Holly's Ark?

Our Reptiles

I've always loved animals but I never really intended nor had I ever wanted to have a house full of reptiles! My uncle had a snake when  I was younger and it never bothered me.  But I also never held it or touched it.  We had three green anoles when I was a child but they lasted only a year or so. When I first moved to Cedar Rapids in 2007 my husband (then bf) had asked if I cared if he got a ball python and kept it at my house.  That never happened, due in small part to the fact that CR has a ban on all constricting snakes. (Outrageous, I know). 

Once we moved back to Waterloo, and their ban was lifted (for certain breeds of constrictors) it didn't take long for my husband and my son to jump all over it.  My one condition was that Colton had to be comfortable and able to hold the snake before we would get one.  I figured since Colton was only five that it would probably be awhile.  Little did I know my husband was sneaking him off to Petco to hold snakes when I wasn't looking! Shortly after Colton turned 6 we got Georgia. 

Colton and Georgia, Summer 2009

Georgia now

Shortly after we got Georgia, a guy that Tim works with "had to" get rid of his ball python because his pregnant girl friend said so.  So, I offered to take him.

JJ and I.  

JJ has been my favorite snake since day one.  He spends a lot of time out of the tank hanging out with me.  He also likes to find his way out of the tank to cruise around the living room when he is shedding.

Shortly after we got JJ I caught the reptile bug and so began out collection of reptiles.... At the beginning of 2010 we got, what I call, the triplets.  They are a female pastel het axantic bp, a female het pied and a male yellow belly.  All are 2010 babes. 

The Triplets:  Willow, Joplin and Bobby McGee

In the mean time we were given two other ball pythons.  A male pastel and a female normal.  The people that gave them to us said they were trying to mate them so they had them in the same tote.  Little did they realize that the female had a horrible respiratory infection.  It was so bad that the scales under her chin were rotting.  Obviously these people were not watching or taking very good care of their snakes at all!  We noticed it right away when we got home and put her and the male directly into quarentine.  Two days later we woke up to find the male dead.  We kept the female alive for a few months.  Pumping her with antibiotics, soaking her in the tub, doing everything we do.  Unfortunately, it was out of our hands and she passed away a few months later.   To say I was heartbroken would be an incredible understatement. 

Another snake that we were given is Zeus.  Zeus is a corn snake that my cousin gave us because she was going to move away to go to college and could not take him with.  I don't deal with him much because I don't particularly care for colubrids. 

Zeus

Some how we always end up getting asked to take in reptiles.  I have a very hard time saying no.... So when a friend of ours decided to downsize his collection and asked if we wanted a savanah monitor, I of course said yes!  Bojangles was pretty hard to get tamed down but after about 6 months he was pretty good with being held and handled.  Sadly, a few weeks ago my husband went to clean his tank and found that he choked on a cricket and died.  Again, I was heartbroken.

Bo Jangles

Another snake that was given to us, I call Baby.  He was refusing to eat and not doing very well so a friend asked us to take him and see how he does.  We had him eating a mouse on the way home from picking him up!  Baby is a red tail boa and he does not really like to be touched or handled.  So that is something that we are working hard at because a full grown boa that is angry is not something I want to be dealing with!

Baby

About five months ago I decided, for whatever reason, that we didn't have enough BPs.  Nuts, I know.  So we got Ozzy and Tiny.  Ozzy is a male pastel and Tiny is a female het ghost. 

Ozzy and Tiny

Snakes aren't the only reptiles we have though.  No, of course not!  I have an absolute love for bearded dragons.  They're so relaxed and they have the craziest personalities, they roll their eyes at you, tilt their heads and make you feel like a moron lol.  We currently have two juvenile beardies.... Sesame and Stephanie

 Sesame 

Stephanie

But two lizards really isn't enough is it???  A friend didn't want his Tokay Geko anymore so....

Manson

And, I've always wanted to Tegu.  I think they are so neat looking and the fact that they get to be about 4-5 ft long and almost 20 lbs is really cool.  So, this week, as an early birthday present to myself, I got Cobain! 

This is Cobain right after I picked him up. I always put my new reptiles into quarentine with just water and paper towels for the first few days so I can watch their health and make sure they're healthy before either introducing them into a tank with other reptiles, or laying out their substrate.  Cobain is now in a 40 gal tank. It won't last him long probably but for now it will do! 

So there you go.... a list and pictures of all of my reptiles! The other day someone told me we live like it's the "wild fucking kingdom!"  I had to laugh because it kind of is! But all of my reptiles are very well taken care of, live in tanks and not in rack systems, and are handled every day. 

In a few days I will put up a post about my dogs.  But for now, Happy Monday! I'm going to lay on the couch and listen to the rain outside.