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.

Without cuddle scene it goes straight omnomnom!🐁🐍💕


(time lapse)


Incidentally, it's not necessary to go to the maximum feed size. Show me a species that always hunts the strongest and biggest prey. The opposite is the case. Especially with terrarium animals that aren't at the mercy of nature, it's absurd. As smart as the animals in the wild, we as pet owners should minimize risks. I usually feed young rats, about twice the size of this mouse. Always dead. Usually I don't feed at this time of year, because of wintering. But it's still quite warm this December, so the snake doesn't have a reduced metabolism. So it gets a mouse for safety. Should be digested quickly.

Dakota snaking around, analyzing everything!🐍💕 The world outside the box is strange and frightening. Just one look and then quickly back to the hide! 😅

Dakota in the dark!☻
The hide and seek game must be possible!🙄 The more safety a terrarium suggests to the animal, the freer it moves.😉 Don't force it to be openly on display. Let it make its own decisions.🐍 That's how it gets really interesting. My corn snake Dakota feels safe between branches and foliage. My leopard geckos also have some thin branches vertically in the terrarium, in addition to roots on the ground and caves in the back wall.

The realm of my corn snake. 🐍🌿
I've attached the water bowl with a branch. Now a cute little mushroom has grown out of the branch. 🍄🙃

Sometimes, I like to play wobbly tree with Dakota. As you can see, it's already autumn.🍂🍁🐍

That look! 👿🐍

Dakota feels watched! 🙃🐍

Dakota! 🙃🐍