Introducing Apophis (pic heavy)

[Team Slytherin]

Pops is a stud and that enclosure is incredible! How’s he doing with the pushing these days?

Thank you! It’s been super fun to work on! It’s hard to say *just* yet because there have been some special circumstances the last couple weeks…but it seems a lot better! I lowered his temperature 2-2.5 degrees, but added a halogen bulb on the opposite side. That definitely seems to be better, as far as I can tell so far, so THANK YOU!!

I also wanted to work on his enclosure a couple weeks ago, but he was being a stubborn crab. So, I decided to lure him out with food I took the opportunity to also introduce the target for training. I did 3 small prey items so that we’d have more chances. I figured that the only way I was going to be able to work on his enclosure for a few hours (to let foam dry, carve, and paint) was to switch him and Nagini. She is so chill, you can wrap her in a blanket and leave her in the same spot for 12 hours without a problem

I made a spot for her to entertain herself, then opened both enclosures, and put a gerbil in hers (the top one). I showed him the target and let him hunt. He did SUCH a good job!! I mean, this was definitely a reckless idea for a more wiley scrub…but I was really proud. There was a time when I wouldn’t think of being near him during feeding time, much less letting him come out and hunt He started to go the wrong way, so I had to quickly hop in, grab his body, and sort of steer him in the right direction (and away from the lights on top of her cage). I thought for SURE I was going to get bloodied, but he allowed it and paid me no mind at all! In FULL hunting mode, with pupils so dilated, they were just black holes! He was on a mission and I didn’t even exist in that moment…he did so great.

But anyway, all that was basically to tell you that he ate, then immediately retreated behind the background. He stayed back there for almost a week, so I just let them switch until he was in a convenient position for me to grab him I mounted a bunch of branches in her enclosure, so the background is no longer removable without cutting the branches. If he wants to be an 8 foot snake in a 4 foot cage, who am I to argue? They both went blue shortly after that and he always takes a long time to shed. So, fingers crossed…. But it does *seem* like he has way chilled out on the pushing. And his face looks SO much better after this shed.

I’ve been jury-rigging the curtain I bought and covering half his cage at night to give him some privacy. I will actually install it as soon as he stops being stubborn and comes out for me! I just don’t want to use a drill on the cage while he’s in there He’s so big now that I don’t even bother trying to get him out when he says no. Unless he is curled up on the ground, which is very seldom. It always turns into a fight that I lose I do think the curtain will really help the pushing. I didn’t realize that he never really gets complete darkness, you know? My roommate and I are both night owls and she actually works a graveyard shift from home 8pm to 5am. So there’s just too much action going on and too many lights at odd hours…he needs the option to have darkness and not have to look at people stomping by him obliviously or gawking at him all the time. He’s a shy boy


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