A new housemate

I live alone in my new apartment now. However, a couple of weeks ago, Licky moved in with me. He will be staying with me until mid-August.


A 2-year old, male boa contrictor, Licky is extremely tame and cool. Cool, in the temperature sense :). When he gets hungry, he starts moving around the cage, constantly reaching up to find a way out. One day when I returned home, I saw (to my horror) that the top of his cage was pushed open. Luckily he didn't slide into the sofa (for it would have taken ages to get him out). Instead he cooperatively went into my bathroom.

Licky clearing the landscape in my bathroom

I fed Licky last week. I had to buy him a frozen 'medium' rat which I thawed and then put beside Licky in his feeding box.

Licky, and YumYum the rat.

Zain was there with me to witness the spectacular feeding. It turned out to be less spectacular than we expected. First, Licky took >45 minutes to start swallowing YumYum; Second, Licky worked relentlessly at YumYum's neck instead of its head, which we knew was a doomed effort.

Licky contricting and trying VERY HARD to swallow YumYum from the neck

These snakes deserve their reputation of swallowing huge prey. Look at how wide his jaws opened! He still couldn't take YumYum from the neck down though :).

After 45 minutes, Zain had to leave for work and I had to cook my own dinner. So I told Zain to return later, confident that Licky would still be necking YumYum. I began my cooking, and 10 minutes later...I saw only YumYum's tail sticking out of Licky's jaws.

Licky had a mischievous and proud glint in his eyes.

What remains of YumYum. No, you can't see Licky's head here.

A day after Licky fed, he began to move about his cage again. I think he is still hungry. Another spectacular feeding will take place this week...and Zain will come 40 minutes after.