# Pet Snakes



## Banned

I'm toying with the idea of getting a pet snake, if I can find one from an ethical breeder.

Does anyone have any experience with snakes as pets?  Are they high-maintenance, low maintenance, medium?  Do you have a preferred kind?  I'm thinking maybe a corn snake (I heard they make excellent pets) or something like that.  I do like boas but they grow to be far too big.

Anyway I just thought I'd see if anyone here has any experience or knowledge of this...


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## Jackie

Hi Turtle,

My partner use to keep snakes and spiders before I met him. I don't know much about it but when I see him again I will ask, it maybe a short while as he is away with his work at the moment.


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## Banned

Cool.    I don't have much of a hankering for spiders, but snakes would be neat, and they could be quite trainable, I think.


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## Daniel

Remember, though:

Cats are cool, snakes drool.


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## NicNak

Daniel said:


> Remember, though:
> 
> Cats are cool, snakes drool.



I thought it was Cats Rule, Dogs Drool :teehee:

I have always enjoyed the Corn Snakes and there is also a Milk Snake that is actually really beautiful red white and black.  

Only thing to be careful of, is although venomous snakes are banned as pets in Canada, there are some mildly venomous snakes that are available and still legal.

It is good you are doing your homework ahead of time.  You are right about Boas some get *huge*.

These are cute, *Mid Baja Rosy Boa (photos incase someone is sqeemish) *

Here is a list of some other Rosy Boas rosyboas.com v3.2 

Generally the laws for keeping reptiles or any other species are that if they are native to your area, you will not be able to have them as a pet.


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## unionmary

Daniel said:


> Remember, though:
> 
> Cats are cool, snakes drool.



Sooooo cool, 

---------- Post added at 04:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:38 PM ----------

Question....do you have to pooper scooper when you take your snake walking?  How does the leash collar stay on?


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## Jackie

I spoke to him very quickly last night and he said he had a boa, plus some lizards and a few slow worms,which look like a tiny snake and  a tarantula spider called Shirley:lol: He said your best looking on online and reading up on what snake would be best for you and your lifestyle, he recommends a boa but he biased and its not always the best one to start with. Have found this site which seems quite comprehensive.

Emerald Tree Boas | Snake Tips, How To's and Snake Videos | Boatips.com

He said he had to have a license for his pets but it was a few years ago and maybe laws are different where you are, but its something I would look into.


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## David Baxter PhD

I think a boa would eat small dogs.


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## Banned

David Baxter said:


> I think a boa would eat small dogs.


 
I'm seriously concerned with that, which is why I thought something a little smaller like a corn snake.  Plus, it has to be something I can hide from my mom.  :lol:


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## David Baxter PhD

Turtle said:


> it has to be something I can hide from my mom.  :lol:



That wouldn't be a worry if you bought a boa. It would probably eat your mom too.

Before you buy a snake, go out and rent all 3 (or is it 4?) Anaconda movies and force yourself to watch them.


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## Banned

That's hardly a fair comparison.  I'm not thinking of getting an anaconda.  

I've actually heard that corn snakes make really good pets, and stay quite small.  I'm looking forward to clicker training it to do tricks.


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## NicNak

YOu can also rent *Snakes on a Plane*


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## Eye Stigmata

Oh my... :turtle3:

That is a brave move! Snakes scare the crap out of me! 
Just don't get anything you have to feed live meals to.... :mouse:
:yikes:   mg:


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## Banned

I don't even know what corn snakes eat...I'd have to check it out.  I think usually you don't feed live, because the rodent in question can actually damage the snake.


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## NicNak

Turtle said:


> I don't even know what corn snakes eat...I'd have to check it out.  I think usually you don't feed live, because the rodent in question can actually damage the snake.



My friend has one at his rescue.  They eat pinkys.  So they do not hurt the snake, you buy them frozen and thaw them for feeding.

That is the "humane" way to feed any reptile is frozen rodents.


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## Eye Stigmata

I hate to bring bad news...

