Caitrin and Earl--a Love Story

[Catherine]

Earl is an old corn snake. I took him as a rehome Dec 2010. He is probably 15 years old now and a grand gentle old snake.

My other corn snakes live as a group and he seemed lonely so I brought Caitrin home on Feb 14, 2011. She was my little valentine gift to Earl.
It was love at first sight.

They are always together, always touching.

They like to keep their faces together.

This is one of my favourite pictures


Snakes don't have hands to touch with so they use their whole bodies.
They are just so close as a couple. Earl just adores her.
They have had clutches of babies together, but Earl is showing his age this year so I figured we might get an egg or two, maybe 5 at the most. NOT EVEN CLOSE!
Caitrin just laid 21 EGGS Earl may be old, but the old man is not done yet. This is my biggest clutch this year and Caitrin's biggest ever. Round about the beginning of June there will be a whole tangle of little Earls.(I call a clutch of newly hatched corn snakes a tangle. When I post pictures you will see why)

[Catherine]

This is Earl with Caitrin just before she laid her eggs. He is very protective of her.


This is the egg laying box and as you can see, Earl has climbed in there with Caitrin.

It is a little crowded, but after checking it out Earl has settled in to keep Caitrin company.

With the best of intentions, he is not giving her much room to lay her eggs.

I did have to move him out, but just long enough for Caitrin to lay her eggs in peace. I am sure she appreciates the thought, but egg laying takes a lot out of a girl and she needs space and peace.

There we are, snake eggs ready to go into the incubator.

They go into a smaller box with peat moss to keep them from drying out.

Then they are covered with sphagnum moss and the lid placed on the box. They need to be warm and moist. Nine weeks and there will be babies.
Meanwhile Caitrin and Earl are back together sleeping off the ordeal. After all, it is hard on a fellow to become a father like that.

[Libby]

awww they are so cute together. That is so sweet. which one is which?

[Catherine]

I am so used to knowing which one is Earl that I forget that the rest of you might not know. Earl is the light silver brown colour. Caitrin is the orange and white one. They have been curled up together in their house ever since she laid her eggs. They are very close as a couple.

I find my snakes that are bonded with each other are very close like that.

[Libby]

Sweet I guessed right! That's so adorable. I hope my leopard geckos end up loving each other like that.

[Catherine]

I think they will. People don't always recognize reptile relationships, but they do have them. Earl worries when Caitrin is in the nest box laying eggs. I hate to separate them, but he gets in with the eggs and they can get damaged. Anyhow she needs so peace and quiet when she gives birth.

They have been wrapped around each other ever since.

[Catherine]

I can finally breath a sigh of relief. Caitrin was really tired after egg laying and she went right into a shed. She has not eaten in a month.(reptiles can and do go with out food when they are egg laying and when they are shedding.) She finally ate yesterday. Earl of course would not eat until Caitrin ate. He is older and thinner so I have been very worried about him.
Caitrin shed, Caitrin ate and she looks really good today. So Earl ate and now he looks better. He is an old man so I do need to be careful with him. I was getting a little scared, but all is well.

[Cibach]

Really fabulous photos, Catherine.
I can't wait to see the babies, well done Caitrin and Earl.

[Catherine]

I took a look at the eggs today. They look really good. The are in the incubator with my other clutches of eggs and they all look good.
I still can't believe she has 21 eggs. It is my biggest clutch ever.

Every time I look at Caitrin and Earl they are curled up around each other with their heads touching. I love to see them bonded like that.
Earl was an older snake when I rehomed him. When I put Caitrin in with him and his face just seemed to light up. There is no doubt she has made him very happy and she is happy with him.