I got a new job and we have to move to different part of the country. We settled in a nice small city but, in a quite spacious apartment. All the time we have been visiting zoos and all reptile shows in our country and wider.

Very soon I introduced to my wife and kids an idea to have a second snake. Since budget was limited we were also quite responsible we have started to search for a “second hand” animal. Soon we found an advertisement of an adult Corn snake together with his terrarium. The guy, if I remember correctly, because of lack of time decided to give away one of his snakes. Since I was not completely newbie I have asked a lot of questions to find the reasons for his decision and I judged it can be a good and really affordable buy. So one evening after work and school all four of us seated in the car and went to pick up the snake. It was like one hour drive.

When we arrived there the guy showed us his both snakes. Our new corn snake Jamal and another one – Milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum). I have to be honest; he was taking good care about them and snakes looked healthy and were in perfect condition. I knew it will be a good deal! The terrarium was made out of glass and it was big. It was quite a challenge to get it out of the flat/downstairs and to fit it in our car. Luckily we had a sports wagon and by adjusting the backseat we managed to fit it inside.

We put the new terrarium in children’s room.
The main difference between our Ball Python we noticed quite fast was … Jamal was much more active – even during the day … and he was very fast while being handled.

There is also one very interesting story (for me) and I think quite shocking for my wife at the same time connected with Jamal. When I was in Venezuela for a month. During our Skype call in the middle of the night, something dropped from the shelve in the storage room at home. My wife got frightened. She didn’t dear to open and check the storage room, so she went and woke up our 4 years old son to check what the hell is going on there. So my brave son spotted Jamal exploring the basket of fruits, pick the snake up, put it back to the terrarium … and the rest (million times checking if the door is locked) was certainly done by my wife … and repeated one more time to be 100% sure 😉

My next post will be about our visit of BioExo exhibition, that ended up in buying new reptiles … this time a pair of green … 🦎

Some more photos of Jamal and company:

I was really looking forward to finally bring our snake home … a half a year old, female normal, Ball Python. It happened in November 2007. Everything was ready … even my wife and the rest of the family 😀 were somehow ready to meet her.

That day I finished my job a little bit earlier. I even skipped lunch … all for being in the pet shop as soon as possible, picking up my Girl and taking her home, to her brand new, built with love, terrarium. Continue reading “She (Ball Python) is getting home” →

In my first two posts you could read some details about the times before having my first in captivity bred snake. So let’s move forward … where things get more serious. I don’t mean the situation was not serious sometimes in the past 😉 even too serious 😂

After finishing my studies I got married. Getting married means also bringing a little bit more of permanency in my life. Being in an apartment that you know you will stay for a little bit longer time raised back an idea having a snake. Continue reading “Convincing my wife to live with a snake” →

Time had passed, meanwhile back in school we had Biology classes.

Our teacher had a lot of animals’ specimens or parts of them in glass containers preserved in formalin solution. But she didn’t have a lot of snakes. So, I offered her I can get some for her. I think I brought her two but, the one I remember the most was the Common European Viper (lat. Vipera berus). Yes the venomous Viper. Continue reading “Viper for my teacher” →

It all started when I was still a child, about 7-8 years old.
Whenever I saw a reptile in nature, no matter if it was a snake or a lizard, it got my full attention. I always found some moments to observe and admire it, try to find where it is heading and somehow deep inside me a wish to catch one was initiated. Later at the age of 10 I found enough courage and of course an opportunity to catch my first snake. Continue reading “Natrix or first snake for a month” →