Hobby seen as an obsession??

It's all in the eye of the beholder.

What is an obsession and way too many snakes to the general public is the beginings of a fine collection to other snake owners.

I typically go with a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

When I only had three snakes and they were pets, people thought that was "too much."

I now have twenty snakes and I don't bother telling anyone. Everyone WOULD think it's some sort of obsession or hoarding. Problem is, they don't realize that 1) ball pythons are WORLDS easier to take care of than other pets like cats or dogs; 2) all the animals have great husbandry and can be cared for financially, both in terms of food/supplies and any emergency vet care; 3) they aren't pets, they're future breeders, which is an important distinction.. my normal is a pet, the others I don't want to stress so I don't treat them like pets - and they eat like demons.

Obsession implies negativity and some of detriment. In hoarding cases you very frequently see lots of animals that suffer because they aren't all fed, aren't properly cared for, never can see a vet... but if you're caring properly for all your animals then there's no issue, no matter how many you have. Soon as husbandry starts to fail or you have little money to go around with the animals, that's when there's a problem... but before that, so long as everyone has their fair and proper share of both your time and money? Nada!

I consider it a hobby, but many around me call it an obsession. I've told people how many snakes I have but I may stop telling them that, especially my mother. My husband and I want to start a family soon and my mother keeps pushing us to re-home some of our animals, mostly the snakes. She thinks the reptiles are going to give the baby salmonella or may get loose and eat the baby. :rolleyes:

Well, I know that I take good care of my animals and I am not stopping at 25 snakes. :D

I got my first pet at 18, a dwarf hamster named chowder. After realizing how awful a pet he was, I kept him is whole life he was just left pretty much alone, I picked up 2 rats. I moved out the following year and was up to 9 rats. I've stayed fairly consistant at that number for the last year, I rehomed 2 boys and ended up buying 2 girls from work. I've bred another pair, but this time I made sure to have a couple extra homes lined up so that I wouldn't end up with everyone backing out last minute.

For a long time my mother would tell me, you need to spend money on yourself stop spending it on your pets. If spending my money on a new dog toy or rat treat makes me happy then who cares if I don't spend it on a new pair of shoes? Well its not how most people would spend their money so its weird.

I get a lot of crap for the number of rats I have. Luckily I work at a pet store so having a bunch of animals isn't really unheard of. Outside of work though most people don't understand 'collecting' animals. They just hear I have X number of dogs/cats/rats/snakes and its like holy cow how do you have the time for all that?! With less common pets its even worse, owning a single snake is strange for most people, owning a rack full of snakes, that's darn near crazy.

While most of us don't think having a large collection of reptiles or rats etc is strange, if some one told you about their extensive collection of noisy clocks you'd wonder how they every slept. If you aren't passionate about the same thing as someone else then of course it seems obsessive.

This is the story of my life. I don't tell anyone from work about my new additions or anything anymore. All they do is use it as ammo to make fun of me pretty much. Luckily, my mom doesn't think I'm too weird for it, she thinks I'm a little obsessed but is more worried about what my landlord would say than she is about me actually keeping all of my animals lol. My landlord knows I have snakes, and has said to me "I don't care what you keep because I know you're reliable and careful as long as it's in a cage and doesn't roam free....or get out of the cage when you're not home" haha. So...I've just....stopped telling him about new pets LOL.

Anywho, luckily I have an amazing boyfriend who accepts my hobby and loves the little quirk about me being "obsessed" lol. He's even getting more and more into the herps than he ever thought he would. I've created a monster, since being with me he's bought a male ghost ball python, and red foot tortoise (which is mine but I let him think she's his) and is getting a bearded dragon in a week or two lol.

Just try and stay positive, weird isn't always a bad thing. ;)

Yep im addicted i got my first bp last november as well (thanksgiving actually) and now i have 3 waiting on two more. some people think im crazy (my family) but it alright with me cause there the best pets ive ever had and the most interesting hobby now.

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Originally Posted by eel588

I agree with the things said above. If you are able to afford your hobby and it isn't affecting you or the ones around you in a negative way then I wouldn't consider it obsessive. I have spent my whole life intrigued by reptiles. I think about my current animals and future goals with them more than anything else. I would like to eventually teach zoology at a community college. I have found a unique path for my life, reptiles are what lit the fire for me to progress my life's ambitions. I wouldn't have it any other way.

By the way I also stopped telling most people about how many reptiles I have. Only the ones close to me know, and I think they know way more about them than they've ever wanted to. I try hard to keep the reptile discussions to a minimum with others because I feel people generally don't care or judge me for it. That's why I spend my time on here.

You guys and gals...understand me...:tears: Haha :D

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Wow, it's the same way for me.

I dropped out of college due to medical issues, and when I had the opportunity to go back, I didn't, because I honestly could not think of a single thing that I would want to do as a career.

When I found my way into the reptile hobby (and community), it really was like a "fire" that inspired me. I knew that I wanted to breed ball pythons, and that conviction hasn't wavered for years. I've never been so passionate about any of the things I studied in college, though I do plan on going back to take some business and zoology classes. ;)

I am obsessed, but I think obsession is a good thing to have when you are starting a business. I spend a ton of time researching ball python health, morphs, prices and more online, and I have learned so much every single day.

My mom is actually very supportive, but my husband thinks I'm crazy. :rolleyes:

My wife knows I am addicted and OCDed too:rofl::rofl::rofl:

If you're not a little bit obsessed you don't have your head in the game :snake:

Collecting more and more snakes "to a non-hobbyist" I'm sure does look like hoarding/obsessing and you probably won't change that concept any time soon.

If I told you I had 1590 hot wheels cars in the package displayed on a wall in my house* would you think I was a bit obsessed? Probably :)

*Yes I once did :P

im in a 1br apt! 20 snakes 2 monitors and a rotty