Who are your herp buddies?

While my boyfriend is extremely supportive of my love for animals (especially reptiles) and will often ask me questions and show an interest in my 'hobby' (I hate using that word with regard to my animal friends) - he's just not as into them as I am.

None of my family and friends understand it for the most part - they may ask some of the general questions many people ask and I do relish the opportunity to educate them.

The people I work with at the zoo are more understanding and of course share similiar interests - there's one guy in particular that I talk reptiles with often. One of my volunteer positions is education oriented so I jump at every chance I get to handle the reptiles and talk to the public about them.

I keep in touch with most of the breeders I've bought from and make it a point to visit them all each month at the local reptile show. I also get a kick out of the reptile show because a lot of breeders recognize me (I go each month even if I'm not buying anything) and I stop and talk to a lot of them. My boyfriend went to a couple of shows with me and although he enjoyed seeing the snakes, I take a long time looking at all the animals and talking with people (longer than he does).

But other than that, I get my real interaction with fellow herpers on forums such as this. I just get a kick out of visiting all the forums, helping each other and even just sharing pics or talking about anything and nothing.

I was just wondering if other people find it a bit difficult to find people to talk to and share your interest with?

you not alone, thats for sure
its not that my family doesnt support my herp, they just dont care? lol
i do have a firend tho that has a BCI so its not that bad, but I wish my family had a bit more intrest than what they do. i wish they loved it so much that they would give me stuff lol :):)

Yeah, sometimes it gets a little frustrating that others don't feel the same way, understand or care.

But I bet if they gave me stuff too that I wouldn't care if they were interested or not! :)

For me it is the forums because really no one I know shares my love of herps except a bartender at the club I go to and my son some what.
Tis a lonely life sometime except when there is shows :)

yeah same here, my freinds look at me like i dont give a f*** when i tell them something about my snake or any other animal

i don't get to share my love for herps with anyone really. just me and them. and you guys of course.

not one person in my town my dad accepts them but he could care less I talk to him about them any ways at least he asks questions except for do they bite. My town is in the stone age they are still getting over the invention of the wheel. Lots of farmers,inbreeds, and 1 pet shop with bad selection it's kinda hard for people to get into it unless they really like it.

Hello all,
Well, I would have to say that I keep my interactions with other herpers confined to the internet. I am very distrustful of people in general and I do not even reveal that I am a hardcore herper to anybody outside of my closest friend here in Los Angeles.There is too much of a risk of me being "outed" to the management of my apartment building if I was careless about mentioning that I have a room full of snakes.

I have learned to be very private about my animals and I sort of think of them as secret friends that nobody knows about with the exception of all you guys and gals here at Ball Python Kingdom. Here I let it all hang out !!!!!!!!!
EyeLashViper

Then I am one of the few.....About 90% of my family are herpers and several of my friends are too.

My wife likes them, she just doesnt know a heck of alot about them.
Besides that, im on me own. I am the one that cares for them and builds their enclosures and what not.
I am very happy she likes them though. Or I would probably be snakeless...

Well, none of my friends think I'm weird for keeping herps, although only a few have any interest in them at all. The most prominent argument any of them has against herps, is that they don't reciprocate any affection. Personally, my greatest enjoyment from keeping herps is from observing them... I do enjoy handling them now and then, but I'm pretty certain I do so less than most people. I took two of my friends to the herp show here last weekend. One of them is doing his masters in bio, and has an interest in animals in general but no particular interest in herps. The other has expressed interest in purchasing one, but more for the coolness factor than anything else... he is much more interested in my Savannah monitor than my ball python.

Ironhead you are lucky!

I agree jotay, it does get a bit lonely at times - I'm just glad I've got the forums!

Eyelashviper - I haven't forgotten you! I still plan on emailing you back. :)

hhw, I'm with you - I really enjoy observing them, handling and just learning about them as much as I can.

I really don't have many friends that are interested in herps. One friend of mine owns a pet store, and occasionally dabbles in reptile keeping, but that's it. My boyfriend likes my snakes, but he prefers the fun stuff, such as handling and feeding, over doing the dirty work (cleaning, etc.) which I do not mind doing, since they're my pets. But if it weren't for forums like this, I'd have little, to no, serious people to talk herps with! My family and coworkers just looks at me like I have three heads when I mention my snakes, and most of my friends are slightly creeped out by them. But of course, everyone I know is amazed by watching them eat.

Astoundingly lucky I know I am in my wife being as into it as much as I am. Man . . . . sounded kinda Seuss . . .

