Just need to rant!

When I first got Abuja, my mother made me sign a "snake agreement" which included that I would give him "humane treatment at all times". One of those "humane treatment" clauses was "give him sufficient play". I have tried time and time again to explain to her than snakes do not "need" to be held. I hold and handle him once every week or two for around an hour.

I feed him properly, change his water, clean his cage, and have proper temperatures, humidity, and hiding places, but she is CONVINCED that I am being cruel to my snake! Now she's threatening to sell him because he doesn't get sufficient "playtime". Snakes do not need "playtime". She thinks that because he doesn't get handled every other day he is "unhappy" and I cannot, for the life of me, explain to her that holding a snake and letting him out just causes stress! Someone, please tell me how to get through to her!

I explained that breeders rarely handle their pets, keep them in tubs with only bedding/newspaper and water. But then she said that breeders are only in it for the money and not the snake's happiness! I swear, I have had so much trouble taking care of my pet because of her!

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Originally Posted by abuja

When I first got Abuja, my mother made me sign a "snake agreement" which included that I would give him "humane treatment at all times". One of those "humane treatment" clauses was "give him sufficient play". I have tried time and time again to explain to her than snakes do not "need" to be held. I hold and handle him once every week or two for around an hour.

I feed him properly, change his water, clean his cage, and have proper temperatures, humidity, and hiding places, but she is CONVINCED that I am being cruel to my snake! Now she's threatening to sell him because he doesn't get sufficient "playtime". Snakes do not need "playtime". She thinks that because he doesn't get handled every other day he is "unhappy" and I cannot, for the life of me, explain to her that holding a snake and letting him out just causes stress! Someone, please tell me how to get through to her!

I explained that breeders rarely handle their pets, keep them in tubs with only bedding/newspaper and water. But then she said that breeders are only in it for the money and not the snake's happiness! I swear, I have had so much trouble taking care of my pet because of her!

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First, tell her most breeders are not in it for the money, because they tend to lose money for a while and it's usually a passion.

Second, tell her reptiles get stressed out when they are out of their cages (they're like hermits) and actually prefer not to be handled at all! Doesn't mean you shouldn't, because handling every once in a while is still a good thing so that they're used to it.

Third, tell her snakes don't have a happiness emotion in their brain.

can alway tell that the snake play time is roam around in herbed at 2 at while mom sleeping (joking) heck my problem is handling too much.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

First, tell her most breeders are not in it for the money, because they tend to lose money for a while and it's usually a passion.

Second, tell her reptiles get stressed out when they are out of their cages (they're like hermits) and actually prefer not to be handled at all! Doesn't mean you shouldn't, because handling every once in a while is still a good thing so that they're used to it.

Third, tell her snakes don't have a happiness emotion in their brain.

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I told her all that while holding my snake and she totally freaked and started interrogating me about how "he doesn't look at all stressed" and "how could it be stressful" even when I tell her that people who know much better than I agree with me!

The solution is simple. Handle him for an hour every day like she wants, then when he stops eating you'll have your proof. :P