Quote Originally Posted by Kookie17 View Post
Ball pythons are stubborn feeders. If he's never fed on live, he probably won't now unless (and if) he gets extremely hungry. and with it only being day 3 (i think) I don't imagine he is feeling famished right about now. Put a water bowl down for him as well, outside of the tank, so he can drink if he gets thirsty (if you haven't done so). Don't give up hope. Never give up hope, until the day that house is bulldozed (which i'm assuming won't be in your lifetime). One thing is pretty likely- wherever he is, he is probably terrified. I hope you find him, and don't stress to much. This is a moot point, because you will stress no matter what, and that's normal. But try to keep yourself calm. Think positive thoughts and will him to show up.
Also, if you do not mind my asking, how did you get mercury poisoning? (I'm an LPN, still pretty freshly graduated though, so I am trying to keep myself learning)
He's a very regular eater and just had a medium mouse Wednesday night.
[he got too fat on rats and is now on a mouse diet]

He never refuses and is always up sniffing and begging while the rodents are thawing.

I put water down for him immediately that night because he's also a frequent drinker.

I have been sending him mental messages constantly except for when I'm sleeping.
[which is rarely, now]

I just spent hours sitting out there with the red lights on, hoping he'd show himself in the 'dark'.

I put one of my freshly worn t-shirts in his tank, hoping he'll follow my smell.
[he only likes me and I assume he associates my smell as "me"]

The thought of him balled up and terrified is like a dagger twisted in my heart.

He's never known fear or want, only love and security.
[yes, he's my "baby snake", despite his size and age]

And no, I don't mind you asking.

I got mercury poisoning from eating too much tuna and/or cleaning up *4* of those wonderful new federally mandated eco-friendly CFL bulbs.

Two years ago, I had another rash of exploding CFLs and had it then, too.
This time it's much worse and I'm totally flattened by the symptoms.

Not that there's ever a good time to lose a snake but this has to be the worst time, for me, anyway.

I can only search for an hour or so before I go down like a whipped cart horse.

Total collapse.

It's pretty miserable, especially now.

The irony of it all is that, while I was in the bathroom this afternoon, the resident rat snake came out from behind the washer upstairs and and kept slithering around my feet until he/she finally just wound itself around my ankles and laid there.

I could've just picked it up, if I'd wanted to.
It was completely calm and comfortable with me.

I'm "communing" with wild snakes but can't even find my pet snake?

This is crazy.

The rat snake truly is a beautifully elegant, sinuous and lithesome creature and I enjoyed my time with it but I really want my fat old clumsy Alice back.

I would never have imagined any person could love a cold blooded critter this much but I do.



I've asked God for a lot of weird things in my life but I'd bet this one tops His "You want what?!?!" list.

*shrug*

He should be used to me by now.