You know that gag about the snake in the peanut jar?

[loonunit]

So, long story short, I gave away a piebald. As a graduation present, to a very deserving friend who I know will take care of him.

Long story long: Karen and I go waaaay back. We've known each other 13 years now. Karen and I went to graduate school together, and flunked out of the same PhD program. (I mean, we both finished with a Masters degree instead of a PhD. But we both lost several years of our lives to floundering around without proper PhD advisors. You know, the usual graduate degree failure story.) Karen and her then-boyfriend were the photographers at my wedding; I was a bridesmaid at their wedding. Somehow we both ended up in Phoenix, and we both eventually re-enrolled as PhD students in the program here. We collaborate together on projects, we complain about the same people, other students mix our names up.

And Karen has wanted a piebald for years. YEARS. She knows several people with ball pythons, and my big lazy (inert, really) pied female helped Karen get over her snake phobia. When I hatched my first pied clutch this year, Karen came over and immediately fell in love with the 50/50 male hatchling. But she couldn't afford the pied price tag. And I sure as heck wasn't just going to give away a pretty 40% white male for free.

Anyway, that's what I thought.

The little pied had other ideas. He didn't want to eat. I started assist feeding him in November. He started eating on his own around Christmas. By spring he was taking f/t, but he was still underweight.

So when Karen announced she was defending her thesis in April, I still had the little guy.



She's thinking of naming him Peanut. Or maybe Dr. Peanut, PhD.

(And yeah, normally we wear jeans and T-shirts to thesis defenses. But since Karen has basically worked twice as hard for twice as long, she declared it a black tie event. Several people wore bowties and ball gowns, and Karen's husband showed up in a top hat and tails.) (And no, I'm not defending this year. Next year, or the year after.) (Never ask a PhD student when they are defending. They might answer, or they might curl into a ball. Or they might cut you. Very dangerous, hard to predict.)

[BrandiR]

I love Mom! "Uh, what'd you say?" Ha Ha!

What a good friend you are!

[STjepkes]

Really enjoyed watching this haha fantastic surprise!

[ballpythonluvr]

Wow! You are such an awesome person for doing that! Who wouldn't love a little piebald in a peanut can!!!

[I-KandyReptiles]

That was really heart warming.

You're such a good friend!

[gsarchie]

Love it, that was too awesome! Very few people ever make friendships like that and fewer still, I think, maintain them. Cherish what you two have!

[loonunit]

I love Mom! "Uh, what'd you say?" Ha Ha!

Poor Karen's mom! She's even more snake phobic than Karen used to be. She's so bad, she can't even talk about it for more than about 2 minutes without having a nervous breakdown. Last night Karen's dad said "Let's go out for snake" instead "Let's go out for steak," and poor Mom almost strangled him.

Luckily, Karen doesn't have a set-up to take care of the little guy. So I'm keeping him until after her parents leave. But her mom can't even look at the peanut jar without shuddering.

[loonunit]

Oh, and I'll confess: I didn't take this video to prove what a great person I am. I took this video because every single person I told about it beforehand said "Uhhhh..... what? You're giving Karen a what? Does Karen... want a snake? Or do you just hate Karen and I didn't know?"

I took this video to prove to everyone else that YES, Karen really was HAPPY to receive a snake in a peanut jar.

[dr del]

That was adorable!

[4theSNAKElady]

Omg...that story/video brought tears to my eyes....i can just tell how happy you made her! Very touching. :o

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