Corn Snakes primarily eat mice. You can feed them insects...but most are generally uninterested. You don't have to feed them live mice though. Most people I know who have had corn snakes feed them frozen mice because feeding them live mice tends to make them more aggressive with food and movements. 

Baby corn snakes will eat pinkies (baby mice)....and then move on to larger mice when they are older. 

I don't know Turtle...maybe a Turtle would be a better pet?! :lol:


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## Banned

I can handle feeding mice.  Heck I could probably catch them in my basement, saving me alot of money .

I had pet turtles.  They are ALOT of work, and very dirty.  I would get another one when I can have a pond in the backyard, so it can live outside most of the year.  I don't have the time to clean a tank constantly.  I actually used to have frogs, turtles, and newts, and I'd race them.    (The turtles actually usually won).


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## Eye Stigmata

LOL
Basement...ugh...gross! But...that would save you money I guess. Except that you'd have to catch them and then kill them and then feed them.....uhhhhh...just the thought makes me want to vomit.

I'd love to have a Turtle, but I hear (like you say) that they are a ton of work. I know someone that has 3 of them and they say it's so much work, and very messy.

I hope you find a little critter (whatever it may be) that works well for you...and that you can hide from you mom :lol:


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## Banned

I had pet mice in grade eight (three of them) and my mom found them.  To this day she won't tell me what she did with them.  I tried having a hamster in grade 12 and it was wickedly vicious, so I gave it to my guidance counsellor.  I don't seem to have much luck with rodents.  I'd have a rat but it's illegal in Alberta.  I'd LOVE a pig, but I can't hide that from my mom.


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## Andy

I had 2 pet mice too. They were the white lab mice with pink eyes. I named them Cheech and Chong.:blush: I also had a hamster but I accidently killed her.:sorry: 

I have heard that rats are cool pets. I want one to but alas the whole illegal in alberta thing. 

Turtle, did you know you can buy mini pigs now? I don't mean pot belly pigs, they are like mini me pigs, about the size of a chihuahua, maybe a bit bigger. I'd get one of those if I could.  I'd have one of everything if I could. :crazy:


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## NicNak

A co worker had pet rats and said they were the best pets he ever had.  He just said to not get the males ... for reasons I don't think I can say here... not appropiately anyway :blush:


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## Banned

My friend in Ottawa has two pet rats and she said the same thing - they make wonderful pets and obviously very trainable.


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## NicNak

Is there any reason given for not being allowed to have pet rats in Alberta?

I know in some areas of Ontario the potbelly pigs are not allowed, same with the mini pigs.

Another really neat pet of the rodent variety is a Guinea Pig.  The Skinny Pigs are cute too, but some are Guinea Pigs breed to have no hair.  The "real" ones almost look like a miniture Hippo.


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## David Baxter PhD

Yeah but finding tiny little harnesses and tiny little pooper-scoopers when you take them for a walk is really really difficult. Also, they suck at playing "go fetch".


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## NicNak

David Baxter said:


> Yeah but finding tiny little harnesses and tiny little pooper-scoopers when you take them for a walk is really really difficult. Also, they suck at playing "go fetch".



I have seen people with harnesses for Bearded Dragons with a leash :teehee:


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## Banned

NicNak said:


> Is there any reason given for not being allowed to have pet rats in Alberta?
> 
> I know in some areas of Ontario the potbelly pigs are not allowed, same with the mini pigs.
> 
> Another really neat pet of the rodent variety is a Guinea Pig. The Skinny Pigs are cute too, but some are Guinea Pigs breed to have no hair. The "real" ones almost look like a miniture Hippo.


 
Alberta likes to claim it's rat-free, although it really isn't, but regardless, no rats are allowed in the province and any that are found are killed.

Calgary has pretty loose rules on pet ownership - there are no limits to the number of pets you can have, and it's pretty open as far as what kind you can have.  Pigs are no problem, roosters are no problem, miniature horses are no problem, there's a family in another community that has a llama.  It's pretty relaxed here.


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## Banned

David Baxter said:


> Yeah but finding tiny little harnesses and tiny little pooper-scoopers when you take them for a walk is really really difficult. Also, they suck at playing "go fetch".


