Thursday, July 12, 2007

sliTher

Arizona Mountain Kingsnake:

Kingsnake Kingsnake

(Including the smaller version because he looks better in it.) I held him first. Really the guy at the pet store (Adam) held him and I just grabbed the snake's back end and let it flow through my fingers over and over. This guy looks like the poisonous coral snake, but no worries, isn't. Avi told me that snakes aren't slimey so I was super surprised when this guy did feel slick like baby oil.


Ball Python:

Ball python

I held him completely. A beautiful and tame snake. I was still weary of his head but the worst thing he did the whole time I held him was stick his tongue out at me and curl his tail into my rain jacket. This boy was not slimey at all, dry as a bone. Ironic that the pet store guy's name is Adam and I happened to take a photo that happens to look like Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam".


Green Tree Python:

Green tree snake

I wanted to hold him but was not allowed because he is too aggressive. He is also $900. And gorgeous.


Adam said 5 years ago he had lizards and hated snakes. Five years later he owns zero lizards and 23 snakes. He was the right man to show us snakes. My co-worker who is working on her phobia did hold the ball python, which when it matures will be 3 feet long and 3-4 inches in diamater, if I remember correctly.

I could become a snake person if my family were compatible with such a thing. (My family is not compatible with such a thing.)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Snakes appear to be wet, but they aren't slimy at all. Actually they are kind of soft...but I'm sure you know that now. I used to own a few, and a six foot long iguana named Stumpy. I miss them all, but when my OCD got really bad, I had to get rid of them.

Mel said...

AHHHHH!!

I'm not coming back here until this moves about 5 posts down. Those snakes creep me out.

*cowers in corner, waiting for the coast to be clear*

Avitable said...

Cool!

Have I told you about one of my best friends who milks snakes for venom for fun?

Anonymous said...

I worked in a pet store when I was 18. I used to take the ball python out of it's cage and walk around with it on my neck to freak people out.

Stefanie said...

I never would have remembered what the first stripey snake was called, but for some reason, whenever I see one of those, I remember Alan Thicke on "Animal Crack-ups" showing that one and the very similarly-colored poisonous one and providing a little rhyme to remember the difference:

Red meets black, friend of Jack
Red meets yellow, bit a fellow

WHY do I still remember that?!? Why is that taking up space in my brain? Am I really going to encounter one of these snakes in my daily life and need to remember quickly whether it will hurt me? I think not. And even if I did, this is a SNAKE we are talking about. I would run away regardless of whether it's poisonous.

This is the longest comment ever. So sorry. Just needed to let that out. :-)

Stefanie said...

Oops. "Bit" should have been "bite." Really must proofread. :-(

Bearette said...

When I was 6, my cousin had a python named Monty :) I had him around my neck once. He didn't tighten up or anything. My aunt eventually asked my cousin to donate him to the zoo.

I love the green one! I'd be scared to hold him, though, even if he weren't aggressive. I'm more fearful than I was when I wass 6.

Maman said...

I read about snakes when I was girl and knew that they don't feel slimey (and that they can strike for most of their body length.. so watch your ass around them) but I still hate them and all rodents.

Knowledge doesn't make one friendly toward vermin.

Anonymous said...

That green one is so pretty. I want to touch it. Briefly. Then I remember it's a snake.

Poppy said...

NO TOUCHING THE GREEN SNAKE! The pet store guy said so.

Poppy said...

But he is beautiful...

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE my ball python... I highly recommend them as pets..

Anonymous said...

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/210/2763/1024/SNAKE.jpg

Poppy said...

Oh, Jenna! He's *beautiful*!!!

Can I come over and hold him!?!?!?