Favorite Herp Things

There seems to have been a lot of conflict around here lately. So, since I'm feeling all sentimental and excitable today, I thought I'd bring up a chance to share and appreciate what we ALL have in common. Sometimes we forget that everyone is here for a common purpose, and we should let that bring us together rather than set us apart. :gj:

What's your favorite thing about keeping herps?

For me, this is a really tough question. There are so many perks and tidbits about this hobby that I cherish, but it all boils down to the fact that I've been given the opportunity to learn about reptiles, and share my knowledge/enthusiasm with others. It's kind of tough to randomly strike up a conversation about snakes if you have no experience with them! I've always loved animals, but I now have a newfound appreciation and for ALL animals. Through snakes, I've been able to expand my ability to stand up for animals as a whole - even the "slimy" ones.

Oh, and they're not very messy. :P

What about you?

I love being able to breed them and being a part in creating a new life.

I love the privilege of beiñg able to handle an exotic creature and watching how they respond to me it their own unique ways. I feel like there is always something new to learn and there is so much variety even within the same species.

My ball pythons are fascinating creatures with their own individual personalities. They have the coolest paint jobs in the Herp Hobby and are getting better every breeding season. They don't get too large and are not difficult to maintain.

They are my favorite Herp Things...

I was never really big into herps until I got my first ball python back in October of 2008. These snakes have taught me so much about appreciating other animals. I love this hobby because of the many different species that I have grown to love.

When I first saw the subject of this thread, my first thought was that it was about actual, tangible, "things." If so, my answer would be as of late, the gloves I found to wear to keep my hands from looking like I stuck them with tiny needles. :D

But back to the subject...they're just awesome. They have such varying personalities and color morphs. And they're all gorgeous!

I love the biology, evolutionary history and adaptability of snakes. I love that one of the most widely found suborders in the world (snakes) have no legs!

Good thread idea!

I'd say I love that they're not mainstream quite yet. I like that I can tell people I keep snakes and go looking for snakes in the wild and I get looked at in amazement. They just hold wonder for me as well - there is nothing quite like finding a 'new' species to add to the life list.

As for keeping them, I love that I'm able to keep several species that even "wow" other keepers - Oxyrhopus, Leptodiera, Sibon, Bimini Island Boas, Candoia, as well as helping to educate others with the reptiles I keep.

I love having such an intriguing and beautiful animal :) The exciting prospect of future breeding :) and having been able to watch them grow :) And the interest that people show when they ask what pets I have and I tell them :)

Cool thread :D:gj:

I enjoy learning, I love animals, and I find reptiles to be fascinating!

I like all the unique looking creatures. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and skins!

I love how they can each have different personalities and dispositions. I look at reptiles the same way I look at dinosaurs. Just looking at them is just fascinating! Being able to hold one who "tolerates" you is awesome too!

My snakes have taught me a great deal of patience lol. It's important to recognize that specifically for snakes, things happen very slowly. Everything takes quite a while. Feeding, shedding, and growing. I think patience is their gift to me :D.

The reasons I listed really remind me of this picture I took at a reptile expo :D

EDIT: It's my favorite :D

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...s/00d2fae5.jpg

Hi,

It turned out to be the things I never even considered when I first started.

Nothing beats the little noses poking out of the eggs. :banana: And when it is from a female you produced yourself and have raised her whole life it just makes it sweeter. :wuv:

When something "clicks" inside the animal and you are no longer a big scary monster or they finally realise eating is a good thing. I had a normal male I force fed for two years in the shop whom I took home and managed to get strike feeding.

When he first struck I felt like bursting into song. :D

The little things non-snake keepers never even consider - like, last night, my big female had me in stitches by farting long and loud then giving me a totally innocent look when I opened the tub to check on her. :rofl:


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

It turned out to be the things I never even considered when I first started.

Nothing beats the little noses poking out of the eggs. :banana: And when it is from a female you produced yourself and have raised her whole life it just makes it sweeter. :wuv:

When something "clicks" inside the animal and you are no longer a big scary monster or they finally realise eating is a good thing. I had a normal male I force fed for two years in the shop whom I took home and managed to get strike feeding.

When he first struck I felt like bursting into song. :D

The little things non-snake keepers never even consider - like, last night, my big female had me in stitches by farting long and loud then giving me a totally innocent look when I opened the tub to check on her. :rofl:


dr del

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Oh my gosh! That last part had me rollin'. :rofl:

Wow realllllly tough question lol. Its a combo of a few things for me:
1. I only have bps right now. I love their "paintjobs" as slim said. Theyre awesome!
2. It only takes a small amount of space to keep quite a few of them compared to other pets.
3. I love the genetics of them. My favorite chapter of biology in highschool was genetics. I was a loser and did punnet squares for fun lol. The genetics of bps takes that love to a whole new level for me. I cant wait to try my hand at breeding next year! :D
4. The last reason i have is the WOW factor you get from peoples reactions. I dont go around bragging about them but if it comes up in conversation ill mention i have snakes. The look on peoples faces is priceless lol. Their jaws drop and they go, "You keep PYTHONS? ohhhh woowww". Acting like i have a 30ft snake in my house lmao... Yea ok... This is not why i keep them, but its a cool bonus that comes along with keeping them :)

I love that we're able to keep these very colorful creatures so easily, and a lot of them are less dangerous than "normal" household pets, despite what the media would have everyone believe. The breeding aspect just makes it that much better, you can take the traits of snake A and snake B and produce offspring who look AWESOME! Aside from that you also have beautiful wild type patterns. Due to their needs it also grants the opportunity to be highly educational. I suppose my favorite thing about keeping herps is getting someone who hasn't had much exposure to them light up and get into the hobby after showing them some animals from the collection. The sheer magnitude of the variety in species in the hobby from snakes to geckos to tortoises and amphibians makes it easy for everyone to find something they like.

Great thread! :) It's hard to chose just one favorite thinng about my herps. I love their personalities and watching how they view and react to their world. I love watching them eat. I love the dazzling array of colors, varying genetics, and seemingly endless variety of morphs being produced and discovered. I love building up "trust" with them, like when the lizards and toad trust me enough to eat from my hands or the snakes just relax and curl up by or on me... there are too many wonderful things about herps to name all of them.