Yep, exactly. You perfectly expressed how awesome that feeling is.Originally Posted by Bogertophis
Good job- I know the feeling. Sometimes the "worst snakes" (the ones we have to work really hard to get them to accept us) do end up to be the most rewarding. I'm sure it's because we've seen first-hand how far they've come with us.
One of my rat snakes that I hatched out almost 4 years ago has always been super high-strung from the beginning. Hated to be touched or picked up-she would thrash around like a wild thing. I worked with her a lot- I'll never forget the time when she was about 2 years old, she snuggled into my long sleeve for an hour+ (while I was online), just peeking out at my cuff, watching me but obviously pretty comfortable.That was real progress, finally.
She still reacts a bit when first picked up, then settles down & relaxes with me very well- it's clear she remembers she is safe with me- & that's a great feeling. She's getting calmer about feeding too- from the beginning, she's been the craziest snake I've ever fed, & that's saying something as I've raised quite a few. Even though she is only fed pre-killed rodents, she thrashes & rolls around wildly all around her tank with it for quite a while before she eats it- it's hilarious to watch. I'm sure glad she never did that with my hand-
Even now, Jeffrey's been mellow and handleable for a few years, and it's still an awesome feeling when she just relaxes and curls up on my lap or draped around my shoulders.
She will never be as affectionate as a dog or a cat, sure. But it's just such an awesome feeling when a solitary animal who had a rough start to life decides to hang out with me for a little while. Definitely worth all the blood I lost those first couple of years.
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