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| Don Pedro, my baby corn snake is hiding in the hanging basket. Can you find him? (Oh by the way, what kind of flowers are those?) It was a gift plant and I'm clueless. Don Pedro turned up at my old school a while back, in the hallway next to my daughter's classroom. She rescued it and brought it to me. |
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| Don Pedro was tiny back when she found him, but he has doubled in size over the past 5 months. |
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| He is small, but not as nano as the snake I will share tomorrow. That one also turned up in a school hallway, but this time it was my very own Cedar Key school hall. |
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| Like most ratsnakes, Don Pedro was calm, cool, and collected right from the start. Although he is technically a wild snake, he never strikes or gets flustered when I handle him. This mellow attitude just seems to be part of being a ratsnake. Case in point, last week, I was racing south to get to that BA Bash mudrun and a mile away from the house an enormous 5 foot cornsnake is draped across the pavement with an approaching pickup coming on in the opposing lane. I wheeled the JEEP around and pulled over near where the snake lay basking. There wasn't much time for fancy handling, so I just grabbed her by the middle, expecting at least one bite, but she never made a defensive move. A gentle toss into the wiregrass and off she went away from the road... as the pickup passed by. Timing is everything, although the pickup driver may have been careful to avoid her, the odds lean the other way out here in the boonies. I figure it was good karma for the race. |
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| Don Pedro says, "Don't forget to smell the iris". |
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| Corn snakes are crazy good at climbing and Don Pedro went right up this smooth grape vine out in the yard as if it was a ladder. I'm enjoying Don Pedro's company while he hangs with us in the house, but at some point, probably this summer, I'll let this beautiful native snake return to the wild. I've had an influx of tiny herps lately, and the dining room is filling up with "temporary" reptile habitats. It's the baby diamondback that has really stolen my cold, reptilian heart. I'll share him later this week. (I said diamondback, not diamondback rattler ... I'm not crazy) |
11 comments:
That last photo is stunning. I'm not a big fan of snakes but that guys coloring is amazing.
are you hinting at a return to the days of Pure Florida posts full of baby aquatic chelonians? If so: Yay!
also more tiny snakes? yay!
Don Pedro is a cutie for sure. If there's one thing I miss about my relocation it's the lack of random herp encounters these days.
Chimp stuff: Callibrachoa, or Million Bells Petunia, a rather new introduction, pretty too. This looks like "Tequila Sunrise," always my pick. Don Pedro is bee-yoo-ti-ful!! Wow that patterning, that belly. He's in mint condition. Lucky guy to be cared for at PFHQ.
Got a question for you. I saved some seeds from some storebought small sweet snack peppers, orange, red and yellow. I adore them. They have very few seeds. What do you think are the chances that they'll be true from seed? Zilch? One is coming up now. I'm going to grow them anyway and see, but wondered if you'd have a guess.
A Supreme Serpent, he is gorgeous!
What Julie said, callibrichoa, they like our South Dakota summers, if one ever gets here this year!
12" of wet spring snow overnight, another snow day from school, it is getting real boring.
Glorious, gorgeous, lovely snake!
Don Pedro is just beautiful! I'm looking forward to seeing your diamondback post! Not a rattler, you say?
That is one beautiful snake you have there! I found the tiniest baby snake in the den Monday morning. It must have slithered in through the slightly ajar garage door. I wish I knew more about snakes, I put it outside and wished it well.
Really pretty.
It's such a shame that so many driver seem to aim for snakes crossing (or just sunning in) the road.
Jean,
To see the beauty, even when you are not a fan,is a wonderful thing.
Tai,
I look forward to that too. My schedule has kept me more in than out lately!
Julie,
I know those same peppers! Ate a few last night with my supper. I'm guessing they are hybrids and you could get anything, but I don't know for sure. Thanks for the flower ID! These things lasted through all our freezes without a hitch this winter.
Caroline,
Sorry about all that snow! I do appreciate the flower ID, I love plants that I can neglect and they still thrive.
ThreeCollie,
He is all that! It will be hard to let him go!
Sayre,
Not a rattler, ... think Maryland ...
Robin,
I'm glad you rescued that tiny snake. I have a tiny one to share here at PF soon.
Mark,
I see that way too much around here so I stop and help them when I can.
Thank you for sharing Don Pedro! He's a beauty!
I'm glad others ID'd your flower - I was at a loss.
Looking forward to a Diamondback encounter.
Don Pedro is a totally gorgeous snake! Enjoy your time together.
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