Hunger Strike???

Q: How do you tell if a snake is sleeping? A: You can't! They sleep with their eyes open!

Actually, if the scaled creature is all curled up and looks comfy and cozy, chances are he is asleep. However, when they are "lounging" over rocks and branches, your guess is as good as mine!

Our little fox snake still has his wild instincts and goes into semi-hibernation from fall to spring. This is the second season of winter we've had Jake, so I was familiar with it. Early on, he gets rather urgent in his slitherings, more than likely looking for a suitable place to do some serious snoozing.

My real quandary is this: How often do I feed him? I feel like an awful mother when he rejects food I've offered. So, he's not hungry, but I still worry--did he eat enough the last time I fed him??? Well, he obviously thinks so, but you know us moms. You can imagine the scenario:

"What?! You're going to be sleeping for how long, and that's all you ate?! Eat! Here's a fuzzy! If you don't eat that, I'll get you a smaller-sized portion. Oh, here's a pinkie for you anyway, just in case! Now, eat! Pleeeeese eat?"

A very knowledgeable man from a local pet shop came to my rescue, telling me I had an ideal situation. He wished domesticated snakes wouldn't loose that God-given instinct. "They eat less, and as a result, grow slower so you don't have to buy them a larger home as often," Jim told me.

Actually, I wouldn't mind that, but at least I now know for certain that eating even a little about once a month or so is normal. It's always nice to have something other than "huntches" to go on, you know? Especially when you have a critter whose well-being depends upon you!

There are choices. Jake can be kept warmer with a light added to make him think it's not wintertime. He can be kept the way he is, thinking he's in a warmer state like Kentucky or Kansas. Or, his quarters could be made darker and cooler to sleep away the winter blues and blahs.

Which would you choose? --LKR

A Dobsonfly???

Driving the kids to a park for a picnic after summer school, I stopped to get some gas for our van. While fueling up, I scanned my surroundings, passing the time away. Ho, hum. Woe! What on earth is that??? Right below my hand hanging out on the hose was a huge winged insect, about 5 inches in length! It was unlike anything I had ever encountered, before. This docile creature continued resting quietly as I gazed at it. My oldest daughter handed me my camera and the photo session began!

Getting back into my vehicle, I was about to pull away when thoughts of how someone else might react when they encountered this insect stopped me. If they freaked, which would be easy to do, there was no telling what its fate might be—or the person’s--if I left it there.

I quickly got out of the van and gently coaxed this giant into an empty Parmesan container I keep with me for occasions just like this. (Honestly, I do rescue bugs! Just ask my family and friends!) Handing it to my 11 year old son, he empathetically studied this awesome creature. “Cool, huh?!” I said. He nodded in agreement.

“Mom, I think he’s getting scared.”

”I know, honey. Tell him we’re going to let him go.”

“Mom, he doesn’t speak English. He won’t understand.”

“Tell him anyway. We’re almost there.”

We released him onto a small tree at Mt. Simon Park in Eau Claire, WI which is along the Chippewa River. We ate, the kids swam, he relocated, and we headed for home.

Ever hear of a Dobsonfly? I sure didn’t before this! But there he was on an interesting website that helped identify him. Ours was a sweet little boy. Females have smaller, functional mandibles (jaws) that are capable of inflicting pain. On another site, I learned that they are otherwise harmless in spite of their appearance, and are nocturnal. Most of their lives are spent in the larval stage, growing up under rocks in rivers, steams, and lakes. A few years later, they leave their watery world and pupate (like butterflies do) on land, over-wintering. Come late spring and into the earlier summer months, they begin emerging. They spend only a few days of life as winged creatures, as their sole purpose now is to mate, lay eggs, and die.

The site that helped ID him was here, if anyone would like to check it out: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

--LKR