BB and Suzie Q
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 1 Apr 2016 22:57
|
Big Bear is a Real Hit with
Suzie Q at the Petting Session, Alice Springs Reptile
Centre
 Three thirty we
assembled in the middle room at the Reptile Centre. We were by now quite used to
Ruby bimbling about, she likes to have her back
scratched but not her head. The staff arranged seats for us, a family of four
and a couple.
  Our guide formally introduced us to Ruby.
   Leo wanted to be held as if he was in a tree. Then it was our turns.
 Leo’s close-up. We were really taken with him.
   Next, we were
introduced to Frank who wanted to be held as if he
was on the ground. He was supposed to be our first contact, but he had done a
whoopsie in his box, it was quickly pushed ‘out back’ for all to be washed and
brushed up. Now, in second place, he was all bright and shiny.
  Bear
took Frank on but lost badly on the tongue
competition.
  Then for Bear’s nemesis.
This beauty was a python called Suzie Q. Our guide
showed us how to handle her and got the little chap to demonstrate.
  Before our
handling........ We learned an amazing thing, our guide told us if we saw any
Australian snake, stand stock still and pretend to be a tree, most go for
movement. If we have closed shoes and long trousers the likelihood of being
struck is limited. Mmmm, but she backed it up by showings us fangs to compare. The lid on left holds a fang from an
Australian snake. The lid on the right a fang from a non-local.
 Later, we looked up a
bit more on the subject of fangs. The little fang
shown belonged to an Australian Mulga, the giant one belonged to an African
Gaboon Viper. In Australia there
are about 3,000 snake bites per year,
of which 200 to 500 receive antivenom; on average one or two will prove fatal.
About half the deaths are
due to bites from
the brown snake;
the rest mostly from tiger snake,
taipan and death adder.
  The statistics we read with great interest. Now drum
roll.
  A
bit serious, then settled. Happy. Urrrrrr
wouldn’t go that far.......
   Oh how they bonded. Bear was a little alarmed when Suzie Q moved her very muscular tail, but all well soon enough.
   My
turn, all she wanted to do was get back to Bear, she really did. Settled
but you-know-who was her fancy man. I was struck by her amazing muscles, heavy
weight and cool to the point of being cold. A very lovely girl
though.
  I had the tail curl too but this was even funnier in the next turn. Last picture - The new
best friends.....a lurve thang..... Ummmmmm.
 .
ALL IN ALL WATCHING A BUDDING
RELATIONSHIP......
AN EXTREMELY RARE EXPERIENCE, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH |