So. been awhile since I've been around here it seems! busy busy busy and sick sick sick.
But. First, the happy:
Friend pointed me in the direction of a reptile specific store that just opened that NOT ONLY sells reptisun 10.0's, but also sells crickets at HALF PRICE.
We're taking I bought 100 crickets for about 5 bucks before tax. I am psyched. Altair has been eating routinely about 200-250 crickets a week. I've been having to buy them at the normal pet store where they are about 10 bucks before tax, and come in these little containers with water jelly that squishes them and with rabbit pellets for food. which sucks to transfer with. so from say about 25 bucks a week on a regular week down to about 12 bucks is fantastic. so that in its self should save me around 50 bucks a month.
Which means I'll be able to afford to do all the stuff to altairs cage I want on schedule even if I move.
next, the funny.
So. For a treat, I give Altair the odd canned silkworm. not as nutritious, but as a snack that he can happily grab from my hand, it's not horrible. We've started this game of me putting him on the floor of my room, and him chasing me around for snacks.
Well, I'm thinking I made a mistake. see, the worms? kinda brown colored. dark. about the size of my fingernails. which I tend to paint black. see where this is going?
It is to the point now where he will follow (and try to eat) my fingers rather than the bugs. pretty adorable actually.
Case that marked the turning point: fed him a couple, removed him from his tank (don't have a stepladder so I lure him over to an area I can comfortably grab him while on a chair) sat down with him in my lap, looked away to grab my camera.
suddenly *chomp! chomp! chomp!* the little bugger decided to try and eat my pinkie. And when his initial bite didn't work, he, of course, tried again. and again. in quick succession. until my yelp made him give up and look at my face.
First, I thought maybe he was grumpy (shedding again and he still doesn't like it) but lo and behold. pure white bellied. happy as a clam in a mudbank. And giving me a perfect expression of 'mum, why isn't it working?'
he actually made me bleed. the little bugger got me that good. And since then? he is OBSESSED with my fingers. gets positively hyper when he sees them and will follow my hand as if its a gourmet bug fest.
Any ideas how to un-confuse him? cause I gotta tell ya, not looking forward to having my fingers nibbled when his mouth gets bigger if it stings and draws blood now. not that I'm worried for me so much as the idea of him eating my flesh like some zombie lizard is a bit... creepy. and who knows how my blood could hurt him?
But still. funny. I have been laughed at many times in the last week by the hubby and roommates for half yelling at him (jokingly not meanly) that 'my fingers are not food! you silly silly little creature! pay attention to the bugs I tell you!' while otherwise half flailing in mock exasperation at his obsession.
Oh and he's hit 14 inches long. there abouts. was 13.5 about 2 sheds ago....
