Reason You Started Keeping Snakes

I'd always thought snakes were kind of cool, but never owned one until I was about to finish college. I happened to go to a park where a woman was walking around and she had a couple of ball pythons with her. After observing hers, I was instantly fascinated and decided to do the research on them. I was lucky enough to find this site before I bought my first (who is my avatar).

Years ago, I caught garters and green snakes and kept them because as a kid, my friends and I were tomboys (by 1980's standards!) and interested in reptiles and amphibians. We kept frogs and toads too and would build elaborate terrariums for them using things we found outdoors; moss, rocks, etc. It was a cheap but cool hobby for us since our families were not that well-off.
Then a few years ago, me and Mark (now husband, then fiancee) went into a Petco to check out fish (I am an aquarist also.) We like tattoos and Mark does them, and got to talking to this heavily-tattooed girl there. She says out of nowhere "I have this ball python that you could have for free; it is aggressive and always gets bought and returned to us." We went home, researched online, and got the snake a few days later. From there, the BP hobby for me (and yes, him.. a little :) has just grown and I love keeping them because they are awesome animals.. not as much work as our other pets and livestock.. and just cool to own, breed, and have in general.

I have always loved animals, grew up around many german shephards and used to raise/breed gerbils as a kid. I also used to catch a bunch of turtles and small fish and catfish out of a neighborhood lake that we used to keep in my mom's aquarium. I didn't have a great interest in reptiles (outside of the wild turtles that we kept) as I was growing up though, loved all the little furry critters that could play and cuddle back, have kept everything from dogs and cats to all kinds of rodents, rabbits, and now my 3 cockatiels. It wasn't until more recently that I have come into a great interest in reptiles, not too long after my sister in law got her 6' Burmese Python. After seeing how neat it was, did quite a bit of research and held a few different types of snakes at a local family run petstore. My kids and I really fell in love with our first BP (Sunny...my daughter picked out her name) and since then have brought home a corn (Makisig) and our newest BP, Sehana. I have also fallen in love with lizards as well, and getting a beardie as well as a tegu are pretty high on my list of future "Must Haves"!!

I also grew up with animals.. and I think this is true of most if not all snake owners. We always had 2 dogs, and 2 cats. As a kid I'd catch frogs and keep em for a few days before letting them go. My mom hated snakes and refused to let me get one. So the next best thing was a hamster (cheap and easy to care for). Got a few hampsters when I was around 12 or so. I bought a turtle and converted my entire side yard into a sanctuary for him.. but about 1 week later my dog Mikey got to him and I found a hollowed out shell on my lawn.. pretty gruesome sight when you're 13 or so. My buddy always had snakes, and I loved helping him feed them and handle them.

Fast forward 10 years.. and I now own my first ball python, with another one on the way very soon. These are such wonderful animals, and I don't think I'll ever be "snakeless" again. :P

as a kid, i was always in the woods, i caught all kinds of things and brought them home. it just grew from there. but i like all kinds of critters and have kept so many things over the years...i an old guy!!

Our son who turned 6 at the end of August wanted a pet for his birthday. He wanted a pet he could handle that "did something." We had taken care of a friend's frog, and he found that too "boring," since "all he did was sit there," when he held him. Personally, I never knew a frog could be so charming, but....

Anyway, we knew it would be a small pet - we already have a dog, fan tailed goldfish, and an adopted outdoor stray cat. I have allergies to fur and feathers. So gerbils, etc. were out. Ryan said he was OK with feeding mice to a snake. Thus, the BP we now have!

The funny thing is that we ALL love Mr. Snake, not just Ryan! I'm so glad we chose him for a pet!!

Well, I'm still young but I fell in love with them when I went to a circus, I got a picture with a burmese (I was 5 then). I just thought they were cool. Then I came to the U.S, I saw a corn snake and had to had him! I then lost him but now I have 4 more snakes and more to come! :)

thanks for all the replies sorry i didnt reply earlier i was ill and had a migrane so a computer wasnt the best thing for me


but great reasons you started mine is sort of similar to most my sisters partner bought 1 about 3 months ago now.

i always thought i was scared of snakes but i just decided on the car journey i wanted to hold it but by the time i got to the house i started to think that i didnt want to hold it but didnt tell nobody

but when i did hold it its silkiness and the way you could feel it breathing and contracting and relaxing as it moves

i was just captivated now my mu is doing the you only want 1 because he has 1. also the famous what will happen when you dont want to look after it anymore

i have explained and answered all the questins she got but as you can see it has got me no closer to getting my first snake/BP.

anybody want to add a reason even if its been mentioned?

Thread moved to General Herp forum! :colbert2: