Obsessive Compulsive

Is there something about ball pythons or reptiles in general that bring out the OCD even in the most relaxed of people? Or is owning a ball python good therapy for those already afflicted with OCD? (gives a good focus for the OCD so you can behave normally in all other facets of life?)

With all the temperature and humidty checks I just laugh that we're all in the same crowded boat :D

Well for me anyways it's to do with not feeling terribly confident yet as a snake keeper as I do with other pets I've owned. Also I don't find the snake really gives any "cues" like other pets do if they are hungry or cold or in need of attention so it's a constant "is that darn thing okay or is something brewing" LOL. Of course this is our first non-mammal type pet so the whole keeping it warm enough or cool enough is driving us batty during these early days.

It does get better doesn't it???? (for gawd's sake people give me some hope LOL)


~~Jo~~

It does get better for sure.. It will get to the point where it is second nature.. That came for me around snake number 5 or so..lol

it will get better but first you have to obsess with your accurite or two or three and eventually come to trust it but not well enough that it will do on its own. then you get a temp gun so you can get accurate temps for every square centimeter of the enclosure. you obsess over temps with the temp gun for a while. you compare the temp gun readings to your accurite readings to your thermostat settings. finally after you fiddle with it all for several weeks you begin to calm down. i think i'm still somewhere in between. :D

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Originally Posted by justcage

It does get better for sure.. It will get to the point where it is second nature.. That came for me around snake number 5 or so..lol

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You are right on about that. Caring for the species I care for is now pretty much second nature, I no longer obsess over temps and stuff because I am confident in my equipment. I think that is the key. Because I no longer "feel" like I have to fiddle with things, I have more time to observe all my animals and get to know thier habits. I guess what I am trying to say is, you begin to feel confiedent in your abilities with time and education/self learning, for me, getting that confidence had alot to do with equipment. For you it may be something else... whatever it is, eventually you will figure it out to. When I first started with reptiles, there was no internet really- not in a sense of the way we know it now. It made learning and networking so to speak among hobbyist and breeders a bit more difficult to share info and experiences. Those of you who are now getting into reptiles have an advantage over us long time keepers, the ability to absorb the knowledge quicker and more efficient, making the chances of husbandry mistakes fewer and less serious while you are just starting out. For us long time keepers, I believe I speak for all of us, we use the internet for the same reasons you do, to learn, teach, share experiences, etc...and yet we are still learning also. Learning about these animals is what I feel to be an ongoing process. As long as you are willing to continue to learn, you will do great.

Well said Jeanne!


~~Jo~~

It does get better, don't worry. With me, it is at the point where I can confidently go away from home for a few nights and not worry about anything (except fire; that's one thing that is always on my paranoid mind lol; a fire when no one is home.) But regarding temps, you'll be much better off if you have reliable heating equipment to trust in.