“You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.” Dale Carnegie
This is my hand.........(NOTE TO SELF.......Remember to breathe!)
These are MY snakes.....
Yes, I still have to pinch myself and make sure this is real!! It started that Monday(2 weeks ago) after deciding it's time to move on from this ridiculous fascination I developed for my greatest phobia, after reading the post of dead vs live food and how to kill the mice! I popped into my local pet shop to find a bigger enclosure for my fan fingered gecko! Knowing my absolute fear of snakes, the owner asked me to step back, as he wanted to show me something he had literally just got in but it is a snake and he was going to take it out! Well, the moment he pulled these dude's out I knew there was trouble..... I had seen a little sand Boa 2 weeks prior to this when fetching my fan fingered and just loved it!
And so it began, I touched a snake for the first time in my life that day, only the body while he held the snake's head! That evening himself and his girlfriend came to my house to show me in real life, what an adult Kenyan Sand Boa looks like, don't give me measurements, it means nothing to me!! We sat around my table for a good 3 hrs chatting about every single in and out of them. The following day I returned and held a snake for the very first time in my life, ON MY OWN! I'm not going to lie and say it was nice or easy, it was really hectic and at this time still had serious doubts if I could ever really do this! Subsequently, I returned to the shop every single day that week, to view, ask more questions and interact with the snake.
My mind was made up but had one problem..... Both pet shop owner and breeder of the snakes advised me to take a female, although they get longer, they feed easier.. BUT i had lost my heart to the little pikinin boy, don't ask me how or why, it's a snake for goodness sakes... Long story, short, I went balls to the wall and came home with both last Saturday! Knowing there is no risk, as I knew I could take them back anytime, should it not work out.
I have been dying to post pics but needed to be 100% sure I could do this, it's one thing to go into a pet shop with everyone there, jokes, support, laughs and it's another to bring it home, where you the sole provider and responsible one for proper care AND FEEDING!!
Considering no one gave me a good enough reason, in fact any reason, when I posted my question last week, as why to NOT use vermiculite as as substrate and due to the fact they had been in it from the breeder, I decided to do, what I do with all my new pets and offer a bit of each acceptable substrate and let the animal choose. One half vermiculite and the other a mix of beardie sand and organic potting soil. Also the vermiculite makes it easier for me to find them and pick them up, which was very difficult in the beginning. It's one thing to pick up a snake but another to dig around in soil to find it! Without fail, both are always in the vermiculite.
This is Ariel.....First day I put them in new home, she like stood on the tip of her tail straight up against glass, just like an arial. Archangel Ariel is also the healer and protector of nature and animals and ofcourse Ariel is the only CLASSIC Disney Character with red hair!(note classic) I suppose Fiona too from Shrek but she is new!
This is Flint.....It is of Old English origin, and its meaning is "stream". Place name. Denotes an ancestor who lived near a stream. Also a name from nature, referring to the hard quartz that produces a spark of fire when struck by steel. He is just my cutie, he is wide awake and fast and has such a rich beautiful orange, so I thought it was appropriate
I don't like this thing they in at all but is ok for now, going to put them in a bigger enclosure with more air flow next week, the humidity gets way to high in here!
But I was clever too and took off the polystyrene underneath and placed tank in a place I can first see underneath, where they are and then feel gently and take them out! HA!
I have had them for a week now and Ariel ate her first pinkie on Thursday night, I was sooooo chuffed and excited, I was hopping around like a lunatic. Never in a million years would I have believed I'm doing this AND LOVING IT! My Dad is seriously worried about me!! HA! He thinks it's great but can't get over the fact I own snakes. I used to give him and my brother so much grief about feeding the fuzzies and jumpers to my brother's snake....
I have done so much homework on these Kenyan Sand Boa's and phone every 5 min when something happens, or I'm not sure of something but I know I have got so much more to learn and am proud and happy to say, I think I'm at the right place to do so. Besides you all owe it to me, it's your fault I'm in this position I'm in! I welcome any CONSTUCTIVE critisism and advice...
My cutie..
(I know it's a loooong post but this time I don't care, it's history in the making, the 18th July should be declared a public holiday!!)
Thank you to those who have made this possible, the encouragement, interest and support and not only helped with fighting this fear but making it so enjoyable at the same time.
“Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.” Dale Carnegie