So Why Do You Have So Many Snakes?

I'm just curious....To those who have a butt load of snakes and do not breed for sales. Why do you have them? I mean if you have to keep them in storage bins and don't handle them daily. And like some say you don't think they have feelings..What is the point?

Also what is the point of having poisonous varieties around? Unless you sell the venom that is.

If it wasn't to sell, I personally wouldn't have so many snakes. I do not have any venomous, but I do find them fascinating.

If it wasnt for breeding I prob wouldnt have the amount that I do , for the ones that dont breed its prob more of an addiction.

I have a few snakes and I do breed (but I don't breed FOR sales. I breed because I like producing cool snakes. I will sell offspring, but that is not the main reason I do it)

I handle my snakes semi-often. Also, I don't believe they have feelings but I do keep them because I personally like them. They are like living breathing works of art and I enjoy their company.

What's the point of keeping any reptile? Or how about fish? I don't take them out and play with them either. What's the difference between owning one snake and 20 snakes if they are all housed and cared for equally? For myself I find snakes pretty interesting, they may not be the most exciting pet around but it's a little piece of wild in your home. I own one snake at the moment but would like to add difference species and a BP morph or two, just because I like the way they look. Same reason most people get pets.

O.C.D. :salute:

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Originally Posted by BILLB OKC

O.C.D. :salute:

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:rofl: omg thats awesome!

I breed but someone said something as to why they keep a ton the other day...they said that the other part of the hobby is collecting. Just like baseball cards, or anything else that is collected, you don't just get one.

They are like poke'mon. I just have to collect them all.. I am hoping to get Squirtle here soon and make me a Bulbasaur this year as well:D

its an addiction and heroin is to deadly, lol no its fun. and I'm trying to get the ultra-rare charzrd, so, uhhhhhh, lol

hobby which lead to breeding which lead to the 24 snakes i have

Haha, it is kind of like pokemon. My ultimate goal is to have a male and female of every morph. I don't think I'll ever finish because of the endless possibilities but it will be fun (and expensive) trying. In the end though, I love my reptiles. I love caring for them and watching them grow. It was amazing to watch my corn go from a tiny little noodle to the adult she is today. Simply an amazing sight.

1.) THEY ARE COOL!

2.) If you do it right they can be free to keep, and even turn a small profit.

the point to owning the vemonous snakes is because they look cool, before I saw them in person, I thought it was kind of stupid myself, but after seeing a cobra hooded up right in front of me, it was pretty sweet. No, I'd never own them, but they're great to look at. As for the venom. Most (if not all?) that are kept in captivity and not in a medical place for producing anti-venoms and such. Have their glands removed so they produce no (little if done improperly) venom and their only damage is then in the bite itself.

Who would buy the venom anyways? O.o A side from medical purposes, but I don't think they'd buy it from private owners.

you need the venom to produce the anti-venom, IIRC... I thought I'd heard that the process to remove the venom (glands?) isn't 100% and they should always be treated as though they are fully venomous. someone may correct me...

They're fun, interesting, colorful and fascinating creatures. They're also solitary creatures that are prefectly happy spending most of their time hiding. They are very easy to care for once you develope the knack for it. Keeping one or two snakes is so ridiculously simple that I wouldn't find it as much fun. I'd end up spending so much time puttering around in their cages that I'd just be bothering them. I mean really, after feeding watering and cleaning once a week what else is there to do? When you've got a whole bunch of snake however, you've always got something that needs to be done. It's a good way to keep busy.

As far as venomous snakes, I don't know anybody who does it to milk the venom. That's kind of a ridiculous notion. Venom extraction has to be done in very sterile labratory like conditions or it's worthless. That's not a hobby, that's a job. People keep venomous snakes because they like them respect them and enjoy them. If you have good training in handling venomous snakes and follow very strict safety protocols it's no more dangerous then many other hobbies. I mean really, you might as well ask why people enjoy mountain climbing skydiving or racing motocross. Why does anybody do ANYTHING as a hobby? Because they ENJOY it, that's why...

well some of mine are rescues ( and they all seem ot be females lol) but outside that I got some that are pets and ( my het pieds) was the only way I could get a pied it the long road lol) :rolleye2:

I have 18 snakes total outside of 7 I purchased and one pastel I got off a friend the rest ( 10) snakes are rescued or were given up to me cause the owner's weer unable to care or were force to get rid of them for whatever reason.

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Originally Posted by xxsplitfirexx

Most (if not all?) that are kept in captivity and not in a medical place for producing anti-venoms and such. Have their glands removed so they produce no (little if done improperly) venom and their only damage is then in the bite itself.

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you were giving a bit of bad info there, most of the hots in captivity are just as they would be found in nature few have had anything done to their fangs or glands.

all hot, unaltered and for sale
http://market.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=40

It's true about hobbies being dangerous.

For instance, my hubby is into RC cars and planes. Sounds safe, right? Until he mentioned that the batteries he uses are miniature bombs and would destroy half of the house if one overheated or was improperly charged.

So, where is the safety factor? Something as innocent looking as a battery the size of a stick of gum is capable of blowing up my house. And he has like 15 of these things. Compared to a properly kept and handled venomous snake, I'd take the snake I think!

