BP thinks he's a baby bird, first time for everything..

[kiiarah]

Shesha is preparing to shed, so in hopes of getting a meal into him before he goes full "blue" I decided to feed him a day early last night. I had reservations about the whole thing because even though I moved feeding night up, his eyes were quite cloudy. I figured I would still have a better shot than if I waited yet another day, so I warmed up his rat and got his attention. He seemed interested and was tracking it and flicking his tongue, but as soon as he would get close enough for the rat to touch him he would shy away. I really didn't think he was going to eat, but was having a hard time throwing in the towel since he was obviously interested. He had pulled his head back into his coils and was resting his chin on his back looking at me, so as a last ditch attempt I grabbed the rat around its middle and just gently rested its nose in front of his.

His response was to very casually open his mouth and wait, as though he was expecting the rat to be placed into his jaws. I set the rats head in his mouth and sure enough, he closed his jaws around it and tightned his body and neck while holding it. The funny thing was, he was not wrapped around it, he was still resting in a very loose spiral on the ground, but with muscles tensed. It was like he was trying to constrict it with only his head. Sure enough a minute or so later he started working his jaws down its head and down the hatch it went. In the past he has sometimes pushed his nose against the rat and then gently grabbed it rather than striking, but this was just about the silliest thing I have ever seen. I figure he was probably just feeling lazy since he is getting ready to shed, but I would be lying if I said my first thought wasn't that he may be getting a bit too pampered.

Has anyone else had their snake do something hilariously un-snakelike?

[ShayInator]

That is adorable! Picturing that is just too cute! You have a spoiled noodle on your hands!

Mine is quirky, I sometimes lay down with her, and she likes to nuzzle in my shirt and poke her head out. She also loves messing up her cage, she likes to rearrange her stuff. I also find it funny that she never uses her hides, she sleeps under the newspaper.. Sometimes she will even crawl to the top of her tank, lose her balance, and fall in her water bowl, then is like "I meant to do that mom!"

Snakes are adorable, and often misunderstood, my parents weren't too fond of her when I first got her, but once they seen her quirky side, they changed and love her now! I sometimes even catch my mother talking to her as well.. [Not that weird though compared to the whole conversations I have with her haha ]

[kiiarah]

I will admit, he is a bit on the spoiled side ^_^. It is hilarious when they lean a little bit too far while exploring and fall over, provided they don't get hurt of course. They sure can be silly little things. I agree that they are completely misunderstood. I often find myself torn between feeling devastated that so few people see them for the amazing animals they are, and feeling lucky that I can see them in a way others don't. My little guy is such a sweetheart he has converted a few people already. He is quite literally so tame that he will stretch himself out towards my face and I can kiss him on the tip of his nose and he won't pull away, he just flicks his tongue and slithers up my cheek. It is hard for people to stay scared after seeing that I guess. Even my husband has come around since Shesha has learned his scent. He will come home from work and walk by me, as soon as Shesha picks up on his smell he will stretch out and "follow" him with his neck. He always has to stop and greet him when he gets home these days and he seems genuinely happy to see him. This is a man who was adamant that he didn't want a snake in the house. I have seen people who won't cross the room when he is out come around and ask to hold him within about three times seeing him.

I also talk to him. I have been known to sit and have prolonged one sided "conversations" with him when I am home alone and he is hanging out with me. I feel like somehow voicing my thoughts, even just talking to him about how special he is to me, may at least allow him to pick up on some level of positivity even if he can't actually hear what I am saying. After all they say that snakes can sense when a person is nervous and are more likely to respond defensively, I figure maybe they can sense when a person is happy and calm too. Just seems like saying it out loud helps to reinforce those happy thoughts and if he can pick up on any of that it is worth a shot!

[ShayInator]

Mine stretches out and flicks my face with her tongue too! It is SOOO cute when they do that! I love it when they lift up their head to look at something better.

I have her in my room, so I always tell her good morning, and goodnight! I like to give her a voice, and pretend that she is talking to me... It's like an older version of imaginary friends and pet rocks!

[kiiarah]

Haha gotta love the tongue flicks. My little one will sometimes stretch up and lean over backwards to put his face on my nose. Once he even stretched all the way from my lap to right underneath my nostril without me realizing. Then he flicked his tongue and it went straight up my nose. Talk about startling! I think he wanted attention. I joke with the kids and the hubby that he needs one rat a week and at least 30 kisses a day. When he is digesting or shedding we have to make up for it with extra kisses after he finishes. I am still blown away by how tolerant he is. He lets the kids nuzzle the top of his head with their nose to say goodnight and as they move away he will lift his head and follow them flicking his tongue. He's a cuddly little goober.