Katie: Reptile Convert and Love of My Life - Post about converts you know!

[dakski]

Katie got me Solana (our baby Scaleless Sunglow Motley Corn Snake) for our anniversary last week. Well, she came last week, but we ordered her at the beginning of June.

She is our last snake for a long time and Katie helped pick her out and also named her.

Katie had been against getting another snake, but when she saw a picture of Solana, and heard how chill was already (at 1 1/2 months old), she said, "she's worth getting another snake for."

Fast forward to our 2 year anniversary last week. Solana came and Katie could not wait to meet her. She has literally been gushing over her since and I had to beg for Katie to let her digest (she ate on Sunday - happily) for two days after eating and not to handle her (she did listen).

I don't know how to explain it, but Solana has brought out the reptile momma in Katie. She adores her and is excited about watching her grow up and having her for a long time. I joked in Solana's thread, that she is Katie's therapy snake. Behira (BCI) is my therapy snake and Reptile Companion Animal (RCA), she always cheers me up.

Katie had a rough day yesterday and literally a minute into holding Solana, she was smiling and laughing.

Yesterday, Katie said to me, "I miss Behira, I haven't held her in a couple of weeks." What? Say again? Historically it's been a chore, unless Katie is unoccupied and in a perfect reptile mood, to get her to hold them when I clean their tanks (versus putting them in their holding containers, which are fine, but I've been trying to get Katie to interact with them more), or any time for that matter.

Today, she held everyone......Snakes (4), geckos (held 2/3 - Kayla was not in a being held mood especially), and Frank (BTS). She truly seemed to enjoy interacting with all of them and everyone had a good time (well except for me - I was cleaning tanks!).

This a vast departure from, "They are your reptiles," and, "I tolerate them." I know she didn't completely mean those statements, but there was some truth to them as well. Reptiles are my hobby and passion, and Katie was nice enough to let me move in with my two dogs and reptile crew, but although crazy about the pups, could take or leave the reptiles. They didn't add anything to her life like they do for me.

I am very excited about how far Katie has come and how much Solana has gotten her to the next level. I don't want to jinx it, and I don't know if she'll ever be cleaning tanks or feeding (regularly anyway), but even if this as is far as she comes, it's pretty awesome.