Good Morning All. An update on HOPE is that he actively hunts and eats his prey items on his own now.
A miracle occurred, I reported to various persons in the Reptile game, that my Female Dumeril did not become Gravid in the 2012/2013 season.
I even saw hookups in December, January and March. So one could reasonably accurately predict Non Gravidity.
Well, on Friday I decided, being half day off from work. To give the Dumeril Cage a thorough clean up, which included all shelves, nooks, and crannies.
This also entailed a sort of alcove built into the cage, it is circular in design and although the snakes move perfectly in and out of it, the Human Arm is not designed to do so. I then decided to attack this alcove which, to be honest, I have not thoroughly cleaned since the week between Christmas and New Year.
The first thing I found was a dead baby Dumeril, I scratched around in the alcove clearing out slugs. While doing this, something moved, but I could not get in there properly. I got my one daughter who has smaller arms and hands than me to scratch around, and lo and behold, she brings out a live baby Dumeril.
Final count was 9 slugs, 1 dead baby, 1 live baby.
The eggs and dead baby were pretty dried out, and the live baby had started to shed at the nose, but was too dry to carry on. This indicates birth having taken place anywhere between 10 and 20 days ago.
I soaked the little one, which seemed a bit weak for about 45 minutes, and then assist shed it, getting bitten 3 times in the process. I then knew that it would be okay.
2 hours later I put in a 3 day old Rat Pup which it ate immediately unassisted.
Some Pics
Before Assisted Shed
After Eating
It is better to be Pissed Off than Pissed On.
Roland Friskin