stramash snakes

It was feeding night for the majority of the snakes last night - our yearlings are all on a weekly schedule, and the adults all either get fed once a week or once every two weeks, so I tend to feed the youngsters while stan feeds the adults.

The vast majority of the yearlings are a breeze to feed, and strike happily at their food (notably excepting Jacob, who prefers to politely take the food from your hand). Loads were freshly shed and particularly gorgeous looking, Shetland in particular who is gaining the most incredible amounts of delicate pink colouring.

Cranberry, Hussy, and Lingonberry, our royal girls, got fed last night too - they’re getting fed more often than usual at the moment as they’ve all laid recently and are looking a bit skinny. Cranberry and Hussy both laid clutches amounting to 1/3 of their total body weight, so they look exhausted (not that you’d know it from the power of their striking when they feed!). Lingonberry’s clutch was proportionately much smaller, less than 1/5 of her total body weight, so she still looks quite healthy - but while she’s acting hungry, we’ll let her eat!

It was hatchling feeding night last night. Second feed for half of the lavender clutch, and first feed for the rest of them - all but one ate defrost without any problems. I’m really pleased that the first clutch Sebastian’s sired has proved to be such strong feeders, like he was as a baby.

Raspberry seems to be going into slough (I say “seems to be” as I find it really hard to tell with her sometimes). I really expected her to lay this year, so I’m hoping that this is finally her pre-lay slough. She’s been mated to Sebastian for lavenders het hypo opal, so fingers crossed there.

I am finally seeing veins in most of Barzona’s eggs now. There’s a couple I’m not sure on yet, and of course they’re in a big clump so I can’t get to the bottom ones, but I think they’re doing well. I can’t wait to see if a little cinder pops its head out of one of those eggs!