Long absent but glad to be back!

[JRLongton]

It has been a long time since I posted here, but I've turned the corner and hope to be an active member of this forum again.

I had one of those boring office type jobs with significant down time and thus allowed me to be active with online communities like this one. Then I got laid off for a while and just didn't have the time to post and be involved. I was always either looking for work or too preoccupied with the stress of unemployment to contribute to online communities, though day drinking was a factor as well. I was temporarily employed at a high stress hectic job that lasted only until March. Then things happened, you all know what I mean, and it was right back to day drinking. Thankfully that's all over. I'm back in steady employment in a boring office type job with significant down time, basically exactly what I had been doing for years prior. So, I once more have time to interact with all the good people who frequent this site, where I can benefit from advice and maybe dispense some of my own.

In the interim I have gained two more members of my reptile family. I picked up a Boa imperator (Barranquilla locality) who is a perfect peach of a snake. Her name is Electra. I thought my Hog Island was chill and friendly, but Electra is even more so. My wife has taken to kissing her on the mouth. You can pet her head, scratch (gently of course) her face, keep her out for long stretches, stress is just not in Electra's vocabulary. She is only five months old, but I almost can't wait for her to grow. She will be the perfect shoulder snake.

On the polar opposite is Kalista, my newly acquired Boa imperator longicauda. In my few years of snake keeping I'd been bitten only twice, both times were my own stupid fault. I'd been pooped on (by snakes!) more times than bitten. That all changed with Kalista. She must have tagged me five times in our first handling session. Interestingly, she seemed to know I was looking at her and didn't like to be looked in the eyes. She'd stare daggers as long as you held her gaze and breath rapidly waiting to strike. She's only four months old and I've had her about a month now. In that time she has calmed considerably. It took some work and patience, but I can take her out and have positive interactions. She's still skittish and reacts with fear at any sudden movement, or anything unexpected, but we're getting there. I'll work with her, earn her trust and enjoy her all the more for it.

I'll post pics when I can. I'm very unsophisticated with photography.

Glad to be back. Missed you guys!