November 21, 2008

Mites are Back

I think Syranji the boa has mites again... I fed him his weekly rat this morning then checked on him an hour later. The rat was still running around, so I got worried. A close look at Syranji's scales and I can see them - black, pin-head sized moving thingies.

When I discovered mites a couple months ago I had to figure out what the heck they were and what the heck to do about them. I itched just looking at them.

I gave him daily baths in a water cooler full of warm water daily for 3 days. Each bath was supposed to last for at least 20 minutes, and I had to hold the snake and scrub it the whole time. My initial hesitancy about handling him was forced to disappear.

And I emptied out his cage, baked his rocks, and cleaned the cage with bleach daily for 3 days too.

And now they are back...


On another subject, I've started swimming somewhat regularly again. Its funny that it seems I can not swim for months and then pick up right where I left off. Same speed (or lack thereof), same endurance. Maybe its that I swim so damn slow that a few months off just can't make me any slower.


The weather has been cool for the last week. Lows in the high 20s and highs in the 40s. I've managed a couple cold weather runs that would make Stronger proud. A new section of trail opened in the park adjacent to my house, and I discovered another mile of trail that I think was already there but I didn't know about. That's made the park loop somewhere around 5 miles and a lot more fun to run.


I still haven't pulled the bike out. I haven't ridden it since my last century in August, and now that its cold I don't think I'll be on the road anytime soon. I'm hopeful to at least start back on the trainer within the next couple weeks.

Then, if all goes well, I'll start a more formal training regimen when we get back from Tahoe in January...

That's all for now. Thanks for joining me for my daily spin...

1 comment:

TJ said...

Nothing worse than a sick snake. :)
Enjoy the new trail. We hardly have any around here.