![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I measured Rambo today.
He shed this morning, so I went to clear the old skin (which he had taken a massive dump in, presumably to prevent me from keeping it and having it framed- it was a lovely complete shed, too. -__-), and he wandered right out into my arms, which he has never done before. So I took him out for some social time and used it as a chance to photograph him with a ruler, so I could use an on-line tool to measure him.
Well, he's grown by 32.5cm since he arrived here in June.
O_O
This is A BIG DEAL. Why? Well, because he's not supposed to have grown that much. Corn snakes are normally full grown by the age of 4, and I was told Rambo was 5. Snakes continue to grow their whole lives, but the rate slows down dramatically once they reach maturity. I was expecting an increase of a few cm- not a whole bloody foot!!
To give you an idea of this- Opal, who just turned two and is definitely not full grown, only grew about 28cm in the same time span. And that's a lot!
I was so shocked I actually went back to my old pictures of Rambo and re-measured him to see if I had done something wrong. But no- he really is a whole sodding foot longer than when I got him! I am completely stumped by this- I can only conclude that this is either a late growth spurt caused by him finally having the right amount of food and exercise, or that his old owner lied to me (AGAIN) about his age, and he is actually only 2-4 years old. Either way this is worrying. If it's the latter, then I really, genuinely know absolutely nothing about this snake's history. If it's the former, and if Rambo really is part king snake (as many, including my vet, suspects)... then potentially he could keep on growing. Some rat and king snakes can get to 7 feet long. He could turn into a giant, and he's already 4 inches longer than I am tall! But either way, this is proof positive of the absolutely, horrifyingly shitty care that his old owner gave him.
I am so very, very angry/worried right now. And also proud. Because damn it all, if this snake isn't bouncing back from his crappy start in life like a goddamn rubber ball of awesomeness!
For those of you wondering, here are links to the pictures I used for measuring:
When he arrived: i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/guideofmisguidance/fourandhalffeet_zps7b48248e.jpg
Today:i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/guideofmisguidance/length211214_zps39ebded0.jpg
Also, one of him looking adorable, climbing in his Christmas decorations (which he loves. Tinsel is THE thing for climbing, apparently.)
He shed this morning, so I went to clear the old skin (which he had taken a massive dump in, presumably to prevent me from keeping it and having it framed- it was a lovely complete shed, too. -__-), and he wandered right out into my arms, which he has never done before. So I took him out for some social time and used it as a chance to photograph him with a ruler, so I could use an on-line tool to measure him.
Well, he's grown by 32.5cm since he arrived here in June.
O_O
This is A BIG DEAL. Why? Well, because he's not supposed to have grown that much. Corn snakes are normally full grown by the age of 4, and I was told Rambo was 5. Snakes continue to grow their whole lives, but the rate slows down dramatically once they reach maturity. I was expecting an increase of a few cm- not a whole bloody foot!!
To give you an idea of this- Opal, who just turned two and is definitely not full grown, only grew about 28cm in the same time span. And that's a lot!
I was so shocked I actually went back to my old pictures of Rambo and re-measured him to see if I had done something wrong. But no- he really is a whole sodding foot longer than when I got him! I am completely stumped by this- I can only conclude that this is either a late growth spurt caused by him finally having the right amount of food and exercise, or that his old owner lied to me (AGAIN) about his age, and he is actually only 2-4 years old. Either way this is worrying. If it's the latter, then I really, genuinely know absolutely nothing about this snake's history. If it's the former, and if Rambo really is part king snake (as many, including my vet, suspects)... then potentially he could keep on growing. Some rat and king snakes can get to 7 feet long. He could turn into a giant, and he's already 4 inches longer than I am tall! But either way, this is proof positive of the absolutely, horrifyingly shitty care that his old owner gave him.
I am so very, very angry/worried right now. And also proud. Because damn it all, if this snake isn't bouncing back from his crappy start in life like a goddamn rubber ball of awesomeness!
For those of you wondering, here are links to the pictures I used for measuring:
When he arrived: i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/guideofmisguidance/fourandhalffeet_zps7b48248e.jpg
Today:i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/guideofmisguidance/length211214_zps39ebded0.jpg
Also, one of him looking adorable, climbing in his Christmas decorations (which he loves. Tinsel is THE thing for climbing, apparently.)