Well I don't know many people who share my inerest in herps. Most people just think I'm crazy and leave it at that. but there is this kid who works at my local petshop that I like ot talk to. He know about herps and keeps 2 bps and 2 BCIs. He lets me hold the many snakes there and stuff. But besides that and the people her on bps.net I don't know anyone who shares my interest in herps.

It is just me and my 2 babies, and of course these forums.

I think a good way of finding herp buddies is to join a herp society like I am when i get a license and probably sooner. http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/uhaofalbany/

Most people I know just smile and nod when I talk about our snakes. My wife is the only one I know that actually loves them as much as I do. Other then the boards that I am a member of that is.

Well my younger sister has a snake too now, so she obviously shares my interest. My mother doesn't care either way, she will hold them sometimes too, but mostly doesn't care ^_^

I get most of my interaction here from you Tiger believe it or not ^_^

LOL. Sometimes it seems I practically live on the boards.

My husband, certainly, although I don't think I'm quite as obsessed as Smulkin is (too many other practical things for a mom to think about). Our 13 year old shares our enthusiasm, and to a lesser degree, our 12 year old. The 14 year old cares about nothing except music and cars. No one else I know really understands, except maybe the girls at the local pet store.

My wife enjoys the herps as well. She encouraged me to buy my first ball python, and when I bought Dixie back in March, it was almost a toss-up whether Dixie was going to be my snake or her snake. She enjoys handling the snakes, but her primary interest is in the bearded dragons.

I have a co-worker that's something of the resident expert. He has a degree in biology, and has kept all kinds of snakes before. He's always ready for a friendly discussion about snakes.

Well, my husband and I of course as we are equal partners in the rescue. Our son, but of course he is five and kind of "has" to be into it. He does enjoy learning thou.
My family inquires of our adventures time and again, and my best friend owns reptilecare.com
And then of course the forums.
Thanks
Rusty

My kids love them like I do and are eager to get more, so I have kind of a built-in herp club. LOL I have one friend and one cousin who both like ball pythons specifically and have or have had one, but they just like them as pets, not as a hobby or a part of something larger. Otherwise, it's just y'all. :)

Most of the people I talk to about herps in the real world find it kinda silly that i am so enthusiastic & crazy about them. It is like the think you should only be bonkers & in love with furry, fuzzy, "cute" animals.

So yeah, my herp buddies are all online & mostly from this forum. Tigergenesis, you will always hold a special place in my herp friend's heart because you were the first one to really take me under your wing & you helped me the most when i needed it the most, in the very early beginning.

Some of you I have gotten to know better than others. Will, Jason (who i brought to the forums thank you very much! haha) & more recently MJ come to mind. I miss Randy Plank too! But yeah, you guys & gals are the only ones that i can REALLY talk to about herps.

Nanci is gettin much better though, I have to say. She has taken a very strong interest in Hissy & is always helpin me keep her tank where it needs to be when i am at work & stuff like that. I will keep workin on her & we will see what happens!

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Originally Posted by Eddie_Z

Most of the people I talk to about herps in the real world find it kinda silly that i am so enthusiastic & crazy about them. It is like the think you should only be bonkers & in love with furry, fuzzy, "cute" animals.

So yeah, my herp buddies are all online & mostly from this forum. Tigergenesis, you will always hold a special place in my herp friend's heart because you were the first one to really take me under your wing & you helped me the most when i needed it the most, in the very early beginning.

Some of you I have gotten to know better than others. Will, Jason (who i brought to the forums thank you very much! haha) & more recently MJ come to mind. I miss Randy Plank too! But yeah, you guys & gals are the only ones that i can REALLY talk to about herps.

Nanci is gettin much better though, I have to say. She has taken a very strong interest in Hissy & is always helpin me keep her tank where it needs to be when i am at work & stuff like that. I will keep workin on her & we will see what happens!

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Thank you sooo much - that was very sweet of you to say. :oops: I try to get as many people over to this forum as I can and am glad when they do join up. I'm so glad Hissy is coming along, and I bet/hope one day soon Nanci will come to you and say "Let's get another snake"!

Thanks again,
Tiger

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Our 13 year old shares our enthusiasm, and to a lesser degree, our 12 year old. The 14 year old cares about nothing except music and cars

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i would be your kid anyday, haha, you have SOO many cool snakes, your kids are lucky to have a mom who likes snakes as much as you do

Thanks, Brandon! I think our 12 and 13 year olds appreciate that Smulkin and I are so into herps, but our 14 year old thinks we should be spending all our money on drum sets, bass guitars, amps, (all of which he has) and tricked-out stuff for what will be his car in about a year.