“Mel had always been labeled as odd. If she wanted to tattoo most of her body, whose business was that? If she wanted to go crazy with piercings, so what? But when she decided to get a seven foot long python as a pet, people started to judge.
Mel had always been a bit of a loner, so a snake was the perfect pet for her small house. It didn’t need much looking after and didn’t yap the whole day like her neighbor’s little dog. It hadn’t bothered anyone yet.
No one understood the special relationship Mel had with her python, Fang. He had come into her life at just the right time and she had been taking great care of him. But lately, she had been feeling lonely and decided to take the relationship one step further.
One night, a little after 2am, Mel woke to an empty bed. She was so groggy that she immediately fell back asleep. Fang was probably on the floor. In the morning, just as she thought, the snake was back on the bed, twirled around her legs as usual.
She later prepared his meal, but he didn’t seem very hungry. The entire day, Fang stayed on her bed and refused to eat. He also seemed more agitated than usual, particularly when Mel tried moving him back to the vivarium.
She wondered if he was just moody or sick. She noticed he was looking a bit off, so she decided to take him to the vet. As one of the vets performed the ultrasound on the python, his face betrayed his concern to the others gathered around. Mel wondered what they were seeing that made their foreheads crease into frowns.
The vet diagnosed Fang with a severe infection. He prescribed antibiotics and a strict diet. Mel was relieved that the infection wasn’t life-threatening, but she was worried about the cost of the treatment. She had to take out a loan to cover the expenses.
Fortunately, Fang responded well to the treatment and was soon back to his old self. Mel was so relieved that she decided to take extra special care of him. She made sure he had a comfortable bed, plenty of food, and lots of love.
Mel and Fang’s bond was stronger than ever. She was so grateful for the special relationship they shared. People may think it’s creepy or downright terrifying to own a snake as a pet, but Mel had never”
“Snakes can make wonderful pets, but it’s important to remember that they are still wild animals. Mel, a snake enthusiast, learned this the hard way when her beloved pet python, Fang, almost ate her in the middle of the night.
Mel had been warned by her neighbors that keeping a snake as a pet was dangerous, but she had brushed off their warnings. She had been caring for Fang for years and had grown very close to him. Every night, she would curl up in bed with Fang and they would bond.
One night, Mel noticed something was off. Was it her imagination or had Fang somehow changed in size overnight? The following day, the situation remained unchanged and Mel was beginning to worry. She decided to take the snake to the veterinarian.
The group of vets questioned her about the python’s sudden unusual behavior as one of them began an external examination. They believed the best course of action would be to take an ultrasound of the snake’s belly. Perhaps it had eaten something out of the ordinary.
During the ultrasound, one vet’s face creased into a frown and he looked at the others gathered around. This made Mel’s heart skip a beat. What were they seeing? When is that bad?
One vet asked her a series of questions about the snake, including about its feeding and sleeping habits. That’s when Mel revealed her and Fang’s nightly bonding ritual. Then the vet showed her the ultrasound and Mel couldn’t understand what she was seeing. The snake’s belly was absolutely empty.
So what was the problem? The vet asked Mel if the python usually sprawled out along her body and curled up around her while she lay on the bed. Well, yes, she confirmed. The vet explained that Fang had intentionally stopped eating, not because he was feeling ill, but because he was preparing to consume a large meal.
Snakes often feed on animals that are way larger than themselves, thanks to their ability to unhinge their jaws. By sprawling out beside Mel, the python had actually been sizing her up.
In essence, he was practicing how he would approach his next big meal. Fang had been patiently waiting until a perfect moment to snatch his prey—in this case, the unwitting Mel.
Sitting there in the treatment room, Mel had to absorb everything the vet had just told her”
