PET PICTURES

[Romelia]

My two hounds!

[Lily Fayline]

Awesome pictures...all very lovely pets!
I realised a while back that I am just meant to have cats, and here are mine. At the moment it's Fay and Pippin, Lily (the white one) was born with a heart defect, and died at 20 months old. I have since been able to come to terms with the loss, and Pippin has been a very deserving new member of the household (he had been in the shelter for nearly a year -half his life!- when I got him, because Fay can't be alone). They're not as close as Fay and Lil used to be, but get along fine.

[Draziwekans]

Thought it was about time I introduced my pet. I have previously also kept and bred corns, and have had the company of several animals over the years, however snakes hold a special something.

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[Crystal Dragon]

Hi All,
Thanks for sharing all your lovely pet pictures, some really cute cats and dogs out there and that snake has beautiful markings. I'm afraid I'm not too well informed on snakes but I like to learn, so could you tell us a bit more perhaps about ?Monty please, Snakeman

[Draziwekans]

OK, a bit about Monty and his particular species of snake , sorry if its a bit long winded .

'Monty' maybe a bit obvious a name to use for a python. There was a lot going on when he came to live with me and it kind of stuck. He has never officially been sexed, which can be done, the easiest method is comparison with others in a group of snakes, the other methods would seem uncomfortable, so unless the need arises....

He is a captive bred Royal Python and is about 3 ½ years old and about 4 ½ foot long. I took him on at about 6 months and we have grown together and hopefully each of us has a familiarity with the other. One of the reasons these are ‘Royal’ pythons Crystal Dragon, is their colour and markings as you noticed from the picture. There are various colouration and patterns availiable, some costing substantial sums of money in the pet market. As with other pythons and boa’s he is a constrictor. They are quite chunky bodied snakes with slender ‘necks’ and short tails native to Africa. Adults grow to between 4 – 6 foot (often the females are slightly longer than the males) which makes for a manageable size, being one of the smaller species of python. Above its mouth around its snout it has distinctive heat sensing pits which assist the snake when hunting food as being nocturnal they will hunt during the night, often hiding during the day. Although they are strike feeders, Monty is content with his meal being left in his vivarium without dangling with tongs etc. They are a fairly docile species of snake and have acquired the term ‘ball’ python as when frightened they will coil up into a ball. Not being particularly aggressive they will only strike if feeling the need to be defensive or mistaking a handler for food. I have hand fed cornsnakes, but do not confuse Monty in this manner as it is likely he will strike where he senses the body heat of my hands, whilst smelling food.

Unlike us, snakes are unable to regulate their own body heat, therefore when keeping snakes it is important to set up the correct environment for the wellbeing of the snake. This will provide an enclosure where the heat source is placed one end creating a gradient with one end slightly cooler - the warmer end being between 80-90 degrees ideal for this species, it is also important to provide somewhere the snake can hide and feel safe and secure. Usually with animals it is important to ensure you provide enough space and people tend to feel the more the better, but in the case of snakes this can be wrong, providing too much space can be harmful for snakes so it is important to get it right. Royal Pythons can be particularly fussy eaters sometimes, although most captive bred will eat regularly on items it has been reared on. There are various 'tricks' keepers will use to encourage them to eat. The snake may discriminate on colour, size, type of prey, even the sex of the prey. A lot of the calories we use up during the day are spent regulating our body heat, for this reason snakes need less food intake than we do and can remain healthy through fasting for several months. Monty currently hasnt eaten for a couple of months, but is offered food every week.

He has never complained about being handled, but as with all life, I try and treat him with respect and try to ensure he has plenty of care and appropiate attention. My partner used to 'worry' that I would forget him wrapped round my wrist and nip to the shop sometimes, although he's too big and heavy for that now. I have attached another picture from last year.

MONTY2006a.JPG

A young Happy snake

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Blessings.

[Crystal Dragon]

Thank you so much, Snakeman, very interesting and most informative
From the New Year, part of my work will bring me into contact with a larger number of pet owners than at present and I am always interested in learning about pets that I am not familiar with.

[Lady Whitedog]

So many lovely critters! Here's my dog, his name is Mischa. He is definitely the center of attention around here.

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[Crystal Dragon]

Mischa looks lovely, Lady Whitedog. What breed is he and does he take a lot of grooming to keep so beautifully white

[Lady Whitedog]

Thanks Crystal Dragon! He's a samoyed, we adopted him from a local animal shelter about 4 years ago. I can tell you, though, he doesn't always looks so white and fluffy! He loves to go roll around in the mud and leaves and comes in from the yard dragging branches and twigs, it's pretty funny.

[Faolan]

Some of our horses past and present

[Crystal Dragon]

Thank you sharing these beautiful pictures with us, Faolan

[Faolan]

And one more. . .yes that is a goat on horseback!

[crystall_child]

Here's my baby, 15 month old Labrador, Megan.

And one of our bearded dragons, this one is Norbert, we have 4 altogether though!

[Amthezia]

Hi I want you all to meet: Ischa and Boncuk, these 2 are the light in our lifes, they are so fun to have in the family!!!
Boncuk is always in for a game, and loves it to "hang" at your lap and Ischa sings a lot, whole serenades in the morning for us!
They are pedigree cats called Turkish Van's, they are pretty big, and love water and activity

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2 sweetheart upside down!

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Two best friends

Chillen in de wasbak.JPG

Ischa loves water!

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Ischa sits close by where the water is

Bonchuk.JPG

Bright eyes Boncuk ;)

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Boncuk has a green eye and a blue one our David Bowie Cat

[Crystal Dragon]

Ooh, a dragon and a bearded one at that Thank you for sharing your pictures crystall_child. Megan looks a real sweetie and I just love Norbert but then I would, wouldn't I Are the bearded dragons fairly easy to keep?

Thank you also Amthezia, for the beautiful pictures of Ischa & Boncuk - they both look adorable

[crystall_child]

Hi Crystal Dragon

yes the dragons are fairly easy to keep, just need a tank with a light and a heater, and feed them plenty of salad .............. and worms!!!

They're really friendly actually though, and love to run around on the living room floor (when Megan is safely out of the way!)

[Silberdistel]

these are some inhabitants of my aquarium and Tiggr and Schnatti, my cats:

[Ainevar]

Cool. Isn't Misha a girls name? Yeah I have two animals. My Lab Calhoun who you all have heard about and a cat named Gabriel. Gabby 4 short. Yeah they sometimes think I'm only useful for one thing. To give them table scraps. Gabby is about 5 months old Cal is 16 months. I'll eventualy put up pictures.

[Alijay]

Here is my crazy lot,
Alifie and Angel 2 jack russells
Pagan the greyhound
and TC the cat

[Alan C]

Hi all
This is Kerry she is only 8 months old and full of beans.