About 2 years ago, I started keeping a ball python named Thor. He was the first snake that I had kept as a pet since I was around 12-13 years old. I remember that first snake way back then....a rough green snake. Feeding it crickets and being excited to have a 'pet' snake for the first time....those were the days.

When I got back into keeping reptiles in 2004, all I could think about was ball pythons....I had never seen such cool snakes before. So for around a year or so, I kept nothing but ball pythons. They were beautiful, friendly snakes...who could not fall in love with keeping them?

During late 2005, I started keeping a pair of bearded dragons and some leos. Also in 05 and this year, I started getting out in the woods alot more often to do some field herping and photography. I think that those two things put an end to my 'ball python craze' and opened up my eyes to other things that are out there. I still love ball pythons and have plans to purchase a few more down the road, but I have alot broader goals for keeping reptiles now.

I don't just want a ton of ball pythons and some nice racks to keep them in anymore.....I want monitors, a diamondback terrapin or some other cool aquatic turtle, and some kingsnakes....I want to set up some nice looking naturalistic display enclosures so I can observe my animals more often...I want to keep fewer animals so I have more time to get out field herping....those are some of my goals now...

I think it is interesting to think about how much I have learned about reptiles and the reptile hobby/industry since I got back into this with one ball python two years ago.

I know alot of you have kept many different kind of herps over the years. Some you may still keep, some you may never keep again...you may keep the same animal completely different than you did a few years ago. I just wanted to share with all of you how my reptile interests have changed over the past couple years and I hope that you will share your experience also.