My corn snake Dakota is simply the best 😁

European garden spider (Araneus diadematus) 🕷️💕

Every year, an adult female garden spider builds her web in this preferred spot. The mating season begins at the beginning of August.

Sexually mature females secrete a substance whose smell attracts males.

However, the guys only notice the smell when they are up close. Therefore, the males themselves have to be good at finding and reaching promising places as well.

Garden spiders live for two years. Sexual maturity begins in the second year. The males die after mating, the females some time after laying their eggs (September-October).

Dakota's hobbies: Snaking, climbing, digging, hiding.

The Shining Serpent.
Many people are fascinated, but also fearful. Snakes have always played a special role for humans. The fear of snakes is innate, babies as young as six months react with stress to snake motifs. It is assumed that this has evolutionary reasons. It makes sense to spot a snake early, as some species are dangerous. Nevertheless, in ancient cultures primarily positive meanings have developed. The snake embodies knowledge and wisdom not only in ancient Greece, Rome or India, but also in Inca mythology and many more. The role as protector and as a connection between the worlds is also found again and again. It is a highly symbolic animal, godlike or with divine attributes. I can well imagine that this inborn fear has contributed significantly to the myth-making. You see this wondrous animal and you automatically feel something. "Where does this feeling come from?" In the past there was no concept of evolution and no scientific connection to instincts as it is possible to understand today. Of course, coupled with the obvious characteristics (kills rodents, legless, skins in one piece) this certainly captures the imagination. We deal with our environment, how we perceive and evaluate it. We recognize patterns and make assumptions. Inevitably we intervene and have to be aware of the consequences in order not to end up harming ourselves. Snakes are important, so are our instincts. But whoever kills a snake takes on a force stronger than oneself. Be it nature, be it God. Only a part of all snake species can be dangerous to humans, but almost any rodent can make you seriously ill. We are somewhere between monkeys playing with sticks and trees growing on our ruins. Snakes have been around for at least 167 million years. Humility.

I guess you could say Dakota is a bit of a mouse-etarian!🐁

❄️🕸️❄️🕸️❄️

This morning the whole balcony was hung with white spider webs. It was very foggy at minus 5 degrees. A beautiful, enchanting sight that did not last long. The webs collapsed after a short time. These were the works of garden spiders (Araneus diadematus).🥰
I couldn't stand it for long either and I'm back in quickly! 😄☕

European garden spider,
Araneus diadematus
(09/2016 in Oberursel, Germany)

Dakota enjoying the ☀️ after having two mice the night before. 😋

When I do something with the terrarium, Dakota always has to watch what's going on. He's very headstrong and likes to design himself. No idea where he got this from. 🤷‍♂️

Except for the painting, I haven't posted about Dakota in a year and a half!😲

To compensate for that, there is not only a photo, but also a poem that I wrote 6 years ago.🙈

It's in German, but I've translated it for you below.🐁

-

Die Schlange

Im Dunkel vergraben, harrte sie aus.
Ihr Kleid ward zu eng, niemals kam sie heraus.
Die Sicht ward trüber Nebelschwaden gleich.
Sie harrte aus, das Kleid ward feucht, das Kleid ward weich.

Es drängte sich, ein Muskelzucken, unruhig auf.
Es schlängelte sich, zum Mäuseschlucken, schon bald herauf.
Der Drang zum Gedeihen, er ward ihr inne.
Ein neuer Glanz, ward in ihr, da drinne.

Sie kam nach oben, platzte gleich.
Ihr glänzend Körper, voll Muskelfleisch.

-

The Snake

Buried in the dark, she persevered.
Her dress was too tight, she never came out.
The view was like gloomy clouds of mist.
She persevered, the dress became damp, the dress became soft.

It urged itself, a muscle twitch, restlessly.
It soon snaked up for mice to swallow.
The urge to thrive, it became her.
There was a new shine in her inside.

She came up and was about to burst.
Her shiny body, full of muscle meat.