Everyone, meet Ava.
Ava, this is everyone.
I hope you aren’t squeamish about snakes. I promise you there is no need to be. Not with little Ava anyway. She’s not aggressive. Not if you are patient and slow with her and remember to not to force her or restrict her.
She only wants to explore the world around her. She’ll flick her tongue a lot. Taste-smelling the air looking for delicious rodents. If she happens to want to taste-smell your face it tickles ever so slightly like baby eyelashes on your cheeks.
She doesn’t feel slimy at all. She feels cool and smooth. She glides right over your skin and through your fingers. At first she is shy, she stays coiled and still but very quickly she relaxes. Then you will have to stay alert because she is quick! And if you lose her I will hurt you….
Don’t worry though. I’m here to help you with her.
Excuse me while I rattle off facts that you probably don’t care about.
- She’s a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, they’re called that because the shape of their scales cause them to have a beautiful iridescent sheen
- She requires high levels of humidity, which are hard to maintain in this dry Colorado air
- She’s almost a year old now. She was born last August.
- Boas give birth to live young rather than lay eggs.
- I got her as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend but she couldn’t be shipped to me until last spring.
- Yes, she was shipped to me, in a box.
- No, I’m not crazy. Snakes are awesome, I promise!
Ava is just as much a part of my family as my dog and cat are. Her and my other snake, Delilah. They may not love me, or show me affection, but I have earned the trust of an animal that does not trust easily.
Sometimes that feels better than love given instinctually.
In response to The Daily Post photography prompt: Close Up
Great picture! I like the composition and light… not to mention how good looking Ava is, she is a beautiful snake.
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Thank you! It was hard to get her to sit still for it lol
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She is beautiful. I’ve held snakes before and been amazed at how they feel – solid, firm, cool. Nothing unpleasant at all, just fascinating.
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Thank you! I tell people all the time, snakes feel really awesome, not weird or slimy like people think they do. They truly are fascinating creatures :)
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omg! I totally have the creeps for snakes, so I must admit I very much admire your for you have Ava & Delilah as a pets :)
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Lol a lot of people have the creeps for snakes. They really aren’t creepy though. They don’t really do much at all. They’re little better than a pet rock lol
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Pet rock, hmm now we are talking ;)
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Seriously, I hardly ever even see them! They are active in the middle of the night for a few hours and that’s it. And I only hold them for a few minutes every few days, any more and they get stressed out. Easiest pets to care for after you have the temperatures and humidity right.
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Oh, Ava is very pretty :)
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