 
I was going to ask if you're talking about the snake or the rat, because you can actually get "walking apparatus" for both.  Although I'm not sure I'd "walk" my snake.  Something tells me they don't need that kind of exercise.  Heck, I don't even walk my dogs so a snake definitely isn't getting walked!


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## Daniel

I would rather have an electronic hamster than a non-mammalian pet


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## Banned

Daniel said:


> I would rather have an electronic hamster than a non-mammalian pet


 
Well that's kind of boring.  Where's your sense of adventure?!


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## NicNak

Daniel said:


> I would rather have an electronic hamster than a non-mammalian pet



Some lizards are pretty cool, like Bearded Dragons or Chameleons.  Only cons to them is that Bearded Dragons get big and Chameleons are not very hearty they need pretty precise conditions to live.


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## Andy

NicNak said:


> Some lizards are pretty cool, like Bearded Dragons or Chameleons.  Only cons to them is that Bearded Dragons get big and Chameleons are not very hearty they need pretty precise conditions to live.



My friend had a bearded dragon that kept growing to be to big for it's cage until she couldn't fit a big enough cage in her apartment. She put him at her moms house (in a different town) in a spare room and he was vicious so her mom was afraid to open the door, she was opening it a crack and tossing in food. I don't know what happened for sure but I think she just got to afraid of it and...R.I.P


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## David Baxter PhD

I think it's generally a bad idea to rent out rooms to dragons, bearded or shaved.


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## Banned

On a serious note, as soon as you're afraid of your own pet, it's a liability and should no longer be your pet.

And just because I want something to be my pet, doesn't mean it wants to be my pet. They still have minds of their own....and instincts, and prey drive, and everything else.  Not everything was meant to be domesticated, or should be domesticated, or was domesticated properly.  I mean, we've domesticating dogs for 15,000 years and we still have major problems.  Cats, on the other hand, well, they think they rule the universe anyway.


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## Andy

Turtle said:


> On a serious note, as soon as you're afraid of your own pet, it's a liability and should no longer be your pet.
> 
> And just because I want something to be my pet, doesn't mean it wants to be my pet.  They still have minds of their own....and instincts, and prey drive, and everything else.



I agree. I'd never get one of those suckers. I was afraid of it when it was a baby.  I am just hoping that they gave it to someone or humanely took care of it and didn't let it go on their farm.


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## NicNak

Turtle said:


> On a serious note, as soon as you're afraid of your own pet, it's a liability and should no longer be your pet.
> 
> And just because I want something to be my pet, doesn't mean it wants to be my pet. They still have minds of their own....and instincts, and prey drive, and everything else.  Not everything was meant to be domesticated, or should be domesticated, or was domesticated properly.  I mean, we've domesticating dogs for 15,000 years and we still have major problems.  Cats, on the other hand, well, they think they rule the universe anyway.



I remember reading about a guy who had two Komono dragons as "pets". :huh:  He didn't show up for work for a few days and his boss called the police.  The police went into his apartment and found him and the dragons apparently killed him.


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## Daniel

> The police went into his apartment and found him and the dragons apparently killed him.



I doubt it.  It would have made the news:

Komodo dragon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## NicNak

Daniel said:


> I doubt it.  It would have made the news:



It did, but it was 2002, it happened.  I can't find the actual New York Times artical, but tis is a quote from it.



> 2002 CHS HerPET-POURRI columns by Ellin Beltz
> "On January 16, police officers entered the apartment of ... [a 42-year-old man], of Newark, Delaware, and found seven Nile monitor lizards feeding on his corpse. An autopsy proved inconclusive as to whether the monitors, ranging up to six feet long, had killed their owner." [The New York Times, February 12, 2002 from J.N. Stuart and Wes von Papine?u] The debate immediately started online and in the press among lizard keepers, some saying the animals must have just found the owner deceased and being hungry began eating. Which all just begs the question of why the monitors were loose in the first place.


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## Daniel

So the moral of the story is to get an electronic hamster.


