I've come a long way

Most of you remember our addition this summer, Andrew's pet snake. He is very much alive and doing quite well. He has had three sheddings and grown several inches. The boys are always bringing new snake books home from the library. They are learning so much and he keeps them fascinated by everything he does.

This is all good. Now for the bad.

He eats once or twice a week...a small baby mouse called a pinkie! The feeding process is...well.. sort of amazing. While a part of me is grossed out by it, the other part is morbidly fascinated watching as his jaws unhinge and he swallows what doesn't seem possible.

We usually buy these "pinkies" from the pet store. They come frozen and we keep them in the freezer and thaw them out as needed or rather Andrew does that part. Recently though I have been having a hard time getting them. The pet store keeps promising to get them in but then when they do they can only spare one or two.

So today I bought a female hamster...to cohabitate with our male hamster. I figure if they fall in love, get married and start raising a family, they should be able to keep us in gourmet snake meals.

I was the little girl who rescued and tried to save every hurt or injured animal, reptile, bird or insect growing up. I was constantly driving my Mom crazy with all the animals I was looking after. I am now reduced to a murdering baby snatcher. I am trying to console myself with the fact that they are just rodents, right?

The things we do for our kids. I really have come a long way....