introduction Hello from (looks at smudged writing on hand) Appalachia

Hello! I'm Rox and I have been trying to sign up for a hot minute, but Gmail never sent me my activation email. Nonetheless, I am here now at last! And I come bearing several dolls, too!

I live in a house with two (soon to be three!) Dollfies and one Smart Doll, along with three Azone Pure Neemo girls. I hope to get more in the future, and I would literally sell my left kidney to lay hands on a Smart Doll Moonlight. I generally just take photos of my girls and appreciate having them around. They're such a delight ^^

When I'm not staring at pretty vinyl sculptures, I'm taking care of 9 snakes, 5 dogs, 1 lizard, and my father- and one large cricket! I do not sleep on any schedule known to mortal man, and I persevere solely through the manic energy one might possess if given a shopping spree at Doll Point. I am mostly a lurker, at best, but I hope to be more active in time! It's nice to meet you all. ^///^

Welcome Mothiraffe! Any chance we can see a few of your girls?

Something I've always wondered about snakes - if you have multiple, do they get along like dogs or cats? 🤔 

I've never thought of snakes as social animals so I've always been curious about that.

Oh certainly, I'll take any excuse to show them off 8D

This is Usagi, and she was... like the one who opened the door for me to join this hobby. She's an Azone Pure Neemo, but I can't help but to show her off everywhere because she's the light of my life 😍
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My first actual Dollfie is this girl, Solveig! I...got her head on ebay for 30 dollars because the seller considered the mark on her face to be a defect. To me, it's a freckle! Someone on another site suggested her name, and it's stuck for now! I don't have too many photos of her because the leg on her body is... fiddly and comes off if I so much as breathe wrong. I'm still working on a final look for her as well, but she has a lot of potential and I adore her in spite of her quirks.
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My next Dollfie is Eris, a DDS Mayu, and she is. Cursed. She came to me like this (don't mind the bed it was laundry day,) and originally took photos that were more than a little threatening. But over time, and with practice on my end, she started to mellow out into the lovely doll I know today. I'm sure she's still planning my demise! But... less so, these days~
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Recently, I have been lucky enough to also bring home a Smart Doll Justice! I don't have many photos of her yet, but I'm honestly in love, she photographs like a dream and she's so pretty, too!

I also have this head coming in soon from ShiNesWorkshop!!! I'm so beyond excited. 8'D

I never thought I would be able to participate in this hobby, so my dolls are... they just really mean the world to me. I'm very grateful that I have had the chance to have them in my life. ^^;

(Incoming wall of text)

As for snakes! They are all housed separately for several reasons! The main is that many of them have very different needs from one another, as different species from different parts of the world. Outside of that, I don't let them interact as a general rule, snakes are generally comfortable in the practice of cannibalism, regretfully! It also risks transmitting illnesses between animals, which is never good. My pets are mostly all healthy, of course (minus my lizard, who's on a course of antibiotics right now... again... he came to me with Issues,) but there are some chronic illnesses snakes can carry that won't present symptoms until years down the line. So it's better to keep them apart unless you're trying to breed them, or they're one of the few notedly communal species (Garter Snakes come to mind.)

But that said! They definitely have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, and behaviors. My biggest girl Ivo is a gentle giant (which is funny, because she's a Dwarf for her species.) While Reticulated Pythons are known to be active, curious snakes that want to get into everything, Ivo is very mellow and a bit lazy. She's so laid-back that I once took her to my vet like "hey... is she good?" 

Quoth the vet, "drastically unique temperament." She's just like that, and I'm so lucky to be able to share my life with her!

They're all unique and as long as you understand their behaviors and mindsets, they're a total joy to have around for me personally! I know that realistically they do not have a limbic system and do not particularly feel towards things the way we might, but they still do have thoughts and feelings of a more instinctual kind. Something that smells interesting will get investigated. People are warm trees for climbing. A drop of water falling on their head is startling. 

I'm sorry for rambling I could yell about snakes all day, uhh
TL;DR NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET

Welcome to the community!
SmartDoll Justice is on my list too, but it will be awhile before I can bring her home! Love that picture of her!

Now for less-than-on-topic stuff, you have a lot of animals! That is awesome! I love snakes but unfortunately I love all creatures too much to ever own reptiles (live feeding is a no-no for me). What kind of lizard, if you do not mind me asking?

I am guessing Ivo is your largest? Reptiles need big tanks and I cannot imagine how much room would be needed for 9 tanks in Ivo's size. . . Also, is Ivo an albino?

 

If you cannot tell, you can always rant to me about your animals!

Hello @Marishade, thank you for the welcome! Your avatar is a very pretty Mirai 😍

I actually always wanted to get Ruby first, but I found a used?? Justice?? And I wasn't going to pass that up. And honestly I'm glad I got her, she just has the most lovely expression and she's pretty in basically everything I've put on her! I have a custom wig coming in the mail for her..eventually......... and when it comes in I'll be hard-pressed to pick which one I like the most. Justice is just going to be a fan of the hairstylist, I think! xP

Thank you! And I understand completely, I would never feed live if I could avoid it. I adore most rodents as well; until recently I had a hamster, too (long story,) but she recently passed away,,, she was quite old for a hamster, so I knew it was coming, but... still. At any rate, all of my reptiles are on frozen-thawed rats and mice from Perfect Prey. It's safer for everyone involved (an adult rat is no pushover, plus freezing cuts the risk of parasite transmission,) and more importantly, it's a far kinder way to feed, as each rat is humanely euthanized before freezing. Unfortunately most of my pets are carnivores, but this way they can get their necessary food with the least amount of harm. ^-TT;;

As for my lizard, Wade is a Blue Tongue Skink! (A Merauke, for those who know the subspecies.) He's come to me with a lot of issues (sold as Captive Bred & Born, is in fact a wildcaught animal so I've been dealing with the fallout of mites, parasites, a respiratory infection, and mouth rot, in addition to just general grumpiness. On a first-name basis with the vet, folks!) But he's doing well in spite of his issues in a clean environment and each day he gets a bit healthier, and a bit more tolerant of my necessary harassing. He's growing a ton, too! Wade eats... anything. But I feed him a lot of things- Repashy Bluey Buffet (a meal replacement powder that you mix into a gel that provides complete nutrition!) on rotation with high-end (95% meat) dog food, a variety of greens and vegetables, and occasionally a bit of fruit, too, all dusted with calcium and (in moderation) vitamins. And canned snails. He loves canned snails... he would also take live prey if offered (in the form of roaches, crickets, or other insects,) but honestly with as many problems as he's already had, we'll get to that in the future as a form of enrichment. Oh! And he also gets one egg a month as a treat. As an adult, he'll be able to eat a whole quail egg!!! 

... I can yell about animals at a sustained pace to boggle the mind I am SO sorry. I'm like this about dolls to other people in my life too. ^^;

You can always tell me about your animal stuff too Marishade, if ever you wish! I'm always down to Yell xD;

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Mothiraffe

Welcome!

I’m new here as well and am also getting a custom head from ShiNesWorkshop!

I’ve only owned Smart Dolls as far as vinyl prior and am gathering stuff for my first DD. 

Hope to see lots of pics!