Question to everyone who has snakes

So today I finnally sold my 2 55gall aquariums to a lady who wanted them as fish tanks, long story short I showed her my bps in their new terrariums I built and gave her a quick run down of the pros and cons of keeping snakes. Then the question came, "What is the enjoyment of having snakes, whats the point?" And I responded by saying "whats the point of keeping fish" lol! So anyway it got me thinking, why do u keep snakes, or any other reptile for that matter besides the "cool factor"? Whats the point?

The point is that I'm passionate for my snakes, and have always enjoying being around animals. I love caring for them, handling them, photographing them, and watching them grow up big and healthy and know they're thriving in my care. It makes me feel good and it's very rewarding. It will be even more so once a few snakes I'm raising up mature enough to have babies themselves.

As for fish, they're nice to look at. I enjoy my bf's aquarium and watching my two red ear sliders too (yes, the turtles are in a separate tank than the fish lol).

I have always been fascinated by all reptiles! I especially like ball pythons because of all the cool color morphs and combos! I enjoy producing combos it is super exciting and you never know what will pop out! But I've been captivated by all reptiles my entire life!

Well, to say the least, I LOVE animals!! I have had lots of animals throughout my life whether they were mine or a room mates. I am now in a place where I can stay here because I own it, so I figured it was time to experiment with something other than furry fuzzy creatures!!

I started with Fish, they were nice, and watching them go from tiny to about 6-7" was amazing!!! Then, I purchased 4 firebelly toads, which I ended up selling to a reptile fanatic because they were just too boring, couldn't take them out and touch them very much and so on.

So, now, I decided to take another step and go 2 Ball Pythons! They are so awesome, they pose for pix, they are very nice and loving, they are very fun to watch eat, and they look so cool to me!!! I just love all animals, and why not get one that makes for an awesome handle-able pet?!?! Not only do I get snakes out of this, but I get to star5t breeding mice/rats, which I love watching run around with each other and such until they are fed :).

But to answer this quickly, I love all animals (except spiders!!!) and as someone else said they just look too awesome with all the different morphs and breeds and sizes!!!

Because I'm crazy, with serious mental issues. I stare at my snakes all day and KNOW that I couldn't live without them.


Oh, my bad. That was a recent airing of an Animal Plant show.............

Seriousness, I do love reptiles. They are amazing creatures and absolutley fascinating to watch grow, breed, have babies ( either live birth or eggs ). I've learned patience from having these guys as pets ( though I have NO self control. Always buying another :P ) And watching my children grow up with an understanding and respect for reptiles ( and all creatures ) is something that I am proud of. And honestly, how can you not look at a morph and say "Dang, that's freaking cool!!"

I love all animals, and I get satisfaction from watching them grow and thrive in my care, and become more beautiful. Fish are cool, but you can't take them out for a photo shoot. (Don't get me wrong, we love our tiger oscar, too...he greets us when we come home, and begs for food, lol).

Honestly, there is just something about it. When I open my tubs and pick up one of my snakes. My heart sinks. Just like when i pick up a dog. I enjoy their tongue exploring, it is interesting. their scales are funny feeling just like someone would like a cats fur. I smile seeing my snakes slither around my fingers and i like "hanging out" with them in my room. they don't run away when i kiss them on the head and they do not run away when i set them down for a second. I do not know, i just love their cold blooded face! >w<

Maybe I am just mental.

It all started when my mother told me that I could not have reptiles in the house. Like any child, that was only an open invitation to begin bringing lizards and geckos from the front porch and snakes from the backyard into my home. I always hid them under my bed so she would not find out.

Then when I got into college, I took a vertebrate natural history class and for a grade, we HAD to collect herps from out county. Around the same time, I also took a genetics class. I became fascinated with genetics and made it a goal of mine to explore my new knowledge.

A year ago, I got my first snake, a corn snake. Since then, my collection has grown to three with two more on the way. I want to be able to see genetics in action when I begin to breed my animals. I'm fascinated by the potential babies my animals can make and I look forward to raising them from before their conception until their deaths.

Like many of have said, I love Animals. I have kept many animals large and small over the years and enjoy them all.

I grew up on a horse ranch, animals were part of my life. From when I woke up to when I went to bed they were there, I cared for them through all stages of their life and they did their part to console me form time to time too. To this day we still operate a facility that breeds quarter horses and cares for and rehabilitates special needs horses.

Since caring for animals was so deeply rooted in my childhood it was only natural for me to continue this passion in my adult life. Speaking specifically to my snakes: I got my first ball python as a gift, I was always fascinated by snakes and their ability to thrive in the wild, their sleek muscularity, their genetic variations, and their overall 'cool factor'. As many of you know, you can't have just one ball python and with my exposure to breeding animals it was an easy choice for me to get into the hobby. To some they are not your typical pet, but I do thoroughly enjoy caring for them through both the good and bad.

:gj:

I keep snakes simply because they are fascinating. I love how they look and move. They are so efficient yet have no arms and legs. I love having an animal so different and too often misunderstood. I have wanted a snake since the first time I caught one when I was a wee little guy. Seeing how they grow has been a great experience and now I will be breeding and that is something I never imagined I would do. Its just cool... :)

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Originally Posted by Gabe Rienzo

why do u keep snakes, or any other reptile for that matter besides the "cool factor"? Whats the point?

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If you're not genuinely fascinated and enthusiastic about reptiles you will eventually lose interest. I've always been passionate about my animals and can't imagine not being able to care for and observe them firsthand, at home. I don't handle most of my snakes regularly so finding a soiled enclosure during AM or PM rounds actually pleases me as I get bonus interaction while cleaning. Call me crazy but taking care of my animals(i.e., removing feces, scrubbing tubs, changing waters, feeding, creating enrichment) relaxes me like little else.

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hob·by /ˈhäbē/
Noun: 1. An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.

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pas·sion /ˈpaSHən/
Noun: 1. Strong and barely controllable emotion.

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I love snakes. I guess that is one of the best reasons.

Snakes of many other pets fit into a modern life pattern better than almost any other pet. How many people do you know whom have a dog that they race home from work to let it out? Whom are away from home for 9-11 hours a day every day ? That struggle with vacation time and co ordinating sitters for an animal? It is common in my area to see dogs in the hands of 'weekend' dog owners who have such a long drive to work and hectic schedules that the only 'real' quality time with the dog (8 hours of work 2 of travel and 2 for meal, cleaning ect , there is not many for the dog left in a day) is on the weekends. I know more than I would like to think about.

Snakes don't care if you come home late or are too tired to spot check after work, they easily fit this pattern of long work days with little time. Dogs it is borderline abuse snakes... it is perfect for them. A quick spot check once or twice a day and that is about all that is needed handling and feeding deep cleaning ect. Can wait for the weekends with no issues. It is a good fit. Dogs are not really they need more time than many can provide. Cats are better but still need more work than a snake needs.

Snakes are are awesome. Im awesome. So we kinda just found eachother haha.

No but really i just like snakes. I dont like them just bc alot of people dont have them or are afraid of them, but its fun to have a unique pet that you get to educate people about. (no one ever asks what my dog eats or what would happen if she gets out lol). Also what kitedemon said about how they fit into a modern lifestyle made alot of sense to me.

I love most all animals. Always have been the most enthralled by reptiles, and especially snakes. When I started keeping them at the age of 18 when I moved out, I realized they are very relaxing pets. Wonderful for anxiety. Every species also has different traits, personality and temperaments. Some have an intelligence that non snake people would never notice. They are not all instinct.

For instance.. I have an African house snake which has learned how to tell me he's hungry.. In a very cute way! I put a shallow bowl in his enclosure to put the small fuzzies in that he eats so they can't get out and get lost in the bedding. He only eats live. Well he has figured out that if he hangs down from his branches and intently stares at his bowl, that I will put one in there for him. It's funny.

Boas and retics also learn things and have an intelligence that you don't usually see with BPs. Retics are very expressive. Like they are always thinking and working things out.

There is a guy in a reptile group on FB who owns Emerald tree boas and handles them all regularly. He breeds them and posts pics holding them. They are all tame and relaxed. He handles them like you'd handle any other tame snake. This is known to be a snake that is not usually handleable due to their temperament. Well this guy has no issues with them. That says a lot about his understanding of them, and vice versa.

They are all different, and all have different qualities. I try to explain this to people who don't understand keeping snakes as pets. They ARE pets. We feel no differently towards them than we do our dogs and cats. Too many people simply won't take the time to see that though.

I have always loved animals! Hell, I like them more then I like most people! I love snakes because they are just so awesome. I love growing ball pythons from hatchlings into big and gorgeous healthy adults. My male normal has been with me since he was a hatchling and now he is a little over two years old. Yes, he may just be a normal, but in my eyes he is just beautiful and I love him very much. My snakes are my babies too!

I keep my reptiles because I like them. No they don't love me, but if you listen to some of the dog experts neither does my dog. I find them relaxing to be around and cleaning cages is a nice change of pace from what I do for work (computer programming). I've kept fish in the past and while they were cool and relaxing to watch, that's all you can really do with them, you can't even hold them. :P

I just seem to bond easier with animals than I do people. I love almost all animals; there's even a small cockroach colony on our porch that I feed every once and a while. As for snakes, I love observing them. They're so different from me that I can't help but be fascinated by them. My little pastel really seems to enjoy being handled, and I love the way it feels when he slithers through my hands, onto my shoulders, and into my hair.

I'm not allergic to reptiles...

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Originally Posted by John1982

If you're not genuinely fascinated and enthusiastic about reptiles you will eventually lose interest. I've always been passionate about my animals and can't imagine not being able to care for and observe them firsthand, at home. I don't handle most of my snakes regularly so finding a soiled enclosure during AM or PM rounds actually pleases me as I get bonus interaction while cleaning. Call me crazy but taking care of my animals(i.e., removing feces, scrubbing tubs, changing waters, feeding, creating enrichment) relaxes me like little else.

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I could not agree more. I only handle my snakes maybe once a week. For me its filling a void. I have a passion for animal husbandry. The simple act of checking on the snakes and rodents in the morning and before bed is calming. I have a watering system for my rodent rack and they have hoppers for food, so its not even a lot of time. Once a week I clean the tubs usually one of the three 3-6 tubs (3 at the moment) a day. Spot clean the snakes and do a full change after a shed. Its an anchor for me. That being said what I normally tell people is that its like a fish tank without the water and I can take my pet out of the enclosure with a lot less fuss than a fish.

They are fascinating animals, and no two are the same in either pattern or personality. And, unlike fury pets, they don't mind if I go away for the weekend...in fact, they most likely prefer it ;)

When I was 2-3 years old, I went into a pet store and they had a ball python. I remember him perfectly, and have wanted one ever since. I begged and begged my parents all the time, but they didn't want any more pets (we've owned dogs, cats, horses, fish, and then wild snakes, turtles, lizards, etc., that I'd catch and keep for a day when I was a kid) but I never had my own ball python. When I was old enough to buy my own, I did it. Got my first normal with my own money (and some of my boyfriend's money ;) ) and he lives at my house, hidden from my dad, because he doesn't know I have him, haha! That got my boyfriend interested, so now we've just been buying morphs. I love snakes, they're by far my favorite reptile. Balls are my favorite of all snakes. We want to breed in the future and have already planned what our snake room will be in the house that my boyfriend just bought :)

Because they are quiet, don't jump on people, are easy to clean up after, don't cost a lot, and are misunderstood. Okay that is what I tell non-snake-lovers. The real reason is because they are my kids. I always talk about them like they are children and I take pics all the time, they watch TV with me, Perry goes shopping with me sometimes. I'm eighteen, I don't need a child of my own, I don't want a child for at least six years or more... But I still want responsibility and the outcome of all the hard work that I put into them. No, they are not surrogate children in the least, my actual child will just have A LOT of older sssiblingsssss :snake: when they are born.

Plus they are beautiful creators that need love and care like every other animal. Perry, my girl, gives me kisses every time I hold her. She will go to my nose, pause, and lick it before continuing on her way. She has done this ever since the first year I had her. They like being out and meeting my friends, Perry usually more than Draco, and I have been able to show a lot of people that they aren't evil beings that are from Satan. They just got a bad rep from history.

They all have their own personality and they show it often. How could you not love these animals? My boyfriend went from, not liking snakes, to being a snake 'daddy' to my two balls, and now he is wanting to get a boa for himself. he says he's only getting one... but we all know how THAT goes.:rolleyes:

Sorry it's a long winded post but it's all true.

I'm an animal person. I have been forever. I am fascinated by literally every single creature on this earth, their biology, survival tactics... I want to know it all. Buying my first reptile was just a natural progression of my interests, I think.