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## Andy

Didn't Sharon Stone get attacked by a electronic hamster er  I mean a Komodo Dragon when she was on some safari or at a zoo or something?  It really hurt her, I think it broke her back or neck. <---That might be wrong, I am sure someone has broken their back or neck somewhere so I may have merged those two things. lol

~~~~ I totally got that story wrong! lol I got the Sharon Stone, zoo and Komodo Dragon part right. The rest as I thought was wrong.


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## NicNak

Daniel said:


> So the moral of the story is to get an electronic hamster.




But just keep it out of the water :teehee:  don't want to get electricuted :teehee:


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## David Baxter PhD

See:

man killed by komodo dragons 2002 - Google Search

Sharon Stone, zoo and Komodo Dragon - Google Search

Better stick to goldfish...


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## Banned

I'm still traumatized from my first two goldfish, named William and Harry (nothing related to the royal family - I was too young at the time).

Anyway, I was pretty excited to get William and Harry home.  I was 12 at the time and used my allowance to buy their bowl and food and well, them too.

All was going well for the first couple days, and then poor Willi (or was it Harry?) was found doing the backstroke.  I cried.  And cried, and cried and cried some more.  I was inconsolable.  You'd think that some horrible disaster befell me.  I didn't get much homework done that night, as I now had a funeral to plan and was in a terrible state of mourning.

When I went to school the next day, and through tears told the teacher why my homework wasn't done.  She seemed to understand well enough.

My teacher had a daughter one year younger than me (so in grade six) and went to a different school.  Some years later I somehow managed to get my hands on the yearbook for that school and they conveniently had a page called "Worst homework excuses ever".  My teacher's daughter conveniently submitted "my goldfish died and I had to attend the funeral" and conveniently won first place.  Also conveniently, her daughter met my temper later that day.

And by the way...you do have to remove the chlorine from the water or your fish will die.  Both of them.  Would have been nice to know that when I bought the fish.  Would have saved me a tonne of trauma and grief.


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## NicNak

David Baxter said:


> Better stick to goldfish...




I recomend *Cory Catfish *


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## David Baxter PhD

What's wrong with the backstroke?


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## Banned

With fish...lots.  Especially when combined with loss of motor skills, loss of circulation, loss of pulse and active airway.

Pretty much means the poor sucker was dead.


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## Banned

Well, there's a snake breeder very close to me, actually. It's only $40 for a corn snake.  That is so cheap!!  They go up to $600 if you want really rare colours and stuff...I just want a boring corn snake.  I'm going to do some more research (habitat, feeding, intelligence, required level of stimulation, etc...)before I decide for sure.


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## Andy

David Baxter said:


> Better stick to goldfish...



Couple Attacked by Goldfish!
Posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008
By Gerry Dorsey


BOSTON, Mass. — Last month, following a lovely dinner at Japaneteria, David and Jane Bennett were celebrating their honeymoon in the middle of Weller Lagoon when David’s amorous advances became a little more than the boat could handle.

“It was a moonlit night and I was feeling very ‘in the moment,’” said David. “I grabbed Jane and moved in to kiss her. She became startled and recoiled, tipping the boat and sending us both into the water.”

If Weller Lagoon had been an ordinary pond, the couple’s unscheduled swim might have been amusing. “But it was a goldfish pond,” said David with a shudder. “There were thousands of them, which is why we chose it.” It took five minutes for the Bennetts to extricate themselves from the water.

“During that time we were enveloped in goldfish,” said David. “They got in my shirt, my shoes and my pants. In the light of the full moon, I glimpsed their soulless, little eyes rushing past me, felt their puckered lips sucking on my skin. On top of that, Jane was screaming something about drowning. It was horrible for me.”

David later found out that it was worse for his wife. “I had my eyes tightly shut but I felt their slimy, fast-moving bodies squirming all around me,” said Jane. “While I was shrieking one goldfish swam into my mouth. I swallowed it. I think I’ll always feel it wriggling down my throat like — well, like a goldfish.”

After pulling themselves from the pond, David and Jane stumbled to the boathouse where they collapsed from fatigue and shock. “We’ve been in intense therapy since the incident,” said David. “We’ll obviously be avoiding ponds, boats, parks, pools and even baths.

“And, of course, it’ll be a while before we have sushi again.”


