kalikink

let me add..... I got Bliksum.. (my new coachwhip snake) after months of dilerberation. I am not someone that goes out and looks for mean animals as pets. I end up taking in unloved abused animals, and have months or years of prehabituasion to deal with. Much like my dog Hannah, of whom was a special exception. She was a 211 lbs near rabid Rottweiler that had lived her entire life tied to 6 tracktor tires with logging chain and expected to only eat the dogs that lost in the many pitbull fights that were held at the residence. When I got her she had to go thru a steroid detox and be put under to get her to the vet for her first vet visit. She lived 2 years in a heavy leather face muzzel. Every day I would sit on the floor and stare at her while she was harnessed to toggle bolt in the cement floor of the basement. when it got to when i could sit without her snarling or even scoot close enough to touch her. I fed her one smal handful of dry dog food.. of which she gobbled down like it was her last meal. I kept a constant flow of food and clean water for her. After an unbelievablely long time it became a loving trusting relationship. I could walk her down the street on a daily walk, although she legally had to wear a red shaw and collar stateing her temperment and be in a muzzel and in a harness contrapsion that hooked a face muzzel german style pinch choker and body harness together. She lived her life for another 5 years and had 2 litters of beautiful puppies. .. so back to the point........ I spent 6 months going back to thie same pet store..(just alittle local yokel one person owned jobbie) every day I went there were new animals except for the almost 5 foot snake coiled up in the 5 gallon aquarium near the top of the shelves. Every time I was there I asked the same questions, hoping to convince myself. "So, just how mean is he really?" ..."he is mad cause he has not room.. so what if he had more room?" everytime I got the same answers..."I dont know.. all I know is everyone brings him back" .. So like everything else i do in life.. I finally decided..... I went in that day and midway thru the questions I said with a sigh of uncertainty, OK I'll take him. He is now in a 40 gallon breeder (extra wide as well as length) he has a warm and cool side of tank, peat moss and things to go under and climb, different textures and smells. His aggression has simmered to about 80% of the 110% it was. Everyday I go t the cage and put my hand on the other side of where he is, hoping not to startle him. It has not even been a week, so I am not there yet. But one of the ther things I try to do several times a day is SLOWLY crack open the cage and lay my hand in the tank, I am only doing this for briefly over 10 seconds at a time.. but he is not getting into a defensive stike body position any more. I still have to "hood" him to catch him to clean cage, and fed him thru a crack in the lid of his cage. But in time.. it will come. My goal is to hold him with no thrashing.. not expect him to climb on me comfortably like apollo does.. just a sterdy hold of his body with both hands and not frantic and attacking movements. I am giving myself till next year, to be able to touch him openly in his aquarium. ((yes I can not even touch him yet.. I have to put a towel over his head and almost tackle him... which I havent done and will not do tll I HAVE to clean cage)) I manage to work around him now for spot cleaning. .. So anyhow.. that is the answer to the ""its not right to have pets for egotistical justification" comments that i had been hearing.