Snakes have a sad life in a tank...

[Generationshell]

I am curious as to how many snake owners also get comments from others along the lines of, "Oh he has such a sad life because he lives in a tank." Both my parents and bf think this.

Personally I think that snakes in tanks have it pretty good. I acknowledge the fact that they can't really explore, but they have regular food, a safe environment without any predators, a heating pad, and an environment that is tailored to their needs. What more could they want?!

[VigdisXX]

I think youre right. As long as they have food and warmth what do they care!


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[whatsherface]

That's the problem I run into a lot with tubs. "Oh my god, you keep it in a box?! That's horrible."

I showed my coworker the rack I modified and she chewed me out for it because they were too small (I used 32 qts for anything over 500 grams). This is the same one who doesn't understand why I don't feed them live food because "they need to hunt!" and "watching them kill it is the best past."

[Generationshell]

This is the same one who doesn't understand why I don't feed them live food because "they need to hunt!" and "watching them kill it is the best past."

Yea...my boyfriend doesn't understand why I feed my snake pre-killed rats. He doesn't understand how the rat could potentially cause the snake harm. He is like "The snake will just let the rat eat it? Hmphh"

[Navaro]

It could be worse. We could be like the rest of the population and fear snakes. Kill them when they are in our yards, and treat them with zero respect. Funnily enough with all my research, I've found Ball Python owners, and snake keepers in general to be some of the most compassionate and caring animal lovers out there.

Anyone who's ever cared for a reptile or amphibian of any kind knows, they aren't all fun and games, and its not always easy work. It's a labor of love in my opinion.

I really admire animals that command respect. I guess that's why I've always had a passion for reptiles. They aren't conditioned to love you back like say a Dog. Instead there's mutual respect. If they allow you to handle them without balling up, or without striking. That's respect, and tolerance.

At least in my opinion, that's far more rewarding than any 'conditioned' love, that's based on a need. Call me crazy I guess.

[Morris Reese]

It could be worse. We could be like the rest of the population and fear snakes. Kill them when they are in our yards, and treat them with zero respect. Funnily enough with all my research, I've found Ball Python owners, and snake keepers in general to be some of the most compassionate and caring animal lovers out there.

Anyone who's ever cared for a reptile or amphibian of any kind knows, they aren't all fun and games, and its not always easy work. It's a labor of love in my opinion.

I really admire animals that command respect. I guess that's why I've always had a passion for reptiles. They aren't conditioned to love you back like say a Dog. Instead there's mutual respect. If they allow you to handle them without balling up, or without striking. That's respect, and tolerance.

At least in my opinion, that's far more rewarding than any 'conditioned' love, that's based on a need. Call me crazy I guess.

Very well put!! X2

[JohnNGriffin]

Yeah, my snakes really have it bad. Warm tank. Nothing bothers it. Guaranteed to be fed once a week. That's really sad. I got all that too. Except for the nobody bothers me part.

[CptJack]

I think the public at large radically overestimates the snakes' intelligence - and humanizes the heck out of them.

This is both the source of how 'sad' it is to keep them in tanks and tubs, AND the fear of them and seemingly burning desire to kill everyone they run across. They attribute all kinds of motives and thought processes to them that snakes just aren't capable of.

[brock lesser]

I don't get this much but when it comes up,
I usually point out that all pets are contained to some degree, horses in stalls,
dogs in cages or fenced pens and so on, as long as it's appropriate housing it's a non-issue.
That usually proves my point.

[sakura_noir]

I get flak about keeping my snakes in Sterlite bins. Heck, at first I thought it was cruel to put them in anything but a lavishly decorated tank with lots of attractive foliage. I've changed my mind as I've learned more about the needs of the ball python. The ones I keep in bins are doing so much better than the ones still in terrarium space. It's easier to clean, heat and regulate the bins' humidity levels which equals happier, healthier BPs. I had one that went on a food strike for five weeks and he was starting to lose weight that he couldn't afford to lose. I moved him to a bin and in two days he took a rat pup eagerly. People who are saddened by seeing pythons in tanks and bins do not understand how they exist in nature to begin with.


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