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## Daniel

> It's only $40 for a corn snake.



How much does a corn-snake pet sitter cost?


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## Banned

Daniel said:


> How much does a corn-snake pet sitter cost?


 
Good question, since we know my mom won't look after it.

I could always bring it to work and have my staff look after it.  They get paid to do ANYTHING I tell them too.  :rofl:


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## NicNak

Coincidently my friend invited me over and I got to visit with Cob, the Corn Snake.

Cob was nice, just checked out the new warm blooded thing he found.  He tended to stay more in the crease of my elbow or try to go close to my neck.  No he didn't constrict or bite.  

I held him for about a half hour and he was alert and didn't seem to be bothered that I was holding him.   He wrapped my arm a little bit too, but not in a constricting way.  

*Most* Corn snakes are pretty tame, although there are some breeds I hear are semi-agressive to agressive.


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## Andy

That's a nice snake, it's pretty big for a corn snake isn't it? Or is that normal size?  I've only seen baby corn snakes. Will it get much bigger?


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## Banned

3-5' is normal, sometimes up to 6'.


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## NicNak

STP said:


> That's a nice snake, it's pretty big for a corn snake isn't it? Or is that normal size?  I've only seen baby corn snakes. Will it get much bigger?



My friend believes he is full grown, but it was surrendered to his rescue, so the snakes age is not known.  Cob was abandoned so animal services contacted my friend to ask for him to take it.

Cob was easy to handle though.


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## David Baxter PhD

STP said:


> That's a nice snake, it's pretty big for a corn snake isn't it? Or is that normal size?  I've only seen baby corn snakes. Will it get much bigger?





Turtle said:


> 3-5' is normal, sometimes up to 6'.



Like I said, watch _Anaconda_...


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## Banned

Um, anacondas are up to 30' long and spend most of their time under water.  They've been known to kill men.

I want something to cuddle with, that isn't going to choke me when I'm not looking.


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## David Baxter PhD

Two words: Baby crocodiles growing into monster adult crocodiles in the sewers of New York City. Godzilla. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Watch the movies, people! The truth is out there!


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## NicNak

David Baxter said:


> Like I said, watch _Anaconda_...





Turtle said:


> Um, anacondas are up to 30' long and spend most of their time under water.  They've been known to kill men.
> 
> I want something to cuddle with, that isn't going to choke me when I'm not looking.



Most places have importation and breeding bylaws against breeding this particaular species of Anaconda

There are some others you may want to consider Turtle :teehee:



> Anaconda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Anaconda may refer to:
> 
> 
> Any member of the genus Eunectes, a group of large, aquatic snakes found in South America.
> Eunectes murinus, a.k.a. the common anaconda, the largest species, found east of the Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and on the island of Trinidad.
> Eunectes notaeus, a.k.a. the yellow anaconda, a smaller species found in eastern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina.
> Eunectes deschauenseei, a.k.a. the dark-spotted anaconda, a rare species found in northeastern Brazil, Coastal French Guiana and Guyana.
> The giant anaconda, a mythical snake of enormous proportions found in South America.
> Any large snake that "crushes" its prey by constricting (see Constriction). Applied loosely
> .



Maybe having a snake that is in the water would be easier to hide from mom?  :teehee:


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## NicNak

David Baxter said:


> Two words: Baby crocodiles growing into monster adult crocodiles in the sewers of New York City. Godzilla. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
> 
> Watch the movies, people! The truth is out there!



Dr Baxter, are you off your meds again?  :teehee:


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## Banned

David Baxter said:


> Two words: Baby crocodiles growing into monster adult crocodiles in the sewers of New York City. Godzilla. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
> 
> Watch the movies, people! The truth is out there!


 
You have a very vivid imagination, but I think we need to work on keeping you focused on the subject at hand.  We are talking about CORN snakes...small, cute, colourful, won't kill me when I least expect it.


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## David Baxter PhD

ffttt: There is none so blind as will not hear.


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## Banned

ffttt: right back at ya.


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## David Baxter PhD

Turtle said:


