Merry Christmas from my reptiles

[Catherine]

They wanted to get into the Christmas Spirit this year.
Amy Hognose watching me decorate the tree.

Jake Christmas snake getting in the festive mood

He liked the stocking and then he got restless

Eric the new rescue beardie.

Beardies are so easy going

Can I eat this?

Beardies love to climb on Christmas presents.

This is fun!

Visiting the Christmas village

Shiloh the baby Hognose gets into the Spirit

My home made wreath with feathered partridges

Of course the ball python makes a better wreath.

Merry Christmas from my reptile family.

[Cibach]

It's lovely to see the reptiles joining in. What a menagerie you have, Catherine.
It's clear that they are all happy and well at home with you.

[Catherine]

They are quite an interesting bunch. Some of them are rehomes and a few are handicapped. Eric the bearded dragon has had metabolic bone disease which is caused by lack of calcium because of improper feeding. He was surrendered at the reptile centre. I am feeding him properly, but his front feet are deformed. Actually, I think he has improved since I brought him home. He is certainly a good eater.

We all know Jake and how well he has thrived. Jake is so easy going. He is the only one I could actually get to go into the Christmas stocking. I think he would have stayed there if I had let him, but that would not have been the most exciting picture ever.

Everyone fits in here. And we are a family. I don't know, maybe they consider me an honorary reptile or else they consider me the really big warm creature that looks after us. They know I look after them and respond to me different than the way the respond to others. Actually everything about reptiles is different and it is a challenge to relate to them and make them happy.

[Reduckto]

Wonderful photo's. Wow Cathrine your reptile friends have expanded in numbers. A ball python wow. How are they as pets?

[Catherine]

Ball pythons are good pets. They are quiet snakes, easy going. If they feel stressed they curl up in a ball(which explains the name).

The numbers have expanded. I keep falling in love with beautiful snakes or else I learn of a snake that needs to be rehomed. Shiloh the Hognose was hatched from my pair of Hognose snakes. I can't bear to part with him since he hatched on my birthday.

Corn snakes just keep happening. There are so many pretty colours. I can't have them all, but I want the ones I really like.

I am still collecting beautiful skink lizards. I miss Emma and I now have a number of different kinds of skinks in Emma's tank. The latest is a pink tongued skink. I will post a picture, if I ever get one. Not only does Spencer burrow, he is also nocturnal.

[AnimalFamily]

Such fantastic photos of such spectacular pets!
Nice job Catherine.

[Catherine]

Thank-you. I will do a big skink post soon if I can ever get pictures. I saw the end of the Fire Skink's tail while I was feeding them. I have had Brendon almost ten years since she hatched here. I have seldom seen her. Skinks are mysterious and beautiful lizards. I do not know how many I have for sure.
I wonder if they know.

[Tobi]

I have only just seen this! I missed it at Christmas. Aren't they all a lovely family? I've never had a reptile, but baby-sat a couple of Boa Constrictors once, and we all had a very nice day together. Those two were very fond of swimming! Do yours like water?

[Catherine]

Reptiles are interesting and I love having them. Lucky you, baby sitting two Boas. I have never had a Boa of any kind. They get a little big for me to handle. They are gentle, but just too heavy for me.


Corn snakes like to soak in their water dishes, so I give them big dishes. Bearded dragons sometimes soak and sometimes not. They don't drink muck. Mostly they get their water from vegetables.
The Ball Python likes water although she spends little time in it right now.
The Hognose snakes are more a desert snake. I wouldn't want to be the one to get them wet. They would be quite annoyed. They might even get annoyed enough to play dead. They are a funny snake!

Skinks usually like water and they like to burrow in wet soil. I think the Fire Skink lives under the water dish most of the time. She has the whole tank burrowed so who really knows.

[Tobi]

The Boas I looked after for a day were very gentle too, and had a lovely atmosphere about them. I can imagine them being very good help for anyone interested in meditation. I took them for a 'walk' somewhere snake-friendly, and there was a beautiful pool there where they could swim. One found a dead rat and ate it instantly! I thought they would only eat live food, but apparently not.

Skinks are so full of character! I like them.

I was interested to see photos of Jake. I have a soft spot in my heart for him now. You have done so much to help him.