Corn babies growing like crazy!

[riddick07]

I thought I would do an update on the corn babies for those interested in them They are way bigger now! The female is going to be a huge corn at the rate she is growing....and she is no longer being a testy little pain in the butt. They are both have no name still

The female striped bloodred girl...she is getting a lot more red in her instead of the muddy brown color. Plus, some of her markings are starting to blend!


The butter male. He is actually a lighter yellow color instead of the orangish color the camera is showing. I'll have to find my actual camera one of these days to take pictures instead of using my phone. He is definitely not growing like the female so far. At this rate the female is going to be twice as big as him!


He wanted a close up...

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow they're beautiful! They've sure grown since you posted when they were hatchlings.

Stupid question here... Are most pet snake species pretty tolerant creatures when it comes to biting? I can't imagine they bite as readily as a parrot :52: lol.

 

[riddick07]

I think my female is going to be stunning as an adult... I'm really impatient to see her color change for the next year or two! I'm really amazed at the females growth...she is like a weed. I actually looked at her the other day and realized she was a little too skinny and I needed to feed her more often since she is growing so much faster then the male! I might just up her mouse size early instead of more frequent feedings that way the two can stay on the same feeding schedule.

A lot of them can be pretty tolerant but I've had a few snakes worse then Folger in the biting arena! My one boa would strike the side of his cage if he thought you had just glanced in his direction. In general corns and ball pythons are the nicest when it comes to general disposition. The red tail boa can also be really nice there a couple types of red tails that don't fall under that umbrella though.

Pet stores sell milksnakes and kingsnakes as pet snakes but I don't find them as hand able or nice as the others I mentioned. I also used to have a really nasty kingsnake... I eventually gave him to a breeder because he was just too mean for a pet snake but he was drop dead gorgeous and produced some pretty babies. Some snakes are just nasty and their is no changing their minds about being nicer. But in general as long as you handle them consistently, corn.redtail.ballpython., they aren't likely to strike without a reason. Like my python and boa... both are the nicest snakes I have ever owned outside of my two big butt pythons that died but I barely handle them anymore and while they aren't mean they are no longer used to the activity that handling brings and they are more likely to strike these days with nerves or when they startle. If I started taking them out all the time again they would easily be the nice snakes they were when they were younger.

I've only had one almost bite that could have been really bad from a snake and that was from my burmese python, Riddick, that passed away years ago now. Riddick was the nicest snake I have ever owned and was very tolerant but they also get impatient like any animal so... We had been in the kitchen on the floor and he kept trying to get under the table and I kept dragging him back out... eventually he got tired of that game and I wasn't paying enough attention to his body language and didn't realize this, I was talking to someone instead of paying attention to him like I should have been... he turned around and gave me a nice strike aimed at my face... I was totally unprepared for the move and if he had wanted to he would have laid my face open but it was a close mouthed warning strike to get my attention that he was done. This was when he was over 15 feet so I would have needed a lot of work done to my face if he had been serious.

So now that I've written more then you needed... there are a lot of snakes sold as pet snakes that bite more readily then a parrot but then there are ones like the ball python, corn, red tail boa that normally do not. There are also really big snakes that are also really nice but most people can not handle those properly so they really shouldn't be considered as an option for a pet or be in the trade. The bigger snakes can kill you so few people can properly handle them when they are in a mood. These bigger snakes are also what is taking over Florida because people release them outside when they realize this fact.

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow, that's interesting! Thanks I have no intention of getting a snake, but I thought I'd ask since it's intersting to hear about animals I'm not familiar with.
I'd have no idea of the body language of a snake lol :52:. I'd be terrified of getting bit. I'm sure it's painful. You were very lucky with Riddick ! I saw his pic, and he looks like he could have easily eaten a cat or small dog!

 

[Blancaej]

Very cool, thanks for sharing. You're bite story is quite scary, glad it was just a warning.

 

[Dinosrawr]

So GORGEOUS! I love how their colours are developing! And Julie, snakes are wonderful creatures because of how easy they are to read! Much easier than parrots . I'm more terrified of being bitten by Shiko than I ever have been when it comes to my boyfriend's snake. Our corn is an open book. Either they don't mind or they do, and if they do you back off. His striking position is clear as day. Avery on the other hand gives me a run for my money almost every day, hah.

My favourite snakes are ball pythons and corns. I can't wait to have my degree in Ed (done in April!) so that I can apply for an educator's license to own a ball python. They're illegal here in my city otherwise, so it sucks . And I've often found that a well handled snake will simply do a warning strike when frustrated rather than just turning around and chomping on you, thank goodness.

 

[RavensGryf]

Thanks Chantal that's interesting. You have me learning about snakes, and they're an animal I knew NOTHING about. I had no idea snakes are easy to read. Yeah, watch that little guy Shiko, those Old World parrots aren't exactly known for overt body language before striking, I should know lol! Shiko is a handsome cutie though!

 

[Dinosrawr]

hahahaha! No kidding! I can only imagine what it's like with your three mini zons. I'm just glad Shiko never actually bites... he can break wood so easily and destroy things so quickly. He could definitely take a chunk out of me if he really wanted to, but he's such a sweetie. Today he just sat on my chest while I gave him cuddles and scritches for 10 minutes... he's a total momma's boy.

As for Steve-o our corn (named after Steve Irwin, not the fool from a certain series of movies...), Brendon has had him for 5 years now and he's never once bit! We like taking him out at just putting him around our necks as we watch a movie or game I seriously want to steal Victoria's snakes though... they're so beautiful. I always admired snakes, but never acted out on it until I dated Brendon. Now I love all things reptilian! On my current wish list of animals is a blue tongued skink - they're so adorable

 

[RavensGryf]

Lol actually one mini zon (Pionus) . I'm sure when he's older he'll show plenty of body language! 2 Poi's... Old World birds who many times are very hard to read until it's too late (then they show body language after they're latched on digging a hole in your flesh) .

Shiko does sound like a real sweetheart ever since he started to get comfortable and really open up. It's nice when you get an extra sweet one!

 

[SilverSage]

I have always been fascinated by snakes, but have always lived with people who are afraid of them or at least in comfortable. Maybe someday one of my kids will want one and I will have an excuse to live with one! Yours are beautiful! I got to hold a chameleon today and was sorely tempted to bring him home; I struggle with "exotic pet obsession" but I keep it under control-barely. Thanks for sharing the pics of your corn snakes!

Do your birds see your snakes and if so do any exhibit signs of fear? I have heard some people say they had to move one or the other to a different room because the birds wouldn't calm down?

 

[Dinosrawr]

Oops! My bad. I knew it was a Pi and two Poi's! My brain has been so frazzled from my internship. And yeah! It's amazing watching birds open up and develop into their own character, I'm sure Griffin is just as fun to watch

And Silver, I may be a bad person for this, but my birds are right beside our corn. My flightiest bird Avery is only two feet away from Steve-o's cage. Never once has she cared, and never once has Steve-o cared. They don't bother each other at all. Now that I think of it, Avery's favourite side of the cage is nearest to the snake tank, haha! But we do have locking mechanisms on his tank, so no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get out. The only reason we plan to move him is so that he's more in view for us to remind ourselves that he also needs to be handled often.

We had our snake before our birds, so a snake has always been a presence for Avery and Shiko. It may also depend on the species of bird and where they're from... I'm sure the very tropical species would be inherently afraid of bird eating snakes whereas others wouldn't have to ever really worry about it.