got a support group?

Why is the keeping of snakes, and the buying of new ones, so addictive?? Am I the only one who secretly wants to sell all of their non-snake-related posessions and buy new snakes with the money?
It isn't a bad addiction, though; I do not ignore my old snakes when I get a new one. But can anyone else feel where I am coming from? And how do you deal with a slightly-less-eager-to-spend-whole-paychecks-on-snakes significant other?!

Nope, I've just learned how to control it :)

You need to realize how much it costs, how much more of your time it'll take, ect. It all adds up, so it kinda shys me away from new additions. I only get one if I'm serious about it.

Right now I want a bci, macklott's, and a couple lizards :)

If I didn't love my wife so much, I'd add at least a BCI and a Blood, probably a JCP too. and a bunch of BP's and Corns.

I'm sure I'd be in divorce court if I tried it. She might let me add one more some day.

I know what you mean. But like Godfather said, I have learned to control it. I want to keep a few healty herps for a long long time. I want to look after them like I would a child. However I cannot to look after too many of them :roll:

Oh yes I know what you mean about that. I would spend all my money on my snakes if it could be that way. But as it turns out I only have enough to support what I have going for me now. maybe in the future I will get a few more but who knows.

I definitely know the feeling. That's a good part of the reason I intend to breed: it will help support my habit and give me free additions to my collection to boot. :D

hehe, I wasnt gonna say anything yet ,but Ive only had my BP for 2 months and Im getting a 5 month old Sumatran Black Blood from NERD in bout 11 days (yes I begged like a baby).Obviously I cant have a collection like say someone like Kara so to keep myself in check
Im taking a slightly different aproach.By asking a million questions (sorry MARLA ,DAVID, JENNIFER,KARA etc etc.) and by looking at every photo , article and caresheet I can find, Im gonna keep about 4 species that I know I cant live without, and than after keeping them for a sufficient amount of time (longer than 2 months :wink: )I plan on picking one of the four and breeding that species.

Somehow I think its gonna be one of the short tails.

I won't accuse you of being indecisive when it comes to buying herps, Paul. :)

i have everything i can handle... but the wish list is still a mile long, always will be.

Yeah, you might as well embrace the addiction.....it'll never go away and the only way to get a fix is to get more snakes, LOL! :D

I definitely know how you feel. And like Ken said...it's the love for my spouse that really helps keep me in check. My collection will grow...but very slowly, and only with his full support. :) Not that it's always easy........

1.0 Cape Gopher (Caesar)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Shaggy)

quote:

"I won't accuse you of being indecisive when it comes to buying herps, Paul. "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ill take that as a compliment Marla, even though I know that Ive tossed and turned over at least half a dozen species (sonoran boas,hogg islands, dumerils,spotted pythons,JCP,and One of the short tails). Theres no doubt I had no idea how getting one BP would suddenly make me crave more. And it has nothing to do with being dissatisfied with my BP,its just that these animals started to fascinate me, the more I read and saw the more I realised that each species is its own experience therefore even if I had all the money and space I could possibly want it would take several life times to enjoy EVERYTHING sufficiently.

What a Hobby!! :D :D

LOL, yep, you hit it right on the head, Paul. If I had Oprah's money, I'd set up a simulated environment of rainforest, desert, grasslands, etc., each in its own room or building and run each specimen through the vet and quarantine before adding it to my collections. Then I'd invite y'all over. :lol:

Aaahhh, the pursuit of the perfect herp collection. Kinda like trying to achieve the speed of light.....it's impossible to complete!
I have recently been considering paring down my BP collection, and branching out into some different species---a la DavidBeard.
Is it possible for me to give up any of my BP's and instead get a Borneo Blood, Amazon Tree Boa, Rainbow Boa, and a Carpet Python? Don't know if I can actually give up any of my babies, but I've pretty much reached the wife's limit of sheer numbers of snakes in the house. If I want to change anything, it will have to be substituting something new for one I already have. :(

HELP!!!!!

Signed,
Desperate in Denver..... :?

