This snake and mouse stuff is just not working out

You saw the previous pictures, right? We kept the mouse, named her Snowflake and then four days later Snowflake gives birth to 7 babies.

She's a good mama. She didn't eat one baby. Kat is of course, THRILLED beyond words. I have claimed them as my new grandbabies.

Here they are from yesterday. They have their fur and their ears are up. They still haven't opened their eyes yet:

Sometimes they're like this when I come in to feed Snowflake. As soon as she hears food hit the bowl, she gets up and walks towards the bowl. The babies hang on trying to nurse as she drags them across the cage before they give up and fall off one by one. It's the funniest looking thing.

So, as my title suggests, this snake and mouse thing is just not working out.

Meet Mr. Chubbers:

Casey got this mouse on Friday and brought it over for the snake. Both of us were saying how hard it would be because he is soooo cute!! He's white with brown spots and black eyes. He is certainly much more handsome then the white mice with pink eyes.

Before we left to Trent's school carnival, I dropped the mouse (Mr. Chubbers) into the snake tank. I didn't want to watch, I didn't want to think about it. I just wanted it over with. We were purposely getting male mice because we didn't want to deal with mouse babies again.

I was so relieved when we came home from the carnival (several hours later) and there was no mouse to be found. Whew! The snake ate it and I could go on with my weekend.

We were home all weekend long.

This morning I hear Kat say, "MOM! I see the mouse!!" I thought she meant Snowflake so I got up out of bed and ran out to the kitchen. However, she was standing next to the snake tank. I don't know how to explain the look on Kat's face as she pointed at the tank. It was a mix of being stunned, shock and horror.  I looked under the log and there was Mr. Chubbers. He was covered in the ground up coconut shells we use for the snake's floor. He was desperately trying to clean himself off.

Somehow, he managed to live 2.5 days with a snake. Not one of us saw him all weekend long. I took him out and gave him some food and water. He looked like Mr. Skinny now.

Casey said she would keep him and make him a pet.

I'm so glad I've had this trial run with the snake. I love snakes and thought I wanted one for a pet. The problem is I get too attached to the mice. If they survive in the tank with the snake I somehow feel that they deserve to live. They're little fighters.