Aside from that, I got my first two snakes just because I was fascinated by them. I have 8 now, and while I do plan to breed someday, even if I never bred, if I had the money my collection would probably number in the hundreds. It seems like every time I see a new morph, I have an "I want that!!" moment. If I had the finances to fund my addiction, I'm sure it would never stop.

Gale

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Originally Posted by angllady2

It's true about hobbies being dangerous.

For instance, my hubby is into RC cars and planes. Sounds safe, right? Until he mentioned that the batteries he uses are miniature bombs and would destroy half of the house if one overheated or was improperly charged.

So, where is the safety factor? Something as innocent looking as a battery the size of a stick of gum is capable of blowing up my house. And he has like 15 of these things. Compared to a properly kept and handled venomous snake, I'd take the snake I think!

Aside from that, I got my first two snakes just because I was fascinated by them. I have 8 now, and while I do plan to breed someday, even if I never bred, if I had the money my collection would probably number in the hundreds. It seems like every time I see a new morph, I have an "I want that!!" moment. If I had the finances to fund my addiction, I'm sure it would never stop.

Gale

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they dont blow up like bombs thats a myth i wouldnt want to stand next to one when it blows up you may need a couple stiches and a little damage to your walls but nothing that will break you.

http://origin-images.rcuniverse.com/...29/Tr51150.jpg

When I was a kid I had a girlfriend (stifle your laughter please) and her family always complained that her dad would spend hour upon hour in an ex-furnace room converted into an aquarium room. ONCE I was allowed in for a tour.

I was stunned. Rack after rack of tanks, hundreds of tropical fish. He talked with such amazing passion about his fish that I was rightfully overwhelmed.

I recently had two young kids in my snake room and as I was explaining the snakes I realized I had become Julie's dad. I lost the kids long before I realized I had.

What is important is that I am passionate about my animals. Like any hobby they give us purpose and fire something in us. What that is and what purpose it serves(?), *meh* who cares?

I have normals that invoke as much affection and awe in me as my most perfect examples of each morph.

I have males that will never breed, even though I do breed for profit. I think the key point missing is that we do not produce snakes in order to sell them, we breed snakes because we like producing them, selling them ensures that we can breed them again next year (otherwise we would be quickly overwhelmed).

Bruce

hmmm... I'd say well put. enough said!! :gj:

i only have two as pets (for now hehe) but i love holding them and caring for them. i want other pets but our apartment wouldnt be big enough for a dog or something. i love taking out my new pastel and everyday i see that he trusts me more and more. they each really do have different personalities. it is becoming a hobby, which i needed. im always learning more about them and becoming fascinated.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

I mean really, you might as well ask why people enjoy mountain climbing skydiving or racing motocross. Why does anybody do ANYTHING as a hobby? Because they ENJOY it, that's why...

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You sir have won the thread. Nothing more needs to be said.

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Originally Posted by Arsinoe

I'm just curious....To those who have a butt load of snakes and do not breed for sales. Why do you have them? I mean if you have to keep them in storage bins and don't handle them daily.

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We keep them in "storage bins" IE: racks or tubs because it's the best for their health.
I handle "some" of my snakes everyday, but with 20+ snakes in my house at most times, it's not easy to handle all of them everyday.

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Originally Posted by angllady2

It's true about hobbies being dangerous.

Gale

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That's the truth. Try getting a stuck bullet out of a SKS. I had to patch a hole in the ceiling for that one. As for the snakes; I want alot of different ones, but 3-4 would probably be my limit. I have them as pets so I like to spend time with each one individually. I don't want so many that they become a collection. I collect guns, I keep snakes...

I have my snake because I purely love animals - plain and simple. I shouldn't use animals to REPLACE humans, but I have them around to make me feel better when the humans I know start acting like jerks. :rolleyes:

I honestly don't have any stable financial means to "expertly" care for the pets I have, but we get by - the critters ALWAYS get their essentials, and I couldn't find myself getting rid of a single one. And, despite not having extra money, I still go and beg my boyfriend for another one, which explains the adorable rat I got today. :oops: I can see this becoming ridiculous within the next couple years, if I don't limit myself.

I dream of owning a "hot" snake myself one day, but if I can't avoid being bit by a wee little mouse, I think I'll need some serious training and mentoring. :P

Because I like them.

I like every last one of them, and I like taking care of them.

I have gone from 0 to 6 in 5months. They are addicting. I guess once you get into snakes and have a passion for how amazing they are then you will to have several. I dont breed, i just have them because their amazing. Maybe one day i will breed, but right now its not for me. I handle most of my snakes every other day besides feeding and resting days.

Right now, I only have one BP, it's my first and I'm just getting over the kinks that all first time ball owners run into. But I will safely say I am addicted to snake ownership. I have spent hours fine tuning the temps and humidity and just watching the creature in it's habitat (even though he'd mostly be in his hide lol). When I first got him it took all my strength not to handle him.

They are an amazing creature, and it is safe to say that after I move (currently house hunting) I will be looking for space for a snake room.