Sounds like a really tough situation, Randy! Maybe you could start working on some plans to build a "snake house" building in the back yard? That'd give you more room...and keep all the new ones out of the house! :P

Or maybe I'll just quit asking/telling her about the new ones I want!
Or maybe not....I would have a hard time keeping all those snakes warm if she kicked me out of the house!

LOL ... you'd have to wear them all!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RPlank

Aaahhh, the pursuit of the perfect herp collection. Kinda like trying to achieve the speed of light.....it's impossible to complete!
I have recently been considering paring down my BP collection, and branching out into some different species---a la DavidBeard.
Is it possible for me to give up any of my BP's and instead get a Borneo Blood, Amazon Tree Boa, Rainbow Boa, and a Carpet Python? Don't know if I can actually give up any of my babies, but I've pretty much reached the wife's limit of sheer numbers of snakes in the house. If I want to change anything, it will have to be substituting something new for one I already have. :(

HELP!!!!!

Signed,
Desperate in Denver..... :?

---

Variety is the spice of life, my friend! ;)

I had Bob (ball python) for a while when one weekend my wife went out of town with the kids, well I had to get something for his tank can't even remember what it was now. I got to the reptile shop was getting the item for Bob and I saw the baby snakes lots of milks and corns and king snakes. Thats when I saw Nanners (Cali king) just a little guy but his coloring was so cool lite yellow with dark chocolate markings. I remember rationalizing to myself about how I had a free 20 gallon tank at home because I had just moved Bob up to a 40 gallon so I got him.

I remember when my wife got home she knew something was up. She asked me if I had got the item for Bob's tank I nodded and said yes and I could not supress a small grin. That's when she asked me what else I had gotten, I shut up at that point so she headed downstairs. And about 30 seconds later I heard my full name shouted out including my middle name lol.

She ended up being ok with it but even now says that she isn't going to go out of town again. :)

I will be honest, i have only had Jack for a little over a week & I am addicted. In fact, my girlfriend sorta half jokingly told me tonite that she is jealous because I buy Jack sumthin new every day! (thermometers, carpets, food, hides, etc) She says that I haven't gotten anything for her in a long time! LOL!! What can I say? I am always lookin for ways to make his life better!

Well, Randy, if you ever want to replace that gorgeous bci w/something new, I will give ya my phone number. :) I highly doubt that would happen.

Yeah I know what ya mean as well:) Right now I have 2 10 gallons free.........aah the sweet smell of Baby BP's and Leopard Geckos:)

Then when I get my cages built....I'm going to buy a few 20's for the babies to grow up in....then Ill move them into my burms cage and put my burm in the new bigger cage:) I still cant decide on what to get! I think I'll get 1.1 Beardies for now....then go with the Savs later after about 0.2 BP's

Lack of space at this point in time is the only thing keeping me from buying more. I live in a crazy apt complex and if they knew I had Ozzy they would freak.
I hope to move toward the end of summer and in looking I am already looking with more space in mind just for the soon to be herp collection.

Then the BIG problem, what to get??? :)

I am glad it's not just me that feels the addiction here. I just don't want to end up like those old ladies you see on Animal Precinct, who horde 1000 dogs and cats into a small NYC apartment (only snakes, not cats/dogs, in my case.) So now I'll work on providing the best for the 4 snakes I have now, rather than buying a hundred more. But I still wish I could. :/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ginevive

Well, Randy, if you ever want to replace that gorgeous bci w/something new, I will give ya my phone number. :) I highly doubt that would happen.

---

Thanks for the offer and compliment, but I'm afraid that no matter what I do with the BP's, Jazzy will never be leaving me! :D She's just too dang sweet!

i would love a BCI right now, or on the hot side of things, an easter diamondback. I could always go with a morph BP anytime as well.

It is definitely an addiction. The problem at our house is that Smulkin and I are both into it, so there's no spouse to keep things in check (although I do make sure we have enough money to pay the bills and such). In fact, the only thing keeping us from building a snake room or snake house and expanding our collection indefinitely is finances. If only we could find that winning lottery ticket.