Not so Enthusiastic Spouse

This is my hobby and passion, not my husbands. That said, I do occasionally mention something snake related to him without pushing the issue. He does respond, but he doesn't initiate.

To him they all look alike. He thinks they are interesting looking, has nothing against snakes but its not for him. Sometimes he will pick up the feeder mice for me if I can't get them, but I don't ask him often because he can't stand the smell of the mice. He tolerates my hobby because it makes me happy and thats about it.

Don't push him, just leave him be about it. He'll either show an interest or he wont, but at least he is willing to share you with your hobby. Plus you have the forum to share your enthusiasm for the hobby. :D

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I have a tendency to talk about my snakes....a lot. I used to talk to him about my plans and what kind of snakes I wanted to work with and he'd nod and I found out later, he was tuning me out. I have to admit, that kind of hurt to find out that I had been talking to him about something I'm passionate about and he didn't care enough to even listen.

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thats how most of my family is lol. they'll see me lookn at a pic of a cool BP, and i'll say "omg come here look at this!" and then i will explani the genetics behind it... and they will get lost, interrupt me to talk to soemone else, and then leave lol. b4 i can finish. but eh, i understand bc its just something they're not into :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

But there are things that I need his help with that deal with the snakes. On occasion I need him to pick up feeders when I can't or more recently, I need him to help me get a website.

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ya, i dont drive yet, so i kinda rely on the ppl around me, and i try not to bug them too much (specially bout the live feeders bc i hav a picky snake). but every week i find SOMEONE who can take me, sometimes they cant so i have to wait 2 days -_-...

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I need him to help me get a website.

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i think u might have tapped onto something here :gj: does he ENJOY website design? if so, hey maybe u guys can share in this!

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I feel kind of bad having this hobby and talking about it to him (sometimes a little more than I should) since he doesn't have a hobby for himself. I told him he should get a hobby and talk my ear off about it but he still hasn't found something he's interested in.

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and u've recieved many answers about THIS. and i would have to agree. all i do is work, and tend to my pythons. i get nagged at about finding something other to do, and its VERY annoying.

When my husband and I first met, I didn't have any reptiles. My family had given up the rescue and sold most, if not all, of our collection and was going through some tough times. In fact, I didn't have any pets at all, as my best friend, a German Shepherd, had passed away shortly before and I didn't feel up to it.

Poor future-hubby!

Well, he had an inkling, I think.

Anyways, when we were living together, he said he wanted to get me a surprise. And he brought me . . . a ball python!

I guess the man listens after all. :P

He was scared of her. One time when she moved her head while he was holding her, he dropped her. Luckily I had him holding her over the bed Lol.

But he got better and better, and listened activly as I explanied things. Our collection begin to grow pretty quick as we went. I even bought him his own reptile, a bearded dragon.

Things didn't REALLY click until I brought home a very large female ball python I got in a trade. Then, all of a sudden, that was HIS snake. And still is. :D

It sort of went the same way when I got into goats. He bought me my first two, and probably regretted it. Now he has his own goat as well.

We're coming up on our seven year mark, and we have four dogs, one cat, two snakes, one lizard (the beardie!), nine goats, and a huge mess of quail hatching and chicken eggs in the incubator.

And I've actually cut my collection down. ;)

Hubby listens when I start going on and on about something, be it genetics, feeding, housing, or some plans I have for the goats/chickens/reptiles. He responds, and might even ask questions.

I do all the care, but if I ask, he will help.

And as much as he claims, "No, I don't even like those critters" I can be sure to catch him in the pen with some kind of goody, laughing as the goats stick their tongues out to get it.

Or in the reptile room, petting his ball python or giving his beardie some greens.

I'm a lucky woman. :)

i think i'm one step backwards in this topic. My boyfriend is downright PHOBIC of snakes, and we live together.

It has gotten better since i wrote and photographed "Keeping Ball Pythons" and he said that he'd look at MY pictures of snakes, but he still didn't want to look at anyone ELSES pictures of snakes. (apparently mine are super special because they're mine). He cracks up when i watch SnakeBytes.tv because he thinks its so ridiculous (because of the music).

He's given me permission to have my own reptile room and do whatever with it. He just wants to know when i bring in new animals, but he doesn't care about anything else.

Every ONCE in a while he'll ask about the snakes, or i'll say something about how someone is doing and he'll respond, but usually he regrets it because i'll go on for hours if he doesn't stop me. To be honest, i've tried to stop talking to him about my snakes because its not something he cares about.

If im browsing other reptiles, turtles, chams, geckos or something and i find something cute we'll awe over it for a while but I could never ask him to come to a reptile show because there are too many snakes and they make him really uncomfortable (its bad enough that he has a hard time seeing them on TV).

My fiance thinks my snakes are cool, and pulls out her favorites from time to time and lets them crawl around on her but that's about the extent of it. She goes to shows with me when she can and attempts to keep up with me talking about them which is pretty rare because I only explain when I have new snakes coming in or going out on loan. She tries to keep up with it all but at the end of the day it isn't her hobby it's mine. I'm extremely greatful that she gets involved to the point she does.

But like Robin's Carl, my fiance doesn't clean up or work with my snakes at all, infact she hates rats and refuses to touch one.

I wish my wife was as understanding as some of yours. She falls in with Cinderbird's significant other. I'm still trying to get her to let me outfit the shed into a snake house and not even have them in the house. She would never even have to see them. I don't even mind never talking to her about them, it would be nice to share in something I enjoy with her, but I've got all you fine folks to talk to and share with...when the day comes. :(