Why snakes??????!

[reaper99]

Ok, I get this almost every time people learn I keep snakes as pet/friends/family.
Now I always been interested by animals that most people are scared of like spiders, snakes and maybe even vats.
So my Question to u is why u like snakes?

I got to say I never had such and cool and interesting pet sweet tooooo

[Lolo76]

I belong to another (general) internet forum, which has sections for cats, dogs, fish & "general pets." Somebody recently posted a thread on there, asking "why keep exotic pets?" And like you, I often get asked this question in real life too! But the truth is, I'm not really sure WHY I love snakes - I just do. If I have to give reasons, it's because they are beautiful to observe, fun to photograph, interesting to study, easy to care for, and IMO very soothing to handle... all good reasons, I think!

[Kateesaurus]

I get asked this all the time too, especially because I don't look like your "typical" snake owner and I have to agree with Lolo76 that they are beautiful and so cool to touch and everything but I also just really enjoy most animals in general. I also grew up snake hunting with my mom in the creeks behind my grandparents house. It was awesome!

[Skittles1101]

I get this question ALL the time. I usually just get a big cheesy smile on my face and say "because I LOVE them", but I'll usually throw out the "well my landlord won't let me have cats or dogs, so I had to improvise", or "my son really loves them too!".....but to be honest I have no idea why. I really do love them, and it certainly is an addiction. They are just such interesting little critters, each one has such a different personality. I love mine to pieces

[Wh00h0069]

I have been into snake for as long as I can remember. I used to catch them in the creek all the time when I was younger. I always wanted one, and finally got one when I was old enough to work and afford to care for one. I have many more now. Another reason that I chose snakes over any other pets is because their ease of care.

[TheWinWizard]

Because they remind me of the underdog, no arms, no legs, just a mouthful of teeth. i also find them to be extremely fascinating.

[mommanessy247]

to be honest i love all, ok, ALMOST all of god's creatures. the one's i cant stand are the spiders, scorpions (although the one's here spark my interest & curiosity while still freaking me out a little), bees, wasps...really any creepy, crawly, buzzy bug that can sting or bite is on my no-no list.
1 bug that NEVER survives once i've laid eyes on it are black widows. i do not care if god created them i kill every single one the second i see it.

to those that want to get upset by that, please keep in mind i have small kids who like to run around shoe-less, sorry i'm not chancing one of them getting bit, especially my 7 yr old FEARLESS special needs son who does not understand the meaning of "potentially dangerous".
to him that means "more fun to play with" and with that mindset he'll see a black widow no different then any other bug stupid enough to cross his field of vision.
and i DO worry that now that i have a pet snake he'll think he can touch ALL snakes, including the one's outside...god forbid he finds something venomous.
anyways, i have a snake now cuz my bf's dad owns our house and he said "no dogs or cats". i wanted a pet but was limited to birds, reptiles or fish. we have a tank that i was using for the rats but now the tank is vacant so we're gonna turn it into a fish aquarium soon, i still want a few birds (2 cockatiels & a white bellied caique specifically...and MAYBE a macaw in the future).
so anyways, i'm with the others on the fact that snakes are just really very interesting/fascinating creatures. i have a list of "future hopefuls" (bp's i want in the future).
and finally, i'm just one who does things differently then others for the sake of being different, i guess. i dont like having or doing things that are considered "common". because of that i dont make a good follower but i lack the self discipline to be a leader.
i'm just kind of a rogue of sorts.
i was the kid in the family that everyone looked at and went
"hmmm...there's something odd with that one."
i was pretty much the only girl that really refused to play with barbies and dolls and tea sets. you would always find me out rollin' in the dirt with the dogs or up a tree somewhere. lol, my parents would come out calling me and they'd be scanning the nearby trees cuz chances are that's where i was.
oh, why snakes?
lol, i get sidetracked...
no one else in my family has or would ever dream of having a pet snake so i guess that's me being different again.

[eracer]

Snakes elicit a primal fear in most humans, and especially in those who were raised in a 'westernized' culture.

Even those of us who know how docile and non-threatening some snakes can be always have that deep-seated cultural fear in the back of our minds.

To me the spectrum of snake owners covers a wide range of people dealing with this fear in very different ways.

Those who keep 'hots' are, to some extent, driven by the need to master dangerous things. They know that the snake they own can kill, and take pride in 'taming' that danger. It's similar with those who enjoy large constrictors - the snake can kill, and its size makes it even more impressive to outsiders.

People like me, who own a single BP, know that there is really no danger at all, yet we still have a secret satisfying thrill whenever we handle our snake. "Check it out! I own the beast that took out all mankind when it offered the apple to Eve!!"

Plus, I only have to feed him once a week.

[Kinra]

I honestly haven't been directly asked this question yet, but I do have a friend who tells me to kill me snakes every time I so much as mention them.

I have tried to explain to him thousands of times why I keep them, but I've come to accept that there are some people in this world who will never understand.

I keep snakes because I enjoy them. I love my dog, he fulfills my need to have an animal that loves me, but there is just something about my snakes that I just love. I love that they eat once every 6 days so I can leave for a weekend without worrying too much. They are also amazingly beautiful and primitive. Holding my snakes is simply the best, for me it's a very relaxing experience. I just enjoy everything about my snakes and that's why I keep them.

[LP.]

Why snakes? Why not snakes?

I love all animals equally. I don't see why I should like a dog better then a snake, a snake better then a spider, a spider better then a rat, etc etc etc. Every animal is equal in my eyes.

The only reason I don't have anything furry and fuzzy is because of my father and our allergies to some pet hair. He isn't fond of reptiles, but; No hair in the carpets or anything, no spills around the house, no noise, etc. Dont get me wrong, I'd love to have a few pet rats and a king shepherd puppy, but snakes are the easiest thing for me to take care of for the time being.

One thing I barely tolerate when people ask this question though, is when they say it with the most ignorance and disgust they can. Drives me crazy. I always keep my cool though and just state my reasons and leave it there. If they keep going on with the ignorance and disgust after I politely ask them to stop I bring up the fact that more people get injured and sometimes die from more dog attacks then never (At least from what I've heard and researched) from a ball python, or I tell them to have an experience with a snake. If you haven't done anything with a snake except looked at them and go with what you hear on the news, how do you know you don't like them? Its like me and spiders. I use to be scared to death of them, but now I'm actually considering buying a starter tarantula to warm me up to them more. Even if it doesn't work out, at least I can say I tried.