My siblings and I all seem to have very focused and intense interests. When we find something we like, we get deeply involved quickly and without ever letting up. That character trait combined with the already addictive qualities of balls, has made me a crazy snake lady! :snake:

I love my reptiles like nothing I've ever felt before. It sounds silly to other people, but I know you guys understand. I've never been a very emotional person, my thinking is very logic based.. Except with my little buddies. I am a complete sap when I think of my babies. I think about them constantly when I'm not with them, my heart swells every time I see them, and I know that I'll be growing old with them. They are basically the boyfriend I've never had :rofl: They are just absolutely amazing.

I think snakes and reptiles are awesome. Seems like everyone has a cat or a dog, but reptiles kind of remain the weird/creepy animal that most people will kill if they see one. They drop the "Oh it's water moccasin" line anytime they see a snake. I think snakes kind of have a bad wrap in society and a lot of people are freaked out by them. I have a beautiful female ball python that I've had since she was tiny and now she's 4.5 feet long. Anytime I go to a pet store I check out the reptile section and the care/husbandry is pretty bad if not horrible, so I feel really good knowing my BP is healthy, well taken care of, well fed, and cared about. I bring her out to show my friends and let them see that snakes aren't bad at all, and I've changed a lot of people's perceptions of snakes. It beats the hell out of fish, imo. They're more "exotic" and you can actually handle them. I've never been bit or struck at in the 3 years I've owned her. I fed her a good rat today after she gave me the signal the last couple nights by coming out of her hide to roam around and now she's back to hiding haha. She's a good one! I named her Giuseppi thinking she was male, but I like the name.

The one thing i love about where I'm working is that on my name tag they give you a place where you can put a picture of your pet in so you can see them and show them off all day. Naturally I did a group shoot of my two snakes and now they're going to be shown off lol my coworkers already call me the crazy snake girl

I'm not entirely sure. It's one of those things where you don't know why, but there's a huge fascination and passion there.
I really like feeling their muscles move when I'm holding them, seeing their tongues flick out, their interest in their surroundings. I even (almost) enjoy feeding time.
I think it's all the power and grace they have.

My explanation wasn't great, but anyone who has snakes understands!

Are you kidding? Where do I start? lol

I love reptiles in general because they seem like they are in a constant state of meditation. Just sitting, watching, existing.

My father always liked snakes. I remember when I was really young I asked him "if they have no legs, how do they move?" He couldn't explain it to me, he said I'd just have to hold one to understand. We went to the zoo and I was enthralled.

Hippie aside, ball pythons are my absolute favorite! They are so sweet and friendly. I live in AZ, so their cold body against my skin feels great, and I think they appreciate the warmth, too. The morphs adds so much excitement to it, as well. It amazes me how well their bodies do exactly what they are made to do, especially squishing mice. Not to mention their adorable personalities.

Another total animal lover here as well. :) But I love snakes and reptiles above most other animals for several reasons. They are beautiful in ways that most fuzzies can't be, with colors and patterns. As someone has said, they are exotic and different and therefore attract a lot more questions and teaching opportunities. And snakes are some of the least needy pets one can have (as opposed to dogs, horses, guinea pigs etc.) and in fact prefer not to be bothered much. Also, reptiles have amazing personalities and are a wonder to watch for a biologist/animal behaviorist like me. :D
I also just generally love having reptiles around. My BTS adores watching TV, especially when Ari is playing video games, and is always begging to be taken out for handling (he paws the door of his cage very enthusiastically). The snakes, on the other hand, are great for just sitting with and chilling out. They are calming to watch and interact with.
Reptiles are simply awesome pets, and we need to spread the word to all those who don't understand that. :D

Oh, and Royal Chick - your statement "Because they are quiet, don't jump on people, are easy to clean up after, don't cost a lot, and are misunderstood." Should be slightly changed. You should say 'don't cost a lot TO MAINTAIN.'. :D Getting all the equipment, caging, and the snake itself (depending on morph) can be exorbitant! But upkeep of snakes is, indeed, quite low compared with most other pets.

I like them because they are different. They aren't the typical furry cuddly animal. I'd say they are a lot like fish, they are fun to look at, but at least you can hold your snakes and walk around with them!