them when the time comes.

[se7en]

blackout was purchased from redshepherd right?


nice collection btw

[Ax01]

nice pix! great collection.

i love you BEL, she's such a periscoper.

also u should put a lil' Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie wig on her.

[SmoothScales]

blackout was purchased from redshepherd right?


nice collection btw

Correct! Blackout did come from redshepherd. Thanks so much for the compliment!

nice pix! great collection.

i love you BEL, she's such a periscoper.

also u should put a lil' Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie wig on her.

Thank you! I've got this one crazy pic of her where it looks like she's cocking her head to the side like 'What'cha doin?' She's so silly. As for seeing her in more hats, my Aunt sent me a tutorial on how to make one with some yarn and a key-ring so it looks like a small beanie. She said 'Make it happen.'

[MidSouthMorphs]

Very nice collection, that BEL looks awesome!

[AbsoluteApril]

awesome collection and very nice photos

[SmoothScales]

Thanks to everyone so much for the comments and compliments! We snapped a few more photos at the beginning of the month when we do our tub switching for deep cleaning. I thought I would share some of them.


We'll do the boys first -

Bubbles
We didn't get many good pics of Mr. Bubbles this time because he's going into shed and feeling a little cranky. We did get this nice shot of his tongue, though!





Fred the Magnifithent
Here's a shot of Fred the Magnifithent. He's looking pretty after his shed. He's just short of 700 grams right now. He kind of snuck up on us weight wise and managed to get to breeding size before we realized it, but we checked him at his last weigh in and confirmed it - he is producing sperm plugs! I think this picture turned out really fantastic - I don't even think I cropped it, just added the FB information/watermark.





Smiley
Last up for the boys would be Smiley! He's settled in nicely and has stopped trying to tag me every time his tub gets opened. He's also turned out to be quite photogenic, so there's several pictures of him that turned out pretty great that I'll be sharing.

First, much more relaxed about coming out of his tub.


Posing nicely.




A close up shot.



At this point, he started wondering about the camera being stuck in his face, I think.




Yup, started stretching toward the lens.




I have no idea how this next photo even happened... This is the actual photo without any effects added after the fact - I have the editing skills of a 1st grader! Actually, with today's technology, a 1st grader probably has better editing skills than I do. We were experimenting with shutter times, though, but I have no idea how to recreate this. I'm sure someone more camera savvy could tell me - shutter to fast? To slow? I don't know!



Onto the girls!

Blackout
First up we have Blackout. She wasn't really feeling very photogenic this time and kept trying to slither away. I have lots of pics of her backside! There is one tongue shot of her that turned out nice, though, so here it is!



Terrestria
Next up, we'll take a look at little Terrestria. She shed a few hours before taking these photos and she looks just fantastic! Her blacks looked so deep and soft, like velvet.

Here's a picture of her a few days before her shed. She didn't eat the rat, so it was taken out a few minutes later. We always offer even when they look blue because sometimes they will eat - most of ours eat in blue, and I'm honestly surprised when they turn down a rat. However, once they've refused, we don't offer again until after they're done shedding. I chose to share this photo because she looked so comical in her bowl glaring at the rat.



And now, after her shed.





Sharona
Last time, Sharona didn't want her picture taken, so we only got a couple of her that were even in focus. This time she sat so still, we pretty much only got one pose! Snakes don't care for the plans of men (and women).



You always hear about how Pastels will brown out as they age, quicker if the genetics of the animal aren't that good. Many say it - quality in, quality out - and I completely agree. When you look at a Pastel, and can't even tell it's a Pastel, it's really disappointing. While she's still young, I feel confident that this little girl will prove her quality as she grows. In the time that we've had her, she's actually gotten brighter!



Frank the Tank
Frank is ever in search of her next rat. She is incredibly docile, though, and if I were ever going to try introducing someone who is afraid of snakes to a snake, it would be Frank. She enjoys chin scratches! Yes, I know, 'enjoy' is an anthropomorphism, but I'm not sure what else to call it. She acts a bit like a cat getting its chin scratched! Only one pic of Frank this time around, but it's tongue out!



Maxine
Maxine, once again, didn't want her picture taken. I'm beginning to think we'll never get some good pics of her! This one is in focus, at least, unlike last time.



Mon Cheri
And finally, the little wee Mon Cheri! I keep calling her little wee, but she checked in at 348 grams last weigh day. Not much, I know, especially when one shelf away you've got Blackout tipping more than 1450, but a far cry from the 77g 'well started' hatchling that she arrived as. Only one picture of her today, more because of human error than her moving. She's a little sweetie and very photogenic, but the human behind the camera still needs to focus.




We're still waiting on the weather to warm up enough for our hognose to make the journey from Connecticut, so no hognose to show off at the moment. We do have one more new addition, but he'll be getting his own thread as it's a rescue situation. Here's hoping everyone is having a great day and a wonderful season!

[Bigfish1975]

Collection is really looking great. Gonna have some nice babies in the future.

[SmoothScales]

Collection is really looking great. Gonna have some nice babies in the future.

Thanks! I have Phantom on my wish list for this year, so I'm sure we'll be hitting you up once we get another rack built.

[Bigfish1975]

Sounds like a great plan. Also, sent you a PM.