> We are talking about CORN snakes...small, cute, colourful



... for now...



Turtle said:


> won't kill me when I least expect it.



You are so naive sometimes. Do the research! Watch the movies! Run for your lives! It's never too early to start panicking!


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## Banned

I watched _Tremors_ and that didn't scare me off...so no anaconda is going to scare me either...in fact, maybe I'll get two.


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## NicNak

David Baxter said:


> Two words: Baby crocodiles growing into monster adult crocodiles in the sewers of New York City. Godzilla. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
> 
> Watch the movies, people! The truth is out there!





NicNak said:


> Dr Baxter, are you off your meds again?  :teehee:





David Baxter said:


> You are so naive sometimes. Do the research! Watch the movies! Run for your lives! It's never too early to start panicking!




Dr Baxter.  I am starting to see a trend of unhealthy thinking here.  Please take your meds :chill: have a sleep and call us in the morning.


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## David Baxter PhD

Turtle said:


> I watched _Tremors_ and that didn't scare me off...so no anaconda is going to scare me either...in fact, maybe I'll get two.



Try to keep up here, Turt. _Tremors_ was worms, not snakes.


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## Banned

Well, Dav, worms....snakes....they're all the same.  They slither and have no legs, and are taking over the world.  May as well make friends with them rather than be consumed or left behind.


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## Daniel

> May as well make friends with them rather than be consumed or left behind.



I don't think they're looking for friends


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## David Baxter PhD

Turtle said:


> Well, Dav, worms....snakes....they're all the same.  They slither and have no legs, and are taking over the world.  May as well make friends with them rather than be consumed or left behind.



Frankly, I think that's offensive to amputees.



Daniel said:


> I don't think they're looking for friends



Listen to the man. He knows whereof he speaks. Or shops.


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## Banned

David Baxter said:


> Frankly, I think that's offensive to amputees.


 
I used to work at the War Amps...it's all good.  :2thumbs:

And worms/snakes aren't amputees, because, well, there was nothing to amputate to begin with.  They just slither...that's it....


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## David Baxter PhD

It's a clear case of the buttless discriminating against the legless.

And thanks for the reminder: Also watch the movie, _Slither_.


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## Banned

David Baxter said:


> It's a clear case of the buttless discriminating against the legless.


 
I'd rather be buttless.  The snakes don't have a leg to stand on.  :rofl:



David Baxter said:


> And thanks for the reminder: Also watch the movie, _Slither_.


 
Clearly you think I have nothing better to do than watch movies.  Do movie stores even exist anymore?  I remember back in the olden days we used to rent them and watch them.


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## Andy

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/computer...nder-worm-attack-us-army-bans-usb-drives.html

Tremors?


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## unionmary

Turtle said:


> I want something to cuddle with, that isn't going to choke me when I'm not looking.



I am really trying hard to imagine "cuddling" with a snake.  I just can't see it.


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## Almosthealed

Hey Turtle. I just wanted to say I have a Taiwanese Blue Beauty named Alurra. She is almost 5 years old, full grown at about 6 feet. She is a rat snake and will not get any bigger. She is very docile and we take her out a lot. We have had her since she was no bigger than a pencil. She looks kinda like a garter snake only darker. She doesn't do much but I still like her. She's fun to play with and show kids when they come over. 
Only thing I suggest is if you get a snake --never-- feed it in its living space. Snakes can smell their food before they see it and even if your snake is docile when you stick your hand in there they won't know what is coming food or owner and they can strike. We feed ours in the bathtub. She is fine and happy but the minute she hits the tub she knows its feed time! Also, she still has tiny teeth that hook inward to drag the food in as she swallows. I have heard, (not researched myself) that if you agitate a snake too much while its eating or soon after it will regurgitate its food as a flight response and I was told that it could be very harmful for the snake if that happens. I'm not sure how true that is, but we make her feeding time a quiet event with gentle handling back to the cage and leave her alone for about 3 days.

Since its your first snake, I would go small and do a little research. Hope this helps. I'm always scared